13 Online Coding Summer Programs for High School Students
As a high school student, participating in an online program is a solid way to spend the summer holidays. Online summer programs offer you the chance to gain transferable soft skills, as well as technical, industry-specific skills in a field of interest from the comfort of your home. You will also get the chance to explore an industry or field and decide if it’s something you’d like to pursue in college or as a career.
Why should you attend a coding program?
If you are interested in coding, fully virtual coding programs can offer an opportunity to develop relevant skills. In an online coding program, you will explore the fundamentals of data science and coding, learning programming languages such as Python, Java, HTML, and CSS. This experience can also help you develop the competencies to secure internships with reputable organizations, start building your professional portfolio, and better understand the role of coding across different industries.
To get you started, here are 13 online coding summer programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online STEM programs, check out our blog here.
1. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Program cohorts run all year; the AI Scholars runs for 10 weeks, and the AI Fellowship program runs for about 12 to 15 weeks
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; AI Fellowship typically accepts previous AI Scholar participants or those with some experience working with AI 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, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity 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 and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
2. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI): Quantum Software
Location: Virtual courses available
Cost: Free (for students with family income below $150,000); $2,350 (for students with family income above $150,000)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Online pre-requisite course: February 2 – June 19; Summer program: July 6 – August 1 or 2
Application deadline: March 30
Eligibility: U.S. 9th – 11th graders
BWSI is a STEM program that offers you the opportunity to participate in hands-on, project-based courses in tech, engineering, and computer science. During the Quantum Software course, you will learn about the increase in government, academic, and commercial groups' interest in the field of quantum computing. Through hands-on coding exercises, you will learn how to write quantum software and simulate quantum algorithms, as well as explore concepts like qubits, quantum circuit diagrams, quantum interference, entanglement, and more. Toward the end of the course, you will tackle the challenge of turning a quantum algorithm into a software program and then test, analyze, and run it.
3. Immerse Education’s Online Research Programme
Location: Fully remote
Cost: Varies by program type
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; multiple dates throughout the year
Program Dates: Flexible; multiple cohorts in a year.
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 (accredited options require age 14+)
The Online Research Program offers high school students the opportunity to conduct rigorous research under the guidance of tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. You will work with your tutor to explore a subject of your choice in depth and write an academic research paper. The program is offered in 1:1 and small-group formats, and you can choose to earn college credit from universities in the US and the UK. The virtual research program is offered in over 20 subjects, including artificial intelligence, chemistry, psychology, economics, computer science, creative writing, philosophy, and more. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a written evaluation from your tutor, an opportunity to publish your research, and an invitation to present at the Immerse Online Symposium. You can find examples of papers Immerse students have worked on here. You can find more details about the application here.
4. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI): Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence
Location: Virtual courses available
Cost: Free (for students with family income below $150,000); $2,350 (for students with family income above $150,000)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Online pre-requisite course: February 2 – June 19; Summer program: July 6 – August 1 or 2
Application deadline: March 30
Eligibility: U.S. 9th – 11th graders
BWSI’s Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence course is a four-week course that explores the intersection of game design and artificial intelligence. You will follow a project-based curriculum, learning to modify “serious games” designed to model real-world situations, such as disease spread and self-driving cars. In the process, you will develop skills in game design, coding, and teamwork, as you will be working with your peers on projects. Topics such as AI ethics, AI for gaming, data analysis, and backend game development are also covered in the course.
5. University of Michigan’s Joy of Coding
Location: Virtual
Cost: $149 + tax; financial aid offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students who are 13 or older and have some experience in Algebra
The University of Michigan Engineering’s Joy of Coding program is a self-paced coding course designed for high school students with no prior coding experience. As a participant, you will learn how to use Python and explore how Python is used in apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Siri. You will work on one integrated lecture, assigned reading, and coding module each week. In the process, you will pick up coding basics, even coding your own AI face filter lenses. By the end of the program, you will receive a certificate of accomplishment from the University of Michigan ECE.
6. Columbia University Pre-College Programs: Introduction to Programming with Python
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,017 + $80 application fee; Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application deadline: Early: February 2; General: April 2
Eligibility: Rising 9th – 12th graders (domestic and international)
Columbia University’s Pre-College Program offers high schoolers college-level courses taught by faculty and experts across a variety of fields, including coding. In the Introduction to Programming with Python course, you will discover how Python plays a role in data analysis, machine learning, AI, data visualization, and web development. Using Python, you will explore the fundamentals of programming through real-world applications, as well as the best programming practices. You will also gain insights into concepts like data representation and storage, data structures, functions and scripts, and more. You will learn through virtual instruction, group exercises, and independent coding challenges.
7. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY): Robotics and Technology Courses
Location: Virtual courses available
Cost: Varies by course and length; limited need-based financial aid offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year, including summer sessions; dates vary by session
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 11
Johns Hopkins CTY offers various courses, including options in Robotics and Technology, that allow students to move beyond the high school curriculum and build advanced skills. You can choose courses like Coding and Creating With Arduino or Dream It, Code It, Build It to participate in hands-on projects that combine coding, problem-solving, and design. In the Coding and Creating With Arduino course, you will explore devices built using Arduino microprocessors. Using an Arduino microcontroller, a breadboard, and a sensor and actuator kit, you will examine existing prototypes, learn to modify code, and adapt designs to meet the specific requirements of assigned projects. In the Dream It, Code It, Build It course, you will learn about the development of mobile apps using MIT App Inventor and a block-based programming tool. This course offers you the chance to dive into hands-on coding activities as you design, test, and launch your own app.
8. Girls Who Code Pathways Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 29 – August 14
Application deadline: Early deadline: February 25; general deadline: April 10
Eligibility: Girls and non-binary students in grades 9 – 12
Girls Who Code is a nonprofit organization that runs fully virtual programs for girls and gender-nonconforming students who want to explore the tech industry, gain relevant computer science skills, and build their network. The Pathways Program is a six- to seven-week program that allows you to learn coding at your own pace. You will get to choose from five computer science and tech tracks: Web Development, Cybersecurity, Data Science + AI, Game Design, and AI + Society. You will spend the summer working on course projects at your own pace, including assignments that focus on coding. Additionally, you will have access to corporate partner events, workshops focused on current and new technologies, and career panels.
9. Kode with Klossy’s Summer Camps
Location: Virtual or in-person (sites vary by year)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Two weeks in the summer; dates TBA
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Young women and gender expansive teens, ages 13 – 18
Kode with Klossy runs free coding-intensive summer camps designed to cover the fundamentals of coding and encourage an interest in STEM. As a participant, you will learn from one of four tracks: web development, mobile app, data science, or machine learning. In the web development track, you will explore what goes into building a website, learn three programming languages—JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, and understand the importance of good UI/UX design. The mobile app track curriculum focuses on coding in Apple’s programming language, Swift, teaching you how to create your own fully functional iOS mobile app. The data science track will have you examining raw data and using tools like SQL, Python, and data visualization tools to draw insights. In the machine learning track, you will explore the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning, including algorithms, datasets, and Python.
10. Harvard Summer School’s 7-Week Secondary School Program (SSP): Computer Science and Engineering Track
Location: Virtual option available
Cost: $4,180 – $15,735 (based on the format and session you choose) + $75 application fee; financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June 20 – August 8
Application deadline: January 7 (early); February 11 (regular); April 1 (late)
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, ages 16 – 18
Harvard offers several pre-college programs for high school students, including the SSP, during which you can explore college-level courses led by industry experts or faculty members. The program also offers a variety of Computer Science and Engineering courses that help you dive into concepts ranging from coding in game development to coding in animation. As a participant, you will also learn about how probability theory and statistics influence data science and the future of augmented reality. You can choose up to two courses from options like Introduction to Computer Science with Python, Introduction to C++ for Programmers, and Introduction to Probability for Engineering and Data Science, Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Artificial Intelligence. On completing the program, you will earn four credits per course.
11. University of Southern California’s CS@SC Summer Coding Camps
Location: Virtual
Cost: $200 (tentative); scholarships available
Cohort size: 5 – 8 students/class
Dates: Dates vary; two-week summer sessions available
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students
CS@SC Summer Coding Camps allow you to pick up skills in programming, robotics, and cybersecurity beyond the high school curriculum. You can participate in one or more camps, choosing from tracks such as Python, robotics, web development, mobile app creation, game design, and Java. In the Python-focused camp, you will explore topics like variables, string methods, functions, file reading/writing, and coding. The Java camp will focus on the fundamentals of programming, file input and output, and object-oriented programming. If you are interested in robotics, you can choose from the Robotics Arduino camp and the Robo Battles camp, where you will learn C++ coding and build robots.
12. Northwestern Center for Talent Development (CTD) Online Honors Program: Coding and Programming Classes
Location: Online
Cost: $835 (one credit) | $1,425 (two credits)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by session (summer, spring, winter, and fall)
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12; additional prerequisites may vary by course.
Northwestern’s CTD offers advanced online classes across all disciplines, including multiple coding-focused options. You can choose courses like Programming C++ Honors or Machine Learning: Algorithms & Data Science, which cover emerging tech basics, programming techniques, and coding fundamentals. In the Programming C++ Honors course, you will learn to code computer games and task management programs, exploring topics such as object-oriented programming and memory manipulation in the process. The Machine Learning course focuses on AI coding, covering concepts like neural networks, regression, pattern recognition, and clustering. These coding courses combine lectures with hands-on projects to help you track your progress and assess your knowledge.
13. MIT’s OpenCourseWare
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all
Dates: Self-paced courses
Application deadline: No deadline
Eligibility: Open to all
MIT OpenCourseWare is a free online platform where you can access course materials from a wide range of MIT’s college-level classes at your own pace. You can choose the “Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python” course, which covers core topics such as algorithm design, problem-solving strategies, and programming fundamentals, with a focus on Python. The course materials include lecture notes, assignments, and exams, offering you a complete academic experience without enrollment requirements. Since there are no deadlines, you can progress through the material at your own pace.