15 Fall Programs for High School Students
As a high school student, fall is a great time to immerse yourself in academic exploration. Many universities and organizations offer fall programs to high school students that let you explore university-level academic subjects and learn through hands-on projects and activities.
What do fall programs for high schoolers involve?
These fall programs are offered across subjects such as economics, engineering, mathematics, medicine, journalism, business, and fashion. These programs also offer the chance to interact with new people, find mentorship support, and gain experience that is valuable for your resume and college applications.
Why pursue a fall program in high school?
Taking up additional courses gives you insight into different academic pathways and helps you decide what you want to major in college. Many fall programs also connect you with faculty, mentors, and college advisors who can guide your next steps.
To help you decide, we've compiled a list of the top 15 fall programs for high school students. For related opportunities, check out our guides on ivy league entrepreneurship programs and startups offering internships for high school students.
Quick Look
5 free programs: University of Denver's High School Early Experience, M-ASCEND, MIT ESP Cascade, The Junior Academy, and MITES Semester.
1 fully virtual, entrepreneurship-focused option: Young Founders Lab, the only program on this list centered on launching a real startup rather than academic coursework.
Highest-cost programs: Columbia's College Edge ($3,100 per course) and Syracuse's Accelerated Semester Online (up to $3,000 for a 4-credit course).
2 residency-restricted programs: University of Denver's Early Experience (Colorado residents) and MIT ESP Cascade (Massachusetts residents, greater Boston area).
Most programs let you earn college credit while still in high school, with several requiring a minimum 3.0 to 3.5 GPA for admission.
15 Fall Programs for High School Students
1. Young Scholars High School Program
Cost/Stipend: Tuition varies by course; financial aid availability varies by program
Dates: Enrollment during fall and/or spring semesters; schedules vary by selected course
Application Deadline: Varies by semester
Eligibility: High school students, grades 11–12; academically advanced students prepared for college-level coursework; international students eligible; eligibility requirements vary depending on the specific program
The Young Scholars High School Program allows academically motivated high school juniors to take college-level courses. You get a head start on college-level education by going beyond what is offered in high school and exploring a field that interests you. You'll study at the undergraduate level and explore subjects such as economics, English, philosophy, psychology, linguistics, math, and anthropology, among others. Beyond classes, you are assigned homework, research papers, and tested through midterms and finals.
2. Young Founders Lab
Cost: $2,900 (need-based financial aid available)
Location: 100% virtual, with live interactive workshops
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Program Dates: 4-week program starting tentatively June 5th. Tentative.
Application Deadline: Early Decision: March | Regular Admission 1: April | Regular Admission 2: May
The Young Founders Lab is a real-world startup bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. You will work towards building a revenue-generating startup that addresses a real-world problem, mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Alongside building your startup, you'll participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. The program gives you a structured space to explore both theoretical and practical frameworks for building a successful business. You can check out the brochure here and access the application here.
3. New Jersey Institute of Technology Academy College Credit Courses
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is $350 per credit; most courses are 3 credits ($1,050 per course)
Dates: Fall and spring semesters; schedules vary by course selection
Application Deadline: August 15 (Fall semester); January 5 (Spring semester)
Eligibility: High school students, grades 11–12; minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; approval from a parent or guardian and high school counsellor or principal required; students must satisfy course prerequisites where applicable
The New Jersey Institute of Technology offers courses to high school students interested in exploring college-level coursework while earning credits. The classes are taught by college faculty in small class sizes, where you explore undergraduate-level coursework and receive a transcript upon completion. Some of the courses you can explore include engineering, mathematics, and calculus.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote — work from anywhere in the world
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective startup internship program for ambitious students. You'll work with a high-growth startup on real projects across industries including tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder's startups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars — past founders include YCombinator alums and former employees of Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. You'll work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach and present your work to the company at the end of the internship. You can apply here.
