Summer can be a great time to build interests outside of school, especially if you are considering a future in computer science. Online computer science summer schools for high school students introduce you to the way computer scientists think by helping you work on real problems, design systems, analyse data, and build solutions connected to fields like healthcare, finance, robotics, and entertainment. They also give you the chance to learn concepts rarely covered in a standard high school curriculum while exploring career paths that align with your interests and goals.

Today, many reputable universities around the world run fully virtual summer computer science programmes for high schoolers. These online programmes give you access to advanced coursework, university instructors, collaborative projects, and real-world applications without any relocation or commute. Given the virtual format, they also let you learn alongside and connect with peers from around the world who share your interests.

How do you choose the right computer science summer programs for high school students?

Computer science programs vary in scope and focus. Some let you explore coding and problem-solving, while others introduce you to fields like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, game design, robotics, or data science. Many programs combine lectures with coding projects, collaborative assignments, research exposure, or mentorship from university faculty and industry professionals. 

Depending on the program, you may learn programming languages, study computational theory, build applications, analyze data, or work on independent projects that mirror college-level coursework. Some programs are designed for beginners, while others expect prior coding experience and focus on more specialized topics. The right program for you depends on your interests, level of experience, and goals, but it will typically combine theoretical instruction with hands-on exposure. 

For adjacent opportunities, consider the in-person computer science program and the online AI program.

15 Online Computer Science Summer Schools for High School Students

1. Harvard Secondary School Program (SSP): Computer Science Courses

Location: Online format available
Cost: $4,180 (for four credits) | $8,160 (for eight credits); financial aid available for U.S. citizens/legal residents
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 20th – August 8th
Application deadline: January 7th (early); February 11th (regular), April 1st (late)
Eligibility: High school students ages 16-18 in grades 10-12 at the time of application; international students are also eligible

Harvard’s SSP is one of the most prestigious online computer science summer schools for high school students, allowing students around the world to spend seven weeks enrolled in a college-level course and earn credit. You can take courses in computer science, programming, AI, or data science to study advanced concepts, build technical skills, and learn from Harvard instructors alongside a global cohort.

Depending on the course you choose, you will explore technical problem-solving methods, algorithm development, data structures, recursion, object-oriented programming, and machine learning concepts. Classes are graded, so you will be expected to keep up with readings, projects, and discussions at the university level. You also gain access to resources like writing support and online academic advising. 

Why it stands out: It lets you explore college-level academics while earning official Harvard University credits in a fully online format.

2. Immerse Education’s Online Computer Science Summer School

Location: Fully remote
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: Students worldwide aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school

You will participate in a virtual academic program designed to bridge the gap between high school technology and undergraduate-level computer science. The curriculum is built for students who are passionate about tech but want to move beyond basic coding to understand the mathematical and engineering principles that drive the industry.

You attend intensive, university-style seminars led by expert tutors, many of whom are Oxbridge-trained researchers or industry professionals with experience. The program goes beyond the standard classroom by exploring high-level applications in Blockchain, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning.

Why it stands out: It provides a pre-university academic experience taught by expert tutors from world-leading universities, combining rigorous subject exploration with a focus on preparing students for life at a top-tier institution.

3. Cornell University Pre-College Studies: Computer Science Track

Location: Online
Cost: $5,820 – $15,520, depending on credits and session length (typically, $1,940/credit) + $75 application fee; financial assistance available for students affiliated with select community-based organizations
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; selective admissions
Dates: June 1st – July 31st (three-week and six-week sessions available)
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students, ages 15-19, who have completed grade 10; international students can also apply

Cornell’s online pre-college program offers students the chance to experience Ivy League academics, including in computer science. As a participant, you will enroll in Cornell undergraduate courses and earn official credit along with a transcript. These courses typically let you engage in discussions and assignments following a structure that mirrors university-level academics and expectations.

Classes may be live or self-paced, offering you some flexibility in how you learn.  The online format lets you engage with peers from different locations while developing independent study and time-management skills expected in college environments. 

Why it stands out: You get to enroll in real Cornell computer science courses in a structured online format and earn transferable college credit while still in high school.

4. Columbia University Pre-College Online Summer Program: Computer Science and Technology Track

Location: Online
Cost: $2,868 (one week) | $4,018 (two weeks) + $80 application fee; scholarships available for residents of the U.S. or its five major territories
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22-26 | July 6-17 | July 20-31
Application deadline: Varies by session; typically, between April and June
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 worldwide

Columbia University’s one- to two-week online pre-college program lets you join live, instructor-led classes across disciplines, including computer science and technology. You can enroll in courses in data science, machine learning, or Python programming to explore advanced topics through hands-on exercises like coding challenges, discussions, and collaborative projects. You will also participate in workshops and sessions focused on academic skill-building and college preparation.

If you join a two-week course, you will gain access to the Columbia Writers Academy course, which is designed to help you write strong college application essays. At the end, you will receive a Certification of Participation from Columbia University and an evaluation letter discussing your performance.

Why it stands out: It lets you experience an Ivy League classroom environment and academic coursework while learning alongside peers from diverse backgrounds.

