10 Online Law Programs for High School Students
Applying for online programs in law and policy will give you the unique opportunity to delve into critical legal and policy issues from the comfort of your own home. These ten programs provide flexible learning schedules, access to expert instructors, and the chance to engage with current debates and case studies that shape our world.
Early exposure to law through online programs can enhance your college applications by demonstrating a commitment to both your academic and career interests. It shows admissions committees that you are a driven, self-motivated student and that you have already attained relevant knowledge and skills in law.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! If you’re interested in law, you can choose the program’s law track. You can also explore specific policy issues you’re interested in through the tracks in economics, environmental studies, and international relations. You can find more details about the application here.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. November 24, 2024 for the upcoming Winter cohort
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: Multiple, year-round cohorts. The upcoming Winter cohort runs from December to February
Horizon’s trimester-long research programs offer high school students a rare and exciting opportunity to explore specialized fields such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more. Unlike many other programs, you will be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar from a top university who will provide mentorship throughout the research process. This hands-on guidance culminates in the creation of a 20-page, university-level research paper that students are encouraged to submit to prestigious journals, giving you a significant edge in your future academic pursuits.
For students interested in law, Horizon offers courses on International Relations, Political Theory and Philosophy, and Critical History. Beyond the research experience itself, Horizon’s program includes a letter of recommendation for each student, offering a valuable endorsement of your scholarly abilities. Additionally, you will receive detailed feedback on your projects, which will be instrumental in refining your skills for future research endeavors and strengthening your college applications.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year:
September 25, 2024 for the upcoming Fall cohort
February 9, 2025 for the Spring 2025 cohort
Program Dates: Varies according to cohort:
October 23, 2024 onwards for the Fall 2024 cohort
March 3, 2025 onwards for the Spring 2024 cohort
Lab courses have flexible dates, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a few tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
With Georgetown University’s Pre-College Online Law Program, you will get an opportunity to see firsthand what it would be like to pursue a profession in the legal system. The topics covered in Georgetown’s program offer a good background for potential college majors and career paths related to law, such as lawyer, judge, paralegal, and law clerk.
In this course, you will gain daily practice in making fact-based arguments, review evidence to compare and contrast fact versus opinion, and gain the skills to make informed decisions. With close mentoring, you will be encouraged to write arguments that support your decision, consider the ethics of your point of view, and examine the role that “fairness” plays in the justice system. You will also get to analyze both fictional and real situations to determine if the acts committed are a crime. You will learn how “crime” is defined, analyze the factors that lead to criminal incidents, and explore the connection between individual values and society’s values.
Application Deadline: Varies according to the course. Deadlines are usually one week before the start date. See deadlines here.
Program Dates: Multiple 1-week intensives, 2-week sessions, and 4-week sessions
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up
Cost: $1,795
For any student who hopes to pursue a future in law, knowledge of the U.S. Constitution is necessary. This course gives you the opportunity to see how lawyers and judges rely on the Constitution to support and defend their cases. You and your peers will examine the judiciary’s role, how they interpret constitutional rights, and why there are such differing opinions on how this document should be interpreted.
William and Mary is one of the oldest universities in the country, and through this course, you will get the chance to learn from constitutional scholars and law professors. You will study how the United States Constitution was argued and approved, learn the importance of the Bill of Rights, and study more about the conflicts between states and the federal government all while exploring a future college and major.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines based on the session:
November 3, 2024 for the November session
December 15, 2024 for the December session
February 23, 2025 for the March session
Program Dates: Multiple, year-round sessions:
November 10 – December 8, 2024
December 22, 2024 – January 5, 2025
March 2 – 30, 2025
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
Cost: $1,495
Critical thinking and argumentation are essential skills for future lawyers. Stanford’s Pre-College Legal Studies feature law, business, and education experts who will help you identify flaws in your critical thinking, analyze complex sets of facts, weigh evidence, anticipate the other side’s talking points, and deliver the best argument you can.
Not only will you sharpen your argumentative skills through lively debates, role-playing, and group work, but you will also demonstrate all you have learned through a day in ‘court’ as an attorney or witness in a mock trial. This course discusses human rights issues of global interest and exposes you to a network of like-minded peers. While this course is valuable for future attorneys, any student will benefit from it as you will be encouraged to work collaboratively in an inclusive learning environment.