5. Columbia University College Edge Academic Year
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is $3,100 per 3-point course; a $65 application fee applies; financial aid available for eligible students
Dates: Fall and spring semesters; students enroll in one undergraduate course per semester (schedule varies by course selection)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students, grades 11–12; minimum age 16 by the start of the program; minimum 3.5 GPA (or equivalent); strong academic performance; English proficiency required; international students eligible
Columbia University offers the College Edge program for high school juniors and seniors seeking to explore college-level coursework and earn credit. During the program, you will study alongside Columbia undergraduate students, spend time in class and beyond through assignments and project work. The subject areas you can explore include mathematics, science, medicine, social sciences, neuroscience, politics, technology, journalism, business, among others. The program offers immersion through workshops on college and career preparation, leadership development, and networking to connect with peers and mentors.
6. University of Denver High School Early Experience
Cost/Stipend: Free for eligible Colorado high school students through the Concurrent Enrollment program
Dates: Fall, winter, spring, and summer terms; course schedules vary by term
Application Deadline: Varies by academic term; students must apply before the start of their intended quarter
Eligibility: High school students in grades 11–12; Colorado students participating through Concurrent Enrollment; approval from the student's high school required; students must satisfy course prerequisites and demonstrate readiness for college-level coursework
The High School Early Experience by the University of Denver is a college credit program where high school students can explore their academic interests through undergraduate courses. The experience is meant to supplement your high school curriculum, where you can choose one to two courses every quarter, which are usually not available in high school. Courses are subject to availability, but you can take the help of the University Center for Academic Advising to help you with selection, registration, and academic planning.
7. M-ASCEND High School Program
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Fall and spring semesters; exact dates vary
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students, grades 10–11; students attending participating Twin Cities partner high schools; interest in STEM, cancer research, or healthcare careers; summer internship applicants must be at least 16 years old
M-ASCEND High School Program is a hands-on cancer research program guided by University of Minnesota faculty and staff. During the program, you will work on an individualized research project and present it at the University of Minnesota Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium. The experience includes workshops on college readiness, career building, career exploration in healthcare, networking with professionals, and learning about cancer research and public health topics.
8. Fashion Institute of Technology High School Fall Courses
Cost/Stipend: Tuition varies by course
Dates: Fall semester; schedules vary by course
Application Deadline: Rolling until courses reach capacity.
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9–12; students entering grades 9–12; international students eligible for online offerings; prerequisites required only for select advanced courses
The Fashion Institute of Technology offers fall programs for high school students looking to explore pathways in fashion. Some of the topics you can expect to explore include fashion business, consumer psychology, launching a successful fashion brand, trend forecasting, fashion photography, graphic design, fundamentals of styling, and designing a mini collection. During the program, you can enroll in either one or two courses taught by fashion faculty where you will learn conceptual theory, gain hands-on experience by creating portfolio pieces, and explore all of the different majors you can study during college.
9. Washington University in St. Louis Exploration Courses
Cost/Stipend: $985 per course; noncredit online courses; need-based scholarships available
Dates: Fall, spring, and summer; schedules vary by course
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students; minimum age 13 by the course start date; minimum 3.5 weighted GPA; course prerequisites may apply
Washington University in Saint Louis offers exploration courses for high school students during the fall where they enroll in non-credited courses and gain insight into the college majors they're interested in. Courses are offered asynchronously along with small class sizes, ensuring a better learning experience and feedback from instructors. Courses vary each year and are offered across diverse subjects, including environmental science, photography, literature, sociology, biology, and neuroscience.
10. Hofstra University Pre-collegiate Academy
Cost/Stipend: Year-round course tuition varies by program
Dates: Fall, winter, and spring year-round programs
Application Deadline: Rolling until programs reach capacity
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9–12; students interested in college-level academic enrichment and career exploration; no prior experience required for most programs; eligibility requirements may vary by individual course
Hofstra University's pre-collegiate academy offers enrichment courses for high school students preparing for college. Courses span across subject areas including law, engineering, business, medicine, and media. Along with classes, you will also learn essential skills that you would need as you head into college, such as writing, communication, research, and critical thinking. Courses include hands-on projects and activities, including STEM labs, coding, digital media, and applied projects. You'll gain mentorship from university faculty and industry professionals throughout the course.