5. Brown Pre-College Online: Computer Science Track

Location: Online
Cost: Varies by program; starts at $3,364. Financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15th – July 24th (multiple sessions of varying lengths available within this window)
Application deadline: May 15th
Eligibility: Students, ages 14-18, completing grades 9-12; international students can also apply

Brown University offers a range of pre-college programs across disciplines, including online computer science courses. You can enroll in mostly asynchronous courses or blended courses that combine independent computer science coursework with scheduled live sessions.

You will explore concepts like AI, data science, tech ethics, and computer science through readings, discussions, projects, coding assignments, and other academic activities designed to mirror college-level expectations. The structure emphasizes independent learning, time management, and academic engagement in a remote setting. At the end, you will receive a certificate of completion.

Why it stands out: It lets you explore computer science in a flexible format that helps you develop independence and time-management skills.

6. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Computer Science Courses

Location: Online
Cost: $3,200; need-based aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; ~16 students/class
Dates: June 15-26 | July 6-17
Application deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-11 worldwide

Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offer you the opportunity to enroll in a virtual computer science course. You can enroll in courses focused on programming, CAD, machine learning, data science, or game design to explore a computer science field of interest through structured discussion, reading, and project work.

You will join small live classes led by Stanford faculty and graduate instructors, where you will examine topics within a cohort of peers from around the world. Classes combine live discussions and office hours with independent work. You will explore challenging concepts and work on real problems.

Why it stands out: It lets you explore college-level computer science coursework while learning from Stanford faculty in a structured online format.

7. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI): Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence 

Location: Online courses available
Cost: Free for families with an income under $200,000; $2,400 otherwise
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Four weeks during the summer (July – August) + prerequisite online course in the spring
Application deadline: Typically, the end of March
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11 residing and attending school in the U.S.

MIT BWSI offers a range of tech and computer science-focused courses to high school students. You can choose the Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence program to dive into game design, artificial intelligence, and software development through a collaborative online curriculum. You will work in teams on a serious game framework designed to explore real-world issues such as disease spread, public health policy, and autonomous systems.

The curriculum covers topics such as AI ethics, systems modeling, backend game development, data analysis, user interface design, and Agile software practices. You will engage in coding as you learn how artificial intelligence systems interact with human decision-making. Instruction is supported by mentors, instructors, and teaching assistants who will guide technical development and team collaboration. The program concludes with final presentations and analysis of the games you will have developed during the summer session. 

Why it stands out: You will explore applications of machine learning and programming within a rigorous MIT-led project-based structure, focusing on collaborative software development and ethical use of AI.

8. Dartmouth Precollege Online Program Artificial Intelligence: From Understanding to Innovation

Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; need-based scholarships are available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length sessions available throughout the year, including in the summer
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up, including international students

This online course offered by Dartmouth introduces you to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and explores how AI is used across fields such as medicine, mental health, and creative industries. You will learn how AI differs from traditional software, how machine learning systems are trained and evaluated, and how large language models generate responses. The course includes hands-on work with professional no-code AI tools, allowing you to build, test, and refine AI interactions without prior programming experience.

Throughout the program, you will receive guidance from a mentor with expertise in artificial intelligence. You will complete a final capstone project in which you develop an AI-based solution for a real-world problem. The course is fully online and flexible, with approximately 20–30 hours of instruction and activities. 

Why it stands out: The program combines no-code AI development, mentor support, and a final capstone project, allowing you to create and evaluate your own AI application while studying both technical concepts and ethical considerations. 

9. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship

Location: Remote
Cost: Application fee: $45 + Program participation fee: $2,400; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~50 students/session
Dates: Session A: June 15-26 | Session B: July 6-17
Application deadline: February 20th
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 and up, who are U.S. citizens; those with prior experience in a healthcare project or strong math/computer programming skills are preferred during selection

This virtual summer school is designed for high school students interested in learning about artificial intelligence in the context of healthcare innovation. As an intern, you will explore how AI is used to address challenges in medicine and healthcare and work on addressing a real medical challenge with the use of AI tools.

You will work with a team on research projects and engage in social activities, online group sessions, and career-focused discussions led by guest speakers from diverse professional backgrounds. Throughout the virtual program, you will have access to mentorship offered by Stanford Student Leads and researchers. You may also be able to access an extended academic year research opportunity once the summer program ends. 

Why it stands out: It lets you explore healthcare applications of computer science and AI through real research-based project work while connecting with professionals.

10. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps

Location: Virtual camps available
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1-12 | July 6-17 | July 20-31 | August 3-14
Application deadline: March 31st
Eligibility: Women and gender expansive teens around the world, ages 13-18

This free, two-week camp series is designed for high school students who want to learn how to code through hands-on projects like programming a chatbot or building a website. You will join tracks such as artificial intelligence/machine learning, web development, and data science, and learn how to work with Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, algorithms, and natural language processing.

Beyond track-specific learning, you will attend a speaker series in which women in technology discuss what careers in the field entail. You will also gain access to the broader Kode With Klossy alumni community following the summer camp.

