15 Tech Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 55 minutes ago
- 10 min read
If you are a high school student planning to enter the tech industry in the future, summer programs can be a valuable time to build advanced skills in coding/programming, AI, or other emerging fields. These experiences often grant access to labs, software, and mentorship that standard high school curricula cannot offer. Many programs blend creativity and problem-solving, helping you develop technical and analytical skills.
What are the benefits of attending a tech program?
Tech programs combine instruction with exercises that can help you learn and practice writing code, dive into cybersecurity basics, and more. As a participant, you will gain exposure to advanced tools and technologies, connect with tech professionals, and explore career paths in tech. These experiences can also help you grow your professional network and give you insight into the communities driving innovation in tech.
To help you find a program that works for you, here we have listed 15 tech summer programs for high school students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~2.5%; 100 students selected/year
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Dates: June 28 – August 8 (can vary by year; the program runs for six weeks in the summer)
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who have one year remaining before graduation, ages 16 and up
RSI is a selective summer program that allows high schoolers to engage in research. Hosted by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) at MIT, the program combines on-campus coursework in scientific theory with off-campus research in science and technology. You will conduct individual research projects under the mentorship of experienced scientists and researchers, culminating in written and oral presentations. Field trips to science and tech facilities are also part of the experience.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial assistance offered
Dates: Sessions run throughout the year, including in the summer
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply here.
Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
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 physics, data science, computer science, engineering, and more.
3. MITES Summer
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Fully funded
Dates: Six weeks in the summer; late June – early August
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
MITES Summer is a residential program at MIT that immerses students in a rigorous STEM curriculum, condensing a full semester of college-level education into a six-week experience. You will take five courses covering math, science, and humanities, while participating in hands-on workshops and social events. You will gain firsthand insight into the college experience at MIT and connect with STEM professionals during the program. Lab tours, social events, and college admissions counseling are also part of the experience.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; AI Fellowship typically accepts previous AI Scholar participants or those with some experience working with AI 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 and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; 12 students/year
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: Fully funded apart from a $25 application fee + $750 stipend offered
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, ages 17 and up
This seven-week program allows 12 high school juniors and seniors to engage in research at Texas Tech University. You will work with a faculty mentor within your chosen area of interest, which can be computer science, engineering, or data science, and engage in hands-on research. Beyond the lab, the program offers access to weekly seminars, field trips, and a $750 stipend upon successful completion of the research project. This can be an opportunity to work directly alongside graduate students and faculty on serious academic inquiry.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Redmond, WA or Atlanta, GA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application deadline: Applications open in February and close when full.
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who live and attend high school within 50 miles of Redmond, WA, or Atlanta, GA; Redmond office applicants should be members/participants of Microsoft-sponsored organizations listed on the program website; Atlanta applicants should be enrolled in schools within the Fulton, Cobb, Atlanta Public Schools, DeKalb, and Gwinnett County School Districts
The Microsoft Discovery Program is an internship designed to give high school seniors a hands-on introduction to the technology industry. You will spend four weeks learning the fundamentals of product design and computer science while working in teams to solve a specific problem. Unlike many other programs, this is a paid internship, offering students both financial compensation and direct mentorship from Microsoft employees. It serves as an incredible entry point for students who want to understand the corporate tech environment and explore potential career paths in software engineering.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual and in-person; sites can vary each year
Cost: Free
Dates: Two weeks in the summer; dates vary by year
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Women and gender expansive teens, ages 13 – 18
Kode With Klossy runs various free programs, including its Summer Camp, which is a two-week opportunity to dive into coding/programming, software development, and machine learning. You will explore these areas through one of four tracks. In the data science track, you will examine data and draw insights using SQL, Python, and data visualization tools. The mobile app track covers coding in Swift (Apple’s programming language), allowing you to develop an iOS mobile application. In the camp’s web development track, you will learn how to work with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS and develop an online platform. The machine learning track covers AI and ML concepts such as algorithms, natural language processing, and datasets.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA + a virtual prerequisite course
Cost: Free online course; summer program is free for students with a family income of less than $150,000. Otherwise, the program costs $2,350.
