12 Data Science Programs for High School Students in Indiana
Data science programs are a strong pathway for high school students who want to move beyond theory and start working with real data. These programs introduce you to practical skills such as coding, data analysis, machine learning, and visualization, tools widely used across industries today. Many of these opportunities are hosted by respected universities and organizations, which means you also gain exposure to experienced mentors, collaborative projects, and networks that can support your academic and career journey.
Why should you attend a Data Science program in Indiana?
Indiana is home to several reputable universities and organizations that offer well-structured data science programs for high school students. These programs often combine academic learning with experiences such as working with datasets, building predictive models, exploring artificial intelligence, and applying data science to fields like healthcare, business, and environmental studies. Some programs emphasize research, while others focus on skill-building through workshops, hackathons, or collaborative projects.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed down a list of 12 data science programs for high school students in Indiana.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These programs span hands-on AI and machine learning (Veritas AI, Stanford AI4ALL, Notre Dame RADIANT), biomedical data science (CTSI SEED/STEM, Future Scientist Program), civic and social impact applications (Lucy Internship, QuarkNet), and introductory coding and data analysis (Stanford Introduction to Data Science, Luddy Summer Camps).
Several programs are free and include stipends, including Notre Dame RADIANT (fully funded with one college credit), Xplore Program, Lucy Internship, CTSI SEED/STEM (up to $4,000 stipend), QuarkNet, and the Future Scientist Program.
Many Indiana-based programs are geographically restricted, including CTSI SEED/STEM (Indiana high school students), Future Scientist Program (Marion County public school juniors), and Xplore (Indiana residents in Indianapolis or Fort Wayne).
Virtual programs including Veritas AI, Lumiere Research Scholar Program, Stanford AI4ALL, Stanford Introduction to Data Science, and NHSRP are open to Indiana students regardless of location or proximity to a university.
Application deadlines are concentrated between January and March, with the earliest being Notre Dame RADIANT (late January) and Stanford AI4ALL (February 6), so students should prepare materials well before the end of the fall semester.
1. Radiant Leadership Seminar
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohort
Dates: 10 Days in July
Application Deadline: Late January
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and who are part of Notre Dame Leadership Seminars (NDLS)
The University of Notre Dame’s RADIANT Leadership Seminar offers a fully funded, 10-day residential session for high-achieving high school juniors to expand their knowledge of artificial intelligence and data science. You will have the opportunity to engage in intensive faculty-led workshops, apply computational thinking to complex data sets, and collaborate on real-world team projects under the mentorship of university researchers. The program will allow you to gain knowledge across a range of critical technical areas, including data cleaning, dataset selection, exploratory analysis, and the development of predictive machine learning models. You will gain knowledge about the ethical implications of automated systems and advanced algorithms. The program also includes a final group project presentation to showcase your solutions and the opportunity to earn one transferable college credit.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by the program. Need-based financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application Deadline: Rolling. 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, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will be 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 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.
3. Xplore Program
Location: Hybrid; Online work simulations combined with in-person micro-internships located specifically in Indianapolis or Fort Wayne, IN
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies by session
Dates: 2 weeks in the summer (Part-time, 5–10 hours per week). The Indianapolis session runs in early June, and the Fort Wayne session runs in mid-July
Application Deadline: Applications open annually on March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, seniors, and recent high school graduates in Indiana who are at least 16 years old
The Xplore Program by TechPoint Youth is designed to help high school students explore careers in technology and build real-world professional skills. In this program, you will take part in interactive work simulations that show what it’s like to work in fields such as data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and software development. You will also gain hands-on exposure through short micro-internships with STEM companies, where you can observe how tech is used in real workplaces. Alongside this, the program connects you with industry professionals who guide you, share insights, and help you build a network.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by the program. Full financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
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. 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. Lucy Internship Program
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 high school students each summer
Dates: June – July
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: High school students (generally grades 10–12) with an interest in data science, AI, and social impact; some programs may prioritize local or regional applicants depending on partnerships
The Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society invites a select group of roughly 20 high schoolers from across the globe to the University of Notre Dame for a summer research residency. Operating at the intersection of advanced technology and humanitarian urgency, this program embeds you directly into research teams alongside university faculty, industry professionals, and graduate mentors. You will handle real-world big data to unpack complex civic crises, ranging from tracking local environmental ecosystems and optimizing healthcare delivery to mapping equitable housing solutions and driving urban revitalization. Throughout the summer, you will sharpen your technical capabilities by building predictive machine learning models, cleaning complex data matrices, and designing compelling spatial visualizations. The internship concludes with a formal symposium where you will pitch your data-driven solutions to community stakeholders, translating heavy computational analysis into actionable, real-world policy impact.
6. Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute – SEED/STEM Program
Location: Indiana University School of Medicine, IU Indianapolis, and IBRI in Indianapolis, IN
Cost: Free; up to $4,000 stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current Indiana high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who have completed at least one high school chemistry course.
During the program, you work in real research settings while building skills in both science and data through the SEED/STEM Program. You are paired with a mentor at places like the Indiana University School of Medicine or Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, where you contribute to ongoing projects in fields such as chemistry, biomedical science, or engineering. You also work with research data, learning how to organize it, identify patterns, and understand results. Along with lab work, you take part in college prep and professional development sessions and interact with researchers. The program ends with a poster presentation, where you present your work and build both analytical and communication skills.
