15 Computer Science Summer Programs for High School Students in Massachusetts
If you are a high school student interested in computer science, summer programs can be a great way to explore coding, data, artificial intelligence, and emerging tech fields. Computer science programs designed can teach you practical programming, expose you to industry tools, and connect you with mentors and peers who share your interests.
Massachusetts is home to well‑known universities and organizations offering computer science opportunities over the summer. If you are living in Massachusetts, you can avoid the cost of long-distance travel with these local programs. You can pick up technical skills while also getting exposure to college academics or real workplaces. As a participant, you will also get to explore academic and career paths in this broad field.
To get you started, we have curated a list of 15 computer science summer programs for high school students in Massachusetts.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI) at MIT
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 80–100 selected each year
Dates: Late June – early August; six weeks
Application deadline: Applications open in October and close in December/early January (tentative)
Eligibility: High school juniors
RSI is a summer program that combines intensive coursework with a research internship. You will begin with a week of STEM lectures conducted by MIT professors, followed by five weeks conducting individual research under the guidance of MIT scientists and engineers. As a participant, you will explore and engage in the entire research process, from reading scientific literature to designing experiments and presenting conference‑style reports. Projects span computer science, engineering, physics, and other disciplines. During the program, you will work full-time in MIT labs.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial assistance available for select programs
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohorts
Dates: Vary by cohort; cohorts run throughout the year, including in summer
Application deadline: Rolling until cohorts are full
Eligibility: High school students; academic prerequisites vary by program
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduates, offers high schoolers several learning tracks in artificial intelligence and machine learning. The AI Scholars bootcamp covers the fundamentals of AI through lectures and projects. During this program, you will build a collaborative project, presenting it at the end of the session. For more experienced students, the AI Fellowship program provides 15 weeks of one‑on‑one mentorship and an opportunity to design an independent AI project. This program also offers support if you want to get your project published.
3. MITES (MIT Introduction to Engineering & Science) Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Six‑week program from late June to early August
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents; students from underrepresented groups in STEM are encouraged to apply
MITES Summer immerses high school juniors in college‑level coursework in math, science, humanities, and elective subjects such as machine learning. You will take five rigorous classes, participate in lab tours, and receive admissions counseling and social activities. The curriculum includes problem sets and group projects designed to prepare you for STEM majors; elective options often include programming, robotics, and data science. MITES is free of charge, including housing and meals, and is specifically geared towards students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM, making this a solid option for computer science summer programs for high school students in Massachusetts.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program format; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort sizes vary by research track
Dates: Vary by cohort; typically June – August for summer cohorts
Application deadline: May/June deadlines for summer cohorts
Eligibility: high school students
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to conduct an independent research project virtually. You will pick an area of interest, such as computer science, programming, or tech, and choose a research topic within the chosen field. You will work one‑on‑one with your mentor to design a research question, conduct a literature review, and develop a methodology. Over 12 weeks, you will meet regularly online and work on completing a college‑level research paper or project. You can also choose longer formats, such as the Premium Research & Publication Program, which lasts 24 weeks and offers guidance on submitting your work to high school research journals.
5. UMass Turing Summer Program
Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – 25
Application deadline: Applications typically open in January and close in April
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores and juniors from Western Massachusetts who can commute daily to campus
This three‑week program introduces high school students to computer science through daily classroom sessions and labs on topics such as sensing, data analysis, machine learning, and Android app development. As a participant, you will attend two class sessions and a lab each day and work on projects that focus on the role of computing in health care, security, and energy. You will gain exposure to Python programming, machine learning, and signal processing, as well as health‑sensing using Android apps. You will also explore topics in AI, cloud computing, and sustainability.
6. Tufts University Pre‑College: Responsible AI Course
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Cost: $1,949
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 21 – July 31
Application deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th graders
Responsible AI, one of Tufts’ pre-college courses, focuses on the ethical, social, and legal implications of artificial intelligence. As a participant, you will explore issues like algorithmic bias, intellectual property, privacy, and transparency while learning how AI technologies are developed and used. Through discussions, you will consider how to introduce fairness and privacy into AI systems and examine the societal consequences of autonomous vehicles, predictive policing, and facial recognition. The experience can help you build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
7. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: MIT Beaver Works, Cambridge, MA (hybrid)
Cost: $2,350 for students from families earning >$150,000/year; free for other students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Four‑week sessions in July and early August; dates vary by year
Application deadline: Applications open in January and typically close in March
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year who are able to fulfill online prerequisites
MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute is a summer program where rising seniors enroll in workshop‑style courses on topics ranging from autonomous vehicles to quantum computing. During your course, you will work in teams to solve real‑world problems, such as building autonomous racing drones, designing cybersecurity systems, or developing algorithms for medical data analysis. Classes are taught by MIT faculty and researchers, and each course concludes with a capstone project. The daily schedule typically combines lectures, labs, and office hours.
