15 Programming Courses for High School Students

Programming is at the heart of everything from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to app development and scientific research. A programming course for high school students offers an opportunity to move beyond learning syntax and explore how computer scientists approach real-world challenges through logic, creativity, and problem-solving.

Throughout the program, students work with widely used programming languages, development tools, algorithms, data structures, and software design principles while building projects that strengthen their technical and analytical abilities. By learning from experienced instructors, you develop an advanced skill set while gaining meaningful exposure to academic learning in a university environment.

Designed to mirror the pace, expectations, and collaborative nature of undergraduate learning, these courses allow you to explore programming in an engaging setting while building confidence in your technical capabilities. Programming programs can act as a foundation for your college journey, giving you a taste of what university life is like at a top institution, in person.

What kind of programming courses are available for high school students?

As a high school student, you can find programming courses that introduce you to coding fundamentals as well as more advanced areas of computer science. You may study languages such as Python, Java, C++, or JavaScript while learning about variables, loops, functions, algorithms, and basic data structures.

Depending on the course, you can build websites, create apps or games, analyze data, or work on introductory artificial intelligence and machine learning projects. Some programs also cover cybersecurity, robotics, or competitive programming. Through coding exercises and hands-on projects, you learn to write, test, debug, and improve programs. These courses help you develop programming ability, computational thinking, logical reasoning, and practical problem-solving skills.

To help you with your search, we have listed below 15 programming courses for high school students.

For adjacent opportunities, consider the online AI program.

Key Takeaways

• Costs range from free programs, including Stanford’s Code in Place and Carnegie Mellon’s CS Scholars and AI Scholars, to $15,735 for Harvard Summer School’s residential courses.
• Several Carnegie Mellon and Columbia SHAPE programs are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are not open to international students.
• Programming languages taught vary by course, including Snap! at UC Berkeley, Python at Stanford and Columbia, Java at Harvard, C# and Unity at NYU, and R at Fred Hutch Cancer Center.
• Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s Coding for Cancer program pairs computational biology instruction with a $1,000 stipend for selected students.
• Columbia Engineering’s SHAPE programs offer three distinct courses, covering robotics, introductory Python, and data structures and algorithms, each running for three weeks.
• Application deadlines span from early February for Carnegie Mellon and Stanford AI4ALL to rolling admissions for Stanford’s Code in Place and NYU’s Coding for Game Design program.
• Need-based financial aid is available at Harvard, Columbia, Babson-adjacent programs, and Stanford AI4ALL, with the latter open to both domestic and international applicants.
• Immerse Education’s Coding Summer School in Cambridge places students aged 13 to 18 in small classes of 7 to 10 with tutors from universities including Oxford and Cambridge.

15 Programming Courses for High School Students

1. University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley Summer Computer Science Academy — Non-Credit Track

Location: Berkeley, California
Cost: $5,197 + $25 application fee; no formal financial aid offered, one NSHSS scholarship available for this track
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; cohort size not stated
Dates: June 21 – July 3
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Ages 16–17, turning 16 by June 21; completed 10th or 11th grade and continuing high school the following fall; overall B average (3.0) in high school coursework; own health insurance coverage; open to international students

In this program, you spend two weeks coding on the UC Berkeley campus with no prior experience required. The curriculum comes from CS10: The Beauty and Joy of Computing, the introductory course Berkeley undergraduates take, developed by Teaching Professor Dan Garcia. You program daily in Snap!, a blocks-based language, working through abstraction, functions, Boolean logic, algorithms, lists, higher-order functions, and recursion.

You also design and build your own coding project and study artificial intelligence, including supervised machine learning, reinforcement learning and generative AI. The two weeks end with a Code Celebration where Berkeley computer science faculty give feedback on your project. You live in Bowles Hall throughout, supervised by undergraduate resident assistants and mentors.

Why it stands out: It puts complete beginners through the same Beauty and Joy of Computing curriculum Berkeley’s own undergraduates take, ending with their self-designed projects reviewed by Berkeley computer science faculty.

2. Immerse Education’s Coding Summer School

Location: Cambridge
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 7–10 students per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts; rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 worldwide

The Academic Insights program allows you to experience university life while building foundational coding skills through small-group instruction led by tutors from leading institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge. You will explore core programming concepts, computational thinking, and problem-solving techniques while applying them to practical exercises and guided projects.