Dates: Four weeks; July – August
Application deadline: March 31 for the in-person course
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11
The Beaver Works Summer Institute is a rigorous STEM program for high school students passionate about engineering, tech, and artificial intelligence. You will enroll in project-based courses such as Autonomous RACECAR Grand Prix, Medlytics (Data Science for Health), and Embedded Security and Hardware Hacking. Before the summer program, you will complete an intensive online prerequisite course to build a strong technical foundation. Each course allows you to dive into theory as well as use advanced technology to solve complex, real-world problems.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10.75%; 215 students/year
Location: Virtual + UT Austin campus, Austin, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: Online modules and project work: May 15 – July 3; On-site projects: July 5 – 18; Virtual symposium: July 20 and 21
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors who are U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old
SEES is a competitive STEM program for high school students hosted by the University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research in collaboration with NASA. You will work with NASA scientists and engineers to research topics like planetary geology, astronomy, remote sensing, and Mars Rover resource utilization. You will analyze satellite data and design missions, gaining rare insight into the workflow of professional space agencies. At the end of the program, you will present your research at a virtual symposium.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: None + limited travel assistance available
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are at least 16 years old
The Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars Program is a four-week residential summer program focused on artificial intelligence. You will attend lectures led by CMU faculty, learn about AI research projects, and hear from industry professionals about how AI is being used today. Throughout the program, you will work with peers on a group project that you will present at the end of the session. The program emphasis is on both classroom learning and problem solving, allowing you to engage in a mix of theory and application-based sessions. This is also an opportunity to live on campus and experience college life.
Cohort size: ~50 students
Location: Remote
Cost: Application fee: $45 + Program participation fee: $2,400; financial aid available
Dates: Session A: June 15 – 26 | Session B: July 6 – 17
Application deadline: February 20
Eligibility: High school students who are 14 or older and U.S. citizens; applicants who have prior experience in a healthcare project and/or strong math or computer programming skills are preferred.
This virtual program is designed for high schoolers interested in learning about AI in the context of healthcare innovation. As an intern, you will learn how AI is used to navigate challenges in medicine and healthcare and work on projects that focus on addressing a real medical problem with the assistance of AI tools. You will work on group research projects and engage in social activities, virtual group work sessions, and career-focused sessions led by guest speakers from diverse professional backgrounds. Throughout the program, you will have access to the mentorship of Stanford Student Leads and researchers. You may also be able to access an extended academic year research opportunity once the program ends.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by location
Location: Various universities and Army research labs across the U.S.
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Varies by role and location.
Application deadline: Varies by opportunity
Eligibility: Current high school students who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) offers apprenticeships that place students in university and army research laboratories across the country. Here, you will work one-on-one with a mentor scientist or engineer on current research projects, which can range from robotics and computer science to nanotechnology. You may be assigned tasks like experimentation, data collection, analysis, and comparison of data sets. You will also participate in workshops and webinars to build professional skills and become better equipped for future STEM academics.
Acceptance rate: ~5%
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: No tuition cost; students earn a stipend upon completion.
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are 16 or older and U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Simons Summer Research Program allows high school students to engage in hands-on research in science, math, and engineering at Stony Brook University. You will be matched with faculty mentors and serve as full members of a research team, helping produce work that contributes to professional publications. In addition to research work, you will attend weekly research talks, workshops, tours, and events that provide even more exposure to career paths in science and research. The program ends with a poster symposium where you will present your findings to the university community.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Location: Albuquerque, NM, Livermore, CA, or other Sandia sites.
Stipend: Paid
Dates: 8–10 weeks; May – August
Application deadline: Rolling, varies by open position.
Eligibility: High school students, ages 16 and up, who are U.S. citizens and have a GPA of at least 3.0.
Sandia National Laboratories offers year-round and summer internships for high school students in technical and business tracks. The technical internships focus on areas like cybersecurity, computer science, and engineering, allowing you to support national security missions. You will work on real projects that contribute to the lab’s goals, gaining clearance-level exposure (in some cases) and professional mentorship. You will find opportunities to connect with researchers and tech professionals and apply coding and engineering skills in a professional environment.
Location: The College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Cost: Early bird registration (before April 30): $550 | Regular Registration (May 1 – June 15): $650; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: One week in July; dates TBA
Application deadline: June 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 – 12
The University of Central Florida’s Laser & Photonics camp is designed to introduce high schoolers to optics and photonics through hands-on activities. During the program, you will work in a lab learning how to work with lasers, prisms, and equations, and exploring the properties of light and light-based technology. Professor-led lectures are a key part of the experience. You may also engage in activities such as making a circuit board, soldering, and aligning lasers. Throughout the camp, you will learn about career paths in photonics engineering and optics.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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