10 University AI Courses for High School Students
University-level courses for high school students offer a valuable opportunity for academic and personal growth. These programs allow you to explore advanced topics, work with experienced educators, and access cutting-edge resources. Whether you're passionate about a particular field or looking to discover new interests, these courses provide a glimpse into collegiate academics, helping you deepen your knowledge and refine your career goals.
In addition, participating in such programs demonstrates initiative, curiosity, and a commitment to learning—qualities that college admissions officers value. Completing university courses can strengthen your college application and provide you with the skills, confidence, and experience to succeed in challenging academic environments. If you're ready to take your education further, we’ve curated a list of 10 University AI Courses for High School Students, offering a great starting point for your academic journey.
1. AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp by Stanford University
Location: Virtual
Cost: $850 participation fee + $40 application fee
Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
Program Dates: June 16 - 27, 2025 (tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9-12 in Fall 2025, must be over the age of 14 by the start of the program
Stanford’s AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp is a two-week virtual program designed for high school students of all technical levels, exploring the transformative potential of machine learning in healthcare. Through interactive online modules, group discussions, and breakout activities, you will learn the core principles and applications of machine learning in healthcare settings.
Key topics include foundational concepts, evaluation metrics, challenges, and strategies for implementing machine learning in healthcare. You will also explore emerging areas like generative AI and foundation models, providing you with valuable insights to begin your journey in this rapidly evolving field.
2. NYU Tandon School of Engineering - Machine Learning
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $3,050
Application Deadline: April 21, 2025
Dates:
Session One: June 16 – June 27, 2025
Session Two: July 7 – July 18, 2025
Session Three: July 28 – August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Students who are 14+ years old on the day the program begins (minimum 15 years old for housing), have completed Algebra 2 or equivalent, and have some programming experience.
NYU Tandon's summer program for Machine Learning offers high school students a comprehensive introduction to the principles of computer science, data analysis, and the mathematical techniques behind machine learning and artificial intelligence. You will explore technologies like autonomous vehicles, video and image recognition, and diagnostic medical tools, while also gaining insight into their impact on daily life. Participants are expected to have prior programming experience and foundational math skills, including Algebra 2 and Trigonometry.
Through hands-on coursework, you’ll explore model development, linear regression, and neural networks, applying logic and mathematics to teach computer tasks. The program emphasizes engineering problem-solving and examines how machine learning addresses critical societal challenges.
3. Columbia University Pre-College NYC Residential Summer
Location: Columbia University, New York City, NY
Cost: $12,750 per session (includes a non-refundable $3,500 deposit)
Application Deadline: March 2, 2025
Dates:
Session A: June 30 – July 18, 2025
Session B: July 22 – August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Domestic and international students enrolled in grades 9–12 in Fall 2025, and students currently enrolled in grade 12, ages 16 and above by the start of the program.
Columbia University’s Pre-College NYC Residential Summer program offers over 70 courses across a wide range of subjects, encouraging critical and creative thinking under expert instructors. Residential students enjoy easy access to classes, campus resources, and engaging daily activities, including faculty lectures, college prep workshops, and wellness programs.
The Technology track offers courses like Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, AI, and Beyond, which explore the impact of blockchain, cryptocurrency, Fintech, and AI on finance, business, and social interactions. The Introduction to AI: Search Algorithms course covers classical AI techniques, optimization strategies, and programming challenges using Python and Java. Other courses in this track include Data Science and Machine Learning and Introduction to Programming with Python.
4. Columbia University Academic Year Weekend Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,810 per session. The program cost includes fees for the course, activity, health services, and technology fees. There is also an additional $500 non-refundable deposit required to secure a spot, which is credited toward the program cost. The application fee is $80, and students are advised to budget at least $50 for course materials like textbooks and supplies.
Application Deadline: December 5, 2024
Dates: Spring 2025: January 18 – March 23, 2025
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
The Academic Year Weekend Program offers 9th–12th graders the opportunity to explore over 20 diverse courses in an interactive virtual classroom over ten weekends. Students also benefit from enriching activities, virtual clubs, and personalized support through Digital Community Groups, fostering connections and preparing them for success in college and beyond.
The Technology track includes four courses that may interest students looking to explore Artificial Intelligence and programming: Data Science and Machine Learning 1 and 2 and Introduction to Programming with Python 1 and 2. These courses cover foundational concepts, providing hands-on experience in Python and popular algorithms, and equipping you with skills to analyze and present data effectively. The programming courses focus on developing advanced programming skills and applying mathematical techniques for impactful data analysis and visualization.
5. Summer@Brown
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: $2,816 - $9,870, depending on course length and residential options
Application Deadline: May 9, 2025
Dates: June 16 – July 25, 2025
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15, 2025
Summer@Brown offers high school students the chance to experience college life while exploring their academic passions in a vibrant, diverse community. Beyond the classroom, workshops, activities, and events provide opportunities to connect, develop independence, and gain essential skills. With no formal grades, this program focuses on curiosity-driven learning in a supportive environment.