Depending on your track, you may engage with topics such as Python programming, algorithms, software development, or data-driven applications. The course emphasizes experiential learning, encouraging you to write code, debug programs, and understand how technical systems operate in real-world contexts. Living on campus further helps you understand the independence and academic expectations associated with university study while connecting with a global peer network.

By the end of the program, you will complete a personal project, receive individualized feedback, and earn a certificate of completion. This program offers a realistic preview of studying computer science at the university level while helping you evaluate whether coding aligns with your long-term academic goals. You can find more details about the application here.

Why it stands out: You learn in small, discussion-driven classes while living on campus, gaining an experience that closely reflects undergraduate computer science education.

3. Harvard Summer School – Intensive Introduction to Computer Science and Data Structures (CSCI S-111)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cost: $8,160 commuting or $15,735 residential; $75 application fee; financial aid available to eligible U.S. applicants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: Regular: February 11; international on-campus: March 24; late: April 1 or earlier if waitlists filled
Eligibility: High school graduates entering college in this or the next two years; age 16 by June 20 and under 19 before July 31; familiarity with precalculus open to international students

In this course, you take a fast-paced, eight-credit introduction to programming and data structures using Java. You work through programming exercises and written problem sets covering data types, conditionals, iteration, recursion, object-oriented programming, files, and arrays.

You then implement lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs and study algorithms for sorting, searching, text compression, and efficiency analysis. Problem sets require at least 20 hours weekly, giving you sustained practice in coding, debugging, algorithmic thinking, and structured problem solving. The course covers AP Computer Science A topics but extends into material normally taught in the second or third semester of college computer science.

Why it stands out: It gives qualified high school students access, by petition, to an intensive Harvard course that progresses from foundational Java programming into college-level data structures and algorithm analysis.

4. Leland Stanford Junior University – Code in Place

Location: Online
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open / Selective based on capacity; typically 10,000 to 12,000 students per cohort
Dates: April – May, 6 weeks
Application Deadline: Typically the first week of April
Eligibility: All high school students; open to international students

Code in Place is an online Python course offered by Stanford University and based on the introductory concepts taught in CS106A. Over six weeks, you will learn core programming topics such as variables, conditionals, loops, functions, lists, dictionaries, and basic graphics before applying them in a final programming project of your own.

Alongside the coursework, you will meet regularly in a small discussion section led by a trained volunteer instructor, providing opportunities to ask questions, review concepts, and receive guidance as you progress. Once you complete the course, your final projects are showcased on the program’s website, allowing you to share your work with others.

Why it stands out: You will learn in a small-group setting with regular instructor support throughout the course.

5. Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College Programs – Computer Science Scholars

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 20–60 students per year
Dates: June 20  –  July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Students entering 11th grade (current 10th graders), at least 16 years old by June 20, U.S. citizens or permanent residents; not open to international students

Carnegie Mellon University’s Computer Science Scholars (CS Scholars) is a pre-college summer program that introduces you to university-level computer science and mathematics through a combination of coursework and project-based learning. Throughout the program, you will participate in classes, lectures, and seminars while exploring campus research laboratories and other computing facilities.

Working in small teams, you will apply programming concepts to research-oriented projects with support from faculty members, graduate students, and program staff. The program concludes with a symposium where you and your team present the outcomes of your work. In addition to the academic component, you will take part in college preparation sessions and organised weekend activities that introduce you to campus life and the surrounding city.

Why it stands out: You will combine university-level coursework with collaborative research projects in an on-campus setting.

6. Harvard Summer School – Introduction to Computer Science with Python (CSCI S-7)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cost: $8,160 commuting or $15,735 residential; $75 application fee; financial aid available to eligible U.S. applicants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: Regular: February 11; international on-campus: March 24; late: April 1 or earlier if waitlists filled
Eligibility: High school graduates entering college in 2026, 2027, or 2028; age 16 by June 20 and under 19 before July 31; familiarity with precalculus; open to international students

In this course, you take a fast-paced, eight-credit introduction to programming and data structures using Java. You work through programming exercises and written problem sets covering data types, conditionals, iteration, recursion, object-oriented programming, files, and arrays.

