10 Free Software Engineering Programs for High School Students
If you are an ambitious high school student eager to jump-start your academic career, you should strongly consider applying to pre-college programs. These programs offer a unique chance to experience the rigor of college-level courses, make meaningful connections with peers and instructors, and build a strong foundation in their fields of interest.
However, a large barrier to participation is the unaffordable cost of many summer programs. Alternatively, you can opt for free summer programs that will still allow you to benefit from practical, immersive experiences in labs and project-based settings with no additional barrier.
In this blog, we’ve listed 10 free software engineering programs for high school students that you can consider applying for!
1. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps
Location: Both virtual and in-person (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, LA, NYC, Seattle, etc.) options available
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Program Dates: Multiple sessions from June - August.
Eligibility: Open to girls, gender non-conforming individuals, or trans students between ages 13 and 18.
Founded by entrepreneur and model Karlie Kloss, Kode With Klossy is a two-week summer camp aimed at inspiring high school girls and non-binary students to explore coding and technology. The program offers four distinct tracks: data science, machine learning, web development, and mobile app development.
We’d recommend web and mobile app development for those interested in software engineering as they focus on key areas like front-end development, UI/UX design, and programming languages such as HTML and JavaScript! Through the program, you will also get practical experience with tools like Xcode and SwiftUI, as well as Apple's framework for building apps.
2. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute - Embedded Security and Hardware Hacking
Location: Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline: Applications typically open March 1 and close March 31, but students must first complete the online course as it is a prerequisite for the summer program.
Program Dates: The in-person program is from July 1, 2025 - August 1, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility: Open to U.S. high school students
The Beaver Works Summer Institute is a month-long, immersive STEM program that builds skills through hands-on, project-based courses. Starting with two online sessions from January to May, the program leads into a four-week summer experience, which is open to a select group of participants after completing the initial online portion available to all applicants.
This institute emphasizes learning through practical application. For instance, in the Embedded Security and Hardware Hacking course, you will dive into security topics, focusing on threats in embedded systems. This includes exploring embedded software security, examining cryptographic protocol vulnerabilities, conducting JTAG and UART probing, performing side-channel analysis and fault injection, and understanding hardware Trojans.
Do note that from 2024, BWSI is charging $1,750; however, this is only limited to families that make over $150,000 annually. If you are interested in applying, we’ve covered this program in detail, which you can check out here!
3. NYU’s Computer Science for Cyber Security
Location: New York City, New York
Application Deadline: April 14, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates)
Program Dates: July 15, 2025 - August 9, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility: Open to NYC residents in 9th -11th grade.
This three-week summer program at NYU serves as an introduction to the essential principles of computer science and cybersecurity. In this program, you will learn a variety of software tools and techniques to identify and combat cyber threats, along with strategies for utilizing ciphers to safeguard computer networks.
Some topics that will be covered in this program are “white-hat” hacking, cryptography, steganography, digital forensics, and the responsible use of private data, among others! An added bonus is that this program does not expect you to have any prior experience with coding, making it a great option for beginners.
4. Anson L.Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University Campus
Application Deadline: TBA, but expect it to be at the beginning of 2025.
Program Dates: June 16, 2025 - August 1, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility: Open to high schoolers who are at least 17 years old and are either rising seniors or graduating seniors.
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a 7-week comprehensive research program that will allow you to gain hands-on research under the mentorship of Texas Tech faculty. Apart from one-on-one research with faculty, you can participate in weekly seminars, discussions, and field visits!
One of the research areas available for students is the computer science track, and you can get inspiration from scholars such as Akaash Kolluri, who has conducted research on predicting GPU energy consumption using machine learning algorithms. You can view past projects from other scholars here!
We’ve covered this program in detail, which you can look at here!
5. MITES Summer
Location: Hybrid: In-person at MIT and virtual
Application Deadline: Applications open in November and close on February 1, 2025.
Program Dates: June 15, 2025 - July 26, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility: Open to 11th graders who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students underrepresented in STEM ethnically, as well as FGLI students, are encouraged to apply.
MITES Summer, offered by MIT, is a hybrid STEM program designed for in-depth exploration of various science and engineering fields. In the 6-week program, you will select one project-based course complemented by a core course in subjects such as computer science, calculus, physics, science writing, or communication. The program will culminate in a symposium where you present your projects at MIT!