8. Tufts University Pre‑College Coding Academy
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Cost: $4,225 (commuter) or $5,750 (residential); need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 20 – August 1
Application deadline: May 1; applications open on December 2
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th graders; spring high school graduates are also eligible.
This program will combine engaging lectures, skill-building sessions, guest lectures, and Tech Treks to set students up for success in data-intensive fields.
Coding Academy at Tufts is a two-week credit-bearing program that is designed to help high schoolers build coding knowledge and skills. The program caters to varying skill levels and offers three tracks: Coding 101 for beginners, Coding 201 for those with some programming knowledge, and Coding 301 for those comfortable using Python and interested in higher-level topics. All tracks offer daily lectures, coding and discussion sessions, and skill-building opportunities. You will start with foundational coding concepts and move on to applications of coding and project work. Guest lectures and Tech Treks, i.e., visits to Boston tech companies, are also part of the experience. The program ends with a final showcase, where you will present your coding project to peers and instructors.
9. Worcester Polytechnic Institute Frontiers Computer Science: Programming Horizons Course
Location: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
Cost: $4,495; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Session 1: July 6 – 18 | Session 2: July 20 – August 1
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th graders
The Frontiers program is a two‑week residential experience where students choose a major and a minor. You can choose the Computer Science: Programming Horizons major, which focuses on web programming using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Guided by a professor and teaching assistants, you will explore network communications, multimedia interfaces, and interactive design while working on a final project for the program’s closing presentation. You can choose a minor in a related discipline, such as AI or digital imaging, to add more value to your summer experience. During the program, you will also join evening activities, social events, and field trips.
10. Harvard Pre‑College Program: Computer Science Track
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $5,800 + $75 application fee; limited need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; average class size of 15 students maintained
Dates: June 21 – July 2 | July 5 – 17 | July 19 – 31
Application deadline: Regular application deadline: February 11; Late application deadline: April 1; applications open on December 1
Eligibility: High school students, ages 16–18
Harvard’s two‑week pre‑college program offers noncredit courses across many subjects, including computer science and data science. You can opt for computer science courses to explore programming concepts, algorithmic thinking, or data visualization, based on the track you choose. Each course combines lectures and activities to help you connect theory with practice. Outside of class, you can engage in college admissions workshops, guest lectures, and social activities.
11. NuVu Summer: High School at MIT
Location: NuVu Studio, Cambridge, MA (on MIT campus)
Cost/Stipend: $2,240 per two-week session; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective; Limited cohorts
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – July 18; Session 2: July 21 – August 1; Session 3: August 4 – August 15
Application deadline: Registration closes when sessions fill
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14–18
NuVu Summer High School at MIT offers hands‑on design and technology “studios” where you can tackle creative challenges at the intersection of coding, robotics, and media. Studios such as Code Jam, Bots v Bots, AI Movie Making, and AI Fashion Design offer the chance to learn programming, experiment with robotics, and apply artificial intelligence in artistic contexts. The program encourages collaboration and culminates in a final showcase where you will present your projects. Each session lasts two weeks; you can enroll in one, two, or all three sessions.
12. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; $300 needs-based grant available for eligible U.S. students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Two‑week sessions beginning in June or July
Application deadline: Early spring; varies by year
Eligibility: High school students who identify as girls or non‑binary and are entering grades 9–11
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a free, two‑week virtual experience that introduces high schoolers to coding fundamentals and career pathways in technology. You will attend live classes sponsored by industry partners and learn game design, user‑experience (UX) principles, and computer science concepts. You may also meet women working in tech, participate in sisterhood events, and receive guidance on internships and college applications. During the program, you will work in a team to create a final project, often a game or web application.
13. Kode with Klossy Summer Camps
Location: Virtual or in-person camps; locations vary by year
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrolment
Dates: Two‑week camps offered during June, July, and August
Application deadline: TBD; varies by city and year.
Eligibility: High school females, gender expansive teens; grades 8-12
Kode with Klossy is a free, two‑week coding camp that teaches high school students the fundamentals of software engineering. You will learn programming languages used to create major websites and apps, and learn through one of four tracks: Web Development, Mobile App Development, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, or Data Science. Each track provides instruction and opportunities to work on projects such as creating an app, website, or other digital tools. The program emphasizes learning through labs and culminates in a demo day where teams present their projects to peers and mentors.
14. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Computer Science Courses
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080
Cohort size: 16 students/class
Dates: Session One: June 16 – 27; Session Two: July 7 – 18
Application deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11
Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offer middle and high school students access to online college-level courses over the summer. You can choose from courses across disciplines, including options in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, game design, and C++. Each course typically combines virtual lectures, class discussions, homework, and project work. Some courses allow you to work with simulated or real data sets, algorithms, and engage in case study analysis. You will study alongside peers from around the world, gaining skills in cross-cultural collaboration as well as college-level coursework.