You then implement lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs and study algorithms for sorting, searching, text compression, and efficiency analysis. Problem sets require at least 20 hours weekly, giving you sustained practice in coding, debugging, algorithmic thinking, and structured problem solving. The course covers AP Computer Science A topics but extends into material normally taught in the second or third semester of college computer science.

Why it stands out: It gives qualified high school students access, by petition, to an intensive Harvard course that progresses from foundational Java programming into college-level data structures and algorithm analysis.

7. Carnegie Mellon University: AI Scholars

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size varies yearly
Dates: June 20  –  July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising seniors (current juniors), at least 16 by start date, U.S. citizens or DACA/permanent residents; not open to international students

Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Scholars program is a four-week residential summer program that introduces you to artificial intelligence through university-level coursework, programming, and research. Before the program begins, you will complete an online Python course to build the programming foundation needed for the on-campus experience.

During the program, you will participate in coding labs, collaborate with other students on project work, and contribute to research activities under the guidance of faculty and mentors. You will also attend sessions covering college preparation, mentoring, AI ethics, and career pathways, with some cohorts including visits to organisations working in technology and related fields.

Why it stands out: You will prepare with online coursework before applying your skills to research and collaborative projects on campus.

8. Columbia Engineering – SHAPE — Moving Forward: Walking Robots

Location: New York, New York
Cost: $6,241 commuter or $11,492 residential + $50 application fee; full need-based scholarships are available to domestic students only
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 25 per class
Dates: Session 1: July 6–24; Session 2: July 27 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 2

Eligibility: Current high school students, freshmen through seniors, for the commuter option; age 16 or above on the first program day for the residential option; one course per three-week session; compliance with Columbia University’s public health and immunization requirements; open to international students

In this course, you spend three weeks at Columbia Engineering designing, building, and controlling a walking quadrupedal robot of your own creation. You begin by sketching like an engineer and turning those sketches into computerized 3D models, then bring the design into the physical world with 3D printing in Columbia’s MakerSpace.

You then attach motors and program the robot in the Arduino language, coding different walking motions so it can explore its surroundings. The course is pitched at students who already have robotics experience and serves as a high-level overview of modern legged robotics. Your day mixes faculty-led class, lab time, and project blocks, plus an elective, workshops, and college-preparation sessions.

Why it stands out: It takes you through a legged robot end to end — engineering sketch, 3D-printed body, motors, and your own Arduino-coded walking gaits — in a course taught by Columbia Engineering faculty.

9. NYU Steinhardt / CREATE – Coding for Game Design High School Summer Program

Location: Brooklyn, New York
Cost: $3,045 + $50 application fee; need-based tuition scholarships are available for eligible New York commuter students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: Session 1: July 6–17; Session 2: July 27 – August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students entering sophomore, junior, or senior year in Fall; intermediate coding and programming knowledge; preferably one formal coding class with B+ or higher; open to international students

In this program, you learn game design while strengthening your programming skills through C# and Unity scripting. You work independently and in teams to build 2D Unity games, complete coding lessons, debug projects, and develop a final game for the end-of-program showcase.

Currently, the course has added a workshop on using generative AI effectively and ethically in game development while keeping coding fundamentals at the center of the curriculum. You also study mechanics, dynamics, rules, aesthetics, level design, and audio design. By combining coding, iterative development, debugging, and collaboration, you gain practical experience with Unity workflows and professional-style game production.

Why it stands out: It combines hands-on C# and Unity game development with team-based production, expert debugging, and a new generative-AI workshop.

10. Columbia Engineering – SHAPE — Introduction to Computer Programming

Location: New York City, New York
Cost: $6,241 commuter or $11,492 residential per session, plus a $50 application fee after the priority deadline; need-based scholarships are available to domestic students only
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; average class size 25
Dates: July 6–24, 2026 (Session 1 only)
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: All current high school students, freshmen through seniors, for the commuter option; age 16 or above for the residential option; compliance with Columbia University public health and immunization requirements; open to international students

In this course, you learn computer science fundamentals in Python across three weeks of college-level instruction taught by Columbia Engineering faculty. You work through variables, loops, data types, lists, dictionaries, functions, recursion, file handling, and object-oriented programming, then apply them to linear and binary search and basic algorithm design.

