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Nichable

Free Online Programs for High School Students

Nichable lists 173 programs, internships, research programs, competitions and volunteer opportunities for high school students that you can do from anywhere. None of them lists a cost to take part, and 78 state outright that they're free. Each one is checked against the organization's own page. Soonest deadlines first.

Modeling the Future Challenge

Actuarial Foundation
Competition· Remote
DeadlineNov 8

Access/VSA Playwright Discovery Program

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Program· Paid· Remote
Opening soon · Due Nov 19, 2026

Access/VSA International Young Musicians Program

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Program· Paid· Remote
Opening soon · Due Nov 19, 2026
Competition· Remote
DeadlineNov 20

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow

Samsung Electronics America (with MIT Solve)
Competition· Remote
DeadlineNov 23
Competition· Remote
DeadlineNov 30
Program· Paid· Remote
Opening soon · Due Nov 30, 2026

FRA Americanism Essay Contest

Fleet Reserve Association
Competition· Remote
DeadlineDec 1
Competition· Remote
DeadlineDec 1
Competition· Remote
DeadlineDec 8

NFTE World Series of Innovation

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
Competition· Remote
DeadlineDec 13

Rubincam Youth Writing Competition

National Genealogical Society
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Dec 15, 2026

MIT THINK Scholars Program

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Research· Remote
DeadlineJan 1, 2027

NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador Program

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Program· Remote
Opens Nov 13, 2026 · Due Jan 3, 2027
Research· Remote
DeadlineJan 4, 2027
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 5, 2027

The Earth Prize

The Earth Foundation
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 10, 2027

Profile in Courage Essay Contest

John F. Kennedy Library Foundation
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 11, 2027

Diamond Challenge

Horn Entrepreneurship
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 14, 2027

Essay Prize

Horizon Academic
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 17, 2027

Cosmo Hacks

Cosmo Hacks
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 18, 2027

C-SPAN StudentCam

C-SPAN (StudentCam)
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 20, 2027
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 22, 2027

Toshiba ExploraVision

Toshiba / NSTA
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 27, 2027

USA-North America AI Olympiad

USA Artificial Intelligence Olympiad
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 31, 2027
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJan 31, 2027
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 1, 2027

Energy Art Challenge

KidWind (Gale Force Education)
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Feb 1, 2027

National Geographic Slingshot Challenge

National Geographic Society
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 5, 2027

National Ag Day Video Essay Contest

Agriculture Council of America
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Feb 5, 2027

High School Fed Challenge

Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 15, 2027
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 16, 2027

National Latin Exam

National Latin Exam (American Classical League)
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 20, 2027

Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition

Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 21, 2027

eCYBERMISSION

U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program
Competition· Remote
DeadlineFeb 24, 2027
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Feb 28, 2027

Living Oceans Foundation Science Without Borders Challenge

Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Mar 1, 2027

World of 8 Billion Student Video Contest

Population Education (Population Connection)
Competition· Remote
DeadlineMar 3, 2027

Ninth Circuit Civics Contest

U.S. Courts for the Ninth Circuit
Competition· Remote
Opens Jan 6, 2027 · Due Mar 5, 2027

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

Gallery Collection (Prudent Publishing)
Competition· Remote
DeadlineMar 8, 2027

Essay Contest

Stossel in the Classroom
Competition· Remote
DeadlineMar 12, 2027

Student Video Contest

Stossel in the Classroom
Competition· Remote
DeadlineMar 12, 2027
Competition· Remote
Opens Jan 5, 2027 · Due Mar 15, 2027

NTID/RIT Digital Arts, Film and Animation Competition

National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at RIT
Competition· Remote
Opens Jan 11, 2027 · Due Mar 19, 2027
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Mar 31, 2027
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Mar 31, 2027

Scholarship Competition

Project Yellow Light
Competition· Remote
DeadlineApr 1, 2027
Competition· Remote
DeadlineApr 15, 2027

O'Connor Institute Civics Challenge

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute
Competition· Remote
DeadlineApr 16, 2027

Community Impact Contest

Bill of Rights Institute
Competition· Remote
DeadlineApr 19, 2027

Purple Comet! Math Meet

Art of Problem Solving Foundation
Competition· Remote
Opening soon · Due Apr 23, 2027

Ronald Reagan Oratory Competition

Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
Competition· Remote
DeadlineApr 28, 2027

The Paradigm Challenge

Project Paradigm
Competition· Remote
DeadlineMay 1, 2027

We The Future Contest

Constituting America
Competition· Remote
DeadlineMay 31, 2027

Ocean Awareness Contest

Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJun 7, 2027

Young Filmmakers Contest

One Earth Film Festival
Competition· Remote
DeadlineJun 25, 2027
Program· Remote
Opening soon · Due Jun 30, 2027

PRIMES-USA

MIT Department of Mathematics
Research· Remote
Opening soon

USA Computing Olympiad

USA Computing Olympiad
Competition· Remote
Opening soon

Congressional App Challenge

Congressional App Challenge (U.S. House of Representatives)
Competition· Remote
Opening soon

Common questions

Are these free online programs really open to students anywhere?

Each one is listed as remote: you take part online rather than in a particular city. Some still limit eligibility, for example to U.S. residents or certain grades, so check the listing before you apply.

Are these online programs really free?

None of these 173 listings names tuition or a required fee. Listings that charge say so in a cost line and are labeled "Costs money", so they aren't on this page. Smaller costs such as materials can still apply, so confirm on the organization's page before you apply.

How do I apply?

Each listing is run by its own organization and you apply on that organization's site. A free Nichable account shows each listing's deadline and how to apply, and lets you save and track them.