15 Best Online STEM Programs for High School Students
Structured academic programs are one of the most effective ways for high school students to build STEM skills, gain early industry exposure, and connect with mentors. Online STEM programs, in particular, make it possible to learn from university researchers, tech professionals, and experts while working remotely on projects. These experiences can strengthen your problem-solving abilities, introduce you to technical tools used in the field, and help you understand which STEM pathway might be right for you.
The best online STEM programs often feature low acceptance rates, expert mentorship, research experience, and access to cutting-edge technologies. Being selective, they attract motivated students, creating a stimulating learning environment that encourages collaboration. Participating in a prestigious STEM program can add great value to your college applications by showing that you were selected for a competitive opportunity. Below, we’ve created a list of the 15 best online STEM programs for high school students.
1. Carnegie Mellon AI4ALL
Location: Virtual (with select on-site components)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <10%; 30 students per summer
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are at least 16 years old by the program start date, and are U.S. citizens and permanent residents
Carnegie Mellon AI4ALL is a fully funded program designed to broaden participation in artificial intelligence through structured learning and mentorship. You will explore core AI topics such as machine learning, robotics, computer vision, and algorithmic decision-making through faculty-led modules and collaborative assignments. The curriculum emphasizes responsible AI development, giving you opportunities to analyze the societal and ethical dimensions of emerging technologies. You will also work with real-world datasets and coding environments, gaining early technical experience relevant to future AI research. The program includes group projects, guest lectures, and discussions with researchers who work at the forefront of the field.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; 70 – 100 students
Dates: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter cohorts (8–12 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students able to commit 10 – 20 hours/week for 8 – 12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective program that matches students with high-growth startups for remote, project-based internship experiences. You will work directly with founders, product teams, or technical leads on tasks that address real operational needs across AI/ML, deep tech, health tech, marketing, consulting, climate, and more. You will typically contribute to market research, product development, data analysis, or content and strategy projects while receiving structured guidance from your manager. The program emphasizes professional skill-building, allowing you to take ownership of deliverables and present your work to company leadership. Cohorts run year-round and are designed to provide flexible yet rigorous exposure to startup culture.
3. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) – Virtual
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5–6 students per cohort
Dates: July – August (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) provides students with an opportunity to explore neuroscience research through a structured, faculty-mentored experience. You will work on neurological science projects, learning how to formulate research questions, design experiments, and interpret findings. The virtual format includes guided research sessions, expert-led seminars, and discussions that introduce you to core neurobiology concepts and current scientific methods. You will also develop skills in data analysis, scientific writing, and professional communication. Throughout the program, you will meet regularly with neuroscience faculty and graduate researchers who provide mentorship and feedback. The internship concludes with a final presentation, where you share your research progress through an oral or poster-style talk.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 1:1 mentorship model
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year; Spring (March – June), Summer (June – August), Fall (September – December), Winter (December – February)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students with demonstrated high academic achievement (accepted students typically maintain an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher)
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program provides high school students with the opportunity to conduct independent academic research under the one-on-one guidance of Ph.D.-level mentors. You will spend the program developing a research question, designing your methodology, and analyzing relevant data or literature based on your chosen subject area. Fields span a broad range of disciplines, including computer science, engineering, physics, psychology, data science, economics, chemistry, international relations, and more. Weekly mentor meetings help you refine your research direction, strengthen analytical skills, and build familiarity with discipline-specific tools and frameworks. The program culminates in a polished research paper, and you also become eligible for a UCSD Extended Studies credit.
5. SEES High School Summer Internship – NASA & UT Austin
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 6 – 7 students
Dates: May – August inclusive of on-site experience is from July 6 – 19, and the distance learning module is from May 19 – July 1
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors aged 16 years or older who are US citizens
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Internship offers high school students the opportunity to partner with NASA scientists and UT Austin faculty on research initiatives. The program integrates you into specialized teams focusing on diverse areas like Exoplanet Transits, Urban Heat Islands, or Air Quality. The internship emphasizes advanced scientific interpretation, data analysis, and skills development in Python programming and visualization, often utilizing satellite data and sophisticated software. You work closely with mentors in either a virtual or in-person capacity to produce original research, culminating in a presentation of your findings at the Virtual SEES Science Symposium for a professional scientific audience.
