15 In-person Coding Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 10 min read
Structured programs are a strong option for you if you want to explore advanced concepts and college-level academics while you are in high school. These programs allow you to build practical skills, learn from experienced instructors, and form meaningful connections with peers and mentors. If you are interested in coding, participating in a focused summer program can offer you hands-on exposure to computer science concepts, collaborative problem-solving, and real-world applications of technology. Many of these programs are hosted on university campuses, professional coding labs, and other advanced tech environments, allowing you to interact with modern tools and resources.
Why should I participate in an in-person coding program in high school?
An in-person coding program can offer deep exposure, far beyond what online courses or self-study offer. For instance, as a participant, you may live and learn on a campus, experience college-style academics, learn how to manage your time independently, and collaborate closely with peers on challenging technical projects. In-person programs often provide access to advanced resources, mentorship from faculty or industry professionals, and exposure to real research or applied problem-solving. The skills, projects, and relationships developed through these experiences can also help you clarify your interests within tech, prepare for future internships or research opportunities, and build a strong foundation for studying computer science or tech fields in college.
To help you identify the most impactful opportunities, we have narrowed down 15 in-person coding programs for high school students. Our selection prioritizes programs that are academically rigorous, offer strong networking and mentorship opportunities, are fully funded, and are hosted by prestigious universities or organizations.
Location: Code Next Labs in Oakland, CA; Inglewood, CA; Chelsea, NY; Detroit, MI
Cost / Stipend: None
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Dates: Late September – June
Application deadline: June 30
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11, at least 13 years old, living near a program location
Google’s Code Next offers high school students free, immersive computer science curriculum in select locations across the U.S. You can apply to join one of the four Code Next Labs and, once accepted, you can choose tracks such as Launch, which focuses on computer science and leadership, and Team Edge, which focuses on entrepreneurship, product development, and branding. Each Code Next track offers practical, project-based learning opportunities, allowing you to engage in tasks such as programming simple games, building basic robots, or creating 3D-printed objects like chess sets. The program also provides mentorship from Google employees, offering support in both technical areas and general academic growth. In addition to coursework, you can join interest-based clubs in areas like AI, game design, or robotics. Leadership skill-building and college prep are built into the schedule.
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Boston
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Application deadline: Rolling admissions across multiple summer cohorts
Program dates: Two weeks during the summer
Eligibility: Students aged 13–18 currently enrolled in middle or high school
The Academic Insights Program lets high school students experience university life firsthand. You will live on campus and study in small groups of 7-10, and learn from tutors from eminent top universities like Oxford and Cambridge.
You can explore options spanning over 20 subjects, including tracks in coding, computer science, and AI. The courses are experiential and focus on hands-on learning, so you may conduct dissections in medicine, design a robotic arm in engineering, participate in a moot court for law, or build creative writing portfolios and business case studies. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Virtual and MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free for students with family incomes under $200,000; $2,400, otherwise
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Program dates: July 6 – August 1 or August 2
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9 – 11, attending school in the U.S. who have completed the online pre-requisite course
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute allows you to take advanced courses in tech, engineering, physics, and other STEM fields. During the program, you will attend lectures led by MIT faculty, study core concepts related to the course theme, and practice what you learn through complex project work. You can choose from various coding-focused courses, including Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Software, and Autonomous Air Vehicle Racing. Some courses allow you to test your work through participation in challenges at the end of the program.
Location: Various locations across the U.S.; sites vary by year
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Program dates: Two-week summer sessions; exact dates announced in spring
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive teens, ages 13–18; no prior coding experience required
Kode With Klossy’s free two-week camps are designed to introduce you to real-world applications of coding. You will dive into one of four themed tracks: web development, artificial intelligence/machine learning, mobile app development, or data science. Throughout the program, you will learn to code in Python, Swift, or JavaScript and build functional projects, such as websites or mobile apps. The camp emphasizes a supportive community environment, connecting you with a network of alumni and mentors. You will also learn about the ethical aspects of tech, such as addressing bias in algorithms, while building coding skills.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Program dates: June 20 – July 18
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who will be at least 16 years old by the start date and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents with current U.S. green cards
This is a fully funded program designed to help you prepare for college and explore AI and computing. You will study various facets of AI through lectures and research projects that help you practice coding and build Python familiarity. Carnegie Mellon faculty members lead the program while graduate students offer guidance and support throughout. You will attend seminars covering academic readiness, college prep, and post-graduate planning and go on field trips to leading tech companies, where you will connect with professionals and learn about tech career opportunities. The program also runs a writing workshop, focused on college applications and essay preparation. At the end, you will present your research project.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Option 1: July 6 – August 7 | Option 2: July 13 – August 7
Application deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11, at least 15 years old, and NYC residents
NYU’s ieSoSC is a four- to five-week program that will introduce you to the technical work involved in building the infrastructure of modern urban environments. You will participate in exercises involving coding, electronics, and microcontrollers to develop smart city solutions. You will also learn to work with sensors and cloud computing to develop prototypes for smart infrastructure, including solutions for waste management and transportation systems. Additionally, you will participate in workshops to build communication skills and learn how to present your business pitch.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $6,380 (commuter) | $12,837 (residential) + $80 application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – July 17 | July 21 – August 7
Application deadline: Early: February 2 | General: April 2
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders (domestic and international)
Columbia University’s Pre-College Program offers high schoolers access to college-level courses taught by faculty and experts across a variety of fields, including coding. In the Introduction to Programming with Python course, you will learn how Python plays a role in data analysis, machine learning, AI, data visualization, and web development. Using Python, you will study the fundamentals of programming, real-world coding applications, and the best programming practices. You will also gain insights into topics like data structures, functions and scripts, and data representation and storage. You will learn through virtual sessions, group exercises, and independent coding challenges.
8. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grainger Engineering Summer Camps: Learning Electronics, AI, and Programming (LEAP) Camp
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign–Urbana, IL
Cost: $1,500 residential | $750 commuter; scholarships available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 19 – 25
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th grade students
LEAP Camp is a week-long camp that allows you to explore the intersection of computer science and electrical engineering through a project-based curriculum. During the camp, you will learn the basics of electrical engineering and computer science by building a portable weather station that collects real atmospheric data. In the process, you will learn soldering, circuit assembly, introductory programming, and cloud computing. You will also get an introduction to artificial intelligence and how it can be used to analyze data. At the end of the week, you will take home a personal weather station that you can actually set up and use outside your home.
Location: Purdue University Northwest, Hammond Campus, IN
Cost: $130
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – 20
Application deadline: First-come, first-served; closes three weeks before camp starts
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors
The Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Summer Camp at Purdue University Northwest is a one-week program designed to introduce high school students to the practical applications of AI and ML in fields like robotics, healthcare, and autonomous systems. You will learn to code in Python and apply algorithms and concepts such as K-Nearest Neighbors, Linear Regression, and Neural Networks to practical problems. The curriculum also covers supervised and unsupervised ML algorithms and the ethical implications of AI. Through coding exercises and applied projects, you will explore how AI and ML are used in areas like renewable energy, finance, and recommendation systems.
Location: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July 14 – 21
Application deadline: Typically May
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12
The Robotics Camp at San Diego State University is a fully funded, one-week program for middle and high school students. During the program, you will learn how to code using Scratch and Python, learn about cybersecurity and AI, and practice working with MBot Mega robots and drones. During the week, you will attend guest lectures and find opportunities to develop robotics skills. Team-building activities and 3D printing activities are also part of the camp experience. Additionally, you will explore the SDSU campus and visit STEM labs.
Location: The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ
Cost: $625/week (lunch included)
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Week 1: July 6 – 10 | Week 2: July 13 – 17
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–12
The iSTEM Summer Academy allows you to spend one or two weeks diving into engineering, robotics, and product design through a series of activities. If you choose the MakerCraft Summer Camp, you will work with CAD software to design a wearable product and tools such as MATLAB and Simulink to program it. This track focuses on coding, electronics, 3D printing, and laser cutting. At the Automation and Robotics Camp, you will program microcontroller devices that help a robot perform various tasks. You will learn how to design automated circuits, create prototypes with rapid prototyping tech, and use MathWorks Simulink to operate your robot.
Location: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Cost: Two-week camp: $125 | One-week camp: $75; scholarships available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates:
Two-week program: June 9 – 20
One-week program: June 23 – 27
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12
University of Minnesota’s Summer Computing Academy is a residential program for students interested in coding, robotics, and image processing. It offers a one-week beginner track and a two-week track for students with some coding experience. At the camp, you will learn through lectures covering the basics of Python and programming, and practice coding in a computer lab. You will also work on projects like powering small robots, building apps, and processing images. Career planning sessions are also part of the program. At the end of the camp, you will present your projects to peers and faculty.
Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: TBA
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: ~15 students per section
Dates: Spring program; dates TBA
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
USF’s after-school program in robotics is designed for high school students interested in exploring the science and theory behind the field. You will study robotics theory and then apply it as you build, code, and test robots. You will design and build custom robots using robotics kits and learn how mechanical systems power machines. You will also use 3D design tools and 3D printing to build custom parts for your robots. Sessions will offer insights into sensors, motors, and circuits, as well as how electrical systems drive automation. You will additionally explore coding basics like variables, loops, and logic to learn how to control robots and tackle engineering challenges.
Location: Illinois Tech, Chicago, IL
Cost: $550
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders, ages 14–17
Illinois Tech runs various in-person and virtual summer programs for middle and high schoolers interested in exploring STEM topics. The Coding Bootcamp: Introduction to Python program is an introduction to computer programming designed for high schoolers with little to no prior coding experience. During the program, you will study the fundamentals of programming, learn how to use Python, and participate in coding sessions and interactive projects. The curriculum also covers programming concepts like basic algorithms, variables, functions, data types, and control structures.
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $600 (tentative); scholarships available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: 5–10 students per class
Dates: Two-week summer sessions; exact dates vary
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students
CS@SC Summer Coding Camps offer exposure to various aspects of programming, robotics, and cybersecurity beyond the regular high school curriculum. You can participate in one or more camps, choosing from tracks such as robotics, web development, Python, Java, mobile app creation, and game design. In the Python-focused camp, you will explore concepts like variables, functions, file reading/writing, string methods, and coding. The Java camp will focus on the fundamentals of programming, file input and output, and object-oriented programming. If you are interested in robotics, you can choose from the Robotics Arduino camp and the Robo Battles camp, where you will gain experience in C++ coding and building robots.
One other option—Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, 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 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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 graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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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