The program includes courses like Artificial Intelligence: A Computational Account of Intelligence, which introduces AI fundamentals, mathematical foundations, and hands-on programming experience. Another course, Introduction to Neural Networks and the Philosophy of AI, explores how neural networks work, their applications in language processing, and philosophical considerations, offering both technical skills and critical perspectives.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,094 - $5,998, depending on the duration of the program
Application Deadline: May 9, 2025
Dates: June 16 – July 25, 2025
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15, 2025
Summer@Brown Online offers high school students a flexible opportunity to engage in rigorous learning experiences inspired by Brown University's Open Curriculum. With over 50 courses available in asynchronous, mostly asynchronous, or blended formats, you can explore your interests and connect with peers worldwide. In addition to personalized feedback, you can participate in workshops and activities that enhance your online learning journey.
The AI, Data Science, and Machine Learning course immerses students in analytics, programming, and AI applications. This hands-on course begins with foundational AI concepts and progresses to advanced data science and machine learning techniques. Students explore real-world business applications, learning how AI optimizes decision-making and strategy development. Through project-based learning, you’ll gain experience handling data, building predictive models, and understanding cutting-edge AI advancements shaping industries today.
7. Dartmouth Summer Scholars course on AI in Healthcare
Location: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Dates: June 29 – July 11, 2025
Eligibility: Current 9th, 10th, and 11th graders as of spring 2025 (ages 14–18)
Cost: $4,799 – $7,999, varying by program mode (residential, commuter, or hybrid)
Application Deadline: January 28, 2025
The Dartmouth Pre-College Summer Scholars Program offers high school students an immersive residential experience that combines rigorous academics with a vibrant campus life. Participants are selected through a competitive process and placed in courses that match their interests and academic readiness. Students also engage in co-curricular activities, workshops, and social events while exploring Dartmouth’s campus and the New England area.
One of the courses available is AI in Healthcare: Ethics and Applications. This course examines how Artificial Intelligence is transforming healthcare. You will work on hands-on projects, such as building tumor-detection image classifiers using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and analyzing Electronic Health Records (EHRs) with Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools like ChatGPT. The curriculum focuses on programming with Python, TensorFlow, and PyTorch while using real healthcare datasets. Ethical discussions on data privacy and bias reduction in AI models are also a key part of the course. By the end, you will have a solid understanding of AI’s role in healthcare, skills in diagnostics and predictive analytics, and strategies for developing ethical AI.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,000 (Financial aid is available)
Application Deadline: March 25, 2025 (Tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Dates: July 8 - 26, 2025 (Tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students (rising 10th graders in the summer)
Stanford’s AI4ALL program is a three-week virtual experience that introduces students to the world of Artificial Intelligence through engaging lectures, hands-on research, and personalized
mentoring. You’ll explore how AI is applied to solve real-world challenges across various fields while connecting with industry professionals.
You will collaborate with researchers from the Stanford AI Lab, gaining practical experience by working on innovative projects at the forefront of AI technology. Open to all 9th-grade students, the program seeks applicants with a strong academic foundation, a passion for STEM, and a demonstrated interest in problem-solving, mathematics, or community outreach.
9. Computer Science for Artificial Intelligence by Harvard University
Location: Online
Cost: $466.20 (discounted from $518)
Application Deadline: Open enrollment; start at any time
Dates: Self-paced; approximately 5 months
Eligibility: Open to all; prior programming experience in Python is recommended
Harvard’s Computer Science for Artificial Intelligence course offers an in-depth look at computer science, programming, and artificial intelligence (AI) principles. The program includes two skill-building courses: CS50's Introduction to Computer Science and CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python. You will learn foundational programming, graph search algorithms, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and how to apply AI using Python.
Through hands-on projects, you’ll gain experience with machine learning libraries and learn to design intelligent systems. This course covers the use of AI in applications like recommendation systems, self-driving cars, and advanced diagnostics. By the end, you’ll have a strong understanding of AI concepts and practical skills to tackle real-world challenges.
10. ColumbiaX: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Location: Virtual
Cost: $249
Application Deadline: Dates for 2025 are to be determined.
Program Dates: To be determined for 2025. The program runs for 12 weeks, requiring 8–10 hours per week.
Eligibility: Participants should have a basic understanding of Python programming and probability.
ColumbiaX: Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides a detailed introduction to foundational concepts and practical applications of AI. You will explore how AI addresses real-world challenges such as self-driving cars, facial recognition, and robotics. The course covers AI's history and teaches you to develop intelligent agents capable of solving complex problems. Key topics include state-space problem representations, uninformed and heuristic searches, game-playing strategies, logical agents, and constraint satisfaction problems.
Hands-on projects are central to the course, allowing you to build a basic search agent, explore adversarial search through game development, and apply machine learning techniques like linear regression. You'll also examine AI applications in natural language processing and robotics/vision. Programming tasks in Python will help you develop the skills needed to tackle real AI challenges.
Bonus Program - Veritas AI
If you are interested in pursuing university-level AI courses, you might want to check out Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Veritas offers programs designed for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. For those new to AI, ML, and data science, the AI Scholars program is a great starting point. This 10-session boot camp introduces you to the fundamentals of AI and data science while giving you the opportunity to work on real-world projects.
For more advanced students, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase offers a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique individual project. A key benefit of this program is access to an in-house publication team that helps students secure publications in high school research journals. The fellowship encourages interdisciplinary approaches, allowing students to combine AI with fields like finance, medicine, sports, environmental science, and more. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
Location: Virtual
Cost:
$2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
$5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
$6,900 for both programs
Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis. Winter cohort deadline: December 1, 2024
Program Dates: Various, according to the cohort
Program Selectivity: Moderately selective
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background, coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
For more details, refer to the official program page: Veritas AI.
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