Why it stands out: You get to develop advanced computer science and programming skills through project work and connect with women in tech at no cost!

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

Location: Virtual internships available
Cost: $25 application fee + $1,299 tuition for three course credits; fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18th – August 12th
Application deadline: February 15th
Eligibility: Students worldwide who are at least 15 years old

ASSIP offers virtual research internships in various STEM fields, including data science and computer science. You can choose a mentor looking for remote research interns and spend eight weeks engaging in computer science research, practicing scientific writing and communication, and exploring research methods over virtual work sessions.

ASSIP also offers exposure to career paths and opportunities to interact with professors, researchers, and STEM professionals. The program will end with a research symposium, where you will present your work. At the end, you will earn three credits from George Mason University.

Why it stands out: It combines computer science exploration with research work, offering you the chance to work on real projects and earn college credits.

12. UC San Diego Extended Studies Machine Learning for High Schoolers

Location: Online
Cost: $500/course ($1,500 for the full three-course series)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8th – August 9th (course material availability window for the full three-course series); self-paced learning format
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students, including domestic and international students

UC San Diego Extended Studies’ Machine Learning course series adds a structured, math-heavy option to this list of online computer science summer schools for high school students. It introduces you to Python programming, applied mathematics, and concepts in artificial intelligence through three fully virtual courses, where you will work with tools such as Google Colaboratory while learning programming fundamentals, probability, statistics, linear algebra, and machine learning algorithms.

The curriculum covers supervised and unsupervised learning methods, regression models, clustering techniques, dimensionality reduction, and neural networks. Coursework is asynchronous, allowing you to complete assignments within each course window while progressing through the cohort-based sequence. You will also build Python-based projects that apply machine learning methods to datasets and classification problems.

Why it stands out: It offers exposure to Python programming, applied mathematics, and machine learning in a structured multi-course sequence to help you engage in advanced CS coursework before college.

13. Girls Who Code Summer Pathways Programs

Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29th – August 14th
Application deadline: Early: February 25th; General: April 10th
Eligibility: High school girls and non-binary students; U.S. students must be 8th – 12th graders, and international students must be 14 to 18 years old

Girls Who Code’s Pathways program introduces high school girls and non-binary students to programming through structured lessons and technical projects over six to seven weeks. You will learn coding using languages such as Python or JavaScript. You can choose from tracks like game design, AI, data science, web development, and cybersecurity based on your interests.

Each track covers core and advanced concepts through instruction, project work, and quizzes. Industry events will help you understand how technical concepts are applied in professional environments.

Why it stands out: It lets you explore real applications of computer programming through virtual instruction and project work at no cost!

14. Georgetown University Pre-College Online AI Course

Location: Online
Cost: $3,995 for the college credit course option | $1,895 for the enrichment course option; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Multiple course options available throughout the year, including in the summer
Application deadline: One week before each session starts
Eligibility: High school students, ages 13 and up, including domestic and international students

Georgetown University’s online AI College Credit program is a strong AI-focused choice among online computer science summer schools for high school students, covering foundational concepts in artificial intelligence, including machine learning, neural networks, large language models, and ethical AI development. You will complete asynchronous online coursework, analyze real-world case studies, and experiment with no-code AI tools while receiving instructional support from teaching assistants.

The curriculum includes discussions on the societal and ethical implications of AI as well as practical exercises focused on data, model training, and responsible system design. You will also complete a capstone project, for which you will develop an AI-based prototype addressing a social, educational, environmental, or civic challenge. If you choose the college credit track, you will earn three Georgetown University credits and receive an official transcript upon successful completion. 

Why it stands out: It covers AI theory and ethics through flexible online instruction and project work while letting you earn Georgetown University college credit.

15. Northwestern University’s Artificial Intelligence: Navigating the AI-Powered Future

Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 2-week and 4-week sessions available throughout the year, including in the summer
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up; international students are eligible

This online pre-college course from Northwestern University introduces you to how artificial intelligence works. You will explore topics like machine learning, neural networks, and large language models, and learn how to use no-code AI tools to build your own project prototypes. The course wraps up with a Final Capstone Project where you will design an AI-powered tool and write a reflection on its ethical implications.

You can choose between a two- or four-week session depending on your schedule, with the total coursework typically reaching 20–30 hours. Throughout the course, you will have access to a mentor who provides feedback on your assignments and helps guide your learning. At the end, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University.

Why it stands out: It offers you direct access to university-level instruction and project work focused on AI in a structured online format.

Where Computer Science Skills Meet the Future of Learning

Online learning is no longer just a backup option. It can connect you with university instructors, global peers, and advanced technical projects from home.

The online computer science summer schools for high school students listed here show how virtual classrooms can support coding, AI, data science, cybersecurity, and research.

Look closely at the learning format: live seminars, capstone projects, mentor feedback, collaborative coding, self-paced lessons, and university-style assignments all offer different strengths.

What could smarter learning look like for you? Check out our Educational Innovation blogs for insights on digital tools, future-ready skills, and new ways to learn.