§ Astronomy

Astronomy programs for high schoolers.

92 programs indexed in astronomy. 49 are free or pay a stipend. 3 prioritize under-resourced or underrepresented students. This page updates whenever we add a new astronomy program.

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All astronomy programs

CU Science Discovery
Aerospace
Students explore aerospace engineering, satellite operations, space science and related technologies through hands-on activities and visits to CU facilities such as LASP and Fiske Planetarium.
📍 CO🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Arts and SpaceCrafts
Students combine astronomy, engineering, science, and visual creativity through a residential series of space-inspired art and STEAM projects.
📍 KS🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Arizona Sky School
Astrobiology Summer Camp
Students spend five days at Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter studying extreme-life environments, planetary habitability, exoplanets, the search for extraterrestrial life, and ethical questions surrounding deep-space exploration with university scientists.
📍 AZ🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Astronomical Techniques Research Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn. Students learn observational astronomy and data analysis, build simple cameras and spectrometers, observe the Sun and stars, and analyze data with Python. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
📍 Philadelphia, PA⏱ 2 weeks (July 11 - 25, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
Rutgers University Pre-College Summer Programs
Astronomy & Astrophysics Summer Academy
A residential, in-person academy at Rutgers-New Brunswick where rising sophomores/juniors (ages 16-18) spend one or two weeks studying planetary science, stellar evolution, exoplanets, and cosmology through lectures, observation, and field trips.
📍 New Brunswick, NJ📅 Varies🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
UW-Stevens Point Continuing Education and Outreach
Astronomy Camp (UW-Stevens Point)
Four-day camp with hands-on observation, remote observatory use, stargazing and lessons from working astronomers on topics such as dark matter and the Sun.
📍 Stevens Point, WI📅 Varies🎓 Grades 8–12
Moderate
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Bio Space Academy
Combines biological experimentation, rocket/space systems and laboratory activities around the challenges of life and research in space.
📍 MO🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
North Dakota NASA Space Grant Consortium
Build the Moon Challenge
Teams design lunar-regolith concrete mixtures while applying aerospace engineering, materials science, prototyping and experimental design.
📍 ND🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Montana Learning Center
Camp Explore the Universe
Five-day overnight astronomy program using advanced telescopes and cameras to observe planets, galaxies, nebulae and the Sun and to process astronomical images.
📍 MT🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Texas A&M University Department of Aerospace Engineering
Camp SOAR (Summer Opportunities in Aerospace Research)
A six-day summer camp for rising high school juniors and seniors with tracks in aircraft, rotorcraft, space mission design and space robotics, featuring technical lectures, hands-on design projects and facility tours. Participants stay in campus housing.
📍 College Station, TX📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Clark Planetarium (Salt Lake County)
Clark Planetarium Youth Volunteer Program
Volunteer program for 16- and 17-year-olds who help with guest engagement, exhibit interpretation, STEAM demonstrations, public star parties and data collection. Requires a 4-hour-per-week commitment for a year, a 2-hour orientation and a $15 background check (fee waivers available).
📍 Clark Planetarium, Salt Lake City, UT📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
Delaware Teen Science Café
Free teen-only science events featuring local STEM experts, hands-on activities, collaborative discussion and topics ranging from astronomy to biology.
📍 DE🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Summer Programs (Prescott Campus)
Residential summer camps at Embry-Riddle's Prescott campus for youth ages 7-18, including Forensic Science, Rocket Propulsion Engineering, and Astronomy camps that place high schoolers in college-level labs and simulations.
📍 Prescott, AZ📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
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
Johns Hopkins University
Exploring the Universe with Space Telescopes
Students explore astronomy and the universe through the science of space telescopes.
📍 MD🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium
Franklin's Guides Junior Docent Program
A six-week summer program where teens train as museum docents and work in the galleries, planetarium, Build It Lab and butterfly house, greeting visitors and assisting with programs.
📍 St. Johnsbury, VT📅 May🎓 Grades 9–11
Selective
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Geosciences Bridge Program
A fully funded 6-week summer bridge program for incoming college-bound high school seniors covering ocean sciences, atmospheric sciences, and GIS/remote sensing, including two for-credit college courses, housing, meals, and a stipend.
📍 Princess Anne, MD📅 May🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
HAAEA Summer Internship Program
High-school and university students complete hands-on aerospace activities, develop research skills and build professional skills through UH's Hawaiʻi Aspiring Aerospace Engineers Academy.
