Online Computer Science Summer Programs for High School Students
Updated: Oct 26
Updated October 2026
TL;DR
This guide covers 10 online computer science summer programs for high school students. They range from free options like MITES Semester, Girls Who Code Pathways, Kode With Klossy, and the All Star Code Summer Intensive to paid programs like Stanford AI4ALL ($4,120 online in 2026) and the Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship. Some are open to all high schoolers, while others are limited to a specific grade, age, or gender identity. Most summer 2027 dates are TBA. The Stanford AIMI internship has posted a February 1, 2027 deadline, and MITES applications are due February 1. If you'd like to research your own computer science question with a PhD mentor, you can apply to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program.
If you’re interested in coding or thinking about a computer science major, summer is a good time to test that interest without leaving home. Online CS programs for high schoolers vary a lot. In some, you work through self-paced courses in web development, cybersecurity, or data science. In others, you join live classes that prepare you for AP Computer Science. A few place you on a research team working with real data alongside university mentors. This guide covers 10 options so you can compare what each one teaches, how long it runs, and who can apply. If you’d also like work experience, check out our list of online computer science summer internships for high school students.
Why do an online computer science summer program?
Online programs skip the biggest costs of a pre-college summer: housing, flights, and meals on campus. You can join from home, and many schedule classes around school, work, or family plans. Several programs on this list are free, and most of the paid ones offer need-based financial aid.
You also get more than coding practice. Many of these programs connect you with professors, researchers, and people working in tech. That's a good way to see what careers in areas like AI, cybersecurity, data science, and software development actually look like.
What kinds of online CS programs are on this list?
The programs here fall into four groups:
Live online courses. MITES Semester, Stanford AI4ALL, and UT Dallas's summer coding camps teach CS through scheduled online classes with instructors.
Coding camps from nonprofits. Girls Who Code Pathways, Kode With Klossy, and the All Star Code Summer Intensive are free and focus on bringing more students from underrepresented groups into tech.
Research internships. George Mason's Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) and the Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship put you on a research team with university mentors.
One-on-one research and project mentorship. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program and Veritas AI pair you with a mentor for your own paper or project.
Which program fits what you want?
If you want | Look at |
Your own CS research paper with a PhD mentor | |
An AI course followed by a 1:1 project | |
A free, six-month STEM and college prep program as a junior | |
Self-paced coding tracks you can fit around other plans | |
Short online coding classes in Python or Java | |
A live two-week camp in web, app, data, or AI development | |
A research internship that earns college credit | |
Research on AI in healthcare | |
An AI program built for ninth graders | |
Six weeks of live classes in web development, AI literacy, and a startup pitch |
When should you apply?
Most deadlines for these programs fall in the winter, so start planning in the fall.
MITES Semester applications are due February 1, and the application typically opens in November. The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship opens its Summer 2027 application on November 10, 2026 and closes on February 1, 2027. Stanford AI4ALL and George Mason ASSIP had 2026 deadlines of February 6 and February 15, 2026. In 2024, Kode With Klossy deadlines fell between mid-February and late March. Veritas AI and the Lumiere Research Scholar Program run cohorts year-round, and Lumiere's next deadline is November 15, 2026 for the Winter Cohort.
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application Deadline: Varies by 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.
In the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, you work one-on-one with a PhD fellow or postdoc to write a college-level academic paper. The 12-week Individual Research Program includes 9 sessions with your mentor and 2 with a writing coach. Computer science, data science, and engineering are all listed research areas, and you can also customize your own topic. If you complete a program, you can earn 3 post-baccalaureate credits through UC San Diego Extended Studies.
Who is it right for? Students who already have a CS question they're curious about and want to take it all the way to a finished paper.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
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.
In AI Scholars, you take live group classes with about five students per mentor. That works out to 25 hours over 10 weeks or a two-week summer intensive, and it ends with a group project. In the AI Fellowship, you work one-on-one with a mentor across 15 sessions to build and train your own model, plus 4 sessions with a publication specialist. For a closer look, read our review of Veritas AI.
