16 Computer Science Programs for High School Students in California

If you are a high school student in California interested in coding, app development, or computer science, joining a structured program can be a great way to explore your interests. These programs often fit around your school schedule and provide learning experiences. Computer science programs for high school students introduce key concepts like programming, software development, robotics, and artificial intelligence. 

These computer science programs are mostly hosted by universities, research centers, and tech organizations and offer an affordable way to explore tech without needing prior experience. Through projects and exposure to new technologies, you will build practical skills, improve your problem-solving, and collaborate with other students. These experiences can also strengthen your college applications and help you explore future career options. To help you get started, we have put together a list of 16 computer science programs for high school students in California!

1. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory - Summer Internship Program

Location: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA.

Cost: Free!

Cohort Size: 70–90 students.

Application Deadline: Varies depending on the internship.

Eligibility: High school students who are 18 years and older are eligible to apply.

Program Dates: Up to 12 weeks between May and September.

The SLAC Summer Internship Program offers research experience in fields such as computer science, data analytics, machine learning, and more. You’ll work on real-world scientific projects alongside SLAC researchers, gaining hands-on experience in cutting-edge technologies and experimental techniques. Some projects involve particle accelerators and quantum materials, while others focus on AI applications, energy research, or advanced computing. You might run experiments, analyze complex datasets, write code, or help design engineering solutions.

2. Veritas AI - Computer Science Track

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Varies depending on program type. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here. 

Acceptance rate: Highly selective.

Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).

Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world are eligible to apply. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit 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, you 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, you will 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.

3. UC Santa Barbara - Research Mentorship Program: Computer Science Track

Location: Virtual and in-person at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

Cost: Commuter: $5,175 | Residential: $12,474. Need-based scholarships are available. 

Cohort size: 75 students.

Program Dates: June 16 - August 1.

Application Deadline: December 15 - March 17.

Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.

The Research Mentorship Program is a summer opportunity for high school students who are passionate about research. If you are interested in Computer Science, the program lets you explore areas like machine learning, cybersecurity, natural language processing, computer vision, and human-computer interaction. You will be matched with mentors such as faculty, postdoctoral researchers, or advanced graduate students, and together you will work on hands-on projects that may involve building AI models, analyzing big data, or designing user-friendly systems. This experience not only gives you exposure to real-world research but also helps you explore future career paths in tech and science.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!

Cost: Varies depending on program type

Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on 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.

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.

5. Stanford University - Summer Session: Computer Science Track

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

Cost: Commuter: $8,091 | Residential: $18,443. Need-based financial aid is available. 

Cohort size: 300–550 students.

Program Dates: June 21 - August 17.

Application Deadline: November - March.

Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.

The Stanford Summer Session is an eight-week program for high school students who want to study computer science and experience college life. You can take college-level courses like Introduction to Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and more. During the program, you’ll do hands-on projects, write code, and work with other students. You’ll also learn from Stanford faculty and receive guidance from mentors. This program gives you a chance to explore your interest in computer science, learn useful skills, and experience life at a top university.

6. UC Berkeley - Berkeley Summer Computer Science Academy

Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA.

Cost: $5,160 tuition and $25 application fee. Need-based scholarships are available.

Cohort Size: 30 students.

Program dates: June 23 - July 4.

Application Deadline: March 10.

Eligibility: High school students who have completed 10th or 11th grade by the start of the program and plan to continue their high school studies in the subsequent fall are eligible to apply. Applicants must be 16 years of age by June 22.

The Berkeley Summer Computer Science Academy is a two-week residential program for high school students new to coding and interested in learning the basics of computer science. You’ll use a visual programming language called Snap to build projects and explore key ideas like algorithms, functions, recursion, and the impact of computing on society. The program includes daily coding activities, group projects, and guidance from instructors. You’ll also participate in orientation sessions, webinars, and social events, giving you a taste of college life at UC Berkeley. It all ends with a Code Celebration, where you present your final project to faculty and peers.

7. UC San Diego - Research Experience Program 

Location: University of California, San Diego, CA.

Cost: $1500.

Cohort Size: 40–50 students.

Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15.

Eligibility: Rising 10th graders from San Diego County are eligible to apply.

Program Dates: June 16 – August 8.

The eight-week summer internship program hosted by the San Diego Supercomputer Center is designed for high school students interested in science, technology, and computing. The program offers two tracks: a research track, where you’ll work closely with SDSC mentors on real-world projects such as AI-driven bioinformatics, molecular modeling, data analysis, and developing tools using Python, Jupyter, and parallel computing; and a non-research track focused on STEM education outreach, social media content creation, video editing, and science communication. Through hands-on experience, you’ll learn coding, scientific research methods, and problem-solving while participating in lab meetings, seminars, and collaborative work with UC San Diego researchers. 

8. UC San Diego - Sally Ride Science Academy

Location: University of California, San Diego, CA.

Cost: Ranges between $175 - $320.

Cohort Size: 350–450 students.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.

Program Dates: Varies depending on the course.

Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.

The Sally Ride Science Academy at UC San Diego is a hands-on summer program for high school students interested in fields like computer science, robotics, coding, AI, machine learning, and more. You’ll explore real-world challenges through interactive workshops that help you build skills in programming, scientific research, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. Led by expert educators and professionals, each workshop is project-based, where you’ll design experiments, build robots, analyze real data, and create digital projects. 

9. UC San Diego - Mentor Assistance Program

Location: University of California, San Diego, CA.

Cost: $1,000. Need-based financial aid is available.