📍 HI🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy
HI STAR — Hawaiʻi Student/Teacher Astronomy Research
Maui students learn astronomy research methods using real astronomical datasets and receive mentorship in scientific investigation.
📍 HI🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pierce College Science Dome with Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium
High-Altitude Balloon Camp (Pierce College Science Dome)
Application-based summer camp for grades 10-12 where students experiment, code and launch a high-altitude balloon, including an overnight trip to Eastern Washington for the launch.
📍 Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, Washington📅 June🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Idaho Department of Education / University of Idaho
Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars (ISAS)
Idaho juniors complete a NASA-developed online course and semester project; top performers advance to a weeklong residential academy centered on a simulated human mission to Mars.
📍 ID🎓 Grade 11
Selective
IOAA
International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad
International olympiad in astronomy and astrophysics with national selection rounds.
📍 Varies (International)⏱ 1 week📅 Summer🎓 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
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
Junior Docents
Teens spend the summer as museum educators, working in exhibit halls with scientists, curators and visitors while developing science communication and optional art/technology/writing projects.
📍 NM🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Minnesota Morris (Kapemni Collaboration)
Kapemni Astrophysics Summer Camp
A fully NSF-funded, six-day residential astrophysics camp on the UMN Morris campus where high schoolers observe stars and deep-sky objects through telescopes, study relativity, gravitational waves, and the Big Bang, and learn Native American astronomy and mathematics from Indigenous astrophysicists. Participants earn one UMN Morris college credit for Phys 1007.
📍 Morris, MN📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Leiden University
Leiden University Summer Schools
Broad catalog of summer courses in the Netherlands, from law to astronomy.
📍 Leiden, Netherlands⏱ 1-3 weeks📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
Caltech
LIGO SURF
Gravitational-wave research at Caltech. Need-based travel and housing aid.
📍 CA⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Maine Space Grant Consortium
Maine Research Internships for Teachers and Students (MERITS) — High School
Maine high-school juniors complete six weeks of paid research or technology-development work at STEM laboratories, companies, and research institutions around the state. Participants must be Maine residents and U.S. citizens.
📍 ME🎓 Grade 11
Selective
UMBC
Mapping the Cosmos: From Kilometer to Megaparsec
Students investigate astronomical scales and the structure of the universe.
📍 MD🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Marshall University College of Science
Marshall High School Science Day
A campus day for high school students with hands-on science demonstrations, liquid nitrogen ice cream, a portable planetarium and a look at the College's Scanning Electron Microscope.
📍 Huntington, WV📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair, Inc.
Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair
A statewide science and engineering fair open to grades 9-12 that requires a research plan, project notebook, lab report, visual display, and oral presentation, with top projects advancing to the International Science and Engineering Fair.
📍 Massachusetts (statewide, regional fairs and state finals)📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium / Maunakea Observatories
Maunakea Scholars
Program pairing Hawaiʻi public high school students with professional astronomy mentors to write research proposals and compete for observing time on Maunakea's world-class telescopes.
📍 10 partner high schools across Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Michigan
Michigan Math & Science Scholars
Hands-on math/science programs at U-M. Need-based aid available.
📍 MI⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 May🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Michigan LSA
Michigan Math & Science Scholars (MMSS)
A two-week, faculty-taught summer program offering high school students focused courses across math, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, astronomy, and environmental science, with residential or commuter options.
📍 Ann Arbor, MI📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Michigan Science Olympiad
Michigan Science Olympiad (Division C)
Statewide team competition for high school (Division C) students: school teams compete in dozens of hands-on and written events at regional tournaments, with top teams advancing to the state tournament. Teams register through a head coach; 2026-27 team fees are $300 for a primary team (early bird to December 18, 2026) and $400 after.
📍 Michigan (regional and state tournaments)📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Astro Lab
Students work together on a simulated space-station mission and participate in SCUBA-related experimentation while exploring spaceflight and associated career fields.
📍 KS🎓 Grades 9–10
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Lunar Trek
Students undertake a simulated lunar-landing mission and gain exposure to flight, drone training, engineering, finance, transportation, and lunar exploration.
📍 KS🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Martian Base
Students carry out a simulated Mars landing, design a settlement, explore manufacturing and space agriculture, practice medical skills, and train on astronaut simulators.
