§ Collection

Online and virtual programs for high school students

Remote programs remove travel, housing, and the need for a ride. If transportation or cost is the real constraint, start here.

312 programs currently listed · 257 free or stipend-paying.

What to know

—Remote does not mean low-effort. Several of these are as selective as their in-person equivalents.
—Check the time zone the program runs in before committing.
—Hybrid programs are included — they meet mostly online with a short in-person component.

Programs in this collection

Columbia University
Academic Year Programs
Make the most of the school year with on-campus or online courses, including weekend options.
📍 New York, NY / Remote📅 Fall 2026 applications now open🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
Academic Year Research Internship
During the school year, students meet weekly in small groups with their student mentors to work on healthcare AI research projects under the guidance of Stanford researchers.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Adam Smith Society
Adam Smith Society HS Essay
Essay contest exploring market economics and policy.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Adobe
Adobe Design Achievement Awards (Semi-Pro)
International student creative awards across graphic design, film, animation, and social impact.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The Adroit Journal
Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship
Free online mentorship pairing teen writers with established poets and prose writers.
📍 Online⏱ 6 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
AFSA National High School Essay Contest
An essay contest designed to engage students in thinking about peace and conflict resolution.
📍 Online📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
AI4ALL
AI4ALL Open Learning
Girls in grades 6-12 learn AI and Python through interactive virtual classes.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Japan Cartoonists Association
All-Japan Manga Competition (Youth)
Youth-open division of the Japan Cartoonists Association's annual manga award.
📍 Japan (submissions welcome globally)📅 Autumn🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Amazon
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Scholarship for high school seniors planning to study computer science in college.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 4 years scholarship📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12
Selective
ACSL
American Computer Science League (ACSL)
A multi-division computer science competition covering both theory and programming.
📍 Nationwide⏱ School year📅 November 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
AICF
American Indian College Fund
Scholarships for American Indian and Alaska Native students attending tribal colleges or other colleges.
📍 United States⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Amgen Foundation
Amgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Australian National University
ANU Extension
University-level courses for high-achieving high school students in Canberra.
📍 Canberra, Australia⏱ 1 year📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
APIA Scholars
Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund
Scholarships for Asian and Pacific Islander American students entering college.
📍 United States⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grade 12
Selective
News Literacy Project
ASNE High School Journalism Institute
Free media-literacy and journalism resources and student programs.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NCWIT
Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
📍 Nationwide⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
AwesomeMath
AwesomeMath Summer Program
Three-week summer math program for talented middle and high school students.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 3 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Moderate
CERN
Beamline for Schools
CERN physics competition where student teams worldwide propose and run an experiment at a real particle accelerator.
📍 Geneva, Switzerland + Remote proposals📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
MIT Lincoln Lab
Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
📍 MA⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
ELASH / Bebras US
Bebras Computing Challenge (US)
An international computational thinking and informatics competition. Students can take the test remotely or through a local school coordinator.
📍 Online⏱ 45 minutes📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bennington College
Bennington Young Writers Awards
A prestigious creative writing competition for students to win cash prizes and publication.
📍 Online📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
BETA Camp
BETA Camp
Eight-week virtual entrepreneurship program for teens 14-18 to build and launch a startup.
📍 Online⏱ 8 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
College Board
BigFuture
A free, comprehensive set of digital resources that helps all students take a productive first step after high school. Includes information on planning for college and scholarships.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute MyImpact Challenge
Civic engagement competition awarding scholarships for student-led community impact projects.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Black Girls CODE
Black Girls CODE Workshops
Program that provides coding workshops and tech exposure to young girls of color.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Blue Ocean Strategy / various
Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneurship Competition
Free global pitch competition with cash prizes. Teams pitch a novel business idea via video; finalists present live.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Annual creative contest for teens combining art, writing, film, and music with environmental advocacy.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
International Brain Bee
BrainBee Neuroscience Competition
International neuroscience competition for high schoolers with local, national, and global rounds.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Breakthrough Prize Foundation
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Create a short video explaining a big idea in science or math. Global competition for ages 13–18 with a $250K college scholarship.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Brilliant.org
Brilliant.org High School Problem Solving Track
While the physical show has locations, the virtual 'Think Tank' and 'Daily Challenge' offer online logic and math problems for students nationwide.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (Weekly)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UKMT
British Informatics Olympiad (Open to Int'l)
Solve complex math and computer science problems created by the UK Mathematical Trust.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 November 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown Pre-College
Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL)
N/A
📍 Off Campus or On Campus🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown University
Brown Pre-College
On-campus and online courses across the liberal arts.
📍 Providence, RI⏱ 1-7 weeks📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Brown Pre-College
Brown Pre-College Online
Experience Brown Pre-College wherever you are.
📍 Online🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown University
Brown Pre-College Summer@Brown
One- to four-week summer courses for HS students across all fields.
📍 Providence, RI⏱ 1-4 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
C-SPAN
C-SPAN StudentCam
Annual student documentary competition on public policy.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 January🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Global chemistry problem-solving competition for Y12 / 11th-grade students; open worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Late June🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Waterloo (CEMC)
Canadian Computing Competition (CCC)
Free competitive programming contest run by Waterloo's CEMC; open worldwide and used as a qualifier for the Canadian Computing Olympiad.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CFA Institute
CFA Institute Research Challenge
Global equity research and analysis competition with high school divisions in some regions.
📍 Global⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Chapman University
Chapman University Holocaust Art & Writing Contest
A writing contest for high schoolers exploring the impact of the Holocaust through various creative prompts.
📍 Online📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Freedom Forum
ChiPS Chips Quinn Scholars (pipeline)
Diversity journalism pipeline programs for students of color.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Coca-Cola Foundation
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
USD 20K college scholarships for 150 graduating seniors annually. Free to apply.