11. MIT Educational Studies Program (ESP) – Cascade
Cost/Stipend: Free; includes hands-on classes, free lunch, and transportation subsidies
Dates: Fall; every Saturday for five weeks
Application Deadline: Not specified; applications typically open in September
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9–12; students attending partner schools or community centers in the greater Boston area; Massachusetts residents only; program designed to serve underserved students
MIT Educational Studies Program Cascade offers a five-week interactive hands-on program for high school students during fall break. The classes are taught by University and MIT faculty covering a wide range of topics that you can explore before you decide your college major. The longer format of the program lets you dive deeper into college-level and niche subjects, ranging from abstract algebra to quantum physics. The program is designed to include fun projects and activities that help you develop an interest in new or unexplored topics.
12. The New York Academy of Sciences The Junior Academy
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: September–November (Fall Innovation Challenge); February–April (Spring Innovation Challenge); fully online program
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students ages 13–17; strong English proficiency; access to the internet; parent or guardian consent; interest in STEM and collaborating with international peers
The Junior Academy is a STEM-based project learning program where students work on STEM challenges with peers from around the world. During the program, you will participate in challenges mentored by STEM professionals where you come up with solutions to real problems. The first week of the program prepares you by helping you build skills in areas such as design thinking, data analysis and research, after which you form teams and start working on challenges which will be judged, and a winner will be chosen.
13. University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design Fall Pre-College Studios
Cost/Stipend: Virtual Fall Studios are $250 each
Dates: Fall; after-school and weekend programs offered September–November
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9–12; interest in art and design; open to students of all experience levels; financial aid applicants must submit a separate scholarship application by the program deadline
The University of Michigan offers a fall portfolio building program for high school students interested in art and design pathways. You will get to dive into different areas of art, learn new techniques, and explore areas such as digital photography, graphic design, illustration, stop motion, 3D modelling, along with alternative photographic processes and drawing fundamentals. If you can attend in person, each week includes a guided tour of museums, practice through observation, and networking events where you can meet art professionals and bond with like-minded peers.
14. MITES Semester
Cost/Stipend: Free; all program costs are covered by MIT
Dates: June–December; six-month online program; summer coursework requires approximately 25–30 hours per week; fall programming requires 3–5 hours per week
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; students must remain within the United States or its territories during participation; demonstrated interest in STEM; strong academic record; students from underserved backgrounds, including first-generation college students, students from low-income families, students attending under-resourced schools, and students underrepresented in STEM are strongly encouraged to apply
The MITES Semester is an extended STEM and college preparation experience for academically motivated high school juniors. The program runs from summer to fall and includes rigorous online courses, weekly webinars, workshops, social events, and in-person meetups. During the program, you will take two rigorous courses and delve deep into STEM disciplines ranging from thermodynamics to machine learning to astrophysics. This also includes a supplemental core course in topics like physics, computer science, calculus, and scientific writing. Apart from class, you will also gain guidance on the college application process, gain insight with admission counsellors, and explore pathways in the areas of your interest.
15. Syracuse University Accelerated Semester Online
Cost/Stipend: $750 per credit; most 3-credit courses cost $2,250 and 4-credit courses cost $3,000;
Dates: Fall and spring; eight-week accelerated online courses
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students, current grades 11–12 or recent high school graduates; minimum 3.0 GPA; students must be in good academic standing; additional prerequisites may apply for certain courses
Syracuse University offers a semester online program where high school students can earn college credit while exploring their academic interests through college-level curriculum. You can opt for courses in diverse subject areas, such as economics, chemistry, generative AI, nutrition, public policy, religions, automation, leadership, history, law, and sociology. The courses include weekly live sessions with the instructor, along with assigned reading, projects, and assignments.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there free fall programs for high school students?
Yes. University of Denver's High School Early Experience, M-ASCEND, MIT ESP Cascade, The Junior Academy, and MITES Semester are all free, though a few are limited to specific states or regions.
2. Is there a fall program focused on building a business rather than studying an academic subject?
Young Founders Lab is the one option on this list centered on entrepreneurship rather than coursework, letting you build a real revenue-generating startup with mentorship from professionals at Google, Microsoft, and X, fully virtually with need-based financial aid available.
3. Which programs let you earn college credit while still in high school?
Columbia's College Edge, Syracuse's Accelerated Semester Online, New Jersey Institute of Technology's Academy courses, and Washington University in St. Louis's Exploration Courses all offer credit-bearing coursework alongside your regular high school classes.