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 - Code Programs 

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 at Tufts Pre-College

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

Engineering Design by UCLA Summer Sessions

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 

UPenn x Delta Institute: Global Entrepreneurship, Innovation & AI for Young Leaders

This is a 3-week virtual program developed in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania for high school students interested in entrepreneurship, innovation, and AI. Students learn how to identify problems worth solving, develop entrepreneurial thinking, and use AI to move from an initial idea toward a real-world solution through live sessions and hands-on project work. The program is taught entirely by faculty from UPenn. 

Upon completion, students receive a University of Pennsylvania Certificate in Global Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and AI and create a portfolio project, which may take the form of an AI app, website, or pitch deck. This program is a good fit for students interested in practical, hands-on learning from industry and academic leaders from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Cost: $7,500

Location: Virtual

Application Deadline: January 8 for cohort I; June 15 for cohort II. Students can apply here

Program Dates: Cohort I - January 23 to February 7, 2027; Cohort II - July 9 - July 24, 2027

Eligibility: Open to high school students globally (selective cohorts with limited spots) 

Delta Launch - AI Programs

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 by UCLA Summer Sessions

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

Introduction to Programming with Python by Columbia Pre-College

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

Introduction to AI: Search Algorithms by Columbia Pre-College

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, Columbia Pre-College

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 Pre-College Summer Academy

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 

Coding for Game Design High School Summer Program at NYU CREATE

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