10 Coding Programs for High School Students
10 Coding Programs for High School Students
Written by
Written by
George Gatsios, Founder of Delta Institute
George Gatsios, Founder of Delta Institute
Published on
Published on
As a high school student interested in coding, joining a structured program can help you build skills that go beyond what you would learn in a classroom setting. You get a chance to work on real-world projects, learn how to use different tools and software. By the end of coding programs, you will have stronger technical skills and tangible outcomes to highlight on college applications.
In this blog, we have detailed 10 coding programs for high school students.
Delta Launch offers project-based coding pathways for high school students, with the Code Intensive (cohort-based) option running for 5-weeks and the Immersive option running for 12-weeks (1:1 mentorship). You can choose from different pathways such as web development, game development, data science, or app development, and work engage in group sessions, one-on-one mentorship, and TA support while building your own advanced coding project.
Guided by industry experts from Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and more, you work towards a finished coding project, receive technical feedback, and build a strong portfolio that can be showcased on your college applications. Upon completion of the program, students also receive a personalized letter of recommendation from their mentor.
Cost: Code Intensive $2,200; Code Immersive $4,800
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026 (final summer deadline). You can apply here
Program Dates: Varies
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
Coding for Gaming is a 1-week commuter program at Tufts that runs in the summer. During the program, you work on game development, storytelling, and coding, with the course being designed to move from concept to prototype in a short but focused format.
By the end of the program, you have a game project and notable experience in design, prototyping, and programming. This program is a good fit for you if you are interested in engaging in game design in a college setting and want to work on a project from scratch.
Cost: $2,750
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Application Deadline: May (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 10 to 12 and recent high school graduates
UCLA’s Engineering Design program is a 3-week commuter program with sessions in June and July. The program is centered around engineering design with applied computing and you can choose from different tracks such as Go-Karts, Microcontrollers, Rockets, or Rovers.
As a participant in the program, you get a chance to engage in hands-on design experience while earning university credits and receiving a letter grade. The program includes lecture-based instruction as well as real-world projects to ensure that students are able to apply their learnings in a practical setting.
Cost: $3,002
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Application Deadline: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Students in grade 9-11 who are at least 15 years of age at the time of application
Delta Launch’s AI programs help high school students build practical experience in artificial intelligence and software development through mentored, project-based learning. The Delta AI pathway introduces students to machine learning concepts, generative AI, and problem-solving frameworks while they design and build AI-driven solutions to real-world challenges.
Students can choose from the intensive version (5-weeks, cohort-based) and the immersive version (12 weeks, 1:1 mentorship). You will gain guidance from industry mentors from global companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, and more. You’ll also participate in technical workshops, collaborate with peers from around the world, and earn a letter of recommendation from your mentor highlighting your skills and achievements.
Cost: AI Intensive - $2,200; AI Immersive - $4,800
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: July 31 (final summer deadline). You can apply here
Program Dates: Varies depending on the program
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
Engineering Design: Internet of Things is a 3-week commuter program with sessions running in the summer. During the program, you work with sensors, IoT systems, and machine learning to gain a rapid introduction to machine learning in an engineering setting.
You gain hands-on experience using an IoT platform, work on a final project, a short written report, a brief video presentation, and a present your work on the last day. You also receive a state-of-the-art IoT platform to use during the program and keep for future experiments.
Cost: $2,734
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Application Deadline: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Students in grade 9-11 who are at least 15 years of age at the time of application
Columbia Pre-College offers a 3-week in-person Introduction to Programming in the summer. The course introduces Python through guided instruction, collaborative exercises, and independent coding challenges. The program is suitable for beginners and does not require any prior coding experience.
You build a strong foundation in programming basics, data structures, functions, and scripts. This program is a good fit for students who are looking to pursue computer science, AI, and other technical subjects at the university level.
Cost: NYC Residential Summer - $12,838; NYC Commuter Summer - $6,381; Application fee - $80
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: April & May (depending on the session)
Program Dates: July - August
Eligibility: Open to current high school students through Columbia Pre-College admissions
The Introduction to AI course by Columbia Pre-College is a 3-week program for students who have a strong programming background. The program focuses on classical AI techniques, optimization, search strategies, and problem-solving in Python and Java.
As a participant, you gain strong AI problem-solving skills and experience applying programming to challenging algorithmic tasks. The goal of the program is for you to be able to build functioning programs using the techniques taught in the course.
