15 Cybersecurity Camps for High School Students

TL;DR

This list covers free NSA-funded cybersecurity camps at US universities, a paid residential program, and a flexible online option. Most charge nothing thanks to National Security Agency and National Science Foundation funding, though Georgetown’s residential program costs $4,295 for two weeks of campus housing and meals. You’ll find options from rising ninth grade through senior year, with some open nationally and others limited to one city. Immerse Education also offers a fully remote Online Research pathway in Encryption & Cybersecurity, open to students aged 13 to 18 worldwide, with a bursary available for those who need it.

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If you’re a high school student interested in cybersecurity, you might be drawn to the challenge of understanding how digital systems work, where their vulnerabilities lie, and how they can be protected. Cybersecurity brings together network security, cryptography, digital forensics, secure programming, and the analysis of potential threats. Cybersecurity camps for high school students can help you explore these areas through practical exercises, guided projects, and collaborative problem-solving.

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Depending on the program, you might examine network traffic, investigate digital evidence, configure computer systems, work through simulated security challenges, or learn how cryptographic methods protect information. These activities can introduce you to the tools and concepts used in university-level computing courses and help you develop a foundation for independent projects.

How to pick the right cybersecurity camp as a high schooler?

Some cybersecurity camps for high school students also take place on university campuses, giving you the opportunity to learn from instructors, interact with other students, and experience an academic environment beyond your regular classroom.

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Choosing among cybersecurity camps for high school students can be difficult because programs vary in their technical depth, eligibility requirements, cost, and teaching format. Some introduce fundamental concepts, while others combine cybersecurity with artificial intelligence, computer science, or research computing. To help you compare your options, we have compiled a list of 15 cybersecurity camps for high school students hosted by universities, government organizations, and specialist education providers.

15 Cybersecurity Camps for High School Students

1. Code@TACC Cybersecurity AI

Location: University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 camp ran July 12th to 18
Application deadline: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 deadline was April 27th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders; international eligibility not specified

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Code@TACC Cybersecurity AI is a free residential program built around a project-based approach to problem-solving. You’ll learn the basics of cybersecurity by working directly with real tools and technology, covering how a professional applies software security to their own code and data sets. 

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The week includes a private tour of TACC’s Visualization Laboratory and data center, so you can see high-end research computing systems up close. Completing the program invites you into quarterly Back@TACC STEM workshops, extending the experience past the summer.

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Why it stands out: It places you inside one of the country’s leading supercomputing centers, giving you exposure to research-grade computing rarely available to high schoolers.

2. Immerse Education's Online Encryption & Cybersecurity Summer School

Location: Fully remote

Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 1:1 with your tutor

Program Dates: Start any time; 10-15 hours of 1:1 tutorials over 2-3 weeks

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; start any time

Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 (Accredited and Publication options require age 14+); open to international students

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Immerse Education's Online Research pathway in Encryption & Cybersecurity lets you dig into how digital information is protected, working 1:1 with a tutor from Oxford, Cambridge, or an Ivy League institution. You'll trace encryption from early ciphers like the Caesar and Vigenère to the techniques that keep data safe today, then explore areas like network security, ethical hacking, and the legal and ethical side of cybersecurity. 

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With your tutor, you turn that interest into a focused research question, review what's already been written, choose a method, and draft your paper in sections with feedback at every stage. You finish with a full research paper and a written evaluation from your tutor. On the Accredited option you can earn 8 UCAS points or 3 US college credits, and the Publication option adds four sessions with a publication specialist and guaranteed submission to a high-school research journal. You can find more details about the application here.

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Why it stands out: You get specialist 1:1 supervision in a niche, fast-growing field and walk away with a research paper that shows genuine technical curiosity.

3. Veritas AI

Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: Multiple 12 to 15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.

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Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with 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 get a chance to work on real-world projects. 

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Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students 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. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.

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Why it stands out: You get 1-1 mentorship with a Ph.D. mentor and produce an independent research project by the end.

4. Cybersecurity Summer Camp

Location: Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative, Waco, TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 camp ran June 22nd to 26
Application deadline: Opens February or March 2027
Eligibility: High school students completing grades 8 to 12; international eligibility not specified

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Baylor University and McLennan Community College co-host this free, five-day camp for students interested in exploring cybersecurity careers. Over the week, you’ll work through practical cybersecurity exercises, hear from industry professionals, and learn from both Baylor and MCC faculty. 

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The camp closes with a competition where you put your new skills to the test; recent cohorts have taken part in the national CyberPatriot competition. Guest speakers in past years have come from local cybersecurity firms and Baylor’s own research technology teams, connecting you to working professionals.

