10 Best Computer Science Summer Programs + Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Nov 11, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 17
Are you a CS enthusiast or beginner who wants to learn the basics? Look no further because our 10 computer science summer programs list has something for everyone! These computer science summer programs are provided by universities with some of the finest CS departments or leading providers of CS education. The computer science summer programs in this blog range from highly selective to fairly welcoming, and while some have a fee associated with them, others provide a stipend.
If you are targeting a computer science or STEM major in college, these programs will help you build key skill sets for college applications. Even if you are not targeting a STEM major, basic concepts from CS are useful for analyzing data across subject areas and can add academic rigor to your application.
Here are 10 of the best computer science summer programs for high school students! Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
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! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: University of Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Fee/Stipend: $4,625
Application deadline: March
Program dates: June 19 - July 1
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school students who are 16-17 years old by June 19 and have good academic standing. For detailed eligibility criteria, please visit here.
This is a rigorous 2-week experience for students interested in coding and computer science who want to experience college-level student life. It is designed for students with little to no prior coding experience. You will learn coding, computer science concepts, collaborative programming, and problem-solving. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
3. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Fee/stipend: None
Application Deadline: January 15
Program Dates: June - July
Eligibility: Applicants must be juniors or seniors in high school
This is a 4-week summer residential experience where 60 female high school students explore engineering through classes taught by female MIT graduate students. You will take part in labs and team projects. Students focus on either Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) or Mechanical Engineering (ME). To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Location: Columbia University, Columbia, NY
Fee/stipend: Fee - $6,300 (commuter). $12,449 (residential)
Application Deadline: Applications will open in late November.
Program Dates: Sessions I: June 27 – July 15 | Session II: July 19 – August 5
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in a high school as of Spring.
The summer program offers 1 and 3-week courses across a wide array of subjects. The computer science courses cover key fundamentals such as coding in Java, C, and Python, as well as courses on AI/ML and Big Data. Programming projects involving mathematical problems and logic games will challenge you to develop logical reasoning, systematic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA and online for the Secondary School Program
Fee/stipend: Fee - $5,300 (pre-college program), $3,600–$13,750 (secondary school program, depending on the number of courses selected)
Application Deadline: Program runs in cohorts throughout the year - applications for the Winter Cohort close on November 27
Program Dates: There are multiple sessions of the pre-college program from June - August. June 17 - August 5 for the secondary school program
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school students and be at least 16 years old by June 17 and must not turn 19 years old before July 31
Students can pick between programs that are 2-week, non-credit (pre-college program) and 7-week, college credit (secondary school program). Multiple computer science courses are available, such as “Introduction to Data Science with a Focus on Visualization” and “Introduction to Scientific Programming in Python." To learn more about Harvard programs for high schoolers, check out our complete guide here.
Location: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Fee/ stipend: Fee - $2,500 per course (approx., depends on the course)
Application deadline: Rolling
Program dates: To be announced
Eligibility: Applicants must be between 13 and 18 years of age.
These coding camps are designed to enable students to explore their interests in computer science through courses on Python, C++, and game development. The objective is to focus on the various applications of computer science in business and technology.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fee/stipend: None
Application deadline: March 15
Program dates: July 1 to July 28
Eligibility: Applicants must be current sophomores in high school
This 4-week program enables students to explore computer science through a combination of classroom instruction, research projects, faculty lectures, and industry engagement with leading tech companies from around the country. You will take college-level courses in computer programming and mathematics. Those who complete the program and demonstrate a desire to continue may be invited to return as rising seniors to CMU’s AI Scholars program the following summer. To learn more about Carnegie Mellon's CS Scholars, check out our complete guide here.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Fee/stipend: Attending as a commuter, taking a minimum of 3 units: starts at $4,926 | Living on campus, taking a minimum of 8 units (typically 2-3 courses): starts at $15,875
Application deadline: Registration will start in November
Program dates: June - August
Eligibility: Applicants must be current sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are at least 16 years of age when the program begins. The applicant must not be matriculating into Stanford as a first year
These 8-week programs offer an array of research opportunities across different subject areas and within computer science. Students can explore various topics, from the essentials of programming and programming abstractions to various internet technologies. All Stanford Summer Session courses carry Stanford University credit.
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Fee/stipend: Fee - $2,223. Scholarships are available for students in California
Application deadline: TBA
Program dates: June 21 – July 8
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in a high school as of Spring
This 3-week program is a computer science introductory track which awards credit for UCLA coursework. You will learn how to use computers as tools for problem-solving, creativity, and exploration through the design and implementation of computer programs. Key topics covered in this program are data types, including integers, strings, and lists; control structures, including conditionals and loops; and functional decomposition.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
