15 Online Computer Science Summer Programs for High School Students

Online computer science summer programs for high school students give you a way to explore technology from the convenience of your home. These programs help you learn practical skills in programming, machine learning, web development, or cybersecurity. Many online computer science summer programs enable you to work on structured projects, often guided by university faculty, graduate mentors, or industry professionals. By joining a summer program, you’ll practice coding, problem-solving, and technical writing while building confidence in your abilities. 

This list highlights 15 of the best online computer science summer programs for high school students, including both internships and courses that can be taken during the summer months. Each program is designed to prepare you for future college courses and careers in technology.

15 Online Computer Science Summer Programs for High School Students

1. NASA & UT Austin SEES Internship

Location: Online
Cost: None
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Typically May – July with July symposium
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old

The SEES program provides a mix of online coursework and mentor-led projects using NASA data. It is one of the nationally competitive university STEM internships for high school students, where you gain hands-on experience in Earth and space research. You’ll first complete modules in Earth science before joining a small team research project. You’ll apply coding, data analysis, and problem-solving to topics like satellite imagery, space missions, or AI in science. The work is guided by scientists at UT Austin and NASA. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your findings at a virtual symposium. The program is selective, admitting only a small number of students.

2. Ladder’s Tech Internships

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available / None
Acceptance rate: 10-25%
Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year; Summer Cohorts I and II start on June 2 and July 14, respectively
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year; Summer Cohorts I and II have deadlines of May 11 and June 23, respectively
Eligibility: All high school students who can work for 10–20 hours per week, for 8–12 weeks. The internships are also open to undergraduates and gap year students!

Ladder Internships is a virtual program that connects high school students with internships at startups and nonprofits worldwide. Ladder Internships offers computer science tracks as part of their internship programs. These tracks typically involve working remotely with high-growth startups in industries such as tech, deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, and more. You will collaborate with startup managers and receive mentorship from Ladder Coaches, working on real-world projects that can include software engineering, machine learning, AI, backend systems, UI design, or data tools. You will gain hands-on experience by contributing meaningfully to startup projects, attending professional training and group sessions, and presenting your work to company leaders.

3. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Location: Online option available
Cost/Stipend: None; application fee $25, can be waived / None
Acceptance rate: Around 10%
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Must be at least 15 years old

The George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is a nationally recognized, intensive, full-time, 8-week summer research internship designed for high school and undergraduate students passionate about STEM. You’ll work with faculty at George Mason University on research projects in areas such as cybersecurity, natural language processing, and digital innovation. You’ll also attend lectures and professional development sessions during the program. You’ll improve your technical writing, data analysis, and project presentation skills. Students present their final projects at the end, highlighting what they’ve achieved. The online option allows participation without relocating to Virginia.

4. Veritas AI

Location: Online
Cost: Varies depending on program type: full financial aid available
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Summer
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort; the Summer cohort’s deadline is typically around June
Eligibility: AI Scholars: All high school students | AI Fellowship: students who have either prior experience with Python or have completed the AI Scholars program

Veritas AI offers summer programs designed for high school students at different stages of learning. The AI Scholars program is a 10-session boot camp that covers Python, data science, and machine learning through guided projects. If you already have a background in AI, the Fellowship pairs you with a mentor for an advanced independent project. You’ll also receive editorial support from Veritas’s in-house team to prepare your work for high school research journals. Mentors come from top universities, giving you both technical instruction and career guidance. This structure allows you to start with the basics and then progress into research-level projects.

5. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship

Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: $40 (Application Fee) + $850 (Participation Fee); financial aid is available for both fee types / None
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school student | Above 14 years old | Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or provide documentation of valid visa status

Stanford's AIMI (Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging) Summer Research Internship is a prestigious, two-week virtual program designed for high school students interested in the intersection of AI and healthcare. You’ll attend daily lectures with Stanford researchers and participate in a group research project. You’ll also meet one-on-one with mentors and gain exposure to applied machine learning and medical imaging. The curriculum builds skills in coding, data analysis, and scientific communication. Career talks from experts in government, academia, and industry are part of the program. Only 25 students are accepted, making it highly selective.

6. NASA GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS)

Location: Online
Stipend: Provided, amount not specified
Acceptance rate: Not selective, relatively high
Dates: June 2 – August 29
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: High school students entering 11th or 12th grade | GPA ≥ 3.0 | At least 16 years old | Have taken at least one high school biology course | U.S. Citizens or permanent residents

GL4HS is a full-time summer program where you’ll study how spaceflight affects living organisms using NASA’s GeneLab Data System. The curriculum includes coding labs, lectures, and virtual field trips with NASA scientists. You’ll also work in teams on bioinformatics projects that combine biology and computer science. You’ll gain hands-on experience in data analysis and present your findings with peers at the end of the program. The best student teams are invited to showcase their work at a national space conference. You will gain valuable skills in bioinformatics, computational biology, and data analysis through hands-on research using real NASA genomics data.

7. SHTEM: Summer Internships for High Schoolers at Stanford

Location: Online
Cost: None, but a $50 application fee is required; need-based fee waivers are available
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: June – August (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: Typically March
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who will be 14 years or older by June 1

Stanford's SHTEM (Summer Internships for High Schoolers and Community College Students) is an 8-week prestigious, fully virtual summer research internship program designed for high school juniors, seniors, and community college students. It offers eight weeks of remote research through Stanford’s Compression Forum. You’ll work in small groups on projects that cover topics like computer science, linguistics, biology, and the humanities. Graduate students and Stanford faculty guide you throughout the internship. You’ll spend 30–40 hours each week developing research skills and collaborating with mentors. The program ends with student presentations that highlight both technical and human-centered research. 

