15 Online Science Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high schooler interested in science, consider participating in a structured science program. Many of these programs offer opportunities to gain practical skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking, as well as relevant industry experience. They also offer the opportunity to form valuable connections with like-minded peers, as well as science experts and faculty members. Unlike in-person programs, online science programs offer the flexibility of attending from anywhere and allow you to learn from the comfort of your home.
What are the benefits of a science program?
Numerous institutions nationwide offer robust online science programs for high school students, including MIT, Stanford, Harvard, NASA, and Johns Hopkins. Whether your interest lies in physics, biology, engineering, chemistry, or math, there’s a suitable program available. Participants will engage in project-based learning, focusing on intensive research projects across fields such as math, physics, astronomy, engineering, and more. Some of the tasks you’ll do include working with sustainable energy technologies, exploring current research in biomedicine and biotechnology, learning to code in Python, gaining experience in tools like CAD, and more.
To help you get started, here are 15 online science programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. MITES Semester
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: 6 months from June to December
Application Deadline: November – February 1
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors with a strong academic record and a passion for STEM
MITES Semester offers a six-month STEM and college preparation experience, during which you will attend rigorous science-focused courses, weekly virtual webinars, workshops, and more. Along the way, you will receive college admissions counseling and the chance to network with STEM professionals. During the program, you will take two rigorous courses: one project-based course and another supplemental core course. For the supplemental course, you can choose from subject areas like calculus, physics, computer science, or science writing and communication. Your project-based course will focus on one of the following: astrophysics, robotics, thermodynamics, machine learning, computational biology, and more.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students
Veritas AI, started and run by Harvard grad students, offers programs for high schoolers interested in artificial intelligence. If you're just getting started with AI, ML, and data science, the AI Scholars program is a good fit. It's a 10-session boot camp where you'll learn the basics of AI & data science and even get to work on real-world projects. If you’re a more advanced student, there's the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase program, which gives you the chance to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities on a unique, personal project. You'll also have access to the in-house publication team to help you get your work published in high school research journals. Check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Texas Aerospace Scholars
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: Year-long
Application Deadline: July 1 – September 24
Eligibility: Texas high school juniors who are U.S. citizens
The Texas Aerospace Scholars program offers interested students the chance to gain an authentic STEM learning experience, where you will get to engage with NASA’s missions. It is a year-long program, and during the first five months, you will learn about space exploration, Earth science, aeronautics, technology, and more. This will give you the chance to gain skills in coding, engineering, and computer-aided design (CAD). If you perform well during this segment and are one of the top performers, you will be invited to a five-day virtual summer experience called Moonshot, during which you will be mentored by NASA scientists and engineers. Moonshot’s top-performing teams will then be invited to a residential experience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (all expenses paid). You can find more information on this program here and here.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a challenging research program designed for high school students. It offers plenty of one-on-one research opportunities across a wide range of subject areas, including artificial intelligence, data science, computer science, engineering, psychology, physics, economics, chemistry, international relations, and more. During the program, you will be paired with a Ph.D. mentor, who will work closely with you on an independent research project. By the end of the 12-week program, you'll have a finished independent research paper! You can find more details about the application here, and check out student reviews of the program here and here.
5. MIT PRIMES-USA
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: Year-long
Application Deadline: September – December 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and sophomores residing in the United States outside the Greater Boston area; More info here
MIT PRIMES-USA is a year-long research program for high school students with an interest in mathematics. During the program, you will get to work on unsolved problems in mathematics and applied mathematics projects in areas like computational biology and theoretical computer science. These projects will be either individual or group projects and will be mentored by MIT and other university graduates and faculty. The program is divided into four phases. During the first phase, you will be assigned a mentor who will recommend advanced readings that will contribute to your future research project. To complete this phase successfully, you must submit a 5-page reading report that your mentor must approve. Based on this, you will move on to phase two, during which you will spend time working on your research project while under the guidance of your mentor. By the end of this phase, you should have submitted a report detailing the progress of your research project. After this, you will move into the third phase, where you will continue working on your research project independently while staying in touch with your mentor over email. Finally, you will move on to the last phase, where you will wrap up your project and eventually present it at the Fall-Term PRIMES conference. You will also be expected to write a final paper summarizing your findings, which will be posted on the PRIMES website.
6. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 24
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Current 9th-11th graders; First-generation students and students from underrepresented backgrounds encouraged
The SPINWIP is a virtual program hosted by the Stanford Physics Department and the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, aimed at engaging students in physics. For over three weeks, you will attend online sessions focused on cutting-edge physics research, particularly in quantum physics, quantum computing, astrophysics, and cosmology. These lectures will be hosted by Stanford professors and researchers. Along the way, you will also learn to code in Python and apply your newly learned coding skills to physics-based projects. The program also gives you the chance to work in small groups led by Stanford undergraduates and attend workshops focused on college planning and career development. To learn more about the program, you can go through the syllabus here.
7. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes – Online Science Courses
Location: Online + In-person options
Cost: $3,200; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; Typically, 16 students per class
Dates: June 15 – 26 (session 1); July 6 – 17 (session 2)
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: 8th-11th graders
The Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes program gives you the chance to participate in single-subject intensive study and covers science subject areas like humanities, STEM, sciences, business, design, and more. As a participant, you will be placed in small classes with other academically motivated peers, where you will get to have a more focused, hands-on, and personalized experience. If you’re interested in exploring the intersection of science and engineering, you can check out the courses on Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications, or Chemical and Environmental Engineering. If you want a more focused experience in the physical and earth sciences, you can choose from courses like Water in a Changing World: Scarcity, Science, and Solutions, Environmental Solutions, and more. Similarly, the program offers a wide variety of courses for students interested in bioscience, social science, and so on.
