12 AI Programs for High School Students in New Jersey
AI programs are a strong option if you want to explore computer science and emerging technologies while still in high school. You learn how artificial intelligence systems are designed and how tools such as Python and machine learning libraries are used to process and analyze data. You may also complete coding assignments and small projects that introduce you to common AI concepts and workflows.
Why should you attend a program in New Jersey?
New Jersey has several universities and organizations that offer AI learning opportunities for high school students. You can study topics such as machine learning, data analysis, programming, and the social impact of artificial intelligence while completing coding exercises and technical projects. Whether you are a local or out-of-state student, these opportunities can help you build skills in AI and learn more about computer science and emerging technologies.
To help with your search, we’ve narrowed the list to 12 AI programs for high school students in New Jersey.
If you’re looking for free programs in New Jersey, check out our blog here.
1. Princeton AI4ALL – Princeton University
Location: Princeton, NJ (residential on campus)
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely competitive; typically 25–32 students per summer session
Dates: July 9–30
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: Low-income rising 11th graders living and attending high school in the U.S. or Puerto Rico
In this program, you’ll live on campus and spend your days learning how artificial intelligence works and how it affects society. Mornings are typically instructor-led classes with Princeton AI faculty, followed by project time where you work in small groups with graduate student mentors on a research project focused on the societal impact of AI. You’ll also attend guest lectures, join mentoring sessions, and take part in social activities in the evenings. A two-day trip to Washington, DC, is built into the program, where you’ll meet people working at the intersection of AI and public policy. The centerpiece of the program is a small-group research project led by AI graduate students, culminating in a final group presentation.
2.Veritas AI
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program; need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small group and 1:1 mentorship formats
Dates: Multiple 12- to 15-week cohorts throughout the year, including Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring
Application Deadline: Rolling basis; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); apply here
Eligibility: AI Scholars: All high school students; AI Fellowshipapplicants must have either completed the AI Scholars program or have experience with AI concepts/Python
The Veritas AI program allows you to explore the technical and ethical world of machine learning under the guidance of researchers from top-tier universities. You will explore topics such as linear regression, neural networks, natural language processing, and image classification using tools like Python and TensorFlow. During the program, you will actively clean and analyze datasets, build baseline AI models, participate in small-group coding walk-throughs, and finalize a collaborative or independent project. A unique feature of this program is its credit partnership with UC San Diego, which enables you to earn post-baccalaureate credits upon successful completion.
3. Center for Artificial Intelligence Technology – Ideal Institute of Technology
Location: Pleasantville, NJ
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; typically 15–20 students per bootcamp
Dates: Year-round; Summer: May – August (25 hrs/week); Spring/Fall: Rolling bootcamps
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Youth ages 16–24; residents of Atlantic County or Newark preferred; interest in IT, AI, or trades
The Center for Artificial Intelligence Technology (CAIT) at the Ideal Institute of Technology (IITNJ) is a unique community-based innovation hub in South Jersey. Unlike traditional academic internships, CAIT operates on an "Earn While You Learn" model, often integrating high school students into workforce development pipelines, apprenticeships, and dual-enrollment programs. If you are in high school, the Youth AI Academy offers dual enrollment options and summer camps where you explore AI, robotics, and coding through project-based learning. Training takes place in the CAIT Innovation Lab, a makerspace equipped with GPU-powered AI workstations, robotics kits, 3D printers, and tools like Hugging Face and other AI development platforms.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Physics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically, 1:1 mentor-student ratio
Dates: Multiple sessions, including Summer, Spring, Fall, and Winter cohorts, are scheduled each year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students with demonstrated high academic achievement (accepted students typically maintain an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher)
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, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Stevens Institute of Technology – Artificial Intelligence in Modern Society
Location: Hoboken, NJ (residential on campus)
Cost: $3,350; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically 20–30 students per session
Dates: July 12–18
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
This one-week residential course introduces you to the technical and social foundations of artificial intelligence. During the day, you’ll explore how AI developed within computer science, then move into core concepts like neural networks, forward and back propagation, and data training. You’ll also examine U.S. policies and guidelines that shape how AI is used in public and commercial settings, adding a policy lens to the technical material. Part of the week is spent learning a high-level programming language or application software used to build and train AI models, so you’re not just hearing about the ideas, you’re applying them.
6. Rutgers Honors Engineering eXperience (RHEx)
Location: Rutgers University School of Engineering, Piscataway/New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: $2,500; limited need-based financial assistance is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 28 – July 3
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The Rutgers Honors Engineering eXperience (RHEx) is a one-week residential summer program designed to engage you in various engineering disciplines before you apply to college. During the program, you will explore topics like materials science, chemical engineering, and electrical engineering through daily rotating themes. You will engage in hands-on activities such as creating photovoltaic solar cells, building holograms, coding molecular structures using Python, and analyzing athletic motion data with tools like MediaPipe. The program allows you to live on campus and experience true college life while collaborating with peers.
