Physics Programs & Competitions for High School Students

Physics extracurriculars run from F=ma and the USAPhO ladder to astronomy research programs and university summer courses in mechanics, relativity, and astrophysics.

Physics olympiad results and research are heavily weighted by top engineering and physics departments.

55 verified programs match this page; 24 of the featured listings are completely free; 5 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• USA Physics Olympiad — AAPT: Compete in the elite USA Physics Olympiad to sharpen problem-solving skills, enhance college applications, and aim for the International Physics Olymp
• USA Physics Olympiad (USAPhO) Semifinalist — American Association of Physics Teachers: Top 400 students on F=ma exam advance to USAPhO semifinal. Demonstrates exceptional physics ability and strong predictor of success in STEM fields.
• Laboratory for Laser Energetics HS Summer Program — University of Rochester - LLE: Dive into cutting-edge physics research with this free summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Gain hands-on experience with lasers and bo
• International Young Physicists' Tournament — International Young Physicists' Tournament Association: A global team-based physics research and debate competition for high school students.
• International Physicists' Tournament (IPT) — International Physicists' Tournament Association: Team-based international physics tournament where students solve open-ended research problems and debate their solutions.
• Fermilab TARGET Program — Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Summer research internship at premier US particle physics laboratory. Work with world-class physicists on cutting-edge experiments. Exceptional prepar
• High School Research Academy (HRA) — The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences: High school research academy offering hands-on STEM experience in biology, physics, and data science. Build skills for college applications in this fr
• Korean Physics Olympiad (KPhO) — Korean Physical Society: National physics competition and training program in Korea selecting students for the International Physics Olympiad.
• American Astronomical Society Scholarships — American Astronomical Society: Explore astronomy scholarships for high school seniors pursuing astrophysics. Boost college applications, gain STEM recognition, and take the next ste
• Simons Summer Research Program — Stony Brook University: Explore STEM fields in the fully funded Simons Summer Research Program. Conduct hands-on research, gain mentorship, and boost college applications. Pe
• School Astronomical Olympiad by Correspondence — International Astronomical Union: A free international astronomy problem-solving competition for school students held entirely by correspondence.
• AAPT PhysicsBowl — American Association of Physics Teachers: Compete in the AAPT PhysicsBowl, a challenging physics competition for high schoolers. Boost problem-solving skills, earn national rankings, and stren
• AAPT Physics Bowl Competition — American Association of Physics Teachers: Compete in the international Physics Bowl, a challenging high school competition that sharpens STEM skills, enhances college applications, and tests y
• International Observe the Moon Night — NASA: A yearly global public event inviting people to observe, learn about, and celebrate the Moon through organized in-person and online activities.
• CERN Beamline for Schools Competition — CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research): Winning teams conduct actual experiments at CERN particle accelerator. One of world's most prestigious high school physics opportunities. Full expense
• SLAC National Accelerator Lab Student Programs — SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory: Particle physics research at Stanford's national lab.
• UCSC Science Internship Program (SIP) - Data Science Track — UC Santa Cruz: Gain hands-on data science research experience in astronomy, bioinformatics, and more through this hybrid high school internship. Boost STEM skills fo
• TARGET Science and Engineering Program — Fermilab: Explore a free, in-person high school internship in physics, engineering, and computing. Gain research skills, hands-on STEM experience, and boost you
• American Association of Physics Teachers High School Physics Photo Contest — AAPT: Unique competition combining physics concepts with photography
• Ceres Connection Student Naming Program — MIT Lincoln Laboratory: A recognition program that names asteroids after top U.S. math and science students and teachers.
• CTD Equinox Academic Program — Northwestern University - Center for Talent Development: Intensive summer courses in advanced math and science at Northwestern.
• High School Honors Science Program (HSHSP) — Michigan State University: Transform your passion for science with this in-person summer research program. Gain hands-on experience, faculty mentorship, and a competitive edge f
• Lawrence Berkeley National Lab High School Internship — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Research experience at DOE national laboratory in energy sciences.
• Brookhaven High School Research Program (HSRP) — Brookhaven National Laboratory: Gain hands-on STEM experience in physics, chemistry, and more through this free high school research program. Build skills and boost your college appl
• Penn Experimental Physics Research Academy — University of Pennsylvania College of Arts & Sciences: Hands-on physics experiments and data analysis at Penn.
• Brookhaven National Lab Science Associates Program — Brookhaven National Laboratory: Summer research internship at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory. Work with scientists on physics, chemistry, and biology research.
• Physics Unlimited Premier Competition — Physics Unlimited: Challenging physics competition testing conceptual understanding and problem-solving
• USA Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad (USAAAO) — USAAAO: Compete in a hybrid astronomy and physics competition for high schoolers! Build STEM skills, boost college applications, and aim for the International
• National Science Bowl (High School) — U.S. Department of Energy: Compete in the National Science Bowl, a thrilling high school STEM competition. Build expertise in biology, physics, and math while boosting college a
• US Physics Team Training Camp Invitee — American Association of Physics Teachers: Top ~20 USAPhO scorers invited to training camp. Final 5 represent USA at International Physics Olympiad.

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