8. HarvardX: CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

Location: Online via edX
Cost: None (certificate optional at $299)
Acceptance rate: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced within September 16 – December 31
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: High school students with experience in CS50x or prior programming experience in Python

HarvardX's "CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python" is an intermediate-level online course that explores the core concepts and algorithms underpinning modern artificial intelligence. You’ll learn about search algorithms, optimization, neural networks, and natural language processing, along with learning to design intelligent systems and apply AI techniques through hands-on projects using Python. Projects include handwriting recognition, game-playing systems, and basic machine learning applications. You’ll gain practical coding experience while exploring the theory behind modern AI. The course is rigorous and designed for students with prior Python knowledge. Since it’s self-paced, you can start anytime, including during the summer.

9. ASPIRE by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

Location: Online
Cost: None
Acceptance rate: Approximately 10%
Dates: June 24 – August 21
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who will be 15+ by June 1 | GPA ≥ 2.8 | Live in designated Maryland counties

The ASPIRE program by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a highly competitive, unpaid summer internship for high school juniors and seniors that provides an immersive STEM research experience. It connects you with mentors from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab for summer projects. You’ll work virtually on challenges in areas like cybersecurity, data analysis, and planetary science. Each project is tailored to your interests and experience level. You’ll gain technical knowledge while learning how professional research teams collaborate. The program also gives you opportunities to present your work and build confidence in communicating results. 

10. Spark Summer Mentorship Program (Spark SMP)

Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: None / Some projects offer stipends
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: 8–12 weeks between May and August
Application Deadline: April 22
Eligibility: U.S. high school students who are citizens or permanent residents

The Spark Summer Mentorship Program (Spark SMP) is a volunteer-run, nonprofit initiative that connects motivated high school students with experienced professionals from diverse fields such as business, academia, and technology. You’ll join a small group of students under the guidance of university or industry mentors. You’ll practice coding, data analysis, and applying machine learning to solve real research problems. Past projects have included AI modeling for extreme weather, software for cancer research, and predictive data workflows. The program runs for 8–12 weeks, depending on the project you’re placed in. The program has a strong track record of students gaining meaningful experience, mentorship, and even contributions to research conferences.

11. Coursera: Computer Science – Programming with a Purpose (Princeton University)

Location: Online via Coursera
Cost: None
Acceptance rate: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: All high school students

The Coursera course "Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose" from Princeton University is a comprehensive introductory programming course primarily using the Java language. You’ll start with core concepts like variables, loops, and conditionals before moving to recursion and object-oriented design. The course draws from the textbook Computer Science: An Interdisciplinary Approach. You’ll complete coding exercises and problem sets that build both algorithmic thinking and Java fluency. The curriculum is structured into 10 modules, making it easy to follow step by step. Since it is online and self-paced, you can fit it into your summer learning schedule.

12. NASA OSTEM Summer Internships

Location: Online option available
Stipend: Provided, amount unspecified, but provided based on academic level and session duration
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 10 weeks between May – August
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: U.S. citizens | Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) | Full-time high school student | At least 16 years old at the time of application

NASA OSTEM internships are paid internship opportunities offered by NASA's Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) that allow high school and college-level students to contribute to NASA’s projects under mentorship by NASA professionals. They place you on active projects with NASA scientists and engineers. Depending on your placement, you might study robotics, software engineering, astronomy, or environmental science. Mentors guide you through technical tasks and research methods. You’ll build coding, data analysis, and problem-solving skills while contributing to ongoing NASA projects. The program also gives you a chance to connect with experts across NASA centers. Paid stipends are available for many positions, making it a strong option for motivated students.

13. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program

Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: None / Need-based $300 grant available
Acceptance rate: Moderately selective
Dates: Round 1: July 7 to July 18; Round 2: July 28 to August 8
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: Female or non-binary students in grades 9–11

Girls Who Code's Summer Immersion Program is a free, two-week virtual experience designed to introduce high school girls and non-binary students to computer science through hands-on, real-world projects. The program covers beginner to intermediate computer science topics like game design using p5.js, user experience (UX) design basics, web development, and the iterative design process. You engage in activities such as creating interactive avatars, building choose-your-own-adventure games, collaborating on game jams where you rapidly prototype games, and playtesting projects to refine them based on feedback. You develop valuable coding skills, creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and confidence that significantly strengthen your college applications.

14. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)

Location: Online option available
Cost: None for students belonging to families earning under $150,000; $2,350 for others
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: July – August
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students currently in 11th grade | U.S. citizens or living in the country for the duration of BWSI | Attending a U.S.-based school physically

The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) virtual program is an intensive, prestigious four-week STEM program designed for talented high school students, particularly those who are rising seniors. You’ll take online technical courses designed by MIT staff, which cover AI, quantum computing, and serious game development. Each module includes a mix of theory and project-based coding challenges. You’ll work in teams to design algorithms, build systems, and present your final projects at the end. The program is fast-paced, with expectations similar to a college-level course. It is best suited for students who want to explore cutting-edge computer science topics in depth.

15. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps

Location: Online
Cost: None
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: June 2 – 13; July 7 – 18; July 21 – August 1; August 4 – 15
Application Deadline: Typically late March
Eligibility: Girls and gender-expansive students aged 13–18; no prior coding required

Kode With Klossy virtual summer camp is a free, intensive two-week coding program designed for young women and gender-expansive teens aged 13-18, including beginners with no prior coding experience. You can choose tracks in web development, mobile app creation, data science, or machine learning. The camps are beginner-friendly but move quickly, with structured lessons and team projects. You’ll build real coding projects using Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, or Swift while also learning UX/UI design principles. Each session also includes talks from women in tech about career paths and industry insights. Camps last two weeks, making them accessible even for busy summer schedules.

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