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Writer's pictureStephen Turban

10 Computer Science Camps for High School Students

Are you a high school student passionate about technology and coding? Look no further because this list of 10 Computer Science (CS) camps has something for everyone! These camps not only offer an immersive experience in the world of programming but also provide a platform to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Moreover, if you're aiming for a CS or STEM major, these programs are great for developing essential skills for college and enhancing your college application profile.


1. 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. Winter cohort deadline - December 1, 2024

Program dates: Various according to the cohort

Program selectivity: Moderately selective

Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.

Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.


Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs tailored 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. The fellowship encourages students to explore interdisciplinary approaches, enabling them to merge AI with various fields such as finance, medicine, sports, environmental science, and more! You can also check out some examples of past projects here. 


Location: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

Cost: From $1,229 (depends on the course) 

Program Dates: Courses run from June 24 - August 16, 2024

Eligibility: Applicants must be between 13-18 years of age. Courses have different experience and criteria levels.

Application Deadline: Rolling applications


CalTech’s flagship weeklong coding camps are designed to enable students to explore their interests in computer science through courses on Python, C++, game development, Artificial Intelligence, robotics, to name a few. Their state-of-the-art labs, adorned by tech and pop culture icons with lively music playing, set the tone for students to build their interests, their skill level, and their goals for the future. Each course combines practical learning with campus tours and fun traditions like dress-up days, raffles, and gaming tournaments, creating a unique summer experience. During the course, STEM experts from top universities also share their expertise, motivating campers to turn their ideas into reality, whether it's apps, games, AI bots, or viral videos. 


Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Cost: $9,700. If you attend a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school, you may be eligible to attend the Summer Camp free of charge with a Penn Summer Scholarship.

Program Dates: July 6 - July 27, 2024

Eligibility: Current 9th-11th grade students

Application Deadline: Applications for summer 2025 will open in late fall 2024.


The UPenn Summer Coding Camp is a three-week residential program that introduces high school students to front-end web development. Participants learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, discovering how to combine these tools to create functional and visually appealing web pages compatible with any desktop or mobile. They also learn how to use GitHub for collaborative coding. Instructor-led demonstrations and hands-on exercises further help in building a solid foundation for students aiming for a technical career. 


Location: University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA

Cost: Fees vary for different camps, ranging from $205 to $340

Program Dates: All camps are three to four days long, between June and July.

Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 9-12

Application Deadline: Registrations open in February


The University of California, San Diego, offers a variety of summer camps for high school students, ranging from Python, Java, graphic arts, robotics, and more. These camps offer students the opportunity to learn and build skills and knowledge in basic computer science concepts. It also provides valuable insights into fundamentals of various technology, CS, and engineering concepts, which can be a strong building block in their computer science journey. High school students interested in CS can currently choose from these camps:

  • Introduction to Object Oriented Programming with Java

  • Data Visualization Summer Institute: Introduction to Data Visualization with Python

  • Data Science Discovery Bootcamp


Location: Virtual

Cost: $4,000. Need-based financial aid available (If awarded financial aid, one would receive either 100%, 50% or 25% off of the program cost)

Program Dates: July 8 - 26, 2024

Eligibility: Current 9th graders (rising 10th graders during the summer of the program) with a keen interest in AI.

Application Deadline: March


This three-week online camp, co-organized by the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), in partnership with AI4ALL, is a highly-regarded program that gives participants the opportunity to dive into the world of AI through a combination of lectures, hands-on research projects, and mentoring activities.


Students will interact with AI experts and gain insights into the latest advancements while exploring applications of AI in areas such as medicine, disaster response, and combating poverty. You can expect to participate in small-group research projects led by graduate students and post-docs in computer science and AI. The research projects focus on how AI can improve pressing problems in society. You can check out more details about the camp here.


Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY

Cost: $2,500 (Tuition and fees)

Program Dates: Two-week summer program

  • Session 1: Orientation June 14; Program Dates June 17 - June 28

  • Session 2: Orientation July 1; Program Dates July 8 - July 19

  • Session 3: Orientation July 26; Program Dates July 29 - August 9

Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th high school students who have successfully completed Algebra 2 (or equivalent) and have had some computer programming experience (in any language). Competitive applicants will have a minimum 3.0 GPA or equivalent.

Application Deadline: May 1 or while spaces available


NYU’s SPARC is a two-week residential program that introduces high school students to the basics of robotics, mechatronics and programming. Led by NYU Tandon faculty and graduate students, SPARC offers participants practical experience in robotics through classes and workshops, encouraging them to apply design thinking to develop innovative solutions.


During this program, students will explore electrical components and circuits, microcontrollers, and computer programming essential for robotics. They will gain significant hands-on experience using tools and software to construct two fully functional robots. At the program's conclusion, participants will test their robots in an exciting ‘mobile manipulator challenge.’


Location: Virtual

Cost: Fees vary for different camps, ranging from $495 to $3995  (Need-based financial aid available)

Program Dates: Duration varies depending on the camp (between July and August)

Eligibility: Incoming 9th-12th grade students

Application Deadline: Rolling applications


Accredited by WASC and partnered with the White House, DoD, Microsoft, Google Quantum AI, IBM Quantum, Stanford and more, The Coding School offers several virtual in-depth & engaging tech education summer camps for high school students. Ranging from quantum computing and AI to data science and emerging technology, participants learn through hands-on activities and projects. Currently, The Coding School offers four summer camps for students interested in CS:


Location: School of Computing in Shelby Hall, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL

Cost: $200 

Program Dates: June 10th - 14th

Eligibility: Rising 10th - 12th grade

Application Deadline: One week before the start of the camp


The Programming and Computer Knowledge (PACK) Camp at the University of South Alabama's School of Computing introduces students to programming concepts. Participants will explore various computing fields, including programming, software development, cybersecurity, and more. Through hands-on activities, projects, and interactive sessions, students will acquire practical skills and insights into the computing world. Each cohort has a minimum of 10 participants.


Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA

Cost: $5,060 (includes tuition, fees, housing, meals, orientation, excursions & activities, basic health insurance, and on-site support) + $25 (application fee)

Program Dates: June 16–June 28, 2024

Eligibility: Students must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program. Students applying must have completed 10th or 11th grade by the start of the program, and an overall B average (3.0, weighted or unweighted) in all their high school coursework. Open to domestic and international high school students.

Application Deadline: March 11


This intensive two-week program is designed for motivated high school students interested in computer science who want to experience college-level student life. No prior coding experience is required to apply! During the program, participants will learn essential computer science concepts, collaborative programming, and problem-solving skills. The curriculum is based on the renowned Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) course used by Berkeley undergraduates. Students will exclusively use Snap!, a visual programming language. Additionally, they will work on a programming project of their own design and interest, which they will present at the program's 'Code Celebration' event.


Location: In-person (Rice University,  Houston, TX) and virtual

Cost: 

  • Residential - $3,495

  • Commuters - $1,495

  • Online - $595

Program Dates: Week-long camps, between June and July

Eligibility: High school students 

Application Deadline: Rolling applications 


Elite Tech Camp offers a variety of virtual, commuter, and residential computer science camps for high school students each summer across the United States, including a one-week program at Rice University. This camp covers Python, C++, machine learning, AI, and robotic engineering. Students will learn to apply computer science's technical and analytical concepts to solve real-world problems, working both individually and in groups. Participants will also attend lectures by leading professors, professionals, and researchers in computer science-related fields. You can check the course catalog here!



One other option - Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you’re interested in pursuing research in computer science or related fields, you could also consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.


Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!


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.


Image Source: CalTech logo


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