Cost: NYC Residential Summer - $12,838; NYC Commuter Summer - $6,381; Application fee - $80
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: April (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June - July
Eligibility: Students are required to be familiar with object-oriented programming and recursion
Data Science and Machine Learning 2 is Columbia’s more advanced follow-up option, offered in Summer 2026 in both in-person and online formats. You move into more sophisticated programming, mathematics, and data science techniques than in the introductory course, and the online summer sessions run in two-week blocks.
By the end, you come out with stronger Python-based data science skills, more experience with statistics and linear algebra in context, and practice using advanced machine learning techniques. Columbia also states that you become more comfortable applying communication and fairness frameworks to technical solutions.
Cost: Online Summer 2-Week program, $4,018 per session; application fee, $80
Location: Online
Application Deadline: May 18, 2026, for Online Summer A
Program Dates: Online Summer A, July 6 to July 17, 2026
Eligibility: You should already have prior programming experience, especially in Python, and some background in statistics and linear algebra is helpful.
Villanova’s Pre-College Summer Academy gives you access to college-style courses while you are still in high school. For coding and technical interests, the current course list includes options such as Programming for All and Overview of Cybersecurity.
Students earn 4 college credits and gain a sense of how a university-level technical course is structured. This program is a good fit for you if you are interested in a broader academic setting as opposed to a short bootcamp.
Cost: Residential - $8,000; non-residential - $6,000; Application fee - $50
Location: Villanova University, Villanova, PA
Application Deadline: May (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June- July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to current high school sophomores and juniors, and current seniors graduating at the time of application
NYU CREATE’s Coding for Game Design program is a 2-week in-person summer program. The program is intended for high schoolers who already have some coding experience. Students work on a game design project and gain strong experience in using code in a collaborative game-development setting.
The program is a good fit for you if you are interested in connecting programming with design, prototyping, and creative production rather than merely learning code.
Cost: $3,045
Location: NYU Downtown Brooklyn Campus, Brooklyn, NY
Application Deadline: May (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: July - August (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to current high school students in grades 10 to 12 who have a basic understanding of code and programming
As a high school student interested in coding, joining a structured program can help you build skills that go beyond what you would learn in a classroom setting. You get a chance to work on real-world projects, learn how to use different tools and software. By the end of coding programs, you will have stronger technical skills and tangible outcomes to highlight on college applications.
In this blog, we have detailed 10 coding programs for high school students.
Delta Launch offers project-based coding pathways for high school students, with the Code Intensive (cohort-based) option running for 5-weeks and the Immersive option running for 12-weeks (1:1 mentorship). You can choose from different pathways such as web development, game development, data science, or app development, and work engage in group sessions, one-on-one mentorship, and TA support while building your own advanced coding project.
Guided by industry experts from Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and more, you work towards a finished coding project, receive technical feedback, and build a strong portfolio that can be showcased on your college applications. Upon completion of the program, students also receive a personalized letter of recommendation from their mentor.
Cost: Code Intensive $2,200; Code Immersive $4,800
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026 (final summer deadline). You can apply here
Program Dates: Varies
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
Coding for Gaming is a 1-week commuter program at Tufts that runs in the summer. During the program, you work on game development, storytelling, and coding, with the course being designed to move from concept to prototype in a short but focused format.
By the end of the program, you have a game project and notable experience in design, prototyping, and programming. This program is a good fit for you if you are interested in engaging in game design in a college setting and want to work on a project from scratch.
Cost: $2,750
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Application Deadline: May (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 10 to 12 and recent high school graduates
UCLA’s Engineering Design program is a 3-week commuter program with sessions in June and July. The program is centered around engineering design with applied computing and you can choose from different tracks such as Go-Karts, Microcontrollers, Rockets, or Rovers.
As a participant in the program, you get a chance to engage in hands-on design experience while earning university credits and receiving a letter grade. The program includes lecture-based instruction as well as real-world projects to ensure that students are able to apply their learnings in a practical setting.
Cost: $3,002
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Application Deadline: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Students in grade 9-11 who are at least 15 years of age at the time of application
Delta Launch’s AI programs help high school students build practical experience in artificial intelligence and software development through mentored, project-based learning. The Delta AI pathway introduces students to machine learning concepts, generative AI, and problem-solving frameworks while they design and build AI-driven solutions to real-world challenges.
Students can choose from the intensive version (5-weeks, cohort-based) and the immersive version (12 weeks, 1:1 mentorship). You will gain guidance from industry mentors from global companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, and more. You’ll also participate in technical workshops, collaborate with peers from around the world, and earn a letter of recommendation from your mentor highlighting your skills and achievements.