📍 Online application⏱ Senior year📅 October🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Code2College
Code2College Summer Program
Summer program for Texas students to gain technical skills and professional development.
📍 TX⏱ Various📅 February 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CodeDay
CodeDay Labs Fellowship
High school students are paired with industry mentors to build a real-world software project.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months📅 May 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Codeforces
Codeforces Educational Rounds
Free competitive programming platform with weekly contests for students worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ 2 hours📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
QuestBridge
College Admissions Conferences (through College Prep Scholars Program)
Exclusive access to college admissions conferences as part of the College Prep Scholars Program.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
College Affordability Guide
College Affordability Guide
Provides clear, correct info and advice on the many options students have to reduce the cost of their degree, and to offer a fresh analysis of which colleges are doing the most to make high-quality education affordable.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CSPA
Columbia Scholastic Press Association Awards
Top awards recognizing student newspapers, magazines, and yearbooks.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Commonwealth Foundation
Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Global short-fiction prize open to writers from Commonwealth countries.
📍 Commonwealth countries📅 November🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The Concord Review
Concord Review (Humanities Publishing)
The only quarterly journal publishing high school history research worldwide.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US House of Representatives
Congressional App Challenge
District-level coding competition open to every US high schooler.
📍 All US districts⏱ Self-paced📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Congressional Award Foundation
Congressional Award
Award for ages 14-23 earning bronze/silver/gold for service, fitness, expedition, and personal development.
📍 United States⏱ 6-24 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Cornell University
Cornell School of Continuing Education Pre-College
Three or six-week pre-college programs in hundreds of subjects on campus or online.
📍 Ithaca, NY⏱ 3-6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Brown Pre-College
Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE)
Propose, design, and conduct your own research project, working on topics and seeking answers to questions that are currently unknown to the specific discipline.
📍 On Campus or Online🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line Counselor
Volunteers over 18 (or high school seniors) provide mental health support via text; requires 200 hours of commitment.
📍 Online⏱ Ongoing📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Code.org
CS Principles from Code.org
High-quality AP Computer Science preparation and advanced CS courses.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard / edX
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to computer science from Harvard University available for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Self-paced — no fixed deadline🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Harvard University / edX
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Harvard's world-famous introduction to computer science. While self-paced on edX, it offers a certificate and a deep dive into programming.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Curieux
Curieux Academic Journal
Monthly student-run academic journal publishing research by high schoolers worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Cyber.org
Cyber.org Range Competitions
Free cybersecurity courses, range exercises, and competitions for K-12.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
CyberPatriot
CyberPatriot
A cybersecurity competition for high school teams to learn and apply cybersecurity skills in a virtual environment. Teams compete to find and fix vulnerabilities in simulated operating systems.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Air Force Association
CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense
National youth cybersecurity competition with middle and high school divisions.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Data Science Competition
A global competition for high school students centered around data science challenges.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Davidson Institute
Davidson Fellows
Scholarships of USD 10K, 25K, and 50K for students under 18 with significant work in STEM, literature, music, or philosophy.
📍 Online application⏱ Project-based📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Davidson Institute
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Up to $50,000 scholarship for original work in STEM, literature, music, and 'outside the box' areas, ages 18 and under.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship
Diamond Challenge
Global high school entrepreneurship pitch competition with $100k+ in prizes.
📍 Newark, DE⏱ Academic year📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MSF USA
Doctors Without Borders Student Outreach
Student outreach, awareness campaigns, and clubs supporting MSF's humanitarian work.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google
Doodle for Google
Annual K-12 art contest with college scholarships.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Spring🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
Google
Doodle for Google Contest
Annual K-12 art contest where winners' doodles appear on the Google homepage.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
EarthEcho International
EarthEcho Water Challenge
Global citizen-science program monitoring local water quality with thousands of student volunteers.
📍 Global⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
National Academy of Engineering
EngineerGirl Writing Contest
Annual essay contest with cash prizes for K–12 students.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — next contest not yet posted🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
European Space Agency
ESA Education for Schools
Free space-science education projects, CanSat, Astro Pi for European school students.
📍 Europe⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Essentials of Leadership
An online program focusing on foundational leadership skills.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Eunoia Review
Eunoia Review
Open submissions literary journal accepting student poetry and prose.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Federal Reserve
Fed Challenge
Free team competition analyzing monetary policy — top teams present at the Federal Reserve.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Year-long competition📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
FinAid
FinAid
Links to scholarships, grants, loans, and graduate aid.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Financial Decision Making
An online program to teach students about making sound financial decisions.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
FIRST
FIRST LEGO League
LEGO-based STEM challenge for grades 4-8.
📍 Global⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 4–8
Moderate
Poetry Society
Foyle Young Poets of the Year
International poetry award for ages 11-17; free to enter.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Poetry Society (UK)
Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award
International poetry prize for writers aged 11–17.
📍 Global📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
From the Top
From the Top's Scholarship & Radio Program
A national competition for classical music performers for a chance to perform on the radio.
📍 Online / Boston, MA📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Future of the Business World
An online program exploring emerging trends and the future landscape of business.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Gates Scholarship
Last-dollar scholarship covering full cost of attendance for 300 outstanding minority high school seniors from Pell-eligible families.
📍 Online application⏱ Senior year📅 September🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Generation Citizen
Generation Citizen Student Leadership Board
Action civics program enabling students to lead community campaigns on local policy issues.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Generation Citizen
Generation Citizen Youth Council
National civic action council for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Genes in Space
Genes in Space
Design a DNA experiment to be performed on the International Space Station. Annual competition with no entry fee.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 April🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
GenZ Girl Gang
GenZ Girl Gang Virtual Internship Program (Open to all GS)
A network for students to find virtual internships in tech, non-profits, and policy. Focuses on social impact projects led by youth.
