15 Free Online STEM Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student with an interest in a STEM career, participating in a STEM program will give you the chance to explore a variety of STEM careers in-depth while still in high school. By participating in STEM programs for high school students, you’ll gain practical skills important to the field, industry exposure, and more. It’s also a good addition to your resume and is sure to impress college admissions officers.
Many STEM programs are available either in-person at reputable institutions or colleges or online, improving accessibility. Some in-person or online STEM programs for high school students are offered at a cost, while others are fully funded and available free of charge. Some even come with a stipend, giving you the chance to earn while you learn.
In this blog, we’ve narrowed down 15 free online STEM programs for high school students that you can check out.
15 Free Online STEM Programs for High School Students
1. MITES Semester
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: 6 months; June 16 – December 8 (tentative)
Application Deadline: November – February 1
Eligibility: U.S. rising high school seniors
MITES Semester is a highly competitive program that exposes students to the world of STEM while also providing college preparation guidance. For around six months, you will participate in rigorous online courses, weekly virtual webinars, workshops, and more. At the beginning of the program, you’ll attend an intensive project-based STEM course in fields like astrophysics, robotics, machine learning, and so on, and a core course in physics, calculus, data science, or science writing. Then, in the second half of the program, you will dive deeper into college and career prep, reviewing college essays, participating in mock interviews, and more. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn from and network with STEM professionals.
2. UW: AI4ALL
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: September 8 – January 26
Application Deadline: July 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The University of Washington’s AI4ALL is a free, 20-week program that introduces you to data science and artificial intelligence. During the program, you will learn how to understand, analyse, interpret, and discuss applications of data science and machine learning. You will learn from undergraduate students and researchers from UW, as well as those involved in the field. A main focus of this program is to encourage conversation and learning in small group settings. Currently, the program focuses on teaching you geographical information science and equipping you with the skills needed to question or assess equity and bias in urban spaces.
3. NASA’s GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 2 – August 29
Application Deadline: April 9; Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in the U.S.; Must have taken at least one high school biology course; Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
NASA’s GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) is a 12-week, asynchronous program offering on-demand training, allowing participants to engage at their own pace. The program also provides office hours three times a week, during which you will have the opportunity to observe live instructional demonstrations. During the program, you will have the chance to learn about NASA’s space biology research and examine how spaceflight conditions influence biological systems. You will be introduced to omics-based research methodologies and gain skills in analyzing complex biological data. You’ll also get to work on a capstone project and present it as a team. The top three teams will get the chance to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to the annual American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) conference.
4. Veritas AI
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type; Up to 100% financial aid offered
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Veritas AI is a program founded by Harvard graduates that offers a variety of programs to high school students interested in exploring the fields of AI, ML, data science, and so on. For those just starting, the AI Scholars program offers a 10-session boot camp that introduces you to the fundamentals of AI & data science. You’ll gain experience by working on projects. On the other hand, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase is for those who’ve either already completed the AI Scholars program or have prior experience with AI concepts or Python. During this program, you will work on an independent project under 1:1 mentorship from mentors from top universities. You might also get to publish your work in high school research journals with the help of the in-house publication team.
5. Girls Who Code
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; $300 grant offered to (SIP) participants in the U.S.
Dates: Varies by program and session
Application Deadline: Mid-January – early March
Eligibility: Girls and non-binary students (ages 14-18) in grades 9-11 (SIP); Girls and non-binary students (ages 14-18) in grades 9-12 (pathways)
Girls Who Code offers two summer programs for high school girls and non-binary students looking to gain computer science skills. The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a two-week program where you will attend live virtual classes led by industry professionals. During SIP, you will learn about beginner to intermediate computer science, game design, the basics of UX design, and more. Pathways, on the other hand, is a self-paced, six-week program that gives you the chance to explore topics like AI, web development, cybersecurity, and data science. You will also develop your coding skills and learn coding languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python.
6. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility:You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here!
7. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) – Virtual Experience
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: 5 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: December 1 – March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the U.S. and Canada
The JHIBS Virtual Experience is a five-week virtual research program that gives participants the chance to learn more about the neurological sciences. During the program, you will attend educational presentations that focus on brain science and medicine. You’ll also attend professional development training and will get to learn about potential careers in these fields. The program also offers the chance to develop basic laboratory techniques and learn about the various experiments conducted in the field. You’ll also undergo mentorship training by staff or professionals from Johns Hopkins. Once you complete the program, you will get a certificate of completion.