Who is it right for? Students who want CS with an AI focus, whether they're starting from zero or ready for their own project.
Location: Online (you must stay in the U.S. or its territories during the program)
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: June 22 to December 6)
Application Deadline: February 1; the application typically opens in November
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
MITES Semester is a free, six-month STEM and college prep program run by MIT. In the summer, you take two live evening courses. One is a project course, and past topics have included Machine Learning, Robotics, and Embedded Systems. The other is a core course in Calculus, Physics, Computer Science, or Science Writing. In the fall, you get essay reviews, mock interviews, and a written evaluation from each instructor that you can send with your college applications.
Who is it right for? Juniors who want a rigorous, free STEM program plus serious help with college applications.
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: summer, 6 to 7 weeks)
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Girls and non-binary students in grades 9 to 12, including rising 9th graders, Girls Who Code Summer Programs alums, and graduating seniors
Pathways is a free program you complete at your own pace over 6 to 7 weeks. You choose from tracks in AI, data science, cybersecurity, game design, and web development, and each course takes about 3 to 6 hours. When you get stuck, you can turn to advisor events, student hours, and a Discord community. You earn a certificate for each course you complete.
Who is it right for? Students who want flexible coding courses can fit around a job or another program.
Location: Online through Microsoft Teams (some Java and Python camps were also offered in person for high schoolers in 2026)
Cost: $250 per high school camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: sessions between June 8 and July 31)
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Ages 12 and up for online camps
The UT Dallas Computer Science K-12 Outreach program runs summer coding camps in two-week and four-week sessions. In 2026, online classes met for 1.5 hours every weekday. The Problem Solving in Java and Advanced Java camps together are designed to match AP Computer Science, which is handy if you're taking AP CS next year. During the school year, UT Dallas also runs online Saturday sessions in topics like Python and AI fundamentals.
Who is it right for? Students who want short, structured coding classes, especially as prep for AP Computer Science.
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: two-week camps between June and August)
Application Deadline: TBA (typically late March)
Eligibility: Young women, gender-nonconforming, and trans students ages 13 to 18
Kode With Klossy runs free two-week coding bootcamps, and you pick one of four curricula. You might build websites with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, or create an iOS app using Apple's Swift language. You could also analyze data with SQL and Python, or train an image classifier with Apple's CreateML framework in the AI track. After camp, you join the Kode With Klossy community for ongoing free programs and events.
Who is it right for? Students who want a short, live, team-based camp in a specific area of CS.
Location: Remote, hybrid, or in person at George Mason campuses in Virginia, depending on the mentor
Cost: $25 application fee and $1,299 tuition for 3 college credits (2026); both can be waived for financial need
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: June 18 to August 12)
Application Deadline: TBA (previous cohort: February 15)
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students; at least 15 years old for remote and computer-lab internships
ASSIP is an eight-week, full-time research internship where you work one-on-one with George Mason faculty and partner researchers. Each mentor chooses a remote, in-person, or hybrid format. If you want to work from home, look for mentors offering remote projects on the program's mentor list. You earn three college credits, and remote interns present at a fully remote poster session at the end of the summer.
Who is it right for? Students ready for real research who want college credit and are comfortable reaching out to mentors.
Location: Online
Cost: TBA; financial aid offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: two two-week sessions in summer)
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027 (application opens November 10)
Eligibility: In 2026, students attending a U.S. high school and entering grades 9 to 12 in the fall
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) runs this two-week virtual internship on AI in healthcare. Topics include machine learning basics, medical imaging AI, model evaluation, and responsible AI. You work on a team doing mentored research with real-world health data. The program is designed for students with a strong foundation in computer science, math, or biology.
Who is it right for? Students who already have some technical background and want to apply CS to medicine.
