15 Computer Programming High School Summer Programs
- Stephen Turban
- 7 hours ago
- 8 min read
If you’re a high school student thinking about getting into computer programming, summer programs can be a practical way to explore the field before college. These programs give you hands-on experience with coding languages like Python and Java and introduce you to concepts that go beyond what you typically learn in school.Â
Many of these programs include mentorship from professors or tech professionals, as well as the chance to work on real projects with other students who are just as interested in coding as you are. And if you’re already serious about programming, a summer program can help you test your skills, grow your portfolio, and build connections in the tech world.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 15 computer programming summer programs for high school students!
15 Computer Programming High School Summer Programs
Location: Remote  -  you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week research program designed for high school students. You’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor from universities like Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, or MIT. The main goal is to help you complete an independent research paper on a subject of your choice.Â
You can pick from topics in data science, computer science, international relations, engineering, chemistry, physics, and more. You meet with your mentor every week to plan and build your project. By the end of the program, you’ll finish a publication-level research paper that can be submitted to high school journals or used in college applications.
Location:Â Virtual
Cost:Â Need-based financial aid available
Dates:Â Typically runs for five weeks in the summer
Application Deadline:Â Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Open to incoming 10th–12th graders and recent high school graduates
The Coding School Summer Research Program lets you work as a student research assistant alongside Columbia University faculty and grad student mentors. You’ll explore how data science is used in fields like healthcare, finance, and sports analytics. As part of the program, you’ll build skills in R, web scraping, data visualization, and machine learning. You’ll receive guided instruction and one-on-one mentorship as you work on an independent research project. By the end, you’ll have a completed project that shows your technical and analytical abilities.
3. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by the program.
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 is a set of AI-focused programs created by Harvard graduate students for high school students. If you're just starting, the AI Scholars Program introduces you to the basics of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. Over 10 sessions, you’ll learn how to use Python and build projects based on real-world applications.
If you already have experience with coding or AI, the AI Fellowship lets you work one-on-one with mentors from top universities. You’ll design an individual project and get support from Veritas AI’s in-house publication team to help you submit your work to high school research journals. The fellowship often ends with a final paper or presentation.
Location:Â Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Acceptance rate:Â Competitive
Cost:Â Free
Dates: July 9 – July 30
Application Deadline:Â April 9
Eligibility: 10–12 graders in the U.S. or Puerto Rico who meet at least one of the low-income criteria
Princeton AI4ALL Summer Program is a three-week residential program focused on artificial intelligence, ethics, and social impact. You’ll attend lectures on topics like machine learning, neural networks, and algorithmic fairness, then apply what you learn through team-based research projects. The program includes mentorship from Princeton faculty, graduate students, and professionals from the tech industry. A two-day trip to Washington, D.C. is part of the curriculum, where you’ll explore how AI connects with public policy.
Location:Â University of California, San Diego, CA + Virtual
Acceptance rate:Â Selective, with regional priority given
Cost/Stipend:Â Free (non-research track); $1,500 (with research project)
Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Eligibility:Â Rising 10th graders from San Diego County
UCSD’s Research Experience for High School Students (REHS) is an eight-week summer program held at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. You’ll explore advanced topics in computing while working with researchers on real projects in areas like AI, data science, and high-performance computing. You’ll use tools such as Python, TensorFlow, and SDSC’s HPC systems. If you join the research track, you’ll build an independent project in fields like bioinformatics, machine learning, or climate modeling. If you choose the non-research track, you’ll attend workshops, seminars, and lectures on topics like robotics and natural language processing.
Location:Â NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Acceptance rate:Â SelectiveÂ
Cost:Â $3,300Â
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – June 27, Session 2: July 7 – July 18, Session 3: July 28 – August 8
Application Deadline:Â May 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ (rising 10th–12th graders); U.S. and international students; background in AP Math, Algebra II, Trig preferred
SPARC is a two-week summer program at NYU Tandon focused on robotics, mechatronics, and programming. You’ll design, build, and code autonomous robots to complete specific challenges involving motion control, sensor use, and logic design. You’ll learn core programming skills, likely using C/C++ or Python, along with the basics of electrical circuits and mechanical assembly. The program ends with a series of robot challenges where you’ll test your designs in real time.
Location:Â Berkeley Lab, CA
Stipend:Â $500/week stipend
Dates: June 17 – July 25
Application Deadline: February – March 21
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11 from the Bay Area, particularly Alameda, San Francisco, and Contra Costa counties
BLDAP (Black Leaders in AI and Data Science Program) is a fully funded six-week summer program hosted by the Berkeley AI Research (BAIR) Lab. You’ll work on real-world projects in AI and machine learning alongside UC Berkeley researchers and industry professionals. The program covers areas like computer vision, reinforcement learning, and robotics. You’ll take part in hands-on workshops, coding labs, and team-based research focused on topics such as autonomous systems, natural language processing, and robotics control.
