Rice University Precollege
United States
About Rice University Precollege
Rice University Precollege is Rice University's online enrichment program for high school students aged 13 and up. It offers 11 self-paced courses across three areas: STEM, business, and law and government. Rice faculty design each course and teach it through pre-recorded video lessons. A human mentor answers your questions and gives feedback on your work. There are no live classes or Zoom calls, so you can study from any time zone. Rice says each course takes about 30 hours, and you choose a 1-, 2- or 4-week session, with sessions offered year-round. Tuition is $1,795 per course, and Rice offers need-based scholarships. Every course ends with a capstone project. If you complete at least 70% of the assignments and submit the capstone, you earn a Certificate of Completion from Rice University. The courses are non-credit enrichment, so they don't count toward a college degree.
Teaching style
Every course is fully asynchronous. You watch pre-recorded video lessons from Rice faculty, work through interactive modules and complete an assignment after each unit, all on your own schedule. The only deadline is your session end date, when every assignment and the capstone must be submitted. A human mentor supports you through the Canvas inbox, discussion boards and assignment reviews. Rice says mentors are most active during daytime hours in U.S. time zones. Assignments are marked Complete or Incomplete, with no letter grades. The capstone takes the place of a final exam. You pick a topic from the course and present it in a format you choose, such as text, video, photography or PowerPoint. Your mentor gives feedback before you finalize it. Session length changes the weekly load, not the content. Rice puts it at about 30 hours a week for a 1-week session, 15 hours a week for 2 weeks and 7.5 hours a week for 4 weeks.
Reputation & Succeed take
Rice's homepage shows three short comments from students in Texas, Florida and California. They praise the clear organization, a helpful mentor and the freedom to study from home or while traveling. One student says the lack of Zoom meetings made the course less stressful. Rice chose these quotes for its own site, so treat them as the provider's selection rather than independent reviews.
Our take
In Succeed's view, this is a sensible way to test a subject before you choose a college major, as long as you know what you're paying for. You get video lectures by Rice faculty, a human mentor, a capstone project and a Certificate of Completion. You don't get live teaching, letter grades or college credit. Rice says taking part gives no preferential treatment in its own admissions process. It also asks students to list the course as an extracurricular or experiential activity rather than as education. At $1,795 for about 30 hours, the cost adds up quickly. We'd suggest choosing one course in a field you're seriously weighing rather than collecting certificates. Admission doesn't depend on grades, so the certificate shows that you finished the course, not that you were selected.
Rice makes the main comparison itself. Its precollege courses are remote and asynchronous, with sessions spread across the year. Traditional on-campus summer sessions, Rice notes, require students to visit or live on campus for a fully structured summer program. That makes Rice's online option easier to fit around school, sports or travel. The tradeoff is that you won't meet professors or classmates in person, and there's no live class time.
Who this provider suits
Who should choose them
This may suit you if you're 13 or older, in high school or on a gap year, and want to try a subject such as genome engineering, law or aerospace before choosing a major. It also works for students with packed schedules or anyone uneasy about live video, since there are no Zoom calls or set log-in times. You'll do best if you can pace yourself and keep working steadily toward a single end date. International students can join from any time zone if they're ready to study in English.
Who it may not suit
Who should skip it: students who want college credit, since these courses carry none. It's also a weak fit if you learn best through live discussion, classmates or regular deadlines, because everything is pre-recorded and self-paced. College students, adults and students under 13 aren't eligible. If your main goal is an edge in Rice admissions, Rice says participation gives no preferential treatment. Families on a tight budget should look at the need-based scholarship before paying $1,795 per course.
Frequently asked questions
Programs by Rice University Precollege
Artificial Intelligence: Leading the Tech Revolution
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
31 Jan – 28 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
2 or 4 weeks (20-30 hours total)
ProgramEconomics: The Business of Economics
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
22 Nov – 29 Nov 2026
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
1, 2 or 4 weeks
ProgramEngineering: Solving Real-World Problems
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
22 Nov – 29 Nov 2026
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
1, 2 or 4 weeks (20 to 30 hours of work)
Entrepreneurship: From Ideas to Impact in Fintech
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
17 Jan – 14 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
2 or 4 weeks, 20 to 30 hours total
Genome Engineering: Changing the Future of Medicine
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
31 Jan – 28 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
1, 2 or 4 weeks; 20 to 30 hours total
ProgramInternational Relations: Dynamics of Global Political Change
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
31 Jan – 28 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
2 or 4 weeks (20-30 hours total)
ProgramLaw: Shaping a Just and Equitable World
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
17 Jan – 14 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
2 or 4 weeks, about 20-30 hours total
ProgramMedicine: Diagnostics, Treatment, and Patient Care
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
22 Nov – 29 Nov 2026
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
1, 2 or 4 weeks (20-30 hours total)
ProgramPhysiology: The Foundations of Medicine
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
17 Jan – 14 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
2 or 4 weeks
Psychology: In Our Everyday Lives
Organized by Rice University Precollege
Dates
17 Jan – 14 Feb 2027
Location
Online
Cost
From $1,795
Duration
2 or 4 weeks (20-30 hours total)
