12 Tech Programs for High School Students in Boston
If you are a high school student thinking about a future in tech, structured programs help you explore the field. In structured tech programs, you get to work with real tools, pick up practical skills in areas like coding, AI, or cybersecurity, and in many cases, learn directly from people already working in the field. On top of that, many of these programs are run by well-known universities and organizations, which adds to their credibility and the value of the experience.
Why should you attend a program in Boston?
Boston is home to universities and organizations that offer tech programs across a range of fields like computer science, artificial intelligence, and engineering. Depending on the program you sign up for, you could be building apps, exploring data science, getting into robotics, or working on AI projects. Some programs are more research-oriented, others are project-based, so you can find something that actually aligns with your interests. These opportunities can be worth considering, whether you are a local student looking for programs nearby or an out-of-city student interested in exploring a new academic environment.
To help you get started, we have 12 tech programs for high school students in Boston.
If you’re looking for programs in Boston, check out our blog here.
1. Boston Tech Apprenticeship
Location: Various company sites across Boston
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend of a minimum of $15/hour
Dates: Six to seven weeks during the summer
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Boston Public Schools high school students who are at least 16 years old
The Boston Tech Apprenticeship is a paid summer internship program for Boston Public Schools students interested in tech careers. You will join a company where you will work on projects that may include software programming, web development, IT helpdesk support, data analysis, or digital and social media, depending on your skill level and the employer's needs. During the program, you may work with tools like Final Cut Pro, Agile, SQL, or Dreamweaver, based on your placement. The program is part of the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program and is geared toward students considering IT majors or tech careers who want hands-on work experience to support that path.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 12 – 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; deadlines vary by cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can check details and apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase 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 a range of online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science, you can choose the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about the fundamentals of AI and data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Northeastern University Accelerate’s Game Design in Extended Reality
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost: $7,095; need-based aid available
Dates: July 26 – August 7
Application deadline: Priority deadline: January 15 | Regular deadline: February 27 | Late deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Northeastern University's Accelerate Game Design in Extended Reality program is focused on augmented, virtual, and mixed reality technologies. You'll develop technical skills in scripting and coding, interaction design, narrative design, and game system design, applying them to build an immersive interactive experience of your own. Throughout the program, you'll work through the common workflows and terminology used in VR development and learn to describe, critique, and differentiate between extended reality media technologies. Faculty feedback and peer critique are integrated throughout the project-based work. The program concludes with a completed immersive project.
4. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Pathway
Location: Various sites, including Boston, MA
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: Two weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 – 18, currently enrolled in middle or high school
The Academic Insights Program provides school students with an opportunity to take undergraduate-level classes at universities around the world. Participants work with academics from universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard in classes of 4-10 students. You will attend university-style lectures and 1:1 weekly sessions with a tutor. The program includes practical experiences such as medical dissections, engineering projects involving robotic arms, and moot courts in law. You can choose from over 20 subjects, including artificial intelligence, computer science, business management, biology, economics, medicine, philosophy, and more. By the end of the program, you will complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
5. Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Momentum
Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
Cost: Commuter: $699 | Residential: $1,699
Dates: August 3 – 7
Application deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 or 10
Momentum is a one-week pre-college program at Wentworth that allows you to explore interdisciplinary STEAM courses and prepare for future academics. You will choose one course from a set of options, which include Digital Impact: Pathways in Computing, Connected Care: Technology in Human Health, Engineering for Humanity, and Art and Science of Creating. Each course combines elements from different programs at Wentworth, giving you early exposure to how various fields intersect. You will spend the week exploring track-specific tech, arts, and engineering concepts through lab and project work.
6. Northeastern University Accelerate’s Cybersecurity & Privacy
Location: Northeastern University, Boston
Cost: $7,095; financial aid available
Dates: July 26 – August 7
Application deadline: Priority deadline: January 15 | Regular deadline: February 27 | Late deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Northeastern University's Accelerate Cybersecurity & Privacy program is a two-week residential course that introduces you to the core principles of cybersecurity and privacy. Throughout the program, you will work through topics including Linux operating system fundamentals, modern cryptography, network security, and the security and privacy implications of the Internet of Things. The program combines lectures, hands-on labs, and team competitions, including C exercises where you will solve security puzzles and defend systems against simulated attacks. By the end of the program, you will be able to classify different types of cyberattacks, understand core security goals, and apply strategies to protect digital systems. The program ends with a Capture the Flag-style event where you will demonstrate the skills you have built over the two weeks.