7.The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) – Artificial Intelligence & Wireless Communications Camp
Location: The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ
Cost: $2,200 + $40 nonrefundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited seats (exact number not specified)
Dates: July 5–10
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: All high school students
The Artificial Intelligence & Wireless Communications Camp engages you in the practical applications of AI and digital engineering through an intensive residential college experience. During the program, you will explore topics like neural networks, machine learning theory, wireless communications, and microcontroller programming. You will participate in hands-on activities, such as building a handwriting recognition algorithm from scratch, training adaptive image recognition models using Google Vision or Raspberry Pi kits, and assembling a wireless home automation system with an Arduino. A unique feature of this camp is its dual focus on software-based AI and physical hardware integration, offering exposure to subjects rarely taught in high schools.
8. Montclair State University – AI and Engineering Summer Lab
Location: Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ (Residential)
Cost: $1,900; limited scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 15–20 students per session
Dates: Session I: July 12–18; Session II: July 26 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
In this program, you will dive into high-level topics, including deep learning, neural networks, and embedded system architecture. Throughout the week, you’ll get hands-on with hardware by configuring Raspberry Pi microcontrollers and programming sensors to "see" using computer vision. A core highlight of the program is working in small teams to build an autonomous AI prototype, which you will eventually present to faculty and parents. By the end of the session, you will have developed fundamental Python and C coding skills while gaining the ability to deploy trained machine learning models onto physical devices.
9. Stevens Institute of Technology – Changemaking Through Data: The Science of Human Behavior
Location: Hoboken, NJ (residential on campus)
Cost: $3,350; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; small cohort size
Dates: July 5–11
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
In this one-week residential course, you explore how data science tools can be used to study and predict human behavior. The curriculum connects psychology and sociology with programming, machine learning, and data visualization, giving you exposure to how social science research is conducted in the modern era. You’ll examine questions related to health attitudes, identity, consumer behavior, and cultural trends while learning how data analysis techniques help uncover patterns behind them. The program involves majors such as computer science, economics, quantitative social science, and science, technology, and society.
10. Rutgers Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education – AI Autonomous R/C Maker Student Camp
Location: Rutgers Makerspace, Piscataway/New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: $1,600 ($1,400 Early Bird rate available until June 1); limited scholarships/aid may be available upon inquiry
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 15–20 students per session
Dates: August 3–7
Application Deadline: Rolling registration
Eligibility: Rising 7th through 12th-grade students
In this week-long experience, you will transform a standard remote-controlled car into a fully functional autonomous vehicle using cutting-edge machine learning and digital fabrication. The curriculum explores Python programming, computer vision, and CAD design, allowing you to create custom body modifications using 3D printers and laser cutters. You will spend your time assembling complex electronics such as the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, configuring microcontrollers, and training your car’s neural networks to navigate environments independently. This program stands out because it combines high-level hardware engineering with software development, ensuring you leave with a "trainable" vehicle to continue your research at home.
11. New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) – Summer STEMx High School Program (Artificial Intelligence Track)
Location: NJIT Newark Campus, Newark, New Jersey
Cost: $3,600 + $70 nonrefundable application fee; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 25–40 students per track
Dates: July 12–17
Application Deadline: February 26
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th-grade students with a B average or higher
In this program, you will explore the foundations of artificial intelligence by working directly alongside NJIT’s expert faculty. The curriculum is designed to move you beyond simple theory into the mechanics of how machines actually "think," covering core topics such as neural networks, machine learning algorithms, and the ethical implications of automation. During your week on campus, you’ll get to build and train your own predictive models, experiment with data analytics, and participate in lab-based challenges that mirror real-world tech problems. By the end of the session, you’ll have gained a high-level understanding of AI logic that sets a strong foundation for a future career in engineering or computer science.
12. Kode With Klossy – 2-Week Coding Camps
Location: Virtual (in-person locations announced seasonally; NJ students eligible)
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; 20–25 scholars
Dates: Multiple two-week sessions in the summer
Application Deadline: Early March
Eligibility: Young women and gender expansive teens ages 13–18; no prior coding experience required
Kode With Klossy offers free, two-week coding intensives designed for students from traditionally underrepresented genders in tech. Depending on the track you choose, you might study artificial intelligence and machine learning with Python, explore data science using SQL and visualization tools, build mobile apps with Swift, or develop websites using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. In the AI/ML curriculum, you’ll learn core concepts such as algorithms, datasets, and natural language processing, then apply them in hands-on projects, such as training a chatbot. The camps are beginner-friendly but structured, so you’re coding daily and building something tangible by the end.
Image source - Lumiere Education