10 Online Math Programs for High School Students
As a high school student interested in math, you have multiple options to enhance your skill set, including online programs. Math forms the basis of STEM education, and a strong foundation in the subject is essential to excel in a scientific career. While your high school curriculum introduces concepts like algebra and calculus, consider applying to online math programs for a more advanced learning experience.
Online math programs for high school students offer a flexible approach to learning, catering to your needs such as your current skill levels and time availability. Whether you are seeking to supplement your understanding of core concepts, prepare for college, or explore specialized areas like statistics, online platforms have a wide range of options.
Taking the initiative to pursue math beyond your regular coursework will demonstrate your interest and ability in the subject to college admissions officers, helping your application stand out. With that being said, let’s explore 10 online math programs for high school students.
PRIMES-USA is a free research program for high school juniors and sophomores from across the United States who are interested in mathematics. This year-long program focuses purely on mathematical research, and there are no lectures and assignments. You work on both individual and group projects, mentored by graduate students and faculty from MIT and other universities. The 2024 program welcomed 47 students.
After being assigned a mentor in January, you will be given advanced reading materials on which you will need to submit a 5-page report. You will need to work with your mentor to ensure that the report is ready and submitted to PRIMES by early March. This is a crucial step as the report will determine if you are selected for the second phase.
In the second phase, you conduct research in your chosen field under the guidance of your mentor. You will finalize the project and present it at the Fall-Term PRIMES conference in October. You can invite your family members and friends. By the end of the year, you will need to write a final paper summarizing the results, which will be posted on the PRIMES website. You can find details of the application process here.
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Applications open on October 1, 2024
Program Dates: The program will run between February 2025 and January 2026
Eligibility: All high school juniors and sophomores living no closer than 50 miles from Boston are eligible to apply. For more details, see this page.
2. Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics
Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics offers academically motivated high school students the chance to pursue university-level courses under the guidance of experienced instructors. You will receive Stanford University Continuing Studies credit and can also apply for a Stanford Continuing Studies transcript.
There are nine different math courses offered by the program, with each having different prerequisites. The details of these courses can be found here. While the courses are self-paced, you can expect to spend 8-12 hours per week on each course. The time slots for online discussion sessions are fixed at the start of each term. They usually fall in the range of 1-6 PM Pacific Time and can help answer any questions related to the lectures.
Cost: $1,600 and a $35 application fee. Need-based financial aid is available, and the details can be found here
Application Deadline: The application deadline for Fall 2025 is expected to be the first week of January
Program Dates: Classes are conducted in Summer, Fall, and Spring sessions. The Spring 2024-25 session is expected to run between January 27, 2025 to May 17, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2023-24 program)
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
3. Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program (SSP)
Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program offers a 7-week online session for motivated high school students who want to explore advanced courses while earning college credits. Classes will take place at least two days per week with each session lasting up to three hours. You are also expected to spend 8-12 hours outside lectures on preparation and completing assignments.
Courses are taught by Harvard faculty, who cover similar courses for Harvard undergraduates during the academic year, and visiting faculty who are experts in their fields. There are multiple courses offered for students interested in math, covering topics like calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and mathematics for computer science.
Cost: $3,900 for a 4-credit course and $7,600 for an 8-credit course, with a non-refundable $75 application fee
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2025 program open on December 2, 2024 and close on April 9, 2025
Program Dates: June 21 to August 9, 2025
Eligibility: All high school students who will be at least 16 years old by June 21, 2025 but not older than 19 years before July 31, 2025 are eligible to apply
4. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, psychology, political theory, biology, machine learning, chemistry, neuroscience, and more. The Theoretical Mathematics course offered in the summer focuses on Knot Theory and its applications in event causality. Completing Calculus 1 is a prerequisite for this course.
If you take the Theoretical Mathematics course, you will work with Professor Vladimir Chernov of Dartmouth College, who will be your mentor throughout the research process. You will develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to academic journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a good opportunity for you to pursue research in a highly specialized area of mathematics with the guidance of a professor. Horizon also provides a letter of recommendation and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. See application details here.
Application Deadline: May 21, 2025 for the summer cohort (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: The Summer session is expected to be June 24 – September 2, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders
5. Pre-College Online Program @ UPenn
The University of Pennsylvania has an extensive summer program for high school students. If you are looking to explore mathematics at the university level, the ‘Ideas in Mathematics’ course is a great choice. In this five-week program, you are introduced to topics like logic, sets, calculus, probability, the history and philosophy of mathematics, game theory, geometry, and their relevance to contemporary science and society.
Classes take place twice a week, with each session running for roughly four hours. The course is designed by Penn faculty, who conduct the classes alongside staff and visiting scholars. You may be assigned homework and need to appear for exams. You earn one course unit (1 c.u., the equivalent of 4 college credit hours) through this course.
Pre-college program students are evaluated by the same standards and procedures as Penn undergraduates. You can transfer grades earned through this program towards your undergraduate record, but transfer credit is awarded at the discretion of UPenn and your undergraduate institute. You may request official transcripts after you have completed the course, and you can learn more about it here.