7. Northeastern University Accelerate’s Ethics & Emerging Technologies
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost: $7,095; need-based aid available
Dates: July 12 – 24
Application deadline: Priority deadline: January 15 | Regular deadline: February 27 | Late deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
This two-week program at Northeastern University, led by a philosophy faculty member, explores the ethical and moral dimensions of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and virtual and augmented reality. You will examine real-world challenges such as algorithmic bias, information "bubbles," and the question of whether AI can engage in creative acts like writing poetry. Guest speakers and academic collaborators from fields such as history, political science, international affairs, and Africana studies will help you examine these issues from multiple disciplinary perspectives. You will also learn to build simple computer simulations to test your own hypotheses about the questions of your choice. The curriculum focuses on teaching you how to construct and evaluate arguments, apply core ethical reasoning skills, and describe how technologies can both benefit and harm society.
8. Wentworth Institute of Technology’s ImpactLab
Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
Cost: $3,995 for one two-week session | $6,990 for both sessions
Dates: Session One: July 5 – 17 | Session Two: July 19 – 31
Application deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors; international students are also eligible to apply.
ImpactLab is a residential pre-college program at Wentworth where you get to choose an academic track in STEM and spend two weeks working in labs and classrooms on campus. The program is structured around interdisciplinary, project-based learning and is designed to give you a practical sense of what studying at a design and engineering-focused institution looks like. There are several tech-focused courses across both sessions, including options like Computer Science & Programming Fundamentals, Introduction to Applied AI, Introduction to Cybersecurity, and Robotics Engineering. Session II offerings include Advanced Applied AI, Advanced Cybersecurity, Computer Science and Society, Data Science and Visualization, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Game Design & Programming. Each track covers the fundamentals of the chosen subject and lets you practice what you learn. You will collaborate with peers to research, design, develop, and present your solutions.
9. Northeastern University Accelerate’s Engineering Innovation & Design
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost: $7,095; financial aid available
Dates: Session I: July 12 – 24 | Session II: July 26 – August 7
Application deadline: Priority deadline: January 15 | Regular deadline: February 27 | Late deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Northeastern University's Accelerate Engineering Innovation & Design program combines engineering design with hands-on programming and prototyping. You will learn the basics of programming logic in C++ to build and operate Arduino-based devices, and work with tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC milling machines, and graphic design software to create functioning prototypes. Projects are framed around real-world engineering challenges related to sustainability, including clean water and solar energy. The program is structured around the full design process from identifying a problem and developing initial proposals to fabricating and refining a final prototype in Northeastern's Makerspace.
10. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute’s Autonomous Air Vehicle Racing
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (Greater Boston area), MA
Cost: Free for families earning under $150,000; $2,400 for students above that threshold
Dates: Four weeks in summer (July – August) + online pre-requisite course completion in the spring
Application deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 9 – 11 who reside in the U.S.
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a four-week program that allows high schoolers to enroll in advanced STEM courses on the MIT campus. The Autonomous Air Vehicle Racing course focuses on developing autonomous algorithms for a DJI Tello quadrotor drone, with the goal of competing in a UAV racing challenge at the end of the program. The curriculum is structured across three weeks of instruction followed by a final week of team racing challenges. Topics covered include quadrotor design and flight dynamics, computer vision techniques such as image filtering and object detection, and control systems including state estimation and navigation. Daily sessions will combine lectures from MIT researchers with hands-on project work. The program also includes guest lecturers from academic and corporate communities working in computer science and autonomy.
11. MIT Jameel Clinic AI & Health Summer High School Bootcamp
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $2,000; scholarships available
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 – 12
The MIT Jameel Clinic AI & Health Summer High School Bootcamp is a one-week program on the MIT campus that introduces you to artificial intelligence and machine learning methods applied to healthcare. You will enroll in courses on machine learning in health, Python programming, clinical AI, and AI in drug discovery. Throughout the week, you will learn through theoretical instruction and group work on projects that will culminate in a final presentation evaluated by instructors. At the end, you will receive a certificate signed by instructors.
12. Tufts University Engineering with Artificial Intelligence
Location: Tufts University, Medford/Somerville (close to Boston), MA
Cost: $4,425 (commuter) | $5,950 (residential)
Dates: Session 1: July 5 – 17 | Session 2: July 19 – 31
Application deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 – 12 and graduating high school seniors; prior programming experience is required, with knowledge of Python or equivalent concepts in any language.
This two-week program at Tufts University introduces you to artificial intelligence and machine learning. The first week will help you build a foundation through lectures and hands-on activities covering AI history, Python coding, and key subfields of AI. In the second week, you work in small groups to design, build, and test your own AI-powered solution to a real-world problem, which you'll present at a public Project Showcase. Throughout the program, you will hear from guest speakers, including university faculty and industry professionals, who are working on cutting-edge AI and ML systems. The program also includes discussions on the ethical and societal impact of AI, so you leave with an understanding of both the technology and its implications.
Image source - Immerse Education