📍 Online⏱ 8-12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion
Free two-week virtual program teaching CS to high school girls and nonbinary students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Virtual Summer Programs
Free online coding workshops for girls and non-binary students focusing on web development, game design, and AI.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks or 6 weeks📅 Spring/Summer cycles🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pioneer Academics
Global Problem-Solving Institute
Tackle the world’s most complex challenges alongside high school students from around the globe in a 12-week virtual innovation lab. Guided by four university professors, you’ll apply design- and systems-thinking to real-world problems, collaborate in interdisciplinary teams, and earn college credits through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
📍 Online, Globally Accessible🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
The Climate Reality Project
Global Youth Climate Network
International youth climate leadership and action network.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NFTE
Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
International youth pitch competition and entrepreneurship curriculum.
📍 International📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
The World Food Prize Foundation
Global Youth Institute
An international organization that empowers students to research and propose solutions to the global food security crisis.
📍 Des Moines, IA/Global⏱ Year-long📅 January 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
United Nations / WHO
Global Youth Mobilization Fellowship
An online-based global youth leadership accelerator focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months (Learning)📅 May (Annual)🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
NASA / University of Toledo
GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME)
A year-long club-based program where students engage in data-driven environmental justice projects and present to scientists.
📍 Online / Various⏱ Year-round📅 October 31🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google
Google Code-in Archive Projects
Archive of the Google Code-in competition tasks for self-guided open source learning.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google Official
Google Generation Scholarship (Americas)
Google's scholarship aimed at supporting students with disabilities pursuing CS degrees.
📍 Nationwide⏱ One-time payment📅 Varies🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Google
Google Summer of Code — Contributor
Paid open-source contribution program. Now open to any newcomer to open source 18+, worldwide.
📍 Global📅 March🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club
Free worldwide network of student-run high school coding clubs and hackathons. Travel grants for in-person events.
📍 Worldwide⏱ Flexible📅 Year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club Outernet & Events
Network of student-run coding clubs and hackathons.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard International Review
Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest
A rigorous economics essay competition organized on a global scale.
📍 Online📅 October 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
HE+ Cambridge
Free supracurricular resources, subject taster videos, and reading lists from Cambridge academics — designed to stretch Year 12/13 students preparing for competitive applications.
📍 Remote (UK/Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Duke Summer Session
High School Credit Course Options
Duke Summer Session offers credit course options for high school students.
📍 Durham, NC and remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Federal Reserve Bank of New York (and others)
High School Fed Challenge
High school teams compete to solve real-world economic problems and demonstrate their understanding of central banking.
📍 Regional Fed Banks⏱ Semester📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
HSF
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Need- and merit-based scholarships for Hispanic American students. Awards from USD 500 to USD 5K annually.
📍 Online application⏱ Annual📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Horizon
Horizon Academic Research Program
Individual research mentorship program producing a college-level paper; open worldwide.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 10 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
HSCTF Association
HSCTF (High School Capture the Flag)
One of the largest student cybersecurity competitions, featuring crypto and web exploits.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 November 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Immerse Education
Immerse Education Essay Competition
Free international essay contest; winners receive 100% scholarships to Immerse summer residencies at Cambridge, Oxford, and elsewhere.
📍 Global📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Indigo Research
Indigo Research
One-on-one mentored research projects with university faculty.
📍 Online⏱ 3-6 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Inspirit AI
Inspirit AI Scholars Program
Live-online AI program for grades 9-12 taught by Stanford and MIT grad students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Institute for Youth in Policy
Institute for Youth in Policy (Economics Dept)
A youth-led organization providing resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish research in economics.
📍 Online⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Terra Science
International Journal of High School Research
Open-access peer-reviewed journal for HS research across disciplines.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
IMMC
International Mathematical Modeling Challenge
International team-based math modeling competition for high schoolers.
📍 International📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
International Philosophy Olympiad
International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO) - US Qualifiers
An annual philosophy essay competition for pre-university students globally.
📍 Online📅 January 31🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
International Songwriting Competition
International Songwriting Competition (ISC)
A world-renowned songwriting competition that has launched the careers of many famous artists.
📍 Online📅 February 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Edu Mithra
International Space Olympiad
International olympiad on space science, astronomy, and rocketry with online prelims.
📍 India + Global📅 Autumn🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
IYPT US / USAYPT
International Young Physicists' Tournament (Online Regional)
Global physics competition for teams to solve 7 open-ended problems and present their results in online 'Physics Fights'.
📍 Online/Global⏱ Intermittent (matches)📅 February (Registration)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IYRC
International Youth Research Conference & Mentorship
Student-run research group providing mentorship and resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish original research.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 May (for summer/fall)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
Isaac Physics
Free platform of physics and math problem sets with online mentoring, mastery levels, and printable revision sheets used by GCSE, A-level, and international students worldwide.
📍 Remote (UK/Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Categories and Subcategories
Definitions and details of the categories of competition for Regeneron ISEF.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to questions for students, parents, and teachers about the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF International Rules and Guidelines
Official rules and guidelines for competition at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Project Database
Searchable database of abstracts from Regeneron ISEF projects from 2014 to 2026.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars
Five-year pre-college scholarship for high-achieving 7th graders with financial need.