Cohort Size: 50 students.

Application Deadline: April 15 - May 31.

Eligibility: San Diego County high school students in grades 10-12 are eligible to apply. 

Program Dates: October 1 – May 31.

The Mentor Assistance Program at UC San Diego is an eight-month mentorship experience for high school students interested in exploring real-world research. You’ll be paired with a UCSD faculty member, researcher, or professional and work closely with them on projects in fields like computer science, engineering, biology, pharmacology, history, and more. You’ll participate in lab visits, virtual meetings, and research discussions, helping you build critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. You might read scientific papers, help with data, learn new research tools, or work on presentations. The program ends with a Student Research Symposium, where you’ll present your work in a poster session and short talk.

10. University of Washington - AI4ALL 

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Free!

Acceptance rate: 12%.

Program dates: September 8 - January 26.

Application Deadline: July 31.

Eligibility: High school juniors are eligible to apply.

AI4ALL at the University of Washington is a 20-week online program for high school students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, who are curious about data science and machine learning. It introduces you to the basics of AI while also covering fairness, ethics, and the real-world impact of technology. Through lessons, hands-on projects, and small group discussions led by university faculty and researchers, you’ll develop skills in coding, data analysis, and critical thinking. The program also helps you explore college and career paths in AI and tech.

11. Stanford University - AIMI Summer Research Internship

Location: Virtual.

Cost: $850 tuition and $40 application fee. Need-based scholarships are available. 

Cohort Size: 25 students.

Application Window: December 9 – February 28.
Program Dates: June 16 – 27.

Eligibility: High school students aged 14 or older by the start of the program are eligible to apply.

The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship is a two-week virtual program for high school students interested in artificial intelligence and its applications in medicine and healthcare. The program introduces you to AI concepts, medical imaging, deep learning, and ethical issues in healthcare technology through expert-led lectures and interactive sessions. It emphasizes hands-on experience with coding, data analysis, and collaborative problem-solving. You’ll work in small groups on research projects guided by Stanford faculty and graduate mentors, applying machine learning techniques to real-world medical data, such as analyzing radiology images or developing AI models for clinical problems. You’ll also attend career panels with professionals from academia, industry, and government.

12. Girls Who Code - Summer Immersion Program

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Free! $300 needs-based grant for eligible students in the United States.

Acceptance rate: 10–20% 

Program Dates: Round 1: July 7–18 | Round 2: July 28–August 8.

Application Deadline: April 11.

Eligibility: Current 9-11 grade girls and non-binary high school students are eligible to apply. 

Girls Who Code is a two-week virtual summer program designed for high school students curious about computer science and technology. The program introduces you to programming fundamentals through game design, using p5.js, a creative JavaScript library. You’ll explore beginner to intermediate coding concepts while also learning about design thinking and user experience (UX) design. Each day includes live, instructor-led sessions, self-paced practice, and opportunities to collaborate with peers on coding challenges and creative projects. You'll gain practical experience in coding, understanding how users interact with your designs, and using design principles to create engaging and functional interactive games. By the end of the program, you’ll use your new skills to design and code your own game project.

13. The Intern Project - Summer Program

Location: Virtual and in-person at partner organisations in Los Angeles, CA.

Stipend: Paid.

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective.

Application Deadline: March 15.

Eligibility: High school students in 10th-12th grade attending an LA County High School.

Program Dates: June 17 - August 9.

The Intern Project Summer Program is designed for high school students interested in computer science, technology, healthcare, entertainment, business, and non-profits. During this eight-week program, you’ll gain real-world work experience while building essential skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. The program encourages you to explore career paths and apply your knowledge in practical settings. You might assist with projects, manage social media campaigns, conduct research, or contribute to business strategies. 

14. NASA - GeneLab for High Schools

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Free!

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective.

Program Dates: June 2 - August 29.

Application Deadline: April 9.

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 are eligible to apply.

GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) is a four-week virtual program that introduces high school students to space biology and data science. Using real datasets from NASA’s GeneLab platform, you’ll explore how space travel impacts living organisms through topics like genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. The program includes coding workshops, talks by NASA researchers, and virtual field trips. As part of a small team, you’ll carry out a research project analyzing biological data from space missions. At the end of the program, the best-performing team gets the opportunity to present their findings at a national space science conference.

15. Harvard University - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Free enrollment. 

Acceptance Rate: Open enrollment.

Program Dates: The program is self-paced. 

Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.  

Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.

HarvardX’s CS50: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python is a computer science program for high school students that teaches the basics of AI using Python programming. You’ll explore key topics like search algorithms, optimization, neural networks, machine learning, and natural language processing. Throughout the course, you’ll work on hands-on projects such as building a game-playing AI or a handwriting recognition system. You’ll also get to use real machine learning tools that professionals use. This course is ideal if you already know Python and want to learn how AI works and how to build smart systems.

16. Columbia University - Introduction to Programming with Java

Location: Virtual.

Cost: $3,965. Need-based financial aid is available. 

Acceptance rate: Selective.

Program dates: July 7 - 18.

Application Deadline: March 24.

Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9-12 are eligible to apply.

The Introduction to Programming with Java course at Columbia University’s pre-college program gives high school students a chance to dive into the basics of computer science through Java. You’ll learn key concepts like object-oriented programming, algorithm design, and software development. Through hands-on labs and group projects, you’ll improve your coding and problem-solving skills. This program helps you build a strong foundation in programming and prepares you for more advanced computer science studies.

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