10 Resources to Support Your Programming Project Ideas in High School
In today’s fast-paced technology landscape, a solid foundation in programming is no longer just an advantage—it’s a necessity for high school students looking to stand out. Whether they’re developing mobile apps, designing websites, or working on cutting-edge AI, coding projects offer students the chance to hone their problem-solving skills, unleash their creativity, and master technical concepts that are crucial in the digital age.
Below, we’ve rounded up 10 invaluable resources that will help high school students bring their programming projects to life, whether they’re just getting started or looking to expand their programming knowledge.
Format: Completely virtual
Eligibility: High school students worldwide
Cost: Prices vary depending on project scope (scholarships available)
Program Dates: 2024 cohorts available throughout the year
Veritas AI programs provide high school students with an opportunity to learn artificial intelligence concepts while working on a self-directed programming project. Each student is paired with a dedicated mentor, who offers one-on-one guidance throughout the entire process, from brainstorming ideas to completing the final project.
The program’s flexible structure allows students to explore their interests, from AI-driven chatbots to advanced machine learning models.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Format: Virtual research mentorship
Eligibility: High school students globally
Cost: Full financial aid available
Project Types: Original research in programming, algorithms, computer science
Length: 3-6 months
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers high school students a unique opportunity to engage in independent research projects. Participants work closely with PhD mentors to design and execute projects in various fields, including computer science and programming. These projects often culminate in a formal research paper or presentation that students can submit to conferences or science fairs.
Lumiere provides a blend of mentorship, research experience, and independent project development. Students can tackle advanced projects, such as creating algorithms, developing new software, or investigating programming theories, all while being guided by experts in the field. This experience not only enhances academic profiles but also opens doors to further research opportunities!
Format: Online, collaborative
Eligibility: Free for students with a .edu email address
Cost: Free with Student Developer Pack
Key Features: Collaboration, version control, and access to premium developer tools
Project Types: Software development, collaborative coding projects
GitHub is the largest platform for developers to collaborate, host, and manage code repositories. Through the GitHub Student Developer Pack, high school students get free access to premium tools like AWS, JetBrains, and Canva, in addition to GitHub’s core features. With these tools, students can collaborate with others on projects, manage their codebase, and develop software with real-world implications.
GitHub is essential for students looking to create substantial coding projects, either individually or as part of a team. It allows for version control, making it easy to track changes in code over time, and gives students access to professional development environments. Additionally, students can showcase their finished projects on GitHub, a portfolio platform many college admissions officers and potential employers recognize!
Format: Online competition
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 globally
Cost: Free to participate
Deadlines: Typically open for submissions in January; final projects are due by late summer
Project Types: Tech-driven solutions for real-world problems (AI, apps, automation)
Google Science Fair is an international competition for students aged 13-18, where participants can submit science and technology projects. Participants are required to delve into a real-world problem and use technology to propose a solution. Coding projects involving AI, app development, or automation often shine in this competition, which offers substantial scholarships and mentorship opportunities.
The competition challenges students to think critically about pressing world issues and create technological solutions. Participating in such a prestigious competition can elevate a student’s portfolio and even boost their visibility in the academic community!
5. CodeDay
Format: In-person, 24-hour hackathon
Eligibility: Open to high school and college students
Cost: Participation fees vary by location
Project Types: Apps, games, websites, tools
CodeDay is a nationwide series of 24-hour events where students of all levels come together to build apps, games, and other coding projects. Participants work in teams to brainstorm, code, and present their projects. While it’s a short event, CodeDay offers students a chance to get hands-on experience working with a team to complete a project in a condensed time frame.
CodeDay is great for students who thrive under deadlines and enjoy working in teams. The intensive format forces students to think creatively and execute projects quickly, which can be a fun challenge and a great way to make friends in the coding community.
6. Intel ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair)
Format: Annual competition (virtual and in-person components)
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9-12)
Cost: Varies by local/regional fair participation
Project Types: Independent research projects (e.g., AI, automation, software development)
Application Deadline: Regional competition deadlines vary
Intel ISEF is the world's largest international pre-college science competition, where students present their independent research. In this competition, students can develop programming projects that address real-world problems and compete for awards and scholarships.
ISEF provides a prestigious platform for students to showcase their programming projects. Competing in ISEF can significantly boost college applications, as the fair is well-regarded by universities and offers substantial scholarship opportunities.
7. Coursera Specializations in Computer Science
Format: Online, self-paced
Eligibility: Open to all
Cost: Free to audit; certificates available for a fee
Project Types: Capstone projects in web development, AI, data structures
Duration: Typically 6-12 months
Coursera offers a wide array of specializations in computer science from top universities like Stanford and Duke. High school students can access courses for free (auditing) or pay to receive a certificate. These specializations cover topics such as programming languages, software development, data structures, and AI. Students often work on projects as part of the course, giving them hands-on experience.
Students looking for a structured learning experience with recognized credentials can benefit from Coursera’s offerings. Many specializations require students to complete a capstone project, providing an opportunity to showcase what they've learned in a tangible way.
8. Hack Club
Format: In-person or online, club-based
Eligibility: High school students
Cost: Free
Project Types: Independent or group coding projects, hackathons
Duration: Ongoing, year-round
Hack Club is a global community of high school hackers and coders who meet regularly to work on projects, solve coding challenges, and host hackathons. Students can either join existing Hack Clubs or start one at their school.
The club also provides access to resources like coding tutorials, project ideas, and hackathon materials. Participating in this club is a great way to showcase initiative (if a student opts to create their own), and will also provide you with a collaborative environment.
Format: Online, self-paced
Eligibility: Open to all
Cost: Free
Project Types: Algorithmic challenges, computational problem solving
Duration: Flexible
Project Euler is an online platform that presents mathematical challenges that require programming solutions. The problems range from simple tasks to more complex challenges, requiring students to write code that solves mathematical puzzles or computational problems. Each problem can be solved using a variety of programming languages, and students are encouraged to explore efficient coding techniques.
For students interested in both mathematics and coding, Project Euler offers a unique platform to test and enhance their programming skills. Completing problems on Project Euler is a great way to strengthen algorithmic thinking, which is valuable for competitive programming and more advanced coding projects.
10. Major League Hacking (MLH) Fellowship
Format: Virtual, cohort-based
Eligibility: High school and college students
Cost: Free
Project Types: Open-source software development
Duration: 12 weeks, multiple cohorts throughout the year
The MLH Fellowship is a hands-on program that connects high school and college students with open-source projects. Participants work on real-world coding problems while receiving mentorship from industry experts. The fellowship is designed to improve students' coding skills while also teaching them how to collaborate on large-scale projects.
It is a great resource for students looking to apply their coding knowledge to open-source projects while building a portfolio. Working on open-source projects is not only great for experience but also provides a tangible result that can be shared on resumes and college applications.
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from.
You can find the application link here.
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI is founded by Harvard graduate students. Through the programs, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
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