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Why it stands out: It’s hosted at an NSA- and DHS-designated Center of Academic Excellence, and pairs university faculty with a national-level cyber defense competition.

5. Air Force Association CyberCamp

Location: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, with a Standard Camp classroom also offered at Pitt’s Greensburg campus
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Program dates: June 21st to 25th, 2027
Application deadline: Not yet posted; join Pitt Cyber’s mailing list for updates
Eligibility: High school students entering 9th through graduating 12th grade from the Greater Pittsburgh area; not open to international students

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Pitt Cyber, in partnership with Pitt Digital, hosts this free week-long camp built around the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot curriculum. Taught by cybersecurity professionals from the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere, you’ll learn in-demand skills like cyber hygiene and Windows and Ubuntu system administration. 

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The camp runs two concurrent tracks, Standard and Advanced, so you can join whether you’re a beginner or already have some background. It concludes with students competing to find and fix vulnerabilities in a virtual machine environment, mirroring how real defensive work happens.

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Why it stands out: It teaches in-demand technical skills, like Windows and Linux system administration, taught by working professionals on a major research campus.

6. CyberAI Summer Camp

Location: San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; seats are limited
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 camp ran June 22nd to 26
Application deadline: Not yet announced for 2027
Eligibility: Local high school students entering grades 9 to 12; not open to international students

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Run by SJSU’s Departments of Computer Engineering and Computer Science, this week-long camp sits at the intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. You’ll move beyond theory into applied activities in SJSU’s labs, using provided hardware like Nvidia Jetson devices to explore edge computing and local AI models. 

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Past cohorts have competed in a Cyber-AI Challenge hackathon with distinct tracks, including a dedicated cybersecurity track. The camp also hosts guest lectures from industry leaders, including experts from companies like Nvidia, and you network with peers, university students, and professors over daily lunches.

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Why it stands out: Set in the heart of Silicon Valley, it blends cybersecurity with AI and connects you directly with faculty and industry experts from major tech companies.

7. UNLV GenCyber Camp

Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Program dates: One-day spring camp and a five-day summer camp
Application deadline: Applications posted in spring
Eligibility: Current high school students in Clark County; not open to international students

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UNLV’s GenCyber Camp, part of the NSA- and NSF-funded network, is coordinated by faculty, staff, and student mentors from the Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering. The program is offered as both a one-day spring camp and a five-day summer camp, with a single application covering both. 

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Because it’s led by a Computer Science faculty team, you’ll learn cybersecurity fundamentals directly from university instructors on the UNLV campus. It’s open specifically to high school students in Clark County, making it a strong local option for Las Vegas-area students.

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Why it stands out: It offers both a spring and summer format led by university Computer Science faculty, giving local students flexible, repeated access to applied cyber training.

8. USF High School CyberCamp

Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: Not yet announced for 2027
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Capped at 30 students in 2026, intentionally scaled down from the up to 100 participants earlier cohorts welcomed
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027
Application deadline: Registration for USF’s 2027 summer programs opens February 1st, 2027
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 to 12; international eligibility not specified

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High school CyberCamp focuses entirely on cybersecurity through applied learning and expert-led workshops. You’ll take part in Capture the Flag competitions, a standard way that cybersecurity skills are tested and practiced in the field. 

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The program was intentionally scaled down to provide more individualized support and deeper engagement, so you get more direct access to instructors, mentors, and professionals. No prior experience is required, and the program caters to a range of skill levels, so beginners and more advanced students both fit.

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Why it stands out: Its deliberately small cohort means unusually direct access to instructors, mentors, and cybersecurity professionals for one-on-one guidance.

9. GenCyber Camp - Cedarville University

Location: Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 24 students
Program dates: Last confirmed cycle ran June 23rd to 27th, 2025; later dates not yet posted
Application deadline: Not yet posted
Eligibility: Students entering 12th grade; international eligibility not specified

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Cedarville’s GenCyber Camp introduces the field through interactive, applied activities and discussions. You’ll take part in group activities, guided teaching, and laboratory exercises designed to build a working grasp of cybersecurity concepts. 

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By the end, you’ll have an overview of the cybersecurity career field and a sense of where you might fit within it. The camp is capped at 24 students selected from an application review, which keeps the group small and the instruction focused. Its focus is on beginners, so it’s a good entry point if you’re just starting out, though advanced students are welcome too.

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Why it stands out: As an NSA-sponsored camp built for beginners, it’s an accessible first step that still delivers a real overview of cybersecurity career pathways.