Application Deadline: March 29, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025. Two sessions were offered in 2024:
June 17 – 28, 2024
July 8 – 19, 2024
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-11 at the time of applying
Cost: $3,050. Financial aid is available
With flexible learning in mind, Rice University’s Pre-College program offers virtual courses which are a great way to get ahead of the curve. Culminating in a Capstone Project, this class will teach you the basic principles of law and its impact on society, and how to analyze the role law has in shaping a just world with equal opportunity. You will identify solutions to legal challenges related to property ownership, employment rights, and education and learn how to identify the ethical dimensions of legal issues.
You’ll earn a certificate of completion from Rice University upon finishing your Capstone Project. In this project, you will pretend to be a member of a legal task force to identify three interconnected societal challenges and develop a holistic approach that tackles these challenges through legal solutions.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines based on the session. Deadlines are usually one week before the start date
Program Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up
Cost: $1,495
Purdue University’s Political Science: Introduction To International Relations course provides you with the fundamentals of international law, organization, and politics, particularly as they are relevant to contemporary international relations. This course runs for four weeks, entirely online, and when you participate in this program, you will be enrolled in a credit-bearing course at Purdue University. To apply, you must fill out an application form and submit your transcript as well as an essay about how taking this course will benefit you.
Application Deadline: Applications for 2025 will open on December 1, 2024
Program Dates: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: All high school students may apply, but preference is given to students who have:
A GPA of 3.3 or higher
Finished sophomore year and are at least 16 years old
Completed college preparatory coursework
Cost: $948.30 per credit hour for 1-5 credit hours plus a $60 application fee
No matter which area of law appeals to you, all lawyers must know how to apply rules to facts. In Notre Dame’s Law: Thinking Like a Lawyer course, you’ll learn how the IRAC (Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion) method is used to analyze legal issues. You’ll explore the international legal system, how to navigate an ever-changing legal landscape through the lens of sports law, and learn how intellectual property law applies to brands, ideas, and designs.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines based on the session. Deadlines are usually one week before the program start date
Program Dates: Multiple 2-week sessions and 4-week sessions
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up
Cost: $1,495
Harvard’s Secondary School Program (SSP) gives you the chance to study a subject of your choice in depth for 7 weeks virtually. Although the 2025 course catalog has not been released yet, there are likely to be several law courses offered, as in previous years. In 2024, SSP offered ‘Law in War,’ a course that examined how legal institutions regulate law related to war, including crimes against humanity. Students learned about important statutes, treaties, and cases and applied legal theories to the use of artificial intelligence in war.
Classes are graded college courses, and you will receive credit. In addition to your academic course, Harvard SSP offers virtual activities to help you socialize with other participants and prepare for college applications.
Application Deadline: February 12, 2025. Applications for summer 2025 will open on December 2, 2024
Program Dates: June 21 – August 9, 2025
Eligibility: For the 2025 program, students must:
Graduate from high school and start college in 2025, 2026, or 2027
Be at least 16 years old by June 21, 2025 and not turn 19 years old before July 31, 2025
Cost: $3,700 (4-credits) or $7,400 (8-credits) plus a $75 nonrefundable application fee. U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply for financial aid
The World Scholars Academy's World Lawyers Academy offers a two-week course for students aged 15-18, focusing on advanced legal concepts and practices. Led by a PhD candidate in law at Oxford, this program provides an in-depth exploration of the legal field, whether you're already passionate about law or exploring it for the first time. Students will gain valuable insights into legal theory and practice, setting a strong foundation for future academic and law school success.
The course covers topics such as legal ethics and the philosophy of law, human rights, commercial law, and the history of law. The last class is a mock trial challenge, where you can apply the skills you’ve built over the course. This course is capped at six students, and you will receive a certificate of completion and a letter of recommendation at the end.
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Dates: July 28 – August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Ages 15-18
Cost: $2,795
Mandy Brenner is a current junior at Harvard University. She is concentrating in History and Literature and loves to read and write in her free time.