11 Free+Online Pre-College Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Apr 14
- 8 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
If you are a high school student looking to experience college-level academics in an accessible manner, consider applying to online pre-college programs, particularly free ones! These programs, hosted virtually by universities, provide exposure to advanced coursework, practical skills, and industry insights, without pushing you to move cities or states, and spend a ton on porgram tuition.
As a participant, you can expect to experience college-level courses including lectures, discussions, and assignments. Some of them offer hands-on projects, simulations, and case studies, helping you develop research, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, along with boosting your college applications. These programs also facilitate meaningful connections with peers and professionals via guest lectures, which could lead to internship and mentorship opportunities in a field of your choice!
Below, we have listed 11 such free online pre-college programs for high school students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Fairly competitive entry criteria with small batch sizes
Dates: June 21 to August 9
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: High school students who will graduate and enter college in 2026 or 2027
Harvard's Secondary School Program is a seven-week online academic program that provides access to over 200 of Harvard’s courses, offers the chance to earn four or eight college credits, and experience Harvard's academics firsthand. The program is taught by esteemed Harvard faculty,y and it gives you access to the university's online libraries and resources. You will also get to be part of an array of interesting online activities such as the Classical Music Listening Party, LGBTQ+Panel & Q&A, Show & Tell: Bring Your Hobby, etc. While this is not one of the free online pre-college programs for high school students and has a fee, it offers need-based scholarship awards to students with exceptional academics.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 64
Dates: 16 June to 25 July
Application Deadline: Early February annually
Eligibility: 10 and 11 grade students at the time of application submission. They must have a strong background in and passion for mathematics
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) is a three-week intensive pre-college program for high schoolers interested in making a career in advanced mathematics. You can attend one of two courses - Program I (Abstract Algebra & Number Theory) or Program II (Algebraic Topology), guided by graduate and undergraduate Stanford students. You will be part of synchronous problem-solving sessions, which will help develop problem-solving and proof-writing skills. SUMaC also has guest lectures from prominent mathematicians and others who use the subject extensively in their wor,k inclusive of healthcare, biomedical sciences, and humanities. You submit your final research project in a single day at the end of the program. This program is not free, but financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies
Dates: 7-25 July
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school girls in grades 9 through 11
In this program, you will learn about cutting-edge research areas such as quantum physics, quantum computing, astrophysics, and cosmology, along with coding workshops in Python. The lectures are taken by Stanford professors and researchers and students will be part of collaborative projects led by Stanford graduates. No prior physics or coding experience is required, and the program gives preference to students from underrepresented backgrounds in Physics. Students will get the opportunity to attend college planning and career development workshops, along with being mentees to Stanford professors.
Location: Virtual (remote mentorship from MIT)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective – only 6 students chosen annually
Dates: February–June
Application Deadline: January 1
Eligibility: Full-time high school students with U.S. residency
Led by undergraduate students part of MIT TechX, you get to have weekly meetings with the THINK team for guidance and are granted $1,000 for your project if selected as a finalist. You may also get an all-expenses-paid four-day trip to MIT where you present your project to MIT faculty and students, tour labs, and spend the day with the THINK team. The program is considered one of the most prestigious research programs in the country as it accepts only six students each year. The program’s alumni have achieved recognition in national science competitions in the past and world-renowned companies such as Microsoft, Solidworks, DRW, and Art of Problem Solving have been the program’s sponsors in recent years.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; possibly limited cohort size of 32
Dates: June 18 to July 2
Application Deadline: 24 January
Eligibility: 9th and rising 10th graders over 14 years of age by the start date of the program
This program covers ethical AI development, machine learning principles, robotics, computer vision, medical AI, natural language processing, and real-world problem-solving with AI, in association with the Stanford AI lab. You will be working on projects simulating real AI challenges, receive mentorship from Stanford researchers, and explore how AI can impact fields like healthcare, environmental science, and social justice. While the program is expensive, it has extensive need-based financial aid for eligible students. The program has previously had prominent names such as IBM research scientist Stacy Hobson, USCF professor Marina Sirota, and Stanford professor Chelsea Finn.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; cohort size varies annually.
