10 Free Online College Summer Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student looking for ways to explore your academic interests beyond the classroom, university-led summer programs can be a great starting point. College summer programs offer opportunities to explore university-level academics, build practical skills, and connect with professors, professionals, and peers. As a participant, you will also get insights into academic and professional paths and the college application process.
Several of these summer programs are conducted online for free, making them accessible and affordable ways to prepare for college! Whether you want to explore tech, biology, neuroscience, math, AI, or engineering, you can find a fully funded virtual college-led program that aligns with your interests.
To help you with your search, here we have listed 10 free online college summer programs for high school students.
1. MIT PRIMES‑USA
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; small cohort that varies each year
Dates: January 1 – December 31; year‑long commitment (10 hours/week) with flexible summer
Application deadline: November 18 (tentative); application window opens on October 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors outside the greater Boston area
MIT PRIMES‑USA is a free virtual research program in mathematics designed for high school sophomores and juniors. Although this is a year-long opportunity, you get to work remotely and flexibly without disrupting your school work, as well as engage in the flexible summer phase. You will work with graduate students or faculty mentors on unsolved problems in pure math, computer science, or computational biology, participating in one‑on‑one weekly teleconferences and advanced readings. During Phase I, which runs from January to mid‑March, you complete a reading report to demonstrate readiness for intensive research. The summer, i.e., Phase II, is dedicated to self‑directed work, where you pursue your project at your own pace. In Phases III and IV (summer through fall), you work on developing your research, writing a formal paper, and delivering a presentation at MIT’s fall conference.
2. Harvard University’s CS50x
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate: Open enrollment; no selection process
Dates: 11-week course available throughout the year, including in summer
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students; no prerequisites
Cost: Free to enroll and audit; certificate costs ~$219
Harvard University offers many online courses, of which CS50x is a free, self-paced introduction to computer science taught by Professor David J. Malan. As a participant, you will explore foundational topics like algorithms, data structures, memory management, and web development, and learn how to work with C, Python, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. The course is conducted through recorded lectures, online “shorts,” and challenging problem sets inspired by real-world applications in biology, forensics, finance, and cryptography. You will also design a final project, which could be a game, application, or visualization, and get to submit it for peer review and feedback. You can audit CS50x for free via edX or OpenCourseWare, but have the option to earn a certificate later for a fee.
3. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact details not specified
Dates: Five weeks in July–August
Application deadline: March 1; application window opens on December 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in North America
Cost/stipend: None
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) provides a research-focused five-week virtual experience in neuroscience to high schoolers. Here, you’ll engage in educational presentations, professional-development workshops, and mentorship training—all designed to introduce you to neuroscience research. You will learn basic lab protocols and develop an understanding of the scientific method through science-based activities during the program. You will also join virtual seminars and discussions to get some exposure to neurological sciences and prepare for potential careers in brain research. The virtual format also offers networking opportunities with peers and mentors, as well as guidance on college preparation, application essay writing, and CV development.
4. UChicago’s SHE (Summer Healthcare Experience) in Oncology
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically around 20 students per cycle
Dates: Two weeks (usually in late July)
Application deadline: Applications open early; recent deadline was March 4
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Cook, Lake, Will, and DuPage counties in Illinois or Lake County in Indiana
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $500 stipend provided
The SHE in Oncology program is a fully virtual, multi-institutional two‑week experience designed to introduce high schoolers to cancer research and care. In the version offered by UChicago, you will engage in genetics-based research and patient case-study projects alongside students from around the country through daily faculty lectures, panel discussions, and skills-building workshops. Over the course of the program, you will complete research assignments, practice scientific communication in small-group settings, and present your findings during a virtual symposium. The program focuses on career development in biomedical fields, offering networking opportunities with researchers and clinical professionals.
5. WIE RISE! Summer Research Program
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate: Limited spots; exact details not available
Dates: July 28 – August 1
Application deadline: Rolling until May 15
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders; designed for women in engineering, but open to all
Cost: None
WIE RISE! is an introduction to engineering research through a thematic, virtual week of immersive learning led by current University of Maryland undergraduates. Over five days, you will explore different engineering disciplines by virtually touring UMD’s research labs, and then dive into at-home experiments, like circuit-building or data modeling, using simple everyday household materials! You will also learn how to read and write scientific papers, analyze data, and present research findings, gaining both technical insights and communication skills. The program also includes live Q&A sessions where you can interact with undergraduate mentors about campus life, STEM pathways, and diversity in engineering. By the end of the week, you’ll have created a small research project and delivered a virtual poster-style presentation to your peers and instructors.