📍 United States⏱ 5 years📅 Spring🎓 Grade 7
Selective
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars
Free 5-year program for 7th-grade high-achieving low-income students. Includes summer programs, college advising, and scholarships.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 5 years📅 April🎓 Grade 7
Selective
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program
Five-year scholarship for high-achieving 8th graders with financial need.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — no next application window posted yet🎓 Grades 7–8
Selective
John Locke Institute
John Locke Institute Essay
Annual global essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Free entry; cash and Oxford summer school prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 June 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
John Locke Institute
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
Free essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Open worldwide, ages up to 18.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
John Locke Institute
John Locke Institute Global Essay Competition
International essay competition across philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law.
📍 Global📅 Late June🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
JEI (Harvard)
Journal of Emerging Investigators
Free peer-reviewed publication venue for middle/high school STEM research. Real PhD reviewers.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
JHSS
Journal of High School Science
STEM and humanities journal for high school students.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
JRHS
Journal of Research High School
Multidisciplinary peer-reviewed HS journal.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kaggle
Kaggle Competitions
Global data-science competition platform with beginner "Getting Started" tracks, community notebooks, and cash-prize challenges accessible from anywhere.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kenyon Review
Kenyon Review Young Writers (Online Program & Publication)
The official high school literary magazine of the Kenyon Review, accepting poetry and prose globally. Virtual workshops also available.
📍 Online/Kenyon College⏱ Annual publication📅 May (Summer Review)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Khan Academy / Medline Plus
Khan Academy Health & Medicine Pathway
Learn the science behind medicine and the human body through interactive coursework developed by top universities. Ideal for medical-track HS students.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible (1-year access)📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Khanservatory / Khan Academy Affiliate
Khan Academy Student Ambassador Program
High school students from the US can serve as 'International Ambassadors' to help with online math tutoring and outreach.
📍 Online⏱ Ongoing📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation High School Journalism
Various Knight-funded high school journalism programs and fellowships.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Knowledge Society
Knowledge Society (TKS) Innovate
Selective ten-month innovation program for teens 13-17 in emerging tech (AI, biotech, blockchain).
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 10 months📅 Spring🎓 Grades 8–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Knowledge@Wharton Comment & Win
Monthly free contests where students comment on Knowledge@Wharton articles for cash prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Monthly🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton/Penn
Knowledge@Wharton High School
Free online business journal and articles plus essay competitions for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton/UPenn
Knowledge@Wharton High School Comment & Win
Monthly essay/comment contest on business topics.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Monthly🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy
Free two-week coding camp for girls and gender-expansive teens.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 2 weeks📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
LaunchX
LaunchX
Summer entrepreneurship programs with seed funding.
📍 Multiple sites⏱ 4 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
LaunchX
LaunchX Entrepreneurship Summer Program
Four-week intensive where students launch a real startup; held at Northwestern, Michigan, or virtual.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 4 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Learn To Be Foundation
Learn To Be Tutor
A 1-on-1 online tutoring program for low-income K-12 students. High schoolers can apply to tutor and earn volunteer hours.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Let's Get Ready
Let's Get Ready College Access
Free SAT prep and college advising from near-peer mentors.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Lumiere Education
Lumiere Education Individual Research
One-on-one research mentorship with PhDs producing a publishable paper.
📍 Online⏱ 3-6 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Lumiere Education
Lumiere Research Scholar (Aid)
Independent research papers with PhD mentors. Need-based financial aid up to 100%.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Lumiere Education
Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Independent research program mentored by PhDs; open to high schoolers worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
MLH
Major League Hacking (MLH) Digital Events
MLH partners with dozens of online student-led hackathons throughout the year accessible to any student with an internet connection.
📍 Online⏱ 24-48 hours📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking High School Hackathons
Calendar of student hackathons; many high school-friendly.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking Local Hack Day
Free worldwide student hackathons run by MLH. Beginner-friendly tracks.
📍 Worldwide⏱ 1-2 days📅 Year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MATHCOUNTS Foundation
MATHCOUNTS
Premier US middle school math competition with school, chapter, state, and national levels.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 6–8
Selective
Matriculate
Matriculate Advising Fellows
Free virtual one-on-one college admissions advising for high-achieving low-income high-school students.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Matter of Trust
Matter of Trust Citizen Science
Free citizen-science volunteer projects in oil-spill remediation and sustainability.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
McGill University
McGill Mini-Med School
Lecture series introducing high school and community members to medical science and clinical topics.
📍 Montreal, Canada⏱ 8 weeks📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft High School Internship Program (Redmond Area)
Paid summer internship doing technical research or development at Microsoft.
📍 Redmond, WA⏱ 4-10 weeks📅 February 1🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
MIT Launch
MIT Launch Summer
MIT-affiliated four-week entrepreneurship intensive.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 4 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
MIT
MIT LaunchX
Entrepreneurship program; teams build startups with mentorship.
📍 Cambridge, MA📅 Not yet announced — 2027 program dates listed as "coming soon"🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
MIT
MIT THINK Scholars
Funded research mentorship; finalists travel to MIT for an all-expenses-paid weekend.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — 2026-27 cycle not yet posted🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Major League Hacking
MLH Fellowship
A 12-week fellowship for aspiring software engineers to contribute to Open Source projects.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Major League Hacking
MLH Member Hackathons
A season of student-run hackathons across the world where students build software/hardware.
📍 Global⏱ 24-48 hours📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Actuarial Foundation
Modeling the Future Challenge
Free actuarial science / data analysis competition for HS students with cash scholarships.
📍 Online⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Moneyball FLEX
A flexible online program for sports analytics, building on the Moneyball concept.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Moneyball: Training Camp
An online training camp focused on sports analytics, similar to the Moneyball Academy.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
NASA
NASA App Development Challenge
Open team coding challenge from NASA. Teams build a visualization of mission data. No fee; finalists visit Johnson Space Center.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 December🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Citizen Science
Dozens of free NASA citizen-science projects. Your contributions co-author published papers.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA High School Internship Program (OSTEM)
Students participate in NASA's mission-driven projects through unique internship experiences at NASA centers across the country.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 10 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA
NASA International Space Apps Challenge
The largest annual global hackathon: 48 hours to solve real challenges using NASA's open data, with local host cities on every continent.
