Summer 2026 is open. Classes cap at 8.
See Summer CampsSelf-Paced
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that helps twice-exceptional and differently-wired students feel seen, nurtured, and happy as heck through strength-based courses, camps, and community.
All the depth and joy of a YSA course, with the flexibility of your own schedule. Self-paced courses are perfect for students catching up on prerequisites, in time zones where live sessions don’t work, or who simply want to go at their own speed.
Join Speech & Debate to develop reasoning and perspective-taking, as well as to make leaps and bounds in both public speaking and confidence.
Taught by Jennifer Hughes
Tell me moreJoin Young & Thriving to explore proven executive function strategies, and create individualized, strength-based roadmaps for long-term achievement.
Taught by Hushbeck
Tell me moreTo reach isolated, differently-wired students and create a safe haven where they connect with mentors who get them — and where parents realize there’s nothing wrong with their child. Our students were simply out of context.
Three things: a positive focus on strengths rather than deficits; neurodivergent mentors with lived experience and advanced degrees; and content aligned with what students are genuinely interested in, not just requirements.
Yes. If your child isn’t being supported or challenged enough in school, and they have both strengths and struggles, they’re welcome here. No diagnosis is required.
Enrichment programming is not the same as reactive distance learning — it’s not at all the same animal. Our courses are interest-led and built for how differently-wired kids actually engage.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Everything you need to know about Young Scholars Academy.
YSA is a WASC-accredited virtual village for gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students ages 5–18. We offer 175 live online courses (from Minecraft Redstone Engineering to AP Psychology to Mock Trial) with a maximum of 6–8 students per course, taught by 23 hand-selected mentor teachers who are neurodivergent themselves. We serve 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries. This is not a marketplace. It's a school and a community.
During Fall and Spring semesters, courses meet once a week, live on Zoom, 50 minutes per session. During Summer, camps run Monday through Friday, one week at a time. When your child enrolls in 3 or more courses, they get free access to Homeroom Social Club — a weekly gathering with a consistent group of friends. Between courses, students hang out on our virtual campus where they walk as avatars, eat lunch together, and build real friendships with kids from around the world who finally get them.
Gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students, including kids with ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, dyslexia, and PDA. No diagnosis required. If your child is clever, quirky, and hasn't found their people yet, they belong here. About 65% of our families homeschool. The rest use us alongside traditional or charter schools.
Yes. No grades. No traditional homework. Cameras always optional. Challenge by choice. Students are never cold-called, never forced to participate, and never penalized for how they choose to engage. For students with PDA, demand avoidance, or anxiety, this is the difference between a program they resist and one they ask to log into.
Semester courses start at $624. Summer camps are $163–$185 per camp. Payment plans, sibling discounts, referral credits, and ESA/charter funding accepted. We're an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs.
This is the part that surprises parents most. Your child joins a course about something they love and meets 6–8 kids who love it too. Same group all semester (or all week for camps). Parents tell us their children are more connected with this community than with anyone physically around them. 93% of families re-enroll because their kids won't let them stop.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Switch courses, receive a credit, or stop payments. No questions asked. We can offer this because we know what happens when these kids find their people.
Virtual Coffee & Connect hours every couple of weeks. Regular Expert Talks with leaders like Seth Perler, Debbie Reber, and Dr. Temple Grandin. A Facebook group where families connect and support each other. Progress updates from mentors. And the ability to watch your child's courses anytime (just stay off camera). You're not just enrolling your child. You're joining a village.
