8 Online Tech Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in technology, online tech programs should definitely be on your radar! These programs are a great way for you to gain experience with cutting-edge tools and languages in fields such as coding, cybersecurity, and digital design. You will gain practical knowledge and hone your technical skills that can add value to college applications!
To help you get started, we have put together a list of 8 online tech programs for high school students!
Cost: Free
Program dates: 6 months - Late June to December
Application Deadline: February 1, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school juniors; underrepresented, underserved, and first generation students are especially encouraged to apply.
MITES Semester is a six-month learning experience, running from June through December where students dive into rigorous online courses, participate in weekly virtual webinars, and enjoy social events and workshops. Through MITES Semester, you will have the opportunity to explore various STEM topics, from machine learning & data science to thermodynamics. You'll engage in two rigorous courses, including a project-based course and a supplemental core course in calculus, physics, computer science, or science writing and communication.
The STEM Immersion Phase (June–early August) offers a chance to complete challenging courses and team projects, culminating in presentations at the MITES Semester Conference. This phase is packed with webinars, discussions, and game nights, fostering a close-knit community with your peers and mentors. The College and Career Prep Phase (August–December) shifts focus towards preparing for college, with mock interviews, essay reviews, and workshops, alongside interactions with faculty, researchers, and STEM professionals.
Here is everything you need to know about MITES before you apply!
Cost: $1,790 (AI Scholars) & $4900 (AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase). Financial aid is available.
Application deadline: Upcoming deadline for the summer cohort - April 21, 2024. You can apply here!
Program Dates: Summer cohort runs from May to August with multiple sessions. You can find all the summer dates here.
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, introduces high school students to foundational concepts in AI, machine learning, and data science. The AI Scholars program is a virtual, 25-hour boot camp that introduces high school students to AI & ML through lectures, coding exercises, and hands-on projects. Students will learn to code using Python and the course material will deep dive into neural networks, deep learning, image classification, AI ethics, and more.
The AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase program is a 1-1 mentorship program where students create unique AI projects under the guidance of PhD mentors. Over 12-15 weeks, you can pick a field of interest at the intersection of AI, ML, or data science to produce an individualized research paper, software/model, app, or presentation. Veritas AI has a publication team available to help students publish their papers in journals. Here are some past projects you can look at!
3. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Virtual
Application Date: May 21, 2024 for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024 for the fall cohort
Program Dates:
Summer seminar - June 24, 2024 - September 2, 2024
Fall seminar - October 23, 2024 - February 19, 2025
Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and on college applications. Apply here!
4. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Cost: Free
Application deadline: March 22, 2024 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: 3 different two week sessions are available that run from June to August
Eligibility: Female students in grades 9-11
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a unique two-week virtual experience designed for high school students who are curious about data science and the broader tech industry. Sponsored by leading companies such as MetLife, Bank of America, Logitech, and Synchrony, the SIP offers live, virtual classes that introduce you to a range of computer science concepts—from the basics of game design and UX design to intermediate coding principles.
This program is tailored for current 9th to 11th graders, providing an enriching environment to explore the tech world and the step-by-step design process without requiring any previous computer science experience. Beyond the technical skills, you'll have the chance to meet industry leaders, learn about tech jobs, and become part of a supportive community that fosters sisterhood and mutual growth.
Participants are also eligible for a $300 need-based grant if they reside in the United States, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder your learning journey. By completing the SIP, you'll gain access to exclusive alumni benefits, including career support through the Girls Who Code Hiring Summit, workforce development, leadership programs, and GWC Talks webinars.
5. Stanford Code In Place (CiP)
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 10, 2024
Program Dates: April 24 - June 10, 2024
Eligibility: All high school students
Stanford's Code In Place (CiP) is a unique opportunity to take the first half of the CS106A course online, completely free of charge. This program is designed for learners who are curious about coding but have no prior programming experience.
Over the six weeks, you'll explore topics ranging from control flow with Karel to more advanced concepts like lists and dictionaries, culminating in the creation of projects like Random Art and the World's Hardest Game. This immersive experience is supported by an extensive network of over 2,100 section leaders, ensuring a favorable 1:10 student to section leader ratio for personalized learning. By joining Code In Place, you're joining a community of 22,000 students from around the globe.
6. Code Connects Summer Research Program with Columbia University
Cost: $3,995
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: July 8 - August 9, 2024
Eligibility: Open to rising sophomores and recent high school graduates
The Code Connects Summer Research Program is a five-week program that will teach you the essentials of data science. In the first two weeks, you will immerse yourself in intensive data science training, where you'll learn everything from coding in R to data visualization, data cleaning, and thorough data analysis.
Over the following three weeks, you'll apply your newly acquired skills as a research assistant, working alongside Columbia University professors, PhD candidates, and other faculty to contribute to ongoing research projects at the Columbia University Data Science Institute. Upon completing the program, you'll receive a certificate and you will have developed a personal research project.
7. Columbia Pre-College Programming with Python
Cost: $3,960
Application Deadline: March 26 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: July, Monday–Friday, 8:00–11:00 a.m. ET (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High School students in grades 9-11
Through the Columbia Pre-College Programming with Python course, you will receive an introduction to Python. It will enable swift and effective execution of tasks across data analysis, machine learning, AI, data visualization, and web development.
Throughout the course, you'll gain a solid grounding in the fundamentals of Python programming. From best programming practices to understanding data representation, storage, data structures, functions, and scripts, every aspect is tailored to equip you with the knowledge to solve real-world problems. The course features a mix of traditional lectures, collaborative group work, and individual programming challenges.
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 2, 2024
Program Dates: 12 weeks starting when your project begins
Eligibility: Everyone is eligible
Through the Google Summer of Code (GSoC), you will have the opportunity to apply your coding skills to real-world data science projects, under the mentorship of experienced professionals from over 850 open-source organizations worldwide.
Interested contributors are encouraged to propose a programming project that aligns with their interests and the needs of an open-source organization. Once accepted, you'll spend the summer (12+ weeks) coding, learning, and growing as a developer. Beyond just coding, GSoC offers you the chance to attend lectures and workshops on a variety of topics within open-source software, including specialized areas like data science.
By the end of the program, you'll share your project with the world, adding to the 45 million+ lines of code written by over 20,000 new contributors from 116 countries over GSoC's 19-year history.
9. Columbia Engineering Coding Bootcamp
Cost: $15,595 (full-time) | $14,495 (part-time). Flexible payment plans are available.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Dates: 12 weeks from April
Eligibility: This program is open to everyone.
The Columbia Engineering Coding Bootcamp offers a comprehensive and intensive coding learning experience designed to equip you with the skills needed to thrive in the tech industry. This bootcamp follows the university's high academic standards with a well-structured curriculum developed in collaboration with industry professionals.
The program covers a range of in-demand technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and MongoDB, ensuring a well-rounded skill set for aspiring developers. The program includes hands-on projects, collaborative teamwork, and 1-1 guidance from experienced instructors and industry experts. Students can choose whether they want to attend full-time or part-time, so you can balance your coding education with other academic commitments. Additionally, the bootcamp will provide you with career services and networking opportunities.
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: Columbia University Logo