📍 300+ cities worldwide⏱ 48 hours (October)📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Internships (HS / OSTEM)
Search portal for NASA STEM internships and challenges, including high school programs.
📍 United States⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Space Apps Challenge (Student Track)
A data science competition where students use real NASA data to solve problems.
📍 Global⏱ 48 hours📅 April 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA / Future Engineers
NASA TechRise Student Challenge
Teams design space-bound experiments. Winners receive USD 1500 and their payload flies on a high-altitude balloon.
📍 Online⏱ School year📅 November🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NAQT
National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT)
Major US quiz bowl organization running middle school, high school, and college tournaments.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Moderate
Council for Economic Education
National Economics Challenge
Team economics competition with state and national rounds. Open to all US high schoolers; many states offer scholarships.
📍 State + national⏱ Multi-round📅 March-April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NFMC
National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Competitions
A prestigious scholarship competition for vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers.
📍 Online📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
National Geographic
National Geographic GeoBee Archive
Historical archive and resources for geography competition (paused after 2020) plus successor programs.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 4–8
Selective
National Geographic
National Geographic Slingshot Challenge
Annual video competition for ages 13-18 on environmental solutions with cash prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
NHSJS
National High School Journal of Science
Free peer-reviewed online journal publishing high school students' STEM research.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
International Academic Competitions
National History Bee and Bowl
National history quiz competitions for grades 4-12.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 4–12
Moderate
National History Day
National History Day
Year-long historical research project competition culminating at the national contest.
📍 College Park, MD⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NMSC
National Merit Scholarship
PSAT-based scholarship recognizing top US high-school juniors.
📍 Online📅 No fixed deadline — entry is via the PSAT/NMSQT, administered each October by individual high schools🎓 Grade 11
Selective
APHA
National Public Health Week Student Challenge
Annual student challenge for high schoolers to advocate for public health issues.
📍 Online⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Concord Review, Inc.
National Writing Board
The National Writing Board assesses academic expository writing against an independent standard endorsed by Harvard, Michigan, Princeton, Stanford, Virginia, Yale, and 33 other selective colleges and universities.
📅 rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
YoungArts
National YoungArts Foundation Competition
National arts competition for ages 15-18 across 10 disciplines; finalists receive cash and YoungArts Week.
📍 Miami, FL⏱ Self-paced📅 Fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
YoungArts
National YoungArts Photography
Photography track of the YoungArts national competition.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
NFTE
National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Pitch competition for student entrepreneurs from NFTE programs.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Center for Women & Information Technology
NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award & Community
While many awards are in-person, NCWIT provides a massive online community, virtual mentorship, and networking for girls in tech nationwide.
📍 Online/Nationwide⏱ Lifetime membership📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
NCWIT
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing
Free annual award for high-school women, genderqueer, and non-binary students with interest in computing. Affiliate and national levels.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NFTE
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Summer
Free summer entrepreneurship programs for underserved students.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Supercomputing Challenge Outreach
New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge
A unique research program in New Mexico that places high school students in state-of-the-art laboratories through the Supercomputing Challenge.
📍 Los Alamos, NM⏱ Year-round📅 January 31🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Student Press Law Center
New Voices Student Press Freedom
Youth advocacy network defending student press freedoms.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The New York Times Learning Network
New York Times Editorial Contest
Annual student editorial writing contest for teens 13-19.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
The New York Times Learning Network
New York Times Personal Narrative Contest
Annual personal narrative writing contest for teens 13-19.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Fall🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
NextGen Tech Talks
Live online webinar series tailored specifically for high school students. Join renowned experts as they share their professional journeys, unveiling the transformative potential of technology in healthcare.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NPR
NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Free annual podcasting contest. Submit a 3-8 minute podcast. Winning student is featured on NPR.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 April🎓 Grades 5–12
Selective
National Scholastic Press Association
NSPA Best of the High School Press
National recognition program for student publications.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
The New York Times
NYT Personal Narrative Contest
Annual short personal narrative contest for teens. 600 words. Free entry.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The New York Times
NYT Student Editorial Contest
Free annual contest for students aged 13-19 to write a 450-word evidence-based editorial. Top entries are published by the Times.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The New York Times
NYT Summer Reading Contest
Each summer week, students pick a Times piece and write 350 words about it. Free; winners published.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 June-August🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Ocean Awareness Contest
International student contest in visual art, film, writing, and music addressing ocean conservation.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Duke Summer Session
Online Courses (High School)
High school students can take a variety of Duke courses online for college credit during the summer.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NYU Tisch
Online High School Filmmakers Workshop
High school first-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors will work in online crews and collaborate to direct, shoot, and edit music videos and short films. Special emphasis is placed on storytelling through visual language. You’ll develop your writing, directing, shooting, and editing skills, and participate in screenings of significant works, master classes, and discussions with industry professionals/Tisch faculty. This program culminates in four college credits (units).
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
NYU Tisch
Online High School Screenwriters Workshop
Learn the basic principles of writing for film and television in the Online High School Screenwriters Workshop. You will develop story ideas and characters, and learn film language and script structure. The workshop culminates with submitted scenes, a short screenplay, a synopsis of a feature film and television series, plus four college credits (units).
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Purple Comet! Math Meet
Online Math Team Championship (OMTC) / Purple Comet!
An international online math competition focused on high-level problem solving, often allowing students from rural areas to compete.