📍 KS🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Moon Shot
Students complete a simulated lunar mission, launch rockets, use astronaut-training simulators, build BattleBots, and explore coding, engineering, arts, and spaceflight.
📍 KS🎓 Grade 9
Moderate
Montana Learning Center / Montana Space Grant Consortium
Montana Aerospace Scholars — Freshmen & Sophomore Program
Two-stage Montana-resident program beginning with online aerospace assignments; successful students qualify for a summer residency involving mission design, space exploration and STEM-career experiences.
📍 MT🎓 Grades 9–10
Moderate
Montana Learning Center / Montana Space Grant Consortium
Montana Aerospace Scholars — Junior & Senior Program
Advanced Aerospace Scholars track for Montana upperclassmen combining preparatory work with a residential aerospace experience built around planetary exploration, missions and STEM career pathways.
📍 MT🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
UT Austin Center for Space Research (NASA SEES)
NASA & UT Austin SEES High School Summer Intern Program
A competitive two-week on-site summer internship at UT Austin (plus virtual project work) where rising juniors and seniors work with NASA scientists on Earth and space science data. U.S. citizens who are 10th or 11th graders, 16 by early July.
📍 Austin, TX (University of Texas at Austin)📅 February🎓 Grades 10–11
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
Louisiana State University Pre-College Programs / NASA Astro Camp
NASA Astro — Virtual
Students use mailed kits and virtual activities to build robots, plan a lunar colony, launch rockets, explore Mars, conduct experiments, and complete collaborative simulated space missions.
📍 LA🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
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 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 Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships - Goddard Space Flight Center
Paid, project-based internships (10 weeks in summer) at NASA field centers, including Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, open to students 16+ enrolled at least part-time, working directly with NASA mentors on real projects.
📍 Greenbelt, MD (Goddard Space Flight Center)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Rhode Island Space Grant Consortium (Brown University)
NASA Rhode Island Space Grant Consortium: Lunar Challenges
A NASA-funded consortium led by Brown University that runs student-facing programs including the Build the Moon and Plant the Moon classroom challenges for middle and high schoolers, alongside teacher partnerships bringing NASA-focused research into Rhode Island classrooms.
📍 Providence, RI (Brown University; challenges run through RI schools statewide)📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
NASA / UT Austin
NASA SEES Internship
Earth and space science research mentored by NASA scientists.
📍 TX / Remote (nationwide eligibility)⏱ Virtual spring + 2-week onsite📅 February🎓 Grades 10–11
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
NASA Wallops Flight Facility
NASA Wallops Flight Facility High School Internship
Six-week NASA internship session at Wallops for high school students 16 or older, applied for through intern.nasa.gov.
📍 Wallops Island, VA📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA / Rutgers University
New Jersey Space Grant Consortium (NJSGC)
A NASA-funded statewide consortium headquartered at Rutgers that funds K-12 'bridge' STEM programs connecting NJ high schoolers with university researchers — historically including support for Liberty Science Center's Partners in Science and Rutgers engineering outreach for girls — plus fellowships for aerospace-related research.
📍 New Brunswick, NJ (statewide)📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Cornell University (lead institution, NASA Space Grant)
New York Space Grant Consortium
A NASA-funded statewide consortium of colleges, universities, and industry partners that funds K-12 STEM engagement, student project teams, and competitions to prepare New York students for careers with NASA and the aerospace/high-tech workforce.
📍 Ithaca, NY (Cornell University) and statewide partner campuses📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI)
PARI Summer Camps
One- or two-week camps for high-school-age students on a historic former NASA/DoD campus, using real scientific instruments and professional telescopes to follow the same research processes as working scientists in space science, astronomy and astrophysics.
📍 Rosman, NC📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, Michigan State University
Physics of Atomic Nuclei (PAN)
A free residential summer program at FRIB where high school students explore nuclear astrophysics, conduct their own experiments, and tour a world-leading rare-isotope laboratory.
📍 East Lansing, MI📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Green Bank Observatory / WVU / NANOGrav
Pulsar Science Collaboratory
An out-of-school citizen science project in which, after training, members analyze radio astronomy data from the Green Bank Telescope to search for new pulsars; students aged 13 and up and teachers can join.