Dates: CSSI offers several options depending on your academic term.
Application Deadline: Usually in early spring; exact deadlines are announced on the program's website.
Eligibility: High school seniors intending to enroll in a four-year college, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups in tech.
Google's CSSI is a free, four-week online program designed to give an immersive computer science experience to high school seniors before they begin their college studies. You will build real-world applications, be part of interactive coding projects, have exposure to Google's technologies, such as the Google App Engine, and receive mentorship from Google engineers. It is specifically designed for high schoolers from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds without a grounding in computer science to promote identity and self-care along with career and skill development. Apart from tech, the program will teach you essential subjects such as resume building, design thinking, goal setting, storytelling, and product management. Your final projects will be reviewed by Google employees.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, with only 10-16 applicants selected from Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
Dates: September–May
Application Deadline: Applications are expected to open in May
Eligibility: Cambridge Rindge & Latin School students with a strong interest in astrophysics for now, but they are looking at broadening their eligibility criteria
In this program, you will work on research in astrophysical areas such as exoplanet detection, black holes, and galaxy formation. The program provides mentorship in the ratio of 2-3 students per mentor. You will get access to professional research tools and be part of monthly advisory sessions by the SRMP team. You will also receive a stipend thanks to the City of Cambridge. As a final project, you present your results at a symposium hosted by Harvard University, via short talks and posters.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Extremely selective admissions process
Dates: The Summer Session offers the option of three three-week sessions or one six-week session, all held between June 2 and August 1. Winter program is held between 2-18 January
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by session, with the summer sessions requiring applications by May 5 to June 16, depending on which option you choose. For winter, the deadline is December 2
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; specific course prerequisites may apply. The age bracket is 15-19 years
You can choose from an array of subjects, from applied economics and management, astronomy, microbiology, history, and music to sociology and psychology. You will study alongside Cornell undergraduates and have direct access to Ivy League professors. Upon successful completion of the program, you will have the opportunity to earn 3 to 12 college credits along with a Cornell transcript. The program emphasizes rigorous academics, providing a platform to explore potential majors and experience college-level coursework. While the program is fee-based, financial aid is available for eligible students.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective admissions process, each batch accepts a limited number of participants
Dates: 8 different sessions varying from 3 to 10 weeks held between June 23 and September 12
Application Deadline: May 16 for Non-UC students, June 20 for UCLA and UC students
Eligibility: High school students who are 15 years of age or older
This program offers over a 100 summer courses online across over 30 subject areas ranging from economics, film & TV, gender studies, medicine to neuroscience and philosophy. The program will give you top-level academics from the first-ranked public university in the US. You will also earn college credits at the end of the course, which will help build a solid foundation for future academic and career endeavors. While the program has associated fees, UCLA offers scholarships under no fewer than 3 initiatives for deserving students. UCLA students, however, can avail of the ‘University Studies 1’ at no additional cost. The program is also open to international students of diverse backgrounds.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective selection process for each session.
Dates: Three two-week sessions between 23 June and 1 August. The dates vary according to the course chosen.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary according to the course chosen.
Eligibility: Open to high school students, with specific courses each having additional prerequisites.
Johns Hopkins University offers online pre-college summer programs in subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology & Disease, Calculus, Advanced Spanish, Neurobiology, etc. They provide asynchronous lectures, live learning sessions, quizzes, discussions, presentations, and practical hands-on learning sessions, allowing you to deepen your understanding of the subject chosen. You will receive three credits upon completion of all three courses. While the program has a fee, JHU offers scholarships to nearly 200 students each summer under its Dean’s Fellowship Award.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment; no cohort limitations.
Dates: Self-paced; available year-round.
Application Deadline: None; students can enroll at any time.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students; no prior programming experience required.
Harvard's CS50 is a free, self-paced, 12-week, entry-level course that introduces students to programming and computer science. You will engage in problem sets and projects that cover algorithms, data structures, software development, and more, and will get exposure to multiple programming languages such as SQL, JavaScript plus CSS, C, HTML, and Python. You will be taught by Harvard professors such as David J. Malan and also get a certificate at the end of the program, subject to a final programming project.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Image Source - Harvard Logo
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