📍 Online⏱ 1 week📅 Late August (yearly)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Columbia University Pre-College Programs
Online Summer
Dive into the Ivy League experience with Columbia’s world-class instructors and a rigorous and collaborative online experience.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Oregon State University
Oregon State Environmental Science Internship
A program for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to participate in environmental research and data science.
📍 Corvallis, OR⏱ 6 weeks📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Oxbridge Launchpad
Oxbridge Launchpad Essay Competitions
Rolling essay competitions across STEM, humanities, and social sciences for global high school students.
📍 Remote (Global)📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Parsons / The New School
Parsons Pre-College Academy
Online and in-person pre-college art and design courses.
📍 New York, NY⏱ 4 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
VFW
Patriot's Pen Essay Contest
Patriotic-themed essay contest for grades 6-8 with $5,000 top prize.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 6–8
Selective
PBS
PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
Network of student newsrooms producing stories for PBS.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Academic year📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Peace First
Peace First Mini-Grants
Digital platform and mini-grants (up to $250) for 13–25-year-olds anywhere in the world to design and launch a project responding to injustice in their community.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Project-based📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
QuestBridge
Personalized Support (through College Prep Scholars Program)
Personalized support for the college application process as part of the College Prep Scholars Program.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon CyLab
picoCTF
Free annual cybersecurity capture-the-flag competition for students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Pioneer Academics
Pioneer Academics (Aid)
Accredited college-level research with US professors. Need-based aid up to full tuition.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 15 weeks📅 Multiple cycles🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
Pioneer Academics
Pioneer Academics Research Program
One-on-one online research program with US professors across humanities, social sciences, and STEM; produces publishable paper.
📍 Online⏱ 4-6 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Pioneer Academics
Pioneer Research Institute
The world's first and only fully accredited online research program for high school students. Work directly with leading professors to conduct original research projects and earn four college credits. Participants engage in research group seminars, literature review, and 1:1 mentorship to develop an original, undergraduate-level research paper.
📍 Online, Globally Accessible🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Point Foundation
Point Foundation LGBTQ Scholarship
Scholarships and mentorship for LGBTQ students from high school through graduate school.
📍 United States⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Polygence
Polygence Core Program
One-on-one online research mentorship with PhDs in any field; produces a tangible project.
📍 Online⏱ 3-6 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Polygence
Polygence Press
Symposium and publication outlets for high school student researchers in any field.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Polygence
Polygence Research Mentorship
1-on-1 online research mentorship with graduate students across any field; open globally.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Polygence
Polygence Scholars (Financial Aid)
1:1 research mentorship with PhDs across any field. Full financial aid for qualifying students.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 10-20 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Polyphony Lit
Polyphony Lit Editorial Internship
International literary magazine staffed by high school students; editors and writers worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ Academic year📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pratt Institute
Pratt Fall and Spring PreCollege Classes
Spend Saturdays developing your skills in classes designed to fit a high school schedule. With both online and in-person options, students collaborate with peers from near and far while receiving expert guidance on their projects.
📍 Brooklyn, New York (and remote)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pratt Institute
Pratt Online Summer Program
Join a global community of students in live online classes, held Monday through Thursday. Through demos, critiques, and guided projects, instructors help students sharpen their skills and create polished, portfolio-quality work.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown University
Pre-Baccalaureate
Brown University for-academic credit program for high school students.
📍 Online🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Princeton University
Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest
Annual playwriting contest for 11th-grade students judged by Princeton's Lewis Center faculty.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Princeton University Press
Princeton University Press Junior Reviewers
Various junior reviewer / reader programs and writing contests in the humanities.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Art of Problem Solving
Putnam-Style Online Practice
Free competition math forums, classes, and practice for K-12 students.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
QuestBridge
QuestBridge College Prep Scholars
Junior-year program with summer scholarships and admissions support for low-income students.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — 2027 cycle date not yet posted (historically late March)🎓 Grade 11
Selective
QuestBridge
QuestBridge National College Match
Full four-year scholarships matching low-income HS seniors with partner colleges.
📍 United States⏱ 4 years📅 Fall🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Federal Reserve Banks
RBA / Federal Reserve Essay Contests
Various regional Fed essay and case competitions for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Red Cross
Red Cross Youth Volunteer
Youth volunteer roles in disaster relief, blood services, education.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Red Cross
Red Cross Youth Volunteer Programs
Volunteer opportunities for ages 13+ in disaster, blood services, and youth leadership clubs.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron ISEF Categories
Finalists at Regeneron ISEF compete across 22 different scientific categories, covering a wide range of STEM fields.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Unique among high school competitions, the Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the nation’s most promising future leaders in STEM. Each year, around 2,600 students enter Regeneron STS, submitting original research in critically important scientific fields of study and full application for holistic review. $3.1 million in awards are distributed annually, including the first place prize of $250,000. It is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school students.
📍 Washington, D.C. (Finals Week, if selected), Remote (Application)📅 November 5, 2026🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Schmidt Futures × Rhodes Trust
Rise
A lifetime program for 15- to 17-year-olds worldwide; the top ~500 finalists receive scholarships, mentorship, and career support to work on problems that matter.
📍 Remote application + summer residency⏱ Ongoing📅 Late January🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Rise
Rise (Schmidt Futures × Rhodes Trust)
Global program identifying brilliant young people who need support. Scholarships, mentorship, funding.
📍 Multiple + Remote (nationwide eligibility)⏱ Lifetime support starting at age 15-17📅 January🎓 Grades 9–10
Selective
Jane Goodall Institute
Roots & Shoots
Youth-led community action for people, animals, environment.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
RoundPier
RoundPier Networking & Competition Portal
An online platform where students can find curated digital internships, summer courses, and research opportunities specifically for HS.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Running Start
Running Start High School Program (Young Women's Political Leadership)
A leadership program that empowers young women to increase their political efficacy and leadership skills.