📍 Online (with optional Green Bank, WV events)📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Nebraska at Kearney Department of Physics and Astronomy
QUASAR — Quest for Understanding Astronomy, Science, and Research
Residential space-science camp involving professional telescopes, water rockets, gravitational mechanics, CAD, engineering challenges and the UNK Planetarium. The 2026 three-day program cost $100 including housing and meals.
📍 NE🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Green Bank Observatory
Radio Astronomer for a Day (Green Bank Observatory)
Student groups work in research teams to study cosmic objects with the 40-Foot radio telescope, collecting data overnight and reviewing results with a Green Bank educator.
📍 Green Bank, WV📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Northwestern University CIERA
Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students (REACH)
Students learn astronomy research, Python, and data analysis during a three-week research intensive, with an optional extended research component. Full and partial tuition assistance is available.
📍 IL🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
James Madison University School of Professional & Continuing Education / John C. Wells Planetarium
Science Explorers High School Residential Camp
Week-long residential camp for rising 9th to 12th graders with hands-on science in biology, earth science, chemistry, forensic science, physics and astronomy, run with the JMU planetarium.
📍 Harrisonburg, VA📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Columbia University
Science Honors Program (SHP)
A selective Saturday-morning program (10am-12:30pm, September-May) for high school sophomores through seniors living within 75 miles of Columbia's Morningside campus, with courses in the physical, chemical, biological, behavioral and computing sciences taught by active researchers. Starting Fall 2026 the annual program fee is $900 for new students ($700 returning), with hardship waivers possible.
📍 New York, NY (Columbia University, within 75 miles)📅 Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
American Museum of Natural History
Science Research Mentoring Program
Paid year-long authentic research with AMNH scientists in areas such as genomics, evolutionary biology, astrophysics and earth science. Class of 2028 applications are expected in winter 2027.
📍 NY🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
City of Cambridge / Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP)
Cambridge Rindge and Latin students undertake a paid, year-long independent astrophysics research project with Center for Astrophysics scientists.
📍 MA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
San Diego State University
SDSU STARS (Training Astronomy Research Scholars)
A four-week summer astronomy research program pairing local high school juniors and seniors with SDSU faculty for hands-on telescope observation, Python programming, and data analysis.
📍 San Diego State University, San Diego, CA (with a trip to Mount Laguna Observatory)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA / UT Austin CSR
SEES High School Summer Intern Program
An intensive research-based program where students work on projects in earth and space sciences using NASA satellite data.
📍 Austin, TX⏱ 2 weeks📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
SETI Institute
SETI Institute REU
Astrobiology and astronomy summer research.
📍 Mountain View, CA⏱ 10 weeks📅 February🎓 Grade 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
St. Mary's College of Maryland
SMCM Summer Space Camp
High-school students from St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles counties participate in a free STEM-focused space camp led by three SMCM professors. Lunch is provided.
📍 MD🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Space — The Final Frontier
Returning in summer 2027. Students design, build and fly small-satellite systems while learning aerospace and space-science concepts.
📍 MO🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
US Space & Rocket Center
Space Camp
Week-long astronaut training simulation programs for ages 9-18 in Huntsville.
📍 Huntsville, AL⏱ 1 week📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 4–12
Moderate
Los Alamos National Laboratory / New Mexico School for the Arts
Summer Physics Camp
A free, two-week hands-on STEM camp at the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe where students explore physics, engineering, bioengineering, chemistry, computer programming, and cybersecurity with scientists from LANL and Sandia, plus a tour of LANL facilities.
📍 Santa Fe, NM📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Rutgers University, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Summer Program on Fundamental Physics
A free, two-week intensive summer program at Rutgers' Busch Campus where high schoolers study cutting-edge topics in cosmology, particle physics, quantum computing, and cosmic rays through faculty talks, lab tours, and hands-on cosmic-ray measurement.
📍 Piscataway, NJ📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SSP International
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Team-based real research in astrophysics, biochemistry, or genomics. Need-based aid covers full tuition.
📍 CA, NM, IN, CO (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 39 days (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
SSP International, Inc. / New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Summer Science Program in Astrophysics - New Mexico Tech
A rigorous five-week residential research program for high school juniors (and exceptional sophomores) hosted on the New Mexico Tech campus in Socorro, where teams of three determine the orbit of a near-Earth asteroid using research-grade telescopes, Python, and vector calculus.
📍 Socorro, NM📅 Varies🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Summer Science Program in Astrophysics (Lehigh University campus)
A five-week residential research program where students study near-Earth asteroids using telescopes, calculus, and scientific programming, submitting real orbit-determination data to NASA's Minor Planet Center. Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA is one of only seven 2026 host campuses.