You build a working Minesweeper game in a team, adding a graphical user interface and debugging exceptions as you go. You sharpen algorithmic thinking on problems that may extend into machine learning or web development according to class interest. Daily labs, project time, an elective, MakerSpace access and college-preparation workshops round out your schedule.

Why it stands out: It pairs a beginner-friendly Python curriculum taught by Columbia Engineering faculty with a team-built Minesweeper game project, and offers need-based scholarships covering full tuition and fees.

11. Columbia Engineering – SHAPE — Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms

Location: New York, New York
Cost: $6,241 commuter total for the session ($5,776 program cost plus $135 lab, $115 course materials, $115 health and $100 activity fees); $50 application fee; limited need-based scholarships are available to domestic students only
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 25 students per class|
Dates: July 27 – August 14 (Session 2 only)
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: All current high school students, freshmen to seniors, for the commuter option; familiarity with programming expected before starting this course; compliance with Columbia University’s public health requirements; open to international students

In this program, you build on programming you already know across three accelerated weeks at Columbia Engineering, taught by Columbia faculty. You work through searching, recursion, lists, stacks, queues, trees, sorting, graph algorithms, and dynamic programming, and you measure efficiency using big-O, Theta, and Omega notation.

You implement every solution in Python, so the theory stays tied to code you write and test yourself. In team lab sessions, you choose and solve a problem on an online judge such as HackerRank, SPOJ, or URI Online Judge, then present your approach to the class. Daily professor-led classes, lab time, electives, workshops and Makerspace access round out the session.

Why it stands out: It takes students who can already code and pushes them into the efficiency-and-complexity core of computer science, closing with a team-solved online-judge problem of the kind used in technical interviews.

12. Fred Hutch Cancer Center – Coding For Cancer

Location: Virtual
Cost: No cost / $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20 students
Dates: July 27 –  August 21
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders; preference for Washington State residents; not open to international students

Coding for Cancer is a virtual program offered by Fred Hutch Cancer Center that introduces you to how computational methods are used in cancer research. In the first phase, you will learn basic concepts in computational biology, take part in group activities, and begin working with the R programming language while engaging with computational biologists.

In the second phase, you will apply what you have learned to an individual research project, working under the guidance of researchers in the field. The program concludes with recognition of completion and may include a stipend.

Why it stands out: You move from learning foundational tools to completing an individual research project in computational cancer science.

13. Columbia University Pre-College Programs – Introduction to Programming with Python

Location: New York City, New York
Cost: $6,381 commuter or $12,838 residential; $80 application fee; need-based aid available to eligible U.S. permanent residents in commuter program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: June 29 – July 17
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising 9th through current 12th grade students; no previous programming experience required; logical reasoning aptitude expected; residential participants age 15+; open to international students

In this program, you learn core Python programming through interactive, real-world applications designed for beginners. You work with data representation and storage, data structures, functions, scripts, and established programming practices while building a foundation for solving new problems with code.

The course alternates between guided instruction, collaborative exercises, and independent coding challenges, giving you repeated practice applying programming concepts. You also strengthen logical thinking and problem-solving skills that prepare you for further study in computer science, AI, and related fields. You use your own Mac or PC for coursework, while no previous programming experience is required.

Why it stands out: It combines beginner-friendly Python instruction with collaborative exercises and independent coding challenges in an intensive three-week Columbia Pre-College course.

14. Columbia University Pre-College Programs – Introduction to AI: Search Algorithms

Location: New York, NY
Cost: $12,837 residential program cost and $80 application fee; limited financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: June 29 – July 17
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th-grade students; strong programming background; open to international students

In the Introduction to AI: Search Algorithms course, you will explore core artificial intelligence techniques and how they contrast with classical computational methods. You will begin with foundational AI history before focusing on powerful optimization and probabilistic strategies to evaluate different search methods.

Throughout the course, you will tackle well-known computational challenges, such as the N-Queens problem, the Knapsack problem, and chess algorithms. You will regularly complete challenging coding assignments that require you to apply your existing object-oriented programming knowledge to new theoretical concepts. By the end of the course, you will leverage Python and Java to build fully functioning programs that demonstrate tradeoffs between various search strategies.