📍 Washington, D.C. / Online⏱ 1 week📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Rutgers University Extension
Rutgers Master Gardener Youth Programs
Support for community garden initiatives and school composting programs led by NJ high schoolers.
📍 NJ⏱ Ongoing📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The longest-running recognition program for creative teens in the US — writing, visual art, photography, film.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Year-long competition📅 December-January (regional)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Scholastic Writing Awards
Regional and national recognition for student writers in 11 categories. Need-based fee waivers available.
📍 Regional + national⏱ Self-paced📅 Sept-Dec by region🎓 Grades 7–12
Moderate
Schoolhouse.world
Schoolhouse.world Tutor
A non-profit platform providing free, peer-to-peer tutoring in SAT prep and Math to students worldwide; volunteers can lead 'series' or 'sessions'.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 Ongoing🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
National Geographic / Disney+ / Hulu
Science Fair: The Series
A three-part docuseries following young innovators, engineers, and scientists on their way to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SETI Institute
SETI Institute REU and Education
Astronomy and astrobiology education programs including HS workshops.
📍 Mountain View, CA⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Sierra Club
Sierra Student Coalition
Youth-led grassroots environmental network with trainings, fellowships, and campaigns.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
South Dakota State Legislature
South Dakota Legislative Page Program
A year-long fellowship for South Dakota high school students to engage in state policy-making and legislative observation.
📍 Pierre, SD⏱ 1 year📅 April 1🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Youth Activation
Youth leadership and unified sports programs.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Stanford University
Stanford Intersect Journal
Undergraduate journal of science, technology, and society (high schoolers may submit).
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Stanford Math Circle
Stanford Math Circle offers after-school classes for elementary, middle & high-school students interested in math to improve academic and extracurricular performance.
📍 Stanford, CA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford
Stanford Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Three-week intensive abstract math program.
📍 Stanford, CA⏱ 3 weeks📅 February🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
STEM Fellowship
STEM Fellowship Big Data Challenge
International data science competition with publication in STEM Fellowship Journal.
📍 Online⏱ 8 weeks📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
STEM Fellowship
STEM Fellowship Journal
Peer-reviewed journal publishing student STEM research.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for Excellence in Education (CEE)
STEM Lyceums
STEM Lyceums are virtual events that connect high school students with leading STEM professionals, providing insights into various STEM fields and career paths.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SIFMA Foundation
Stock Market Game
Free K-12 simulation of investing in real-world markets used in classrooms nationwide.
📍 Online⏱ 10-14 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
National Security Agency (NSA)
Stokes Educational Scholarship Program
Scholarship and internship program for students interested in a career in cybersecurity.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Varies📅 December 15🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Stone Soup
Stone Soup Magazine
Magazine of writing and art by children and teens up to age 14.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 5–9
Selective
Emory University
Summer College Program
A 6-week program where high school students can earn college credit by taking one course. Letter-based grading (A-F). This is a non-residential program with on-campus and online instruction options. Students take classes with current Emory undergraduates.
📍 Atlanta, GA (on-campus & online)📅 June 5🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Stanford AIMI
Summer Health AI Bootcamp
Two-week virtual bootcamp offers a curated curriculum that covers the fundamentals of machine learning in healthcare settings.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
Summer Research Internship
Two-week virtual opportunity to explore technical and clinical aspects of AI in healthcare.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Buffett Foundation
Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Scholarship
A program providing financial support and mentoring for Nebraska high school students from underprivileged backgrounds pursuing higher education.
📍 Lincoln, NE⏱ Multi-year📅 January 31🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Sutton Trust
Sutton Trust US Programme
Fully-funded programme helping state-school students in the UK apply to US universities — includes a residential week in the US, SAT prep, and application support.
📍 UK + week in USA⏱ 1 year📅 January (Year 12)🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
The Concord Review, Inc.
TCR Academic Coaches
Provides academic coaches to help students with their historical writing and research.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Technovation
Technovation Girls
Global tech entrepreneurship challenge for girls 8-18.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 October🎓 Grades 3–12
Selective
The Young Authors Foundation
Teen Ink
An award-winning monthly print and online magazine by and for teens.
📍 Online / Jersey City, NJ📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Amy Lowell Trust
The Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship
One of the most valuable writing scholarships for high school seniors, based on a portfolio.
📍 Online📅 January 21🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Susquehanna University
The Apprentice Writer
National literary magazine of high school student writing published by Susquehanna.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Concord Review
The Concord Review
The only quarterly journal publishing high school history research essays. Students submit 5K-9K word papers; selected essays are printed and indexed.
📍 Online submission⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
The Concord Review
The Concord Review Submissions
The Concord Review is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic research papers of secondary students. Students are encouraged to submit their history papers for consideration.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US Congress
The Congressional Award
Bronze through Gold Medal program recognizing service, fitness, expedition, and personal development.
📍 All states⏱ 6-24 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 8–12
Selective
The Daphne Review
The Daphne Review
An independent literary journal specifically for middle and high school writers and artists.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Diana Award
The Diana Award
International charity honoring young people (9–25) for social action or humanitarian work; programmes include mentoring, anti-bullying, and the Legacy Award.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Varies📅 Nominations open year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Earth Foundation
The Earth Prize
Global environmental sustainability competition with $200k in prizes for student teams.
📍 Global📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
San Francisco State University
The Great Sunflower Project (Citizen Science)
A massive collaborative project where students collect soil samples and perform data analysis for ecological research. Hybrid model.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Ongoing📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Knowledge Society
The Knowledge Society (TKS) Virtual Program
A 4-week virtual accelerator where high schoolers solve real-world problems for top companies like Microsoft and TKS partners.