10. Stanford AI4ALL

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA (residential track) or fully online
Cost/Stipend: $4,120 for the online program, $9,800 for the residential program; need-based financial aid available to all applicants, including international students
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 cycle ran online June 15th to 26th and residentially July 19th to 31
Application deadline: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 deadline was February 6th
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students worldwide; open to international students

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Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week program, offered either online or residentially on Stanford’s campus, hosted by Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies, designed to give 9th-grade students a research-level introduction to AI. You’ll work in small groups on real research projects led by graduate students and postdocs in Computer Science and AI. 

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Past projects have included building machine learning pipelines to identify poverty-stricken regions from satellite imagery, developing computer vision systems that recognize and sort objects, and creating NLP tools to analyze communications during disaster scenarios. You’ll choose a research focus area from Computer Vision, Medical AI, Natural Language Processing, or Robotics, each grounded in real applications and mentored by practitioners from the Stanford AI Lab and industry. Guest lectures, live demos with AI companies, and career workshops round out the experience.

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Why it stands out: You’re not learning about AI in theory; you’re working on a real research project with Stanford graduate students and faculty, with both online and on-campus formats to choose from.

11. NYU Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS)

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free (full scholarship)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 session ran July 13th to August 7th
Application deadline: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 deadline was May 15th
Eligibility: Students currently in 10th or 11th grade living in specific New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey areas; not open to international students

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CS4CS is a four-week program at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering that treats cybersecurity as a computer science skill set first. NYU faculty and graduate students teach the sessions, with topics that include digital forensics, steganography, white-hat hacking, and cryptography, plus security-focused scripting and Capture the Flag competitions. No background in computer science or cybersecurity is required, so you start from the fundamentals rather than assuming you already code. 

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The program is limited to students in specific New York City and Long Island rail corridors and a defined set of New Jersey counties, so check the current eligibility map before you apply. Tuition is fully covered through support from The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, and the program says it aims to widen access for women and minorities underrepresented in STEM.

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Why it stands out: It’s fully funded and taught by NYU faculty and graduate students, helping you test cybersecurity as a field without paying for a pre-college course.

12. Cyber Ops: Hack, Defend, Secure

Location: Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech), Klamath Falls, OR
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 30 students across the middle and high school camps
Program dates: Not yet announced for 2027; the 2026 camp ran June 22nd to 24
Application deadline: Not yet announced
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 to 12; international eligibility not specified

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Oregon Tech is a public polytechnic university, and this short camp puts you on its Klamath Falls campus for three days of applied cybersecurity. You’ll work through cybercrime scenarios, learn ethical hacking techniques, and see how digital forensics is used to trace what happened after an incident. 

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Capture the Flag challenges run on real cybersecurity tools, which is the same format used in student and professional competitions. You’ll also earn an industry-recognized cybersecurity credential by the end of the camp. Three days is a light commitment compared with most programs on this list, so it works as a first look rather than a deep dive.

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Why it stands out: It pairs a Capture the Flag challenge with an industry-recognized credential, helping you leave a three-day camp with something concrete for a resume.

13. NSA Student Programs

Location: National Security Agency (various U.S. locations)
Cost/Stipend: Paid internships and scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Program dates: Vary by programme; summer internships typically run 12 weeks
Application deadline: Varies by programme; recent cycles have accepted applications in the fall
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; U.S. citizenship required; not open to international students

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The NSA’s student programs offer some of the most direct government exposure to cybersecurity available to students. Through paid internships and scholarship pathways, like the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program and the High School Work Study Program, you can work alongside professionals on national security, cybersecurity, and analytical challenges. 

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This gives you a look at technical and policy work inside a major federal agency, an environment you can’t replicate at a typical camp. Positions are highly selective and require U.S. citizenship, along with a security screening process. If you’re considering a public-sector or defense-oriented cybersecurity career, exploring these programs early helps you understand what that path involves.

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Why it stands out: It offers rare, direct exposure to cybersecurity and analytical work inside a major federal agency, spanning both technical and policy career paths.

14. GenCyber Camp - Grand Canyon University

Location: Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: More than 30 students in recent cohorts
Program dates: Last confirmed cycle ran in June 2025; later dates not yet posted
Application deadline: Not yet posted
Eligibility: High school students; international eligibility not specified

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Hosted at GCU’s Cyber Center of Excellence, this camp is designed to introduce high school students to a potential future in cybersecurity. Instructors mix in different resources and read the room, adapting exercises to the group’s needs and skill levels. You’ll work through applied exercises, including discussions of hacking and how attacks actually work, guided by GCU’s Cyber Center program staff. 

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GCU’s own student workers help develop and run the lessons, so you learn alongside near-peers as well as staff. The camp keeps its content current with the fast-changing worlds of AI and cybersecurity, which is useful given how quickly the field moves.