To apply, you need to submit official transcripts, essays as per the application prompts, and a strong letter of recommendation. The seats are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, so it is better to complete the application early.
Cost: $8,248 and an additional non-refundable $75 application fee
Application Deadline: Applications open on December 1, 2024 and close on January 31, 2025
Program Dates: July 5 – August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Open to all high school students with a minimum 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale. International students are eligible as long as they have attended an English-medium school for at least two years before applying to the program.
Stanford Math Circle is an academic enrichment program designed for students across all grade levels who are passionate about math and want to learn beyond what is available at their schools. You’ll attend lectures and participate in fun, hands-on activities designed to enhance your creativity and critical problem-solving skills.
High school students can participate in the program designed for grades 9-12, known as the Advanced Math Circle. You will learn problem-solving, abstract reasoning, and advanced mathematical topics guided by mathematicians, educators, and scholars from the Stanford community.
All classes follow the Pacific Time Zone, and you will meet on Wednesdays after school hours, from 6-8 PM. Classes will be conducted by Ted Alper, Director of the Stanford Math Circle, alongside guest speakers.
Cost: $495
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Program Dates: October 2 – December 11, 2024
Eligibility: All students in grades 1–12 are eligible to apply for courses designed for their grade level
7. Art of Problem Solving Online School
The Art of Problem Solving is an organization that helps students of all ages excel in the field of mathematics. They have multiple programs covering all aspects of the subject, including online enrichment courses and academies for students to prepare for competitions like the International Math Olympiad.
Their online school section has a wide collection of courses covering introductory math, intermediate math, and advanced math. High school students are encouraged to apply for the intermediate and advanced courses, which cover topics like intermediate algebra, pre-calculus, number theory, probability, olympiad geometry, calculus, and group theory.
Once enrolled in a session, there will be one class a week. Courses range anywhere between 12-25 weeks, taking place after school hours or on a weekend. While self-paced courses are available, most courses have live weekly classes, and you will learn by solving questions yourself.
Cost: $390-790. Some courses give you the option of choosing recommended books at an additional cost
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Program Dates: Multiple, year-round sessions.
Eligibility: All students in grades 5-12 are eligible to enroll in courses designed for their grade levels
8. Center for Talent Development (CTD) @ Northwestern University
The Center for Talent Development (CTD) at Northwestern University has been providing academic enrichment programs for talented young students since 1982. There are multiple online courses available for students of all ages, including high school students. You can opt for one of three programs (all programs have asynchronous lectures and assignments)—Online Advanced Placement (AP), Online Honors, and Accelerated Summer Online (ASO).
In AP and Honors programs, you will likely spend 6-8 hours per week on coursework. You have 16 weeks and 34 weeks to finish the coursework at your own pace for 1-credit and 2-credit courses respectively. ASO courses are more demanding as they take place in the summer, and you will likely spend 10-15 hours per week for 1-credit courses or 20-25 hours per week for 2-credit courses. Topics like algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, and mathematical modeling will be covered in all programs.
To participate in the AP or Online Honors program, you either need to be in the 95th percentile of a nationally recognized assessment or submit your transcripts alongside a letter of recommendation from your teacher to verify your strong grades. You are also eligible if you have participated in above-grade-level testing or a CTD course, with the same qualifying subject area (Verbal, Math, or Science) within the past two years.
Cost: $835 to $1,445, depending on the course. Need-based financial assistance is available, read more about it here.
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Program Dates: Depends on the course, but generally September 2024 to May 2025
Eligibility: High school students who submit required test scores or a transcript and teacher recommendation. Details available here.
9. The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Programs
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth’s online programs are designed to allow academically advanced students across all grades to explore concepts beyond the traditional school curriculum. The online programs are offered in multiple sessions throughout the year, ensuring that students can attend them at their convenience.
There are many options available for high school students interested in taking advanced math courses. Topics ranging from algebra and geometry to elementary number theory, disease modeling, and AP Calculus are covered in these courses.
There are three formats available—live sessions, individually-paced, and session-based. The live sessions are ungraded and designed to help you learn in a pressure-free environment, while you will be graded in the other two options.
Cost: $550 to $2,127, depending on course format. Need-based financial aid is available, read more about it here.
Application Deadline: August 27, 2024 for live and session-based courses, rolling for individually-paced courses
Program Dates: Multiple sessions available around the year
Eligibility: High school students who score above a certain level on a standardized test such as the ACT. Check your eligibility here
10. Illinois Tech Mathematics Camp
This summer camp by the Illinois Institute of Technology will give you a deep dive into probability, number theory, mathematical proofs, and counting. You will attend 2-hour online sessions over 5 days, where you will not only focus on foundational mathematical concepts but also cover their applications in the real world.
This is not simply a tutoring program or summer school as students are encouraged to explore math beyond equations, look for patterns, and figure out why things work. In previous sessions, topics like optimizing online search results and the calculations behind capturing images of a black hole were discussed!
Cost: There is no information available
Application Deadline: There is no information available
Program Dates: Second week of June 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: All high school students, including rising 9th graders, who are at least 14 years old are eligible to apply
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