8. Science Mentorship Institute (sci-MI)
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: Late June – early August
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Science Mentorship Institute (sci-MI) focuses on bridging the gap in science engagement by using open-science models and free resources such as scientific literature, textbooks, encyclopedias, and datasets, and by offering research mentorship. As a participant, you will be paired with a mentor who will offer advice and support as you work on a research project. You can choose from subject areas like neuroscience, biology, computer science, electrical engineering, chemistry, and more. This program is free for all and open to students from around the world.
9. Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics
Location: Online
Cost: $1,700 + $35 application fee; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – August 14 (summer): Multiple cohorts offered throughout the year
Application Deadline: March 16 – May 11
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing
This program gives you the chance to take online university-level courses in physics and math. While it’s mostly self-paced, the program offers the opportunity to learn from expert instructors. If you’re looking for a more mathematics-focused experience, you can choose from nine advanced, rigorous courses: Multivariable Differential Calculus, Multivariable Integral Calculus, Linear Algebra, Modern Algebra, Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations, or Number Theory. If you’re more interested in physics, you can choose from courses like Light and Heat, Modern Physics, Intermediate Mechanics I, or Intermediate Mechanics II. All these courses have specific prerequisites, so be sure to check them out before applying. Once you complete the program, you’ll earn a Stanford Continuing Studies transcript.
10. Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program (SSP): 7-Week Online
Location: Online
Cost: $4,180 (4-credits); $8,160 (8-credits); $75 application fee; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: June 20 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 7 (early), February 11 (regular), April 1 (late)
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (16+) who are academically motivated
Harvard offers several pre-college programs, including the Secondary School Program (SSP), during which you’ll get to explore a variety of college-level courses led by industry experts or top faculty members. The SSP offers courses in both in-person and virtual formats; these courses are also often for-credit and graded college courses. If you’re interested in exploring the vast field of science in an online format, you can choose from courses like the Principles and Techniques of Molecular Biology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Introduction to Web Programming Using JavaScript, Biochemical Engineering and Synthetic Life, and more.
11. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Online + In-person options
Cost: $25 application fee + $1,299; 100% financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: December 8 – February 15
Eligibility: High school students who are 15+ (remote internships)
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program offers an opportunity to gain research experience and collaborate with researchers at George Mason University and other institutions. If you’re interested in science fields, you can participate in research areas like chemistry and biochemistry, astronomy, bioengineering, neuroscience, climate change, biology, and so much more. As a participant in this program, you will learn to work with advanced technology and develop essential STEM skills. The program also emphasizes scientific writing and communication and includes discussion forums and meetings that highlight various STEM career paths. By the conclusion of the program, you will have completed a research project and earned three college credits from George Mason University.
12. STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES)
Location: Online + In-person options
Cost: $2,000 (in-person); Free (virtual); Full scholarships offered
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: May 15 – July 21 (see specified here)
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. current high school sophomores or juniors (16+) with a strong interest in STEM
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) program provides an excellent opportunity to collaborate with NASA, academic institutions, and industry professionals while gaining practical experience across STEM disciplines, including engineering, data analysis, and systems modeling. As a participant, you can explore areas including planetary science, aerospace, astronomy, space geodetic techniques, and more. The program also focuses on developing skills in collaboration, design thinking, and communication, as well as cultivating the technical expertise needed for advanced research and engineering. You can find a comprehensive list of projects here.
13. Stanford’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X)
Location: Online + In-person options
Cost: $1,725; Scholarships offered
Acceptance Rate: Approximately 12%
Dates: June 8 – 19 (session 1); June 22 – July 3 (session 2)
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 1 (rolling)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors to seniors & graduating seniors
Stanford’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience offers both in-person and online experiences for students looking to learn about neuroscience, psychiatry, and psychology. As a participant, you will get to partake in Stanford-level courses and attend interactive seminars led by Stanford faculty, researchers, and students. You will learn about the principles of neuroscience, neuroscience research, behavioral and social sciences, neuropsychiatry, psychiatric epidemiology, and more. You will also learn about the professional and career opportunities available to you in this field. Alongside all this, you will work in teams on a capstone project focused on developing solutions to social issues related to neuroscience, psychiatry, or psychology.
14. Dartmouth College’s Biology: Transforming the Future of Science
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length sessions available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and older
During Dartmouth’s Biology: Transforming the Future of Science course, you will explore the future of biology and how it will intersect with technology, from understanding how systems biology improves our understanding of genes and other cellular interactions to personalized medicine or anti-aging research. You will also learn about concepts like molecular networks, biological networks, genomics, proteomics, immune systems, and more. The course also offers a hands-on learning component, giving you the chance to review current research and understand how biotechnology tackles complex biological challenges. You will gain insight into systems biology techniques, analyze complex biological networks, and develop a solid foundation for careers in biomedicine, biotech, and so on. The program culminates in a capstone project and a Certificate of Completion from Dartmouth.
15. Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation Pre-College Programs: Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE)
Location: Online + In-person options
Cost: $4,328; Scholarships offered
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 30 (early); Rolling thereafter
Eligibility: Current high school students or recent graduates (ages 15-17) with As and Bs in high school math and science; Must have completed Algebra II and a high school science course with a lab
Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation Pre-College Programs offers students interested in math and science the opportunity to develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills through an engineering lens. Based on your interests, you can choose from several programs where you will explore biomedical engineering, Python, sustainable energy engineering, and engineering innovation. During the Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE) program, you will learn about sustainable technologies like solar, wind, smart grids, and advanced storage technologies, and how our energy choices shape our environment, economies, and communities. The program offers a hands-on learning experience; projects you can choose from include Hydropower Case Study, Wind Turbine Lab, and Design Sustainable Living.