The Stanford [University] Middle School Scholars Program (SMSSP) prepares students for a rigorous high school education with a three-week online summer course and weekly online afterschool meetings during fall. The program serves students from low–income backgrounds in grades 6 and 7 who reside in and attend school in the United States.
In the Stanford Middle School Scholars Program, students engage with academic disciplines and build community with instructors and likeminded Scholars from across the United States.
Scholars enroll in a three-week online summer course in July with a cohort of 12 students. Course options for summer 2025 include “Democracy & Dissent,” “History Through Graphic Novels,” “Media Literacy in the Post-Truth Era,” and “Real-Life Application to Mathematics.”
From mid-August through December, the SMSSP virtual classroom brings Scholars from different states and regions together in a lively learning community. Cohorts and instructors meet weekly to cover topics such as exploring high school options, academic writing, math enrichment, and growth mindset.
When students become Stanford Middle School Scholars, they develop skills to apply and thrive at Stanford Online High School (OHS), a selective independent school for grades 7–12 within Stanford University, where dedicated instructors help academically advanced students worldwide learn in live, online classes.
The Stanford Middle School Scholars Program is tuition-free to increase access and opportunity for aspiring students from low-income backgrounds who reside in and attend school in the United States. Applicants should be interested in or planning to apply to an academically rigorous high school or summer enrichment program. Scholars are required to attend both the summer and the fall semester components of SMSSP. Admitted students’ families typically have household incomes under $90,000. The average household income of enrolled Scholars’ families has been $55,000.
Key dates: Deadline for the SMSSP application is March 20, 2025; notification of admission will be sent in mid-May 2025. Application period for the OHS 2024–25 year or upcoming 2025–26 year has closed. Interested students should complete the online form to be contacted when Stanford Online High School opens the application period for the 2026–27 academic year in September 2025.