10 Online Computer Science Summer Programs for High School
- Stephen Turban
- Sep 5
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 14
If you're a high school student interested in computer science, an online summer program is a great way to explore the field without the high costs of in-person pre-college programs. These programs offer exposure to college-level coursework, real-world applications, and a network of peers and mentors, helping you build a strong foundation for future studies and careers in tech.
Beyond technical skills, online CS programs connect you with professors, researchers, and industry professionals, offering insights into career paths in AI, cybersecurity, data science, and software development. Many of these programs are fully funded, making them an accessible way to gain high-quality education and experience.
With so many options available, choosing the right program can be challenging. To help, we’ve identified the top 10 online CS summer programs based on factors like academic rigor, networking opportunities, funding, selectivity, and institutional prestige. Let’s dive into our top picks.
10 Online Computer Science Summer Programs for High School
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on the cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Location: Remote—participate from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.3. No prior knowledge of your field of interest is required.
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year: Summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
2. Veritas AI
Application Deadline: Rolling basis for Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Duration: Multiple 12-15 week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Location: Virtual.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should have completed the AI Scholars program or have 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.
Application Deadline: Fall of 11th grade (exact date varies each year).
Duration: June - December (summer intensive followed by fall college prep).
Location: Selective, national program.
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: Open to U.S. high school juniors with a strong interest in STEM. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
MITES Semester is a free, six-month online STEM and college preparation program for high school juniors interested in science and engineering. Running from June to December, the program begins with interactive online courses in subjects like Computer Science, Machine Learning, Astrophysics, and Thermodynamics. During the summer, you will take part in live classes and hands-on projects, followed by weekly webinars, social events, and college admissions workshops in the fall. The program also offers college essay reviews, mock interviews, and opportunities to connect with STEM professionals and admissions counselors.
Application Deadline: Varies (typically in the spring).
Duration: Two-week (SIP) or six-week (Pathways) summer sessions.
Location: Open enrollment, but competitive.
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is for 9th-11th graders who are U.S. students only. The Pathways program is open to 9th-12th graders, including past Summer Program participants and graduating seniors, and is available globally.
Girls Who Code offers two free, fully virtual summer programs. The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a two-week, live course where students learn game design, UX design, and coding while engaging with industry professionals. The Pathways Program is a six-week, self-paced experience covering topics like cybersecurity, data science, AI, and web development. Participants gain hands-on experience with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python.
Application Deadline: March 1.
Duration: June 17 - August 9 (8 weeks).
Location: ~60 students selected annually.
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: Open to current high school juniors and seniors, both U.S. and international students.
The Stanford SHTEM (Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering & Math) Internship is an eight-week, fully remote summer program. It is designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in research across computer science, engineering, AI, neuroscience, and linguistics. Hosted by the Stanford Compression Forum, the program pairs students with mentors from Stanford faculty, students, and industry experts to work on multidisciplinary research projects. Participants collaborate on real-world problems and present their findings at the end of the program. The program is highly competitive and offers early exposure to advanced STEM research.
Application Deadline: To be announced for 2025 (usually in the spring).
Duration: To be announced (typically two-week sessions in summer).
Location: Competitive, but open globally.
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: Open to young women and gender-expansive teens (ages 13-18) worldwide
Kode With Klossy offers free, two-week virtual coding camps for young women and gender-expansive teens (ages 13-18) interested in technology. No prior coding experience is required. The program covers web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), mobile app development (Swift & SwiftUI), machine learning (Python, AI fundamentals), and data science (SQL, Python, data visualization). Participants gain hands-on coding experience, learn from industry professionals, and connect with a global tech community.
Application Deadline: February (varies annually).
Duration: June 18 - August 8 (8 weeks).
Location: Competitive (~15-20% acceptance rate).
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors, seniors, and community college students. Participants must be at least 15 years old for remote and computer-based internships and 16 years old for in-person "wet lab" internships.
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) at George Mason University is an eight-week research internship for high school and undergraduate students. Participants work on STEM projects under the mentorship of university faculty and industry professionals. The program covers areas like artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, data science, computer simulations, and software engineering. Interns gain research, problem-solving, and communication skills while contributing to ongoing projects. Some participants have their work published or presented at conferences. The program offers remote, in-person, and hybrid options.
Application Deadline: February 28.
Duration: June 16 - June 27 (2 weeks).
Location: Highly selective (~25 students accepted).
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: Open to high school students entering grades 9-12 in Fall 2025, who are at least 14 years old by the start of the program. Preference is given to students with strong math, coding, or healthcare-related experience; applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or students with valid visa status.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship is a two-week, fully virtual program for high school students (grades 9-12) interested in AI and healthcare. Participants attend lectures on AI in medicine, work on hands-on research projects, and receive mentorship from Stanford researchers. The program also includes career talks with industry professionals. Students who complete the program receive a Certificate of Completion.
Application Deadline: January 24.
Duration: June 18 - July 2 (2 weeks).
Location: Highly selective.
Cost: Not specified.
Eligibility: Open to current 9th graders (rising 10th graders) who are at least 14 years old by the program start. Preference is given to students with math and/or coding experience; the program is open to international students.
Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week, fully online summer program for high school students interested in artificial intelligence (AI) and its societal applications. Hosted by the Stanford AI Lab, the program includes interactive lectures, hands-on projects, and mentorship from Stanford researchers and AI professionals. Participants explore topics like robotics, computer vision, medical AI, and natural language processing while developing technical skills. The program also features career development workshops and a supportive peer community.
10. CodeDay Labs
Application Deadline: Typically in the spring; exact dates vary.
Duration: June - August (Exact dates vary annually).
Location: Selective; varies by track.
Cost: No fee to participate (not a paid internship).
Eligibility: Open to high school and college students worldwide. While some programming experience is preferred, beginner-friendly options are available.
CodeDay Labs is a fully online tech internship that offers real-world experience in software development. Participants collaborate on open-source projects, receive mentorship from industry professionals, and work with tools like Kubernetes, GraphQL, and Python. The program includes daily tech talks, career panels, and project-based learning to help students build technical and professional skills.
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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