10 Computer Science Camps for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- May 31, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Are you a high school student interested in technology and coding? This list of 10 Computer Science (CS) camps has something for everyone! These camps offer experience in programming and a platform to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Moreover, if you're aiming for a CS or STEM major in college, these programs are a great way to develop essential skills and enhance your college application profile. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
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. 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: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Cost: From $1,229 (depending on the course)
Program Dates: Courses run from June 24 - August 16
Eligibility: Applicants must be between 13-18 years of age. Courses have different experience and criteria levels.
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
CalTech’s weeklong coding camps are designed to help students explore computer science through courses on Python, C++, game development, Artificial Intelligence, and robotics, to name a few. You will work in their labs to explore your interests, develop your skills, and work on your goals for the future. Each course combines practical learning with campus tours and fun camp traditions. During the course, STEM experts from top universities will share their expertise, motivating you to work on apps, games, AI bots, and more.
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
Eligibility: Current 9th-11th grade students
Application Deadline: Applications for summer will open in late fall.
The UPenn Summer Coding Camp is a three-week residential program that introduces high school students to front-end web development. You will 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. You will also learn how to use GitHub for collaborative coding. Instructor-led demonstrations and exercises will help you build a solid foundation 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 covering Python, Java, graphic arts, robotics, and more. These camps offer the opportunity to build skills and knowledge in basic computer science concepts. It also provides valuable insights into the fundamentals of technology, CS, and engineering concepts. High school students interested in CS can 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
Program Dates: July 8 - 26
Eligibility: Current 9th graders (rising 10th graders during the summer of the program)
Application Deadline: March
This three-week online camp, organized by the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), explores AI through lectures, research projects, and mentoring activities. You will interact with AI experts and learn about the 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 solve 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: Session 1: June 17 - June 28 | Session 2: July 8 - July 19 | Session 3: July 29 - August 9
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th grade 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 space is 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 practical experience in robotics through classes and workshops, encouraging you to apply design thinking to develop innovative solutions. During this program, you will explore electrical components and circuits, microcontrollers, and computer programming essential for robotics. You will gain experience using tools and software to construct two fully functional robots. At the program's conclusion, you will test your robots in a ‘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 tech education summer camps for high school students. Ranging from quantum computing and AI to data science and emerging technology, you will learn through 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. You will explore various computing fields, including programming, software development, cybersecurity, and more. Through activities, projects, and interactive sessions, you 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
Eligibility: Students must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program. Students must have completed 10th or 11th grade by the start of the program and have 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 two-week program is 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, you will learn essential computer science concepts, collaborative programming, and problem-solving skills. The curriculum is based on the Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) course used by Berkeley undergraduates. You will use Snap!, a visual programming language. Additionally, you will work on a programming project of your own design, which you will present at the program's 'Code Celebration' event. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
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. You will learn to apply computer science's technical and analytical concepts to solve real-world problems, working both individually and in groups. You will also attend lectures by 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