8. HarvardX: Statistics and R
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free (paid certificate available)
Dates: 4 weeks; Self-paced
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Students with basic math and programming experience
HarvardX’s Statistics and R course introduces you to basic statistical concepts and helps you develop important R programming skills for data analysis. The course is divided into two main parts: Data Analysis for Life Sciences and Genomics Data Analysis. In these segments, you will explore concepts like linear models and matrix algebra, bioconductors, functional genomics, and more. As a participant, you will learn non-parametric statistics, exploratory data analysis, and more.
9. NASA OSTEM Internships
Location: Virtual + in-person at various NASA centres around the country
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Paid and unpaid internships available
Dates: Varies based on internship
Application Deadline: September 12 (spring); February 27 (summer); May 22 (fall)
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (16+) with a GPA of 3.0/4.0
NASA OSTEM Internships provide high school students with opportunities to engage in projects that support the agency’s mission to advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. As a participant, you will receive training, mentorship, and the opportunity for career development. You’ll gain practical experience and will get to work alongside research scientists, engineers, and other professionals. Internships are offered virtually or in person at various NASA centres in the country.
10. Coding for Cancer
Location: Virtual
Stipend: $1,000
Dates: July 28 – August 22
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who live in Washington state
Coding for Cancer is a hands-on research program during which you can explore the intersection of biomedical research and coding, with an emphasis on cancer biology. As a participant, you will collaborate with computational biologists and gain practical experience in coding. Prior coding experience is not required; you will be introduced to the R programming language throughout the program. The program will begin with small-group and individual activities designed to introduce you to the programming language and foundational concepts in cancer biology. Once these are completed, you will focus primarily on your individual research projects.
11. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: July 7 – July 25
Application Deadline: May 9
Eligibility: High school students of any gender in grades 9-11; Rising seniors and students from under-resourced backgrounds are preferred
The SPINWIP is a three-week program that’s hosted by the Stanford Physics Department and the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology. During the program, you will learn about quantum physics, quantum computing, cosmology, and astrophysics. You will have the opportunity to gain coding skills in Python through hands-on, physics-based projects. The program includes lectures conducted by Stanford professors and researchers, as well as college planning and career development workshops. Additionally, it provides a valuable chance to connect with Stanford faculty and students.
12. HarvardX: Introduction to Data Science with Python
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free (paid certificate available)
Dates: 8 weeks; Self-paced
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Students with basic Python (preferably from CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python) and statistics (via Fat Chance or HarvardX’s Stat110)
HarvardX’s Introduction to Data Science with Python course introduces participants to the basics of data science and machine learning, emphasising the use of Python as a primary tool. You will learn about regression models, classification models, and other related topics while exploring fundamental machine learning concepts. During the program, you will gain hands-on experience in Python by using it to solve real data science challenges. You will also get access to popular libraries like NumPy, matplotlib, SKLearn, and Pandas.
13. sci-MI: Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program (EEMP)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: May (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
sci-MI’s Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program is a five-week program that introduces you to the field of electrical engineering. During the program, you will explore topics like computer architecture, software engineering, and more. You’ll participate in journal clubs, interactive lab sessions, lectures, and more. You will also gain access to resources like open-access papers and open-source software. At the end of the program, you will be required to present the individual project you worked on and submit a corresponding written report.
14. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee; Up to 100% financial aid available
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: December 9 – February 28
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 (14+); U.S. citizens or permanent residents; Preference for students with strong math, programming, or healthcare project experience
The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship program offers students the chance to learn more about the technical and clinical aspects of AI in healthcare. For over two weeks, you will attend introductory and technical lectures that speak about the fundamentals of AI in healthcare. You’ll also get to participate in mentored activities and work alongside Stanford Student Leads and researchers. The program also offers these Virtual Career Lunch and Learns, where you’ll hear from speakers working in academia, industry, government, and so on. At the end of the program, you’ll get a certificate of completion and the option to participate in an independent research internship.
15. Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,000; Up to 100% financial aid available
Dates: June 18 – July 2
Application Deadline: December 9 – January 24
Eligibility: High school freshmen or rising sophomores (14+); Students with math or computer skills preferred
Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week program designed to provide students with an introduction to artificial intelligence, featuring lectures, practical research projects, and mentorship opportunities. During the program, you will learn from professionals and explore topics like medical AI, natural language processing, robotics, and more. Since the program is partnered with the Stanford AI Lab, you will get to work on significant research projects and gain research experience. You’ll also attend career development workshops.