6. NASA OSTEM Internships
Location: Virtual or on-site at NASA centers nationwide
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid based on their academic level and session duration
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely competitive; over 3,000 high school interns selected annually
Dates: Year–round; Fall: early September to mid-December; Summer: early June – August; Spring: mid-January – May
Application Deadline: Fall: May 22; Summer: February 28; Spring: September 12
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old at the time of application, have a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and are U.S. citizens.
The NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) internship program offers high school students an unparalleled opportunity to jump into the world of aerospace and space science. You work with NASA scientists and engineers, tackling challenges across fields like aerospace engineering, data science, and mission planning. You engage in diverse tasks, from analyzing mission data and designing prototypes to supporting active space missions. With flexible options for both in-person and remote participation, OSTEM provides structured professional mentorship, emphasizing hands-on technical training, research methods, and problem-solving skills vital to achieving national space exploration goals.
7. MITES Semester
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; >270 students per semester
Dates: June – December
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
This program offers a rigorous yet flexible academic path, requiring two demanding online courses, a project-based challenge, and a core class in fields such as Calculus, Physics, Computer Science, or Science Communication. Throughout the sessions, you'll explore compelling subjects ranging from machine learning and thermodynamics to astrophysics. Complementing the academics, weekly webinars, workshops, and community events provide essential support for the college application process, including essay reviews and mock interviews. Since all classes are held live in the evenings, collaboration with peers remains fully possible, even while maintaining daytime commitments. Finally, the program culminates in an exciting in-person conference at MIT in the fall.
8. Stanford Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SHTEM) Internship for High School Students
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee; need-based fee waivers are available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3% – 6%; 60 – 65 students
Dates: June 22 – August 14 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Typically, in March
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who will be at least 14 years old by June 1
The Stanford SHTEM (Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Internship is a prestigious summer research program for high school juniors, seniors, and community college students. Hosted remotely through Stanford’s Compression Forum, this intense internship involves working in small groups on projects that cover diverse fields like computer science, linguistics, biology, and the humanities. You'll commit between 30–40 hours each week to developing research skills and collaborating directly with graduate students and Stanford faculty mentors. The program culminates in student presentations that effectively showcase both the technical and human-centered aspects of your research findings.
9. Spark Summer Mentorship Program
Location: Virtual (with optional opportunities in Greater Seattle, WA)
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Some projects offer stipends
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 – 5% acceptance rate; typically, 50 – 100 students
Dates: May–August (8–12 weeks, depending on project)
Application Deadline: Typically, late May
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Spark Summer Mentorship Program provides high school students with the opportunity to conduct research and work on technical projects in fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. It pairs you with mentors from universities and the tech industry who guide you through research tasks aligned with your interests and experience level. You can choose to work on anywhere from one to five projects, covering topics such as predictive analytics, biomedical modeling, climate and extreme weather forecasting, and quantum computing. Projects emphasize hands-on skill development in areas like algorithm design, statistical modeling, coding, and data interpretation. The program is designed to help motivated students build technical proficiency and gain exposure to modern STEM research workflows.
10. EDIT AI High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically small cohort sizes
Dates: June 13 – August 31
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students with strong backgrounds in computer science, machine learning, or bioinformatics
The EDIT AI Internship exposes high school students to computational pathology and medical AI research through projects at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. You will analyze high-dimensional biomedical datasets, including whole-slide images, metagenomic sequences, pathology reports, and multi-omics data, using Python, R, and high-performance computing. The program includes lectures, research seminars, and guided computational projects that introduce you to deep learning pipelines, algorithm development, and clinical data interpretation. You may work on ongoing research initiatives such as cancer detection models, virtual staining, natural language processing for pathology notes, or molecular genomics quality control. Mentors support you in scientific writing and data communication skills, often leading to research publications or long-term project continuation.
11. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee (waivable for financial need) / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 15 – 20 interns per session
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school students aged 15+ by June 18 for remote internships; must not have graduated from university before or during the internship
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) offers high school students the opportunity to conduct research in STEM fields under the mentorship of faculty at George Mason University and partner institutions. You will work full-time on research projects across disciplines such as molecular medicine, data science, environmental science, machine learning, neuroscience, engineering, and computational modeling. Remote interns engage in scientific writing, data analysis, and virtual lab or computational tasks, depending on their mentor’s research area. The program also includes career forums and discussions with STEM professionals, helping you explore possible academic and research pathways. You can publish your research in journals or present at conferences, reflecting the program’s rigorous structure.
12. MIT PRIMES-USA
Location: Virtual, mentored by MIT faculty and partners nationwide
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; around 12 – 15 students
Dates: Year–long program between January – December
Application Deadline: November 18
Eligibility: High school juniors and sophomores who are US residents and live outside of the Greater Boston area
This prestigious year-long program pairs you with a dedicated mentor, typically a graduate student or faculty member from MIT or a partner university, to pursue original research in advanced mathematics. The commitment is structured in four phases: starting with foundational background reading, moving into active research, continuing with summer independent study, and culminating in a final write-up and presentation at the PRIMES conference in the fall. You should plan to dedicate about 10 hours per week, which includes regular mentor meetings and intensive independent work. The ultimate goal is to produce a high-quality research paper, a product that often gets submitted to national competitions or even professional journals. Underrepresented students are especially encouraged to apply.
13. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) – Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $850 program fee + $40 application fee; need-based financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~25 interns per session
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students aged 14+ | Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The AIMI Summer Research Internship introduces students to the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine through a combination of lectures, guided research, and mentorship from Stanford engineers and researchers. You will explore how AI tools support medical imaging, diagnostics, and clinical workflows, gaining exposure to both computational and healthcare-focused concepts. The program includes Virtual Career Lunch and Learns, where guest speakers from academia, government, and nonprofit sectors discuss real-world AI applications. You will also engage in research-focused discussions and collaborative activities that build foundational technical and analytical skills. While the internship does not offer academic credit, you will receive a certificate of completion at the end. The structure is designed to help students understand emerging pathways in AI-driven healthcare and develop early research competencies.
14. Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Location: Virtual (online option available)
Cost/Stipend: $3,750; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <10%; approximately 64 participants per session
Dates: Session 1: June 15 – July 3; Session 2: July 6 – 24
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11 at the time of application | Must have experience writing and reading mathematical proofs, and be well-versed in high school geometry and algebra
Stanford’s SUMaC program offers high school students the chance to engage with higher-level mathematics through lectures, guided exploration, and collaborative problem-solving. You will study theoretical and abstract topics not typically covered in high school, such as number theory, abstract algebra, combinatorics, or advanced geometry. The online format maintains the program’s rigorous structure, combining live instruction with problem sessions and mathematical investigations. You will explore mathematical research directions, historical developments, and modern applications across science and technology. Small group work encourages collaboration with peers who share strong mathematical interests and abilities. The program is designed for students seeking a challenging enrichment experience that mirrors the intensity of undergraduate-level mathematics study.
15. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $3,200+ $65 application fee + up to $100 for additional materials; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically 16 students per class
Dates: Session 1: June 15 – 26; Session 2: July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offers academically advanced students the chance to explore a single subject in depth through small, discussion-driven online classes. You will engage in rigorous coursework across fields such as bioscience, engineering, computer science, creative writing, mathematics, business, philosophy, and more. Stanford instructors design each course to introduce you to advanced concepts, hands-on exercises, and structured problem-solving. Daily academic sessions are paired with interactive community activities, allowing you to collaborate with peers who share similar academic interests. The program emphasizes intellectual exploration rather than credit earning, making it ideal for students seeking enrichment beyond their school curriculum. By the end, you will gain exposure to university-level thinking and a clearer sense of your academic strengths.
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