9 Cybersecurity Summer Camps for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in cybersecurity, summer camps offer a way to explore the field, build technical skills, and learn from professionals. These camps focus on cyber threats, ethical hacking, digital defense, and emerging technologies such as AI-powered security systems.
Many of these cybersecurity summer camps are hosted by top universities or industry organizations, providing structured instruction, team challenges, and mentorship opportunities. Whether you're just starting out or already exploring a career in tech, these programs can help you gain experience in a rapidly growing field.
We’ve researched and compiled a list of 9 cybersecurity summer camps for high school students. Each program offers a blend of skill-building, collaboration, and career exposure.
1. IUPUI’s Cybersecurity Summer Camp
Location: Informatics and Communications Technology Complex, Indianapolis, IN, or virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: June 3 – 7
Application deadline: May 20
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
At IUPUI’s Cybersecurity Summer Camp, organized by Luddy Indianapolis, attendees dedicate a week on the IU Indianapolis campus to interactive workshops that delve into essential cybersecurity topics concepts. The camp focuses on building your foundational knowledge of operating systems and networks while teaching you how to detect, diagnose, and fix system vulnerabilities.
Using virtual machines running Windows and Ubuntu in VMware, you’ll practice securing operating systems through vulnerability mitigation and system hardening techniques. You’ll also work with Cisco Packet Tracer to simulate complex networks, learning how to build, configure, and secure routers, switches, gateways, and servers in both LAN and WAN environments. The curriculum introduces real-world tools and environments used in professional cybersecurity, providing you with the opportunity to solve problems that mirror those faced by security analysts. You will also get to connect with current students and faculty, gaining insight into college-level tech education in this high school summer camp.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, created by Harvard alumni, runs specialized programs for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. If you're just beginning your journey in AI, machine learning, or data science, the AI Scholars program provides a 10-session introduction that walks you through foundational concepts and includes hands-on work on real-world problems.
For those with prior experience looking to take on a deeper challenge, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase offers a chance to work one-on-one with mentors from leading academic institutions. You'll design and execute a unique research project, and there’s also support from an internal team to help guide your work toward publication in student journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. AFA CyberCamps
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Cost: Standard Camp: $1,200 per week | Advanced Camp: $1,500 per week
Dates: Multiple camps held from June – August
Application deadline: Varies by host institution
Eligibility: Standard Camps are open to all high school students with proficiency in English; Advanced Camps require prior cybersecurity knowledge.
AFA CyberCamps provide two options, Standard and Advanced, tailored to your existing level of cybersecurity expertise. In the Standard Camp, participants begin with foundational concepts, including how computers work, online safety, cyber ethics, and the basics of both Windows and Linux systems.
You'll gain experience by working with Windows 10 and Linux Mint virtual images, learning how to manage user accounts, configure security settings, and detect common vulnerabilities. The Advanced Camp is more customizable, allowing instructors to choose deeper topics such as Windows command-line tools, Linux process management, PAM configurations, and networking fundamentals through Cisco’s NetAcad. In both high school summer camps, the week concludes with a CyberPatriot-style team competition, where you’ll work in collaboration with peers and apply what you’ve learned to secure systems in a simulated cyber defense challenge.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
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. CU Denver GenCyber Summer Camp
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: July 15 – 19
Application deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Open to high school students in Colorado
CU Denver’s GenCyber Summer Camp provides an opportunity to explore essential cybersecurity topics via interactive labs, simulations, and practical projects. You'll work with tools like Raspberry Pi and Kali Linux to configure your own secure system and conduct basic penetration testing exercises.
Throughout the camp, students learn about the stages of cyber intrusions, ethical hacking, various types of cybercrimes, and how human behavior is exploited in social engineering attacks, such as phishing or scareware. Lessons also delve into cryptography, computer networking, digital forensics, and the risks associated with emerging technologies, such as IoT devices. Activities include practicing forensic techniques on media files, analyzing personal data sets, and learning how to safeguard your online identity and sensitive information.
6. PNW GenCyber Summer Camp
Location: Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN
Cost: Free
Dates: June 9 – 13
Application deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Open to high school students
During the PNW GenCyber Summer Camp, students explore a range of cybersecurity topics through hands-on labs, engaging games, and collaborative challenges over five days. The experience is designed around the GenCyber Six cybersecurity concepts, which you'll apply in real scenarios ranging from Wi-Fi security to digital forensics. You’ll get to use tools like Raspberry Pi to conduct a wireless network scavenger hunt and work in teams to design and program robot games using Sparki-based robots.
As the camp progresses, you'll dive into ethical hacking techniques and learn how to analyze digital evidence in cyber forensics labs. The final day of this high school summer camp features a team competition where you’ll apply everything you've learned to solve a simulated computer forensics case.
7. USF High School CyberCon
Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: $450
Dates: June 21 – 25
Application deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 9–12
For Tampa students interested in cybersecurity, the USF High School CyberCon is a week-long, conference-style experience where you can study topics like ethical hacking, open-source intelligence, operating systems, and AI in security. You can choose sessions that match your interests, whether you're just starting out or looking to dive deeper into advanced cybersecurity strategies.
The program features workshops, technical lectures, and interactive activities led by professionals from organizations such as Cisco, the FBI, and the Secret Service, in collaboration with faculty from USF. Throughout the camp, you'll collaborate with peers and industry experts, gaining both technical skills and career insights. A highlight of the week is the Capture the Flag (CTF) competition, where you’ll work in teams to solve cybersecurity challenges.
8. CyberAI: Navigating the AI-Enhanced Future – SJSU Cyber-AI Summer Camp
Location: San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Cost: Free
Dates: July 21 – 25
Application deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Open to high school students (grades 9-12) from the local area
If you're curious about how artificial intelligence intersects with cybersecurity, the CyberAI Summer Camp at San Jose State University may be worth exploring. Held on campus, this five-day camp introduces you to core concepts in cybersecurity and AI through projects and supervised lab activities, using university-provided devices.
You will explore subjects such as threat detection, the role of machine learning in cyber defense, and the ethical considerations of AI in security systems. You’ll spend the week learning from faculty and working with peers in team-based tasks designed to simulate real-world challenges.
9. The Marillyn A. Hewson Cybersecurity Summer Camp
Location: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Cost: Free
Dates: Camp 1: June 2 – 6 | Camp 2: June 9 – 13
Application deadline: Typically in March
Eligibility: Open to high school students in the Tuscaloosa area
The Marillyn A. Hewson Cybersecurity Summer Camp offers a chance to explore both basic and advanced cybersecurity concepts through two session options. If you're new to the field, the standard track walks you through cybersecurity basics, including how web infrastructure works and the fundamentals of digital security. The advanced high school summer camp builds on this by challenging you with deeper technical content and activities aligned with real-world cybersecurity scenarios.
At the heart of the experience lies your involvement in the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense program, where you will assume simulated roles to protect virtual networks from cyber threats. Culverhouse College of Business faculty lead the experience by integrating research projects and data analysis to relate cybersecurity principles to practical application.
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