Why it stands out: It challenges high school students to apply university-level probabilistic and optimization search strategies to classic computational problems through intensive, hands-on programming in both Python and Java.

15. Stanford AI4ALL

Location: Online or Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Online: $4,120; Residential: $9,800; need-based financial aid available to both domestic and international participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort sizes
Dates: Online: June 15 – 26; Residential: July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grade 9 at the time of application submission; aged over 14 and under 16 during the program dates; open to international students

Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week program hosted by the Stanford Human-Centered AI Lab that introduces you to core concepts in artificial intelligence. During the program, you will take part in guided projects in areas such as medical AI, computer vision, robotics, and natural language processing.

You will attend lectures from Stanford faculty in computer science and related fields, and work alongside graduate students and researchers in structured learning and project sessions. The program also includes discussions on AI careers and may include visits to technology companies to observe how AI is applied in practice.

Why it stands out: You engage with introductory AI concepts through short, structured projects supported by Stanford researchers and faculty.

Frequently asked questions: Programming Courses for High School Students

What is the best programming course for a complete beginner in high school?

UC Berkeley’s Summer Computer Science Academy Non-Credit Track requires no prior experience and teaches through Snap!, a blocks-based language, before moving into abstraction, algorithms, and basic AI concepts. Stanford’s Code in Place is another strong beginner option, since it’s free, online, and introduces Python fundamentals with small discussion sections led by trained volunteers. Students who want an in-person, beginner-friendly Python course with mentorship can also consider Immerse Education’s Coding Summer School in Cambridge.

Are there free programming courses for high school students?

Yes. Stanford’s Code in Place is a free six-week online Python course open to all high school students, and Carnegie Mellon’s CS Scholars and AI Scholars programs carry no cost but are limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s Coding for Cancer program is also free and includes a $1,000 stipend, though it prioritizes Washington State residents and isn’t open to international applicants.

Can international students take programming courses in the US over the summer?

Many are open to international students, including UC Berkeley’s Summer Computer Science Academy, Harvard’s CSCI S-111 and CSCI S-7 courses, Columbia’s SHAPE and Pre-College programs, and Stanford AI4ALL. Carnegie Mellon’s CS Scholars and AI Scholars programs are notable exceptions, restricted to U.S. citizens, DACA recipients, or permanent residents. International applicants should also check for separate, often earlier, application deadlines.

What programming language should a high school student learn first?

Python is the most common starting language across these programs, taught at Stanford, Columbia, and within Immerse Education’s Coding Summer School, largely because its syntax is considered approachable for beginners. Students interested in object-oriented programming and data structures at a faster pace might consider Harvard’s Java-based CSCI S-111 or CSCI S-7 courses instead. The right choice depends on whether a student wants a gentler introduction or a more intensive, college-level pace.

Which programming courses focus on artificial intelligence?

Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars program, Columbia’s Introduction to AI: Search Algorithms, and Stanford AI4ALL all center specifically on AI concepts, ranging from search and optimization strategies to medical AI and computer vision applications. UC Berkeley’s Summer Computer Science Academy also incorporates AI topics, including supervised machine learning and generative AI, alongside its broader curriculum. Students should note that some, like Columbia’s AI course, expect a strong existing programming background.

How selective are summer programming courses for high school students?

Selectivity varies significantly. Carnegie Mellon’s CS Scholars and AI Scholars programs admit as few as 20 to 60 students per year, while Stanford’s Code in Place accepts an open cohort of 10,000 to 12,000 students. Columbia’s SHAPE programs cap classes at around 25 students each, and Immerse Education’s Coding Summer School keeps a similarly small class size of 7 to 10 students to maintain close, discussion-based instruction.

Code today, applications tomorrow

Choosing among these programming courses for high school students gives you real, hands-on experience building and debugging actual projects.

Once the course ends, you can turn that technical experience into a clearer sense of your academic and career direction.

The coding skills, project work, and analytical thinking you built become a strong foundation for stronger university applications ahead.

Keep building on what you started with this course by exploring our University Preparation blogs for guidance on your next steps.

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