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Why it stands out: Run out of a dedicated Cyber Center of Excellence, it keeps pace with fast-moving AI and cybersecurity developments and adapts to each cohort’s level.

15. TryEngineering Summer Institute - Cybersecurity High School Summer Program

Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Cost: $4,295
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Program dates: June 12th to 20th, or June 24th to July 2nd
Application deadline: Varies; check the program’s registration page
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 to 17; international eligibility not specified

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The IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute offers a residential cybersecurity track for high school students at university campuses. The curriculum introduces concepts such as data privacy, cryptography, and network security through project-based activities. 

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You’ll also examine how ethical hackers identify vulnerabilities and why defensive security practices matter. The residential format lets you experience campus living alongside your technical coursework. The institute’s engineering focus can help you explore how cybersecurity relates to computer science and other technical disciplines.

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Why it stands out: Backed by IEEE’s global engineering network, its residential, project-based format combines rigorous cybersecurity training with genuine university-campus living.

Frequently asked questions: Cybersecurity Camps for High School Students

What is a GenCyber camp?

A GenCyber camp is a cybersecurity program funded jointly by the National Security Agency and the National Science Foundation, and most of the camps on this list carry that name. These camps run through university cybersecurity centers, cost nothing to attend, and follow a shared framework built around six core cybersecurity concepts. You’ll typically spend a week on campus working through labs on encryption, network security, and ethical hacking, often finishing with a team competition. The GenCyber name doesn’t guarantee a specific curriculum though, since each host university designs its own week around those shared goals.

Do you need coding experience to attend a high school cybersecurity camp?

No prior coding or cybersecurity experience is required for most of the camps on this list, and several explicitly welcome complete beginners. Programs like Baylor’s camp and Oregon Tech’s Cyber Ops camp are built around introductory labs that assume no background, teaching core concepts like network security and ethical hacking from scratch. A handful of selective or research-based options, including NYU’s CS4CS and Stanford AI4ALL, look more at your academic record and interest than any existing technical skill. If a program does expect prior experience, it’s usually for an advanced track rather than the standard entry point.

What’s the difference between a free cybersecurity camp and a paid one like TryEngineering’s program?

Free camps are almost always funded by the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation through the GenCyber program, which covers tuition, meals, and sometimes housing. Paid programs, like the $4,295 TryEngineering Summer Institute at Georgetown, charge for a fuller residential college experience, including dorm life, campus dining, and extras like FBI and Capitol Hill tours. The trade-off is mostly about access and polish rather than teaching quality, since both formats cover similar cybersecurity fundamentals. Your budget and whether you want a campus-life preview should drive the choice more than price alone.

Can international students attend a cybersecurity camp in the US?

Some can, but many of the US campus camps on this list are restricted to residents of a specific city, county, or state, since they’re funded to serve a local community. Programs like NYU’s CS4CS and the Pittsburgh and Las Vegas GenCyber camps only accept students from their immediate area, so check each program’s eligibility section before you apply. If you’re looking for an option built for international applicants, Immerse Education’s Online Research pathway is fully remote and open to students aged 13 to 18 anywhere in the world.

Will a cybersecurity camp help with college admissions?

A cybersecurity camp can strengthen a college application by giving you a specific project, credential, or story to point to, though it works best alongside strong grades and test scores. Selective programs like Stanford AI4ALL carry weight partly because admission itself signals initiative, while Oregon Tech’s three-day Cyber Ops camp sends you home with an industry-recognized credential to list on an application. Research-based options, including Immerse Education’s Online Research pathway, give you a finished paper and written evaluation to discuss in an essay or interview. Treat the camp as one part of a broader application, not a guaranteed boost by itself.

What careers can a background in cybersecurity lead to?

A cybersecurity background opens doors well beyond defensive network roles, since the field touches digital forensics, cryptography, policy, and artificial intelligence security work. Camps on this list expose you to different angles of the field, from the NSA’s own student programs pointing toward government work to CyberAI at San Jose State blending cybersecurity with AI research. Guest speakers at programs like Pittsburgh’s CyberCamp have included a corporate cybersecurity director and a cyber risk consultant, showing how broadly the skill set applies beyond government work. Exploring a few different formats early can help you figure out which of these directions actually appeals to you.

Ready to explore a cybersecurity career path?

Cybersecurity camps for high school students give you a low-stakes way to test whether this field actually fits your interests and strengths.

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Trying different formats, from campus labs to research-based tutorials, helps you notice whether you prefer guided exercises or working independently toward a bigger project.

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Comparing eligibility, cost, and deadlines early gives you time to apply broadly, since several programs accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year.

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For more direction on where a tech-focused summer could lead, browse our Career Exploration blogs and keep building your path forward.