10 Best Computer Science Pre-College Programs for High School Students
If you’re a computer science enthusiast in high school, or a beginner looking to learn the basics, you might want to consider doing a pre-college program in computer science. If you are targeting a computer science major in college or generally a STEM major, these programs will go a long way in helping you build key skill sets and showcase your passion to admission officers!
To help you get started, we’ve listed the top 10 computer science pre-college programs for you here. While most are open to beginners with no prior CS experience, some might have certain prerequisites.
CS Scholars at Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College Programs
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (residential program)
Eligibility: Students who are sophomores at the time of application, and who will be 16 years old by the program start date, can apply. Students applying must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Students who are registered with DACA are also eligible.
Application deadline: March 1, 2024
Program dates: June 22, 2024 - July 20, 2024
Fee: Free (tuition, housing, meal plans, and program related field trips and special events are covered).
This 4-week immersive on-campus program is designed for sophomores keen on deep diving into computer science. With classroom instruction, hands-on projects, faculty lectures and industry engagement with leading tech companies, you will learn the core elements of programming and problem solving in Python. You will learn algorithmic components and basic data structures, and strengthen your computational skills. You will also participate in a hands-on group project that you will present at the end of the program.
This is a fully-funded, merit-based program. It provides an opportunity to connect with peers from different parts of the country, mentors, researchers and faculty who are leaders in the field. Apart from college-level courses, as a CS Scholar you will engage in weekly college prep and readiness seminars that can guide you through your college applications, financial aid, wellbeing and more.
Note: This program is intended to create opportunities for students who lack access and/or resources at home, at school, or in their communities. This can mean financial need, it can mean a lack of computer science education in your school district or community, or lack of access to affordable/stable internet or computing devices.
If you’re a junior, you can consider the AI Scholars program!
Applied Research Innovation in Science & Engineering (ARISE) at NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Eligibility: Students who complete 10th or 11th grade by June 2024 can apply. Students applying must be NYC residents.
Application deadline: March (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program dates: June-end to mid-August (tentatively, based on previous years)
Fee: Free
This program encourages you to dive into scientific and engineering research, by ensuring collaboration with faculty members and researchers on cutting-edge projects. If you’re passionate about research in the fields of robotics, computer science, environmental science, and biomedical engineering, you should consider this program. The program includes 2 weeks of college-level coursework, 5 weeks in a research lab, and mentoring by a graduate or postdoctoral student. You will participate in experiments, data analysis, and problem-solving exercises within state-of-the-art laboratories.
The NYU Tandon School of Engineering offers a number of other courses for high school students in the field of computer science that you should take a look at:
If you are keen on applying to ARISE, check out this ultimate guide to the program!
STEAM at Harvard University’s Pre-College Program
Location: Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
Eligibility:
This program is open to rising juniors and seniors. Those applying must be June 22, 2024, and must not be turning 19 years old before July 31, 2024.
Additionally, eligible applicants will graduate from high school and enter college in 2025 or 2026.
Application deadline: January 10, 2024 (early deadline) | February 14, 2024 (regular deadline) | April 10, 2024 (late application deadline
Program dates: Session 1 - June 23, 2024 - July 5, 2024 | Session 2 - July 7-19, 2024 | Session 3 - July 21, 2024 - August 2, 2024
Fee: $5,550 + $75 application fee
This is a non-credit, academically rigorous 2-week pre-college program. It is conducted only on campus, and doesn’t offer an online option. While there are multiple course options available, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) is best suited towards students with an interest in computer science and technology. In the STEAM option, students must choose a subject field (such as computer science) as their focus. Among the computer science courses offered are Introduction to Data Science with a Focus on Visualization and Introduction to Scientific Programming in Python included.
In this program, you can expect to be academically challenged, as you develop your skill set in your chosen field, and build a strong foundation. You will be taught by Harvard faculty and get a glimpse into college life on campus.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes (Computer Science courses)
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors can apply. Students in 8th grade are eligible for certain courses.
Application deadline: Applications close in March (tentative, based on previous years).
Program dates: All courses will be held over the summer. Computer science courses are typically conducted in June and July.
Fee: $3,050. Need-based financial aid is offered.
Stanford offers a range of programs for high school students seeking a challenging pre-college experience. The Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute is designed for academic, social, and extracurricular enrichment, featuring instructors and engaging programs tailored to your interests. This virtual program concentrates on intensive study in a single online course, but does not offer college credit. There is a wide range of subjects to choose from, including several in the field of computer science. Some of these are Introduction to Data Science, Introduction to C++, Artificial Intelligence, and Introduction to Machine Learning. These courses can give you insight into important computer science principles, helping you build a base for your future academics and career in the field. You can check out all the computer science courses offered under the program here. On successfully completing the program, you will receive a certificate.
Computer Science Academy at University of Berkeley’s Summer Session
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Eligibility: The program is open to domestic and international high school students, who must be at least 16 years old by the start of the program (June 16, 2024). Students applying must have completed 10th or 11th grade by the start of the program, and an overall B average (3.0, weighted or unweighted) in all their high school coursework.
Application deadline: March 11, 2024
Program dates: June 16 - 28, 2024
Fee: $5,060 (this includes tuition, fees, housing, meals, orientation, excursions & activities, basic health insurance, and on-site support) + $25 (application fee)
This rigorous 2-week program is for motivated high school students who are interested in computer science and want to get an understanding of student life in college. This program is suited for students with no prior coding experience.