6. Johns Hopkins’ ASPIRE
Location: Virtual options available
Acceptance rate: ~10–20%
Dates: June 24 – August 21
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are 15 or older, have a minimum 2.8 GPA, and reside in specific regions of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia
Cost/Stipend: None (unpaid internship)
The ASPIRE program at Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a hands‑on STEM research program for high school students. Here, you will be paired with an APL mentor to tackle real scientific projects in fields like engineering, physical sciences, math, cybersecurity, and machine learning. In the process, you will develop both technical and communication skills. Over six to nine weeks, you will complete a minimum of 190 research hours, collaborating virtually and wrapping up with a digital poster presentation at a capstone event. Throughout the program, you will participate in weekly check-ins, receive feedback from experts, and may even continue your work into the school year if invited.
7. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Virtual projects available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10%
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school students who are 15+ years old
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; full waivers available; unpaid internship
ASSIP offers summer research experiences, both in-person and virtual, to high school students across diverse STEM fields. Over eight weeks, you will work closely with university faculty and graduate mentors via video calls and digital collaboration tools to tackle hypothesis-driven projects. Research projects are typically available in areas like biology, medicine, statistics, engineering, machine learning, cybersecurity, environmental science, and nanotechnology. During the program, you will develop key scientific writing and presentation skills, learn how to use platforms like MATLAB or R, and get hands-on experience analyzing data and modeling systems from home. Toward the end of the session, you present your research at a virtual symposium and may find opportunities to publish your work or present it at conferences.
8. Colorado School of Mines (CS@Mines) Internships
Location: Virtual options available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~2-4 research internships and ~30–40 Computing for Good
Application deadline: April 18
Dates: June 1 – August 6
Eligibility: High school students with an interest in computer science
Cost: None
The CS@Mines summer internships are free work and learn opportunities for high school and community college students interested in computer science research. Each summer, a small group of students has the opportunity to join research teams for six weeks. If selected, you will commit to 5 to 20 hours of virtual work each week, engaging in research related to machine learning/AI, robotics, cybersecurity, or architecture. You will be part of a team led by a Mines undergraduate student. You may also get to learn how to write code, build software, analyze data, and design algorithms in the process. This experience can serve as an introduction to research and its application in addressing real-world problems.
9. RNS NeuroCamp
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate: Not specific
Dates: July 19 – 20
Application deadline: Rolling (opens in March)
Eligibility: High school students; no prior experience required
Cost: None
RNS NeuroCamp, organized by the Rice Neuroscience Society, offers high school students a virtual introduction to neuroscience over two full days. Here, you will attend lectures that blend topics like neuron function, neuroanatomy, and neurological diseases, with advanced themes like computational neuroscience and the philosophy of mind. You will participate in hands-on bench science activities using household materials and guided demos. The program offers access to a professional development panel, where Rice undergraduates and career development reps discuss STEM pathways, campus life, and research opportunities. You will connect with peers and mentors in small-group Q&A sessions and get guidance on college readiness.
10. Norwich University of the Arts Summer School
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small groups; open enrollment
Dates: Vary by workshop; all sessions conducted during summer months
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
Cost: None
Norwich University of the Arts hosts a six‑week series of free, online creative workshops open to teens. Each week focuses on a different medium, like portrait photography, digital illustration, character design, or even storytelling, with sessions led by Norwich staff and alumni. You will participate in live, instructor-led workshops and complete creative exercises that build your skills and also enrich your portfolio, all at your own pace. Throughout the program, you'll have opportunities to receive peer and mentor feedback, attend live demonstrations, and engage with a creative community. At the end of the series, if you attend at least three sessions, you will earn a certificate.
If you are looking to develop a project or work on a research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI, founded by Harvard graduate students, offers a chance to work 1-on-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and more, and create unique, personalized projects. In the past, we had over 1,000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
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