📍 Bethlehem, PA (Lehigh University)📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Summer Science Program in Astrophysics (Linfield University campus)
A five-week residential research program where rising high school seniors determine the orbit of a near-Earth asteroid from original telescope observations, working in small teams with professional astronomers as mentors.
📍 McMinnville, OR (Linfield University)📅 Varies🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Michigan Technological University, Summer Youth Programs
SYP: Aerospace Engineering
A week-long residential exploration camp for grades 9-11 covering aerospace engineering fundamentals through hands-on labs, classroom instruction, and field experiences on Michigan Tech's campus.
📍 Houghton, MI📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
NASA Johnson Space Center
Texas Aerospace Scholars (NASA Johnson Space Center)
A free, year-long NASA STEM program for Texas high school students combining an online course, a virtual summer design challenge with NASA mentors, and a residential week at Johnson Space Center for top teams. A Junior Experience and a Senior Experience are offered.
📍 Houston, TX📅 September🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Texas Space Grant Consortium
Texas Space Grant Build the Moon Challenge
A hands-on aerospace engineering challenge in which middle and high school teams develop a regolith concrete mixture with lunar simulant, test its strength and design a lunar habitat. Texas teams can apply for Space Grant funding to cover participation costs.
📍 Texas (statewide, team-based)📅 August🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Texas Space Grant Consortium
Texas Space Grant Plant the Moon Challenge
An 8-week team science experiment in which students grow crops in lunar or Martian soil simulant, submit research reports and can present at a virtual symposium with NASA scientists. Teams of 1-5 students participate.
📍 Texas (statewide, team-based)📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Tulane University
Tulane Science Scholars Program (TSSP)
A two-week residential pre-college program where rising 11th and 12th graders earn 3 hours of transferable Tulane college credit in a STEM course such as astronomy, physics, engineering, biomedical science, computer science, or environmental science.
📍 New Orleans, LA📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
University of North Alabama (with Alabama Space Grant Consortium support)
UNA Summer STEM Camp
A three-day, two-night residential STEM camp giving high school students project-based learning experiences in physics, astronomy, math and computer science led by UNA faculty.
📍 Florence, AL (University of North Alabama)📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Washington
UW in the High School (UWHS)
Lets high school students take UW courses taught by their own high school teachers and earn college credit, with subjects including computer science, math, science and astronomy.
📍 Participating high schools across Washington📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Virginia Space Grant Consortium / NASA Langley
Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS)
Free online STEM course on NASA-related topics for Virginia juniors and seniors; top performers attend a six-day residential summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center working with scientists and engineers.
📍 Hampton, VA (online course plus NASA Langley academy)📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
U.S. Department of Energy / Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
Virginia Regional High School Science Bowl (DOE National Science Bowl)
A buzzer-style quiz competition on math and science (including biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space science) in which high school teams from across Virginia compete at Jefferson Lab; the winner earns a trip to the National Science Bowl.
📍 Newport News, VA (Jefferson Lab)📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Virginia Space Grant Consortium / NASA Wallops Flight Facility
Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS)
Free program for Virginia sophomores teaching the STEM behind NASA missions at Wallops and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, with an online course and a seven-day residential summer academy for top performers.
📍 Wallops Island, VA (online course plus residential academy)📅 October🎓 Grade 10
Selective
Youngstown State University
Ward Beecher Planetarium High School Programs
A lineup of 40+ fulldome planetarium shows for grades 9-12 aligned to Ohio Science Standards, covering topics from black holes and stellar life cycles to the chemistry of the periodic table, with live constellation tours and educator guides.
📍 Youngstown, OH (Youngstown State University)📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Museum of Flight
Washington Aerospace Scholars
A STEM program for high school juniors exploring flight, aerospace design and space travel: an online course from November to March, then an optional six-day residency at the Museum of Flight designing a Mars mission.
📍 Seattle, WA (online, then in person at The Museum of Flight)📅 October🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Morehead State University Space Science Center / TMC Technologies at WV Wesleyan College
West Virginia SpaceTrek
A residential two-week space systems engineering program for young women, held at West Virginia Wesleyan College with a capacity of 24 participants.
📍 Buckhannon, WV📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
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

Astronomy programs for high schoolers.

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