Northwestern Pre-College Online Program
About The Program
The Northwestern Pre-College Online Program is an online program that lets high school students ages 13 and up explore business, law, medicine, and STEM through courses designed by Northwestern University faculty. Along the way, you'll get guidance from a dedicated mentor and finish with a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University to add to your college applications. Take the first step toward the future you want, on your own schedule, from anywhere in the world.
13+
Open to students ages 13 and older
10
Courses across four subject areas
100-percent
Online and self-paced
Year-round
Sessions offered throughout the year
What is the Northwestern Pre-College Online Program?
The Northwestern Pre-College Online Program is an online program built around business, law, medicine, and STEM, designed to help you explore fields you're curious about before you get to college. You can choose from ten courses and take one or several, mixing and matching subjects based on where your curiosity leads you.
Every course includes video lessons taught by Northwestern University faculty, guidance from a dedicated mentor, and a Final Capstone Project where you apply what you've learned to a real-world challenge. When you finish a course, you'll earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University to add to your college applications and résumé.
Who Is This Program For?
This program is designed for high school students ages 13 and up who want to explore business, law, medicine, or STEM and start building real skills in those fields now. It is a great fit if you:
- Are curious about a subject and want to explore it in more depth
- Are considering a future career in business, law, medicine, or a STEM field and want to see what that path really looks like
- Want to earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University that strengthens your college applications
- Need a flexible, self-paced program that fits around your school schedule, extracurriculars, and other commitments
How Does the Program Work?
Courses are built around dynamic video lessons designed by Northwestern University faculty, bringing each subject to life through real-world examples and interactive content. You can watch lessons whenever you want and move through assignments at your own pace, entirely online. Throughout your course, a mentor will be there to answer your questions, offer feedback, and help you get the most out of the material.
Every course ends with a Final Capstone Project, where you'll apply what you've learned and share your work in a format you choose, like text, video, photography, or a presentation. Once you successfully complete a course, you'll earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University.
There are no live sessions required, so no matter how busy your schedule is, you can work through the program on your own terms. Most courses take approximately 20 to 30 hours of instruction and activities to complete, so you can plan your pace around school and everything else going on in your life.
What Courses Are Available?
All ten courses fall under four subject areas: business, law, medicine, and STEM. You can take individual courses or combine several to build a broader view of the fields that interest you most. Current courses include:
How To Apply:
It’s easy. No transcripts or letters of recommendation are required. Just provide some basic information and tell us why you wish to take this program.
Note: Please submit all application materials in English.
Begin the guided application process. It should take only a few minutes of your time to answer the questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Course tuition is $1,895, with no additional fees. Need-based scholarships are available for students who qualify.
Most courses involve approximately 20 to 30 hours of instruction and activities, including videos, assignments, and your Final Capstone Project. Since the format is self-paced, you can spread that time out however it fits your schedule, as long as everything is complete by the end of your session.
Yes. There's no limit to how many courses you can take, and many students choose to take multiple courses to explore several subject areas at once. The flexible, self-paced format makes it easy to do this without conflicting with school, extracurriculars, or other commitments.
No. The Northwestern Pre-College Online Program does not offer college credit. Upon successfully completing each course, students earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University, which can be a meaningful addition to college applications and résumés.
Courses are delivered through pre-recorded video lessons taught by Northwestern University faculty. You'll complete assignments on your own schedule and receive support from a mentor throughout your course. There are no required live sessions, so you can learn whenever it works for you.
Students ages 13 and up can apply, as long as they are not yet enrolled in college. Students who have graduated high school may also apply, provided it has been no more than one year since graduation.
Yes. Need-based scholarships are available for students who demonstrate high potential and an inability to pay full tuition. You can apply for a scholarship during or after the application process.