Location: Online
Cost: $4,120 for the online program; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: June 15 to 26, online)
Application Deadline: TBA (previous cohort: February 6)
Eligibility: Students in 9th grade at the time of applying who will be older than 14 and younger than 16 during the program
Stanford AI4ALL is hosted by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies. Over two weeks, you take classes Monday through Friday and work on hands-on AI projects with Stanford-affiliated instructors and mentors. You need to be present for all live classes and activities. If you successfully complete the program, you receive a certificate of completion.
Who is it right for? Ninth graders who are curious about AI and want an early, structured introduction from Stanford.
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Program Dates: TBA (previous cohort: July 6 to August 14)
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Male-identifying high school students, rising freshmen to seniors; no experience required
The Summer Intensive is All Star Code's six-week flagship program, built for students from communities with fewer tech opportunities. You take live virtual classes in front-end web development, AI literacy, and systems thinking. On the AI side, you learn to use it responsibly and check it for bias. You also build projects and pitch an original startup idea.
Who is it right for? Students who want a full summer of live classes that mix coding with entrepreneurship.
Which programs match your goals?
If you want | Consider | Good to know |
To do research or build your own project with a mentor | All offer financial aid or waivers | |
A free program | Each has grade, age, gender, or residency rules, so check eligibility first | |
Short, structured classes | Two- to four-week sessions; AI4ALL is for ninth graders only |
If you're a ninth grader, you could apply to Stanford AI4ALL this winter and save MITES Semester for junior year. The short camps leave room in your summer, so you could pair a two-week coding camp with a self-paced course.
Where else can you explore computer science online?
If you'd like real work experience, our list of online computer science summer internships for high school students covers remote options with startups, labs, and NASA. Interested in the AI side of CS? Check out our guide to online machine learning summer programs for high school students. And if you're open to traveling, our list of university AI programs for high school students includes campus options at places like Carnegie Mellon and Princeton.
5 Tips to Stand Out in Your Online CS Program Application
1. Show something you built
A small project says more than a list of languages. Maybe you wrote a Python script to track your basketball stats or made a website for a friend's band. Mention what it does, what broke along the way, and how you fixed it.
2. Explain why this program fits you
Programs want to know why you picked them. If a program focuses on AI in healthcare, connect it to something specific, like a family member's medical scan that made you wonder how computers read X-rays. Generic answers are easy to spot.
3. Ask your recommenders early
Several of these programs need teacher or counselor recommendations, and some deadlines fall right after winter break. Ask in November or early December, and give your recommenders a short summary of what you've done and why you're applying.
4. Don't worry if your school doesn't offer CS
Many of these programs are built for students with limited access to computer science. If your school has no CS classes or coding club, say so, and then talk about what you've learned on your own.
5. Check the time zone and schedule
Live programs meet at set hours, often on Eastern or Pacific Time. Before you apply, check that you can attend every required session around your summer job, family plans, or other programs.
The programs on this list are a great way to build CS skills and see what the field looks like. If you'd like to go further and study a question you choose, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you one-on-one with a PhD fellow or postdoc from a top university.
What students often ask about these online CS programs
1. Do I need coding experience before applying to these computer science programs?
Not for most of them. Several of the camps and self-paced courses welcome complete beginners. A couple of the research internships look for a foundation in computer science or math.
2. Will I build real projects, or mostly learn theory?
Most of these have you build something. Depending on the program, you might create a website, an iOS app, an image classifier, or a team research project with real data.
3. Can I do one of these alongside a summer job?
It depends on the program. One runs classes in the evenings, the self-paced option lets you set your own hours, and the short camps meet for part of the day. For more flexible, hands-on options, see our list of online AI internships for high school students.
4. Do any of these end with college credit?
Yes, one does. A university research internship on this list awards three college credits, and most of the others end with a certificate or a written evaluation. If credit matters to you, completing the Lumiere Research Scholar Program can earn you 3 post-baccalaureate college credits for your research paper.