📍 Online⏱ 4 weeks (Trial) / 10 months (Pro)📅 Rolling (Monthly cohorts)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Scholarship Academy
The Scholarship Academy
Offers curriculum to help students identify tailored scholarship options and build solid scholarship profile.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Aspen Institute
The Stevens Initiative Virtual Exchange
A high school program focusing on international affairs and cultural exchange between US and Middle Eastern students. Online workshops.
📍 Online⏱ 6 months📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–11
Selective
SALA / Global Leaders
The Summer Academy for Global Leadership (Virtual)
An intensive 4-week program for students to learn community organizing, civic engagement, and effective altruism. Often has online cohorts.
📍 Online/Regional Chapters⏱ 4 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Toshiba / NSTA
Toshiba ExploraVision
K-12 team STEM competition forecasting future technologies.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 January🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
Tufts University
Tufts Dual Enrollment Courses
Ambitious high school students have the opportunity to learn from renowned faculty and experience rigorous academics at a leading higher education institution.
📍 Tufts University🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
United Nations
UN Youth Opportunities Board
Curated board of fellowships, internships, and youth advisory roles across the UN system.
📍 Various📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Understanding Investing
An online course covering the basics of investing and portfolio management.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Understanding Your Money
An online course to help students understand personal finance and money management.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
UNESCO
UNESCO Youth Programmes
Rolling list of UNESCO calls: youth forums, writing prizes, sustainability grants. Open to youth worldwide.
📍 Various📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UNCF
United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Scholarships
Hundreds of scholarships for African American students attending college.
📍 United States⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Center for Excellence in Education
USA Biology Olympiad (USABO)
Free 3-round biology olympiad. Top 20 attend a residential training camp; top 4 represent the US at the International Biology Olympiad.
📍 Online + training camp⏱ Multi-round📅 Jan-Apr🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
USACO
USA Computing Olympiad
Free online programming contests held four times a year. Top US students earn an invitation to the summer training camp and the IOI team.
📍 Online⏱ Multi-round📅 Dec-Apr contests🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
USACO
USACO Training Resources and Historical Contest Problems
Hundreds of hours of free on-line training resources and historical contest problems (complete with solutions) that students can use to improve their programming and computational problem-solving skills.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Veritas
Veritas AI / Veritas Research
Online AI research and project programs taught by Harvard/MIT mentors.
📍 Online⏱ 10 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
VFW
Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay
Audio-essay scholarship competition with $35,000 top prize.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
Free team-based simulated investing challenge with Wharton MBA mentors. Open globally.
📍 Online⏱ 10 weeks📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton (UPenn)
Wharton Global Youth Future of the Business World
Online Wharton-led business program. Some scholarships available.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 3 weeks (summer)📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Wharton Global Youth Program (Online Course Series)
Wharton offers specific online modules and case study challenges for high schoolers to learn finance and investment management.
📍 Online⏱ Varies📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton School
Wharton Global Youth Programs
Pre-college business programs in finance, leadership, entrepreneurship.
📍 Philadelphia, PA📅 September 9, 2026🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wharton/Penn
Wharton Global Youth Summer Program
On-campus and online summer business programs (Future of the Business World, Leadership in the Business World, Essentials of Finance, Sports Business Academy).
📍 Philadelphia, PA⏱ 1-4 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
WIRED
Wired Next Generation
Periodic youth innovator showcases run by WIRED magazine.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
World Food Prize Foundation
World Food Prize Global Youth Institute
Research and conference program on global food security for high schoolers.
📍 Des Moines, IA⏱ 3 days📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Population Connection
World of 8 Billion Student Video Contest
Students create short videos highlighting solutions to global issues like population growth and sustainability.
📍 Global⏱ One-time📅 May 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources
Wyoming Youth Energy Leadership Program
A year-long series of workshops and mentorship sessions for Wyoming high school students focused on leadership in energy and natural resources.
📍 Laramie, WY⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Yale YRIS
Yale Review of International Studies
Undergraduate IR journal that publishes select high school work.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Yale University
Yale Young Global Scholars
Two-week interdisciplinary academic enrichment program.
📍 New Haven, CT⏱ 2 weeks📅 January🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Young Diplomats Society
Young Diplomats Forum
Global essay and forum program engaging teens with foreign policy questions.
📍 Various⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
ICCA
Young ICCA Skills Training
International commercial arbitration training and mentorship for students entering law.
📍 Various⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Young Scientists Journal
Young Scientists Journal
Peer-reviewed journal written, edited, and reviewed by 12–20 year-old scientists worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Wharton Global Youth
Young Tycoons Business Challenge
Team competition run by Wharton for high schoolers worldwide — investment, comparative marketing, and business tracks.
📍 Global📅 Varies by track🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists
YoungArts National Arts Competition
One of the nation's most prestigious honors for high school students in the visual, literary, and performing arts.
📍 Miami, FL / Nationwide📅 December 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
National YoungArts
YoungArts National Arts Competition Application
Application for the 2027 YoungArts National Arts Competition. YoungArts identifies and nurtures the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, and performing arts and assists them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development.
📍 remote📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
National YoungArts
YoungArts Theater
National recognition program for theater artists 15-18.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Various
Youth Climate Leaders
Free youth climate summits and competitions. Project-based environmental advocacy.
📍 Online + regional⏱ Self-paced📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Zooniverse
Zooniverse Citizen Science
Free crowdsourced research platform. Contribute to active university research projects in any field from your laptop.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Adler Planetarium / Zooniverse
Zooniverse Citizen Scientist Volunteer
Research and tag images for academic science projects. High schoolers can contribute to NASA or university data sets from home.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective

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