MITES Summer is a great option if you’re interested in engaging with interdisciplinary topics that will intersect with computer science. For example, previous projects have encompassed areas like computational biology, embedded systems, machine learning, robotics, thermodynamics, and climate change, among others.
Location: Oakland, California; Chelsea, New York; Detroit, Michigan; Inglewood, California
Application Deadline: Mid-August for in-person labs; rolling admissions for virtual programs
Program Dates: Typically runs from October to June each year
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12, particularly those from underrepresented communities
The Code Next Program is an initiative by Google aimed at empowering high school students from Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and women-identifying backgrounds with essential tech skills. This free program provides both in-person and virtual learning experiences, emphasizing key areas such as web development, game design, artificial intelligence, and hardware engineering.
You will engage with their computer science curriculum in the Code Next labs, which includes personalized coaching and collaborations on hands-on projects, such as programming robots and creating 3D-printed chess sets! The program also offers access to Google mentors, industry professionals, and cutting-edge tools, including virtual and augmented reality, greatly enriching the learning process.
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Dates: The Summer Immersion Program is two weeks (June 14-28, July 8-19, and July 29-August 9), while the self-paced program gives you six weeks to complete your course projects.
Eligibility: Students who identify as a woman or non-binary. The SIP is open to 9th - 11th grades, while the self-paced program is open to 9th - 12th graders.
Girls Who Code provides two complimentary virtual programs designed to equip high school students with essential coding skills, professional insights, and opportunities to connect with industry leaders. These initiatives prioritize inclusivity and aim to narrow the gender gap in the technology sector.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, two-week course tailored for students in grades 9 to 11. You will engage in hands-on lessons focused on game design through p5.js, a creative coding library for JavaScript, while also interacting with mentors from renowned companies such as MetLife, Bank of America, and Synchrony.
Alternatively, the Self-Paced Program (SPP) offers a flexible, six-week experience for students in grades 9 to 12. This program is a great option to learn about web development, cybersecurity, and data science + AI at your own pace. It features beginner to intermediate coding lessons utilizing HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python, with opportunities to earn certifications!
8. Science Mentorship Institute - Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in May.
Program Dates: July 1, 2025 - August 10, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility: Open to high school students and older.
The Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program (EEMP) offers a free five-week summer experience for high school students eager to delve into the world of electrical engineering while pursuing their individual research interests. In the program, you will explore key concepts such as circuits, computer architecture, signal processing, embedded systems, and software engineering.
Throughout the program, you will take part in engaging activities like weekly journal clubs, interactive labs, and informative lectures aimed at enhancing their grasp of electrical engineering concepts. The program will culminate in you utilizing these resources to develop a self-directed project, culminating in a presentation and written report at the program's end!
9. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, NY
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: June 30, 2025 - August 8, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates.
Eligibility: Open to students who are:
High school juniors at the time of application
U.S. citizens or permanent residents
16 years of age by the start of the program
Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program offers high school students a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on STEM research alongside faculty mentors. You will be paired with a faculty member, join a research team, and be assigned a specific research project to manage. You will then have to dedicate at least four hours each day, either working independently or collaborating with your mentor and research group.
If you are interested in engineering, you can consider collaborating with Dr. Dongyoon Lee from the Computer Science Department. Research projects in this field explore topics such as computer systems, software engineering, and security, and potential areas of focus include C/C++ memory safety, software testing, and regular expression denial of service.
By the conclusion of the program, you must create a written research abstract as well as a research poster to showcase your findings.
10. Tisch Future Game Designers
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Application Deadline: November 11, 2024
Program Dates: February 1, 2025 - May 10, 2025
Eligibility: Open to freshmen - juniors
The Future Game Designers workshop is a free, 14-week program that immerses high school students in the realms of software development and both digital and tabletop game design. Hosted at the NYU Game Center located in Downtown Brooklyn, this workshop is open to first-year, sophomore, and junior students.
Throughout the program, you will focus on developing digital prototypes while gaining insights into fundamental game design principles, the history of gaming, and the industry itself. Emphasizing hands-on experience, you will additionally engage in lab-based activities to create and refine your game prototypes. Alongside digital game development, the workshop also explores tabletop game design and encourages critical analysis of various games!
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!
Tyler Moulton is Head of Academics and Veritas AI Partnerships with 6 years of experience in education consulting, teaching, and astronomy research at Harvard and the University of Cambridge, where they developed a passion for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Tyler is passionate about connecting high-achieving students to advanced AI techniques and helping them build independent, real-world projects in the field of AI!
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