Location:Â San Diego Supercomputer Center, CA
Cost:Â Free application; $1,000 program fee (financial aid available)
Dates: October 1 – May 31
Application Deadline:Â May 31
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12
UCSD’s Mentor Assistance Program (MAP) is an eight-month research program where you work closely with UCSD faculty on a long-term STEM project. You’ll focus on areas like computer science, data analysis, or engineering, and develop an independent research project using tools such as Python, MATLAB, or data visualization software. You’ll meet with your mentor every two weeks, read academic papers, and visit research labs to support your progress. Optional science fair submissions are encouraged, and if you show strong progress, you may be invited to continue your project over the summer.
Location:Â Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost:Â Free; travel assistance available
Dates: June 21 – July 19
Application Deadline:Â Typically in spring
Eligibility:Â Rising 12th graders aged 16+ by June 21; must demonstrate financial need
AI Scholars is a fully funded, four-week residential program at Carnegie Mellon University that introduces you to artificial intelligence through hands-on learning and research. You’ll attend lectures on neural networks, algorithm design, and how AI is used for social good. As part of the program, you’ll work in teams on research projects that apply AI to real-world problems. You’ll also receive mentorship from CMU faculty, visit tech companies, and take part in college prep sessions.Â
Location:Â Virtual, hybrid, or in-person at Fairfax, VA
Cost:Â $25 application feeÂ
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline:Â Typically in February
Eligibility:Â Remote: age 15+; In-person/hybrid: 15+ for CS labs, 16+ for wet labs
ASSIP (Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program) is an eight-week research internship where you’ll work with faculty mentors on projects in areas like cybersecurity, natural language processing, or data science. You’ll be assigned a focused project and use real-world tools to build models, analyze data, and present your results. The program emphasizes independent research and critical thinking, with support from seminars on topics like research ethics, scientific writing, and STEM careers.
11. CS Scholars
Location:Â Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost:Â Free; travel assistance available
Program Dates: June 21 – July 19
Application Deadline:Â Typically in spring
Eligibility:Â Rising 11th graders; must be age 16+ by June 21 and demonstrate financial need.
CS Scholars is a fully funded, four-week residential program that introduces you to computer science through hands-on learning in Python, algorithmic thinking, and problem-solving. You’ll take pre-college courses in math and CS foundations, work on team-based research projects, and build functional programs tied to real-world themes. The program includes faculty lectures, structured group coding sessions, and workshops on debugging and collaborative development. You’ll also take part in equity discussions in STEM, visit tech companies, and follow a daily schedule similar to a college environment.
Location:Â Virtual
Cost:Â $3,095
Dates:Â Multiple sessions from June to August; options for 4-week or 6-week schedule
Application Deadline:Â Rolling admissions
Eligibility:Â High school students; no prior experience required
Computer Science Summer Certificate Program is a 95-hour live, project-based course that teaches you core programming skills in Java and Python. You’ll start with Java, learning object-oriented programming, recursion, arrays, and file handling. Then you’ll move into Python to work on data science and introductory machine learning using tools like NumPy and Pandas. The program includes one-on-one training and gives you access to class recordings so that you can review material anytime.
Location:Â UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Acceptance rate:Â Selective
Cost:Â $25 application fee + $5,160 program fee
Dates: June 23 – July 4
Application Deadline:Â March 10
Eligibility: Students aged 16–17 with little to no prior coding experience
Berkeley’s Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) Summer Program is a two-week residential program that introduces you to computer science using the BJC curriculum developed at UC Berkeley. You’ll learn foundational CS concepts through Snap!, a visual programming language, by completing daily coding challenges and creating your computing application as a final project. Instruction is led by experienced BJC educators, and you’ll receive mentorship and technical support from Berkeley undergraduates.
14. Girls Who Code
Location:Â Virtual
Cost/Stipend:Â Free; $300 stipend available for students with financial need
Dates: SIP Session 1: July 7 – July 18, SIP Session 2: July 28 – August 8, Pathways Program: Self-paced over six weeks
Application Deadline:Â April 11
Eligibility: Female or non-binary students in grades 9–12
Girls Who Code offers two free virtual programs that introduce high school students to computer science and tech careers. In the Summer Immersion Program (SIP), you’ll join a live, two-week bootcamp where you learn Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and UX/UI design by working on team projects. You’ll also connect with tech mentors and students from across the country.
The Self-Paced Pathways Program lets you explore topics like AI and cybersecurity on your schedule through curated online lessons and project work. Both options focus on building your coding skills and helping you gain confidence, especially if you’re from a group that’s underrepresented in tech.
Location:Â Medford/Somerville, MA
Cost:Â $1,949 (non-credit)
Dates: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline:Â Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th grade students
Tufts University's Responsible AI is an in-person interdisciplinary course held on the Medford campus that introduces you to the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence. You’ll study topics like algorithmic bias, responsible AI development, and machine-generated art by drawing from fields such as philosophy, computer science, visual arts, and public policy. The seminar uses case studies and theoretical frameworks to help you think critically about the societal impact of AI.
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.
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