7. QuarkNet Program
Location: Multiple locations across the U.S., including centers at the University of Notre Dame and Purdue University
Cost: Free; Stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by center; generally selective with small groups
Dates: Varies by location and program type (often summer workshops, camps, or year-round activities)
Application Deadline: Varies by center
Eligibility: High school students and teachers interested in physics, data analysis, and research
The QuarkNet Program is a nationwide initiative that connects high school students, teachers, and physicists to explore real research in particle physics and related fields. In this program, you have opportunities to work with real scientific data, participate in activities such as masterclasses that analyze particle physics experiments, and engage in research-style projects guided by experts. You will get to learn how to interpret data, identify patterns, and draw conclusions, which are key elements of data science, even though the main focus is physics. Some programs also allow you to collaborate with peers and researchers, use coding tools, and experience how large-scale scientific investigations are conducted.
8. Future Scientist Program
Location: IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN
Cost: Free; Stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Early June – late July (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school juniors from Marion County public schools with a GPA of 3.0
In the Future Scientist Program at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, data science shows up mainly through how you handle research data in biomedical studies. In cancer biology and genetics projects, researchers generate data from experiments such as cell-based assays, gene expression studies, or patient-derived datasets. As a student, you may observe or assist in recording, organizing, and interpreting this data, and sometimes use basic tools to help visualize or summarize results. This connects to core data science ideas such as working with datasets, identifying patterns, and drawing conclusions from evidence.
9. Luddy Summer Camps
Location: Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
Cost: $399 per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment for most camps; cohort sizes vary by session and track
Dates: July 6 – 10 | July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students (generally grades 9–12; some camps may have specific grade or prerequisite requirements depending on the topic)
The Luddy Summer Camps at Indiana University Indianapolis will let you explore data science and technology through hands-on, project-based learning. During the program, you will work with tools like Python, learn how to analyze and interpret data, and build simple applications that reflect real-world uses of technology. The camps cover a variety of topics, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, and app development, allowing you to try different areas and discover what interests you most. With guidance from instructors and collaboration with peers, you will develop problem-solving skills, understand how data is used to make decisions, and gain practical experience.
10. NHSRP (National High School Research Program)
Location: Fully virtual (online), offered by The Coding School
Cost: Paid program (tuition-based; scholarships or financial aid may be available depending on cycle)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies by cohort and track (generally limited spots due to mentorship-based structure)
Program Dates: Typically runs during summer (and sometimes year-long cohorts depending on track; exact dates vary each year)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort, usually several months before the program start (commonly spring for summer cohorts)
Eligibility: High school students (generally grades 9–12) with interest in computer science, AI, data science, or research; some tracks may require basic coding familiarity
The National High School Research Program (NHSRP) by The Coding School is a virtual, mentored program that introduces high school students to data science, AI, and other advanced computing fields. In this program, you will learn coding, data analysis, and research methods before working on a guided project using real-world datasets. You will apply these skills to solve a research question, collaborate with mentors, and present your findings at a final showcase. Overall, it offers early exposure to how data and computing are used in real research and problem-solving.
11. Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,120; financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; estimated 5–7% acceptance rate
Program Dates: June 15 – 26
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students (rising 10th graders in some cycles, depending on eligibility updates)
Stanford AI4ALL invites an elite cohort of global ninth-graders to an immersive exploration of human-centered artificial intelligence. Offering both virtual and on-campus residential tracks, this program allows younger high school students to explore how cutting-edge technology intersects with global ethics and systemic social impact. You will learn directly from world-renowned Stanford faculty, AI Lab researchers, and graduate mentors. This experience involves a collaborative research project in which you will use AI tools on large datasets to tackle urgent real-world issues, such as applying computer vision for medical diagnostics, using natural language processing for disaster relief, or auditing predictive models to identify algorithmic bias. You will participate in mentorship panels and professional networking workshops.
12. Stanford University’s Introduction to Data Science
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,200; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Program Dates: June 15 – 26 (session 1) | July 6 – 17 (session 2)
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11 at the time of application
The program introduces you to the fundamentals of data science and how it is used to solve real-world problems. You will learn how computer algorithms work and how they create models to interpret data. You will explore datasets from both natural and social sciences to answer practical questions and develop insights. The program also introduces you to R programming, where you will apply basic machine learning techniques to analyze data. Through hands-on exercises, you will build coding skills and learn how scientific methods are used to organize, interpret, and understand data.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best data science programs for high school students in Indiana?
Strong options depend on a student's interests. Students drawn to AI and machine learning might consider Veritas AI or Notre Dame RADIANT, those interested in biomedical data science might look at CTSI SEED/STEM or the Future Scientist Program, and those seeking social impact applications might consider the Lucy Internship at Notre Dame.
Are there free data science programs for high school students in Indiana?
Yes, several programs are free, including Notre Dame RADIANT (fully funded with a college credit), Xplore Program, Lucy Internship, CTSI SEED/STEM (with up to a $4,000 stipend), QuarkNet, and the Future Scientist Program, all of which also provide stipends or financial support.
Which Indiana data science programs are open to students from outside the state?
Virtual programs including Veritas AI, Lumiere Research Scholar Program, Stanford AI4ALL, Stanford Introduction to Data Science, and NHSRP by The Coding School are all open to students anywhere in the world, while Notre Dame RADIANT and Lucy Internship accept applicants globally as well.
Do any Indiana data science programs offer college credit?
Notre Dame's RADIANT Leadership Seminar awards one transferable college credit upon completion, making it one of the stronger options for students who want early academic recognition alongside technical training.
Which programs are best for students with no prior coding or data science experience?
Xplore Program and Luddy Summer Camps both welcome beginners and introduce coding and data concepts through project-based activities, while Stanford Introduction to Data Science is designed for students new to R programming and data analysis.
When should I apply to data science programs for high school students in Indiana?
Deadlines are concentrated in the winter and spring. The earliest include Notre Dame RADIANT (late January) and Stanford AI4ALL (February 6), while others like CTSI SEED/STEM (March 1), Xplore (opens March 1), and Stanford Introduction to Data Science (March 13) fall slightly later.