Cost: AI Intensive - $2,200; AI Immersive - $4,800
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: July 31 (final summer deadline). You can apply here
Program Dates: Varies depending on the program
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
Engineering Design: Internet of Things is a 3-week commuter program with sessions running in the summer. During the program, you work with sensors, IoT systems, and machine learning to gain a rapid introduction to machine learning in an engineering setting.
You gain hands-on experience using an IoT platform, work on a final project, a short written report, a brief video presentation, and a present your work on the last day. You also receive a state-of-the-art IoT platform to use during the program and keep for future experiments.
Cost: $2,734
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Application Deadline: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June & July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Students in grade 9-11 who are at least 15 years of age at the time of application
Columbia Pre-College offers a 3-week in-person Introduction to Programming in the summer. The course introduces Python through guided instruction, collaborative exercises, and independent coding challenges. The program is suitable for beginners and does not require any prior coding experience.
You build a strong foundation in programming basics, data structures, functions, and scripts. This program is a good fit for students who are looking to pursue computer science, AI, and other technical subjects at the university level.
Cost: NYC Residential Summer - $12,838; NYC Commuter Summer - $6,381; Application fee - $80
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: April & May (depending on the session)
Program Dates: July - August
Eligibility: Open to current high school students through Columbia Pre-College admissions
The Introduction to AI course by Columbia Pre-College is a 3-week program for students who have a strong programming background. The program focuses on classical AI techniques, optimization, search strategies, and problem-solving in Python and Java.
As a participant, you gain strong AI problem-solving skills and experience applying programming to challenging algorithmic tasks. The goal of the program is for you to be able to build functioning programs using the techniques taught in the course.
Cost: NYC Residential Summer - $12,838; NYC Commuter Summer - $6,381; Application fee - $80
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: April (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June - July
Eligibility: Students are required to be familiar with object-oriented programming and recursion
Data Science and Machine Learning 2 is Columbia’s more advanced follow-up option, offered in Summer 2026 in both in-person and online formats. You move into more sophisticated programming, mathematics, and data science techniques than in the introductory course, and the online summer sessions run in two-week blocks.
By the end, you come out with stronger Python-based data science skills, more experience with statistics and linear algebra in context, and practice using advanced machine learning techniques. Columbia also states that you become more comfortable applying communication and fairness frameworks to technical solutions.
Cost: Online Summer 2-Week program, $4,018 per session; application fee, $80
Location: Online
Application Deadline: May 18, 2026, for Online Summer A
Program Dates: Online Summer A, July 6 to July 17, 2026
Eligibility: You should already have prior programming experience, especially in Python, and some background in statistics and linear algebra is helpful.
Villanova’s Pre-College Summer Academy gives you access to college-style courses while you are still in high school. For coding and technical interests, the current course list includes options such as Programming for All and Overview of Cybersecurity.
Students earn 4 college credits and gain a sense of how a university-level technical course is structured. This program is a good fit for you if you are interested in a broader academic setting as opposed to a short bootcamp.
Cost: Residential - $8,000; non-residential - $6,000; Application fee - $50
Location: Villanova University, Villanova, PA
Application Deadline: May (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June- July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to current high school sophomores and juniors, and current seniors graduating at the time of application
NYU CREATE’s Coding for Game Design program is a 2-week in-person summer program. The program is intended for high schoolers who already have some coding experience. Students work on a game design project and gain strong experience in using code in a collaborative game-development setting.
The program is a good fit for you if you are interested in connecting programming with design, prototyping, and creative production rather than merely learning code.
Cost: $3,045
Location: NYU Downtown Brooklyn Campus, Brooklyn, NY
Application Deadline: May (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: July - August (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to current high school students in grades 10 to 12 who have a basic understanding of code and programming
About the Author
George Gatsios holds a BA and MA in Economics from the University of Cambridge and is the founder of Delta Institute. He leads the organisation’s global strategy, overseeing programme design, partnerships, operations, and product innovation across education, career development, and technology. His work centers on building scalable, hands-on learning experiences that connect students with real-world industry exposure and future-ready skills. Alongside his leadership at Delta Institute, George serves as a Research Assistant in Economics at the University of Cambridge and London Business School, contributing to research at the intersection of economic theory, empirical analysis, and policy. He is an active member of the International Baccalaureate Educator Network (IBEN) and a strong advocate for lifelong learning and internationally minded education.
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