During the program, you will learn key computer science concepts, collaborative programming, and problem-solving. The program is based on the world-renowned Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) curriculum – the introductory computer science course that Berkeley undergraduates use. Throughout the program, students will only use Snap!, a visual programming language. You will also pursue a programming project of your own design and interest and present it at the end of the program, at the ‘Code Celebration’ event.
Summer Session at Stanford University
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA. The program has both commuter and residential options.
Eligibility:
Students who are current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors at the time of application
At least 16 years old at the start of the program and no more than 19 years old by the last day of the program, can apply.
Those applying must also not be matriculating into Stanford as a first year.
Application deadline: December 11, 2023 (early decision deadline) | January 16, 2024 (regular decision deadline). See all dates and deadlines here.
Program dates: June 22, 2024 - August 18, 2024
Fee: $4,962 (Commuter, minimum 3 units) | $17,328 (Residential, minimum 8 credit-bearing units, which is typically 2-3 courses). Calculate your exact cost here!
The Stanford Summer Session is an 8-week intensive academic experience designed to help you enhance your academic journey and prepare you for college. Through this program, you will have the opportunity to explore your interests in various disciplines, including computer science. Among the courses offered in the field are Programming Methodology, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. See all the courses here!
By engaging in rigorous coursework taught by Stanford faculty and researchers, you will hone your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and develop your knowledge and expertise in the field of computer science. The program fosters intellectual growth, encourages creativity, and cultivates a sense of independence.
Coding Academy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Summer Academies
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Eligibility:
Applicants must be 13-18 years old
Graduating seniors are not eligible
Applicants must have excellent writing skills and a minimum 3.3 GPA.
Application deadline: February 15, 2024
Program dates: July 6 - 27, 2024
Fee: $9,700 (includes housing and meals) + $75 application fee. If you attend a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school you may be eligible to attend a Penn Summer Academy free of charge with a Penn Summer Scholarship.
This 3-week residential program is an introduction to front-end web development. During the program, you will learn Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript (JS) and discover how to put these tools together to produce web pages. You will also learn how to use GitHub to build code collaboratively. Key concepts will be reinforced by instructor-led demonstrations and explanations, combined with hands-on exercises.
In the final week of the class, students will form teams to create web applications of their choice. You will experience the give-and-take required to build an application with other programmers and how to break down and assign tasks efficiently. On the last day of class, each team presents their final working project.
UCLA’s Pre-College Summer Institutes - Computer Science Introductory Track
Location: University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12 in spring 2024 can apply.
Application deadline: Applications close June (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program dates: End of June to mid-July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Fee: Fee for this program is yet to be announced. Check here. Financial aid is available.
Through this 3-week program, students get a chance to build on their programming and data analysis skills.. The program is a unique combination of a coding boot camp, lab touring experience, and UCLA coursework designed for high school students interested in computer science and related majors.
You will learn how to use computers as tools for problem-solving, creativity, and exploration through the design and implementation of computer programs. Key topics include data types like integers, strings, and lists, control structures including conditionals and loops, and functional decomposition. This is a great fit for students with no prior computer science knowledge!
Note that this is a commuter program and no housing will be provided. There is also an intermediate track of the same program, open to 10-12 graders.
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) - Internship Track at Boston University
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Eligibility: Rising seniors can apply.
Application Deadline: The applications typically close in April.
Program Dates: June 30, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Fee: $8,558 (residential) | $5,570 (commuter)
The RISE program offers students a chance to conduct laboratory research under the guidance of BU faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students. The program offers two tracks: Practicum and Internship. The Internship track offers a range of research areas that you can choose from, one of which is computer science.
With the internship track, you will get a chance to explore the many facets of university-level research in computer science. You will tackle a research project and acquire valuable technical and analytical skills. At the end of the program, you present your research at the Poster Symposium. In some cases, research interns might submit their work to national science fair contests such as the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Through the program, you will also participate in weekly workshops that provide insight into the scientific process, research ethics, poster making, and networking opportunities.
Columbia University’s College Edge Programs
Location: On-Campus
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 11-12
Application deadline: There are two iterations. The deadline for the Academic Year program is November 30, while that of the Summer program is tentatively April(check here for updated deadlines)
Program dates:
January 16, 2024 - April 29, 2024 (Academic Year)
May 20–June 28, 2024(Summer Session A)
July 1–August 9, 2024(Summer Session B
Fee: $2,376 per point. 3 points is typically equivalent to one course.
Columbia University’s College Edge Programs offer a couple of for-credit tracks for motivated, ambitious high school students. A for-credit program means that you can earn credits that can be transferred toward your undergraduate degree! You can choose between attending during the academic year or the summer, both of which carry the same amount of credibility. However, keep in mind that the Summer program is a month-long, giving you a shorter, more condensed experience, while the Academic Year program is more of a deep learning experience.
Courses in this program are taught with a combination of lectures, activities, and independent study. The computer science courses being offered in this program range from beginner-friendly courses such as Introduction to Computer Science and Data Structures in Java to slightly more advanced courses such as Advanced Programming.
Bonus: If you’ve stayed till the end, here are a few more programs you can attend to strengthen your computer science skills and knowledge:
If you’re looking to build unique projects in the field of AI/ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI was founded by Harvard graduate students, and through the programs, you get a chance to learn the fundamentals of AI and computer science while collaborating on real-world projects. You can also 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 data science and AI with us. You can apply here!
Image Source: CMU Logo