Summer Online Pre-College Courses for High School Students

Cornell Precollege Studies Online Summer Courses let high school students take regular Cornell University undergraduate courses online for college credit. The program is run by Cornell's School of Continuing Education (SCE) and is open to students who have finished 10th grade. Participants study alongside Cornell undergraduates and earn credits recorded on an official Cornell transcript. Subjects include architecture and the arts, business and hotel management, health, humanities, international relations, science and technology, and veterinary medicine. Most classes run on the Canvas learning platform; some meet live on a set schedule, while others are pre-recorded. In summer 2026, students chose from three-week and six-week sessions held between June 1 and July 31, 2026. Each session packs a 15-week college course into a few weeks, so the pace is fast. Tuition for Fall 2026 through Summer 2027 is $2,013 per credit, so a three-credit online course costs $6,039.

Students must have completed 10th grade and be 15 to 19 years old when their class begins (graduates must be under 18). To apply, students submit an application form, a personal essay, a high school transcript, a current grade report, one teacher or counselor recommendation, and a nonrefundable $85 application fee; international students may need English proficiency scores. Admissions are rolling, and decisions usually arrive within two weeks of a complete application.