15 Best AI Summer Programs for High School Students

If you’re a high school student curious about artificial intelligence, participating in a summer program can be a valuable option. These opportunities introduce you to concepts like machine learning, data science, and neural networks while helping you strengthen your problem-solving skills. You’ll also have the chance to connect with mentors, collaborate with peers, and gain experience that can stand out on your college applications. Many AI programs for high schoolers are hosted by top universities, research labs, and industry-backed initiatives, giving you a strong foundation for future studies in computer science and technology. 

Here are 15 AI summer programs for high school students to explore.

15 Best AI Summer Programs for High School Students

1. Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Scholars

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 21 – July 19
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are 16 or older and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or registered with DACA

If you’re entering your senior year of high school and looking for an introduction to artificial intelligence, Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars program is a fully funded four-week summer program that takes place on the CMU campus. It is designed to engage students in the study of AI through coursework, group projects, and interaction with faculty and researchers in the field. As part of the CS Pathways initiative, the program emphasizes both academic development and social learning, with seminars that include topics like college readiness and equity in STEM. You’ll explore applications of AI, take part in discussions about technology, and present a final project that applies what you've learned. The program also provides opportunities to engage with tech professionals.

2. Ladder Internship's Mentored Research Program

Location: Remote – you can work from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: Multiple cohorts offered throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can commit to 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks

Ladder Internships connects high school students with projects at startups across industries like AI, healthcare, and technology through a remote, eight-week summer program. You'll work on company-assigned tasks under the guidance of a Ladder Coach, gaining insight into how startups function and how research translates into products or services. Your focus will be on solving problems and completing deliverables that contribute to a business. The program concludes in a final presentation to your startup team, which helps you build communication and professional skills. Additionally, the Combination Program adds a CEO internship element, allowing you to work with startup founders alongside the mentored research.

3. Princeton University - AI4ALL

Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: July 9 – 30
Application deadline: April 9
Eligibility: 10th graders (rising 11th graders) who live in the U.S. or Puerto Rico and qualify as low-income 

Princeton’s AI4ALL summer program is for students who want to explore the intersection of AI and public policy. This on-campus experience is designed around AI education, mentorship, and a group research project focused on the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. Throughout the program, you'll attend lectures from Princeton professors, hear from guest speakers in career development, and participate in mentoring sessions with graduate students working in AI. There is also a short trip to Washington, D.C., where you'll explore the policy side of technology through visits to organizations and meetings with policymakers. The final stretch of the program involves small-group research led by graduate mentors, where you'll work on a topic related to ethical or social aspects of AI. At the end of the session, you'll present your findings in a group showcase.

4. Veritas AI Programs 

Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies based on program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: Multiple 10- to 15-week cohorts in a year, including winter, fall, spring, and summer. 
Application deadline: Rolling basis | Spring sessions have a January deadline, Summer programs have a May deadline, Fall programs have a September deadline, and Winter cohort has a November deadline
Eligibility: High school students | AI Fellowship applicants should either have been AI Scholars participants or have some familiarity with AI concepts or Python.

Veritas AI runs a series of virtual programs aimed at high school students who are interested in AI and want to build foundational knowledge and experience. The  AI Scholars program introduces core concepts in machine learning and data science over ten sessions and includes small-group instruction and applied project work. If you're already comfortable with the basics, the AI Fellowship allows you to work one-on-one with mentors from universities on an independent research project. This track is also designed to support students interested in publishing their research in high school academic journals. 

5. NYU’s Machine Learning Program

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $3,050 tuition + other additional optional costs for housing, dining, etc.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Session 1: June 16–27 | Session 2: July 7–18 | Session 3: July 28–August 8
Application deadline: April 21
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11 who have some programming experience and have completed Algebra 2 | Applicants typically have a minimum 3.0 GPA. 

NYU Tandon’s two-week Machine Learning program is a dive into the technical foundations of artificial intelligence, including topics like neural networks, data analysis, and algorithm design. Held on NYU’s campus in New York City, the program is open to high school students who have completed Algebra 2 and have programming experience. You’ll learn how machine learning powers everyday technologies like speech recognition, traffic systems, and diagnostic tools in medicine. The daily schedule includes instruction, project time, and collaborative assignments, allowing you to apply concepts like linear regression and cross-validation. 

6. Stanford AI4ALL

Location: Online
Cost: $4,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 18 – July 2
Application deadline: January 24
Eligibility: Current 9th graders or rising 10th graders over the age of 14 by the start of the program can apply.

Stanford AI4ALL is a virtual, two-week summer program designed to introduce high school students to artificial intelligence through a mix of research, mentorship, and instruction. You’ll join a small online cohort to explore AI domains like robotics, computer vision, medical imaging, and language processing. The program emphasizes impact, working in teams on research questions that connect AI to societal challenges. Your project will be guided by Stanford mentors, and past topics have included bias in algorithms and applications of AI in public health. You'll also attend panels on careers in AI and engage in conversations around ethics and equity in technology.

7. Harvard Computer Society’s AI Bootcamp

Location: Virtual
Cost: Regular price: $495; final priority price: $695
Acceptance rate/cohort size: NA
Dates: Available year-round
Application deadline: Varies by session, typically one week before the camp start date
Eligibility: High school students with strong mathematical skills (preferably including calculus) and mandatory proficiency in Python programming | Age-related exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis

The Harvard AI Bootcamp is a summer program that immerses you in AI through lectures, coding labs, and mini-research projects. The five-day program is structured in two levels: one for students with Python and math backgrounds, and an advanced option for those with prior experience in AI or machine learning. Sessions are designed to reflect the current state of AI research, including the rise of generative models and deep learning applications. You'll work in small groups, applying technical knowledge to a focused project under mentorship. 

8. UPenn’s Wharton Data Science Academy

Location: The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,799 + $100 application fee | Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective 
Dates: July 13  – August 2
Application deadline: April 2
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11 with strong math and coding skills, an interest in data analytics, and preferably some knowledge of statistics

At the Wharton Data Science Academy, you’ll focus on data analysis as the foundation of AI. This on-campus program introduces you to tools like R, a programming language used in academic and professional research. Through lectures, collaborative labs, and a team-based capstone project, you’ll practice data wrangling, visualization, and modeling techniques used in AI applications. The program also includes career talks and mentorship from Wharton students and faculty. You’ll be expected to present your work at the end of the session, helping you build both technical and communication skills. 

9. Georgetown University’s Artificial Intelligence Academy

Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Cost: Residential: $3,525 | Commuter: $2,730
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Program dates: July 7–August 2
Application deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students who are 15 or older

At Georgetown’s Artificial Intelligence Academy, you’ll explore AI as a technical subject and as a field shaped by ethics, law, and global policy. The weeklong, in-person program includes lectures, workshops, and discussion sessions that span the science of AI, ethical concerns like algorithmic bias, and emerging regulatory frameworks worldwide. You’ll analyze Western and non-Western perspectives on responsible AI design and consider how governments and organizations are managing the growth of the technology. Each day is structured to combine academic content with interactive sessions, encouraging you to think about AI’s social impact. By the end of the week, you’ll work on a focused project or policy recommendation related to an area of your interest, such as healthcare automation, AI and democracy, or surveillance technology. 

10. The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) - Summer Research Internship 

Location: Virtual
Cost: $840 + $40 application fee (financial aid is available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students
Dates: June 16-27
Application deadline: December 9–February 28
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents who will be 14 years or older by the program's start are eligible.

The AIMI Summer Research Internship at Stanford is a two-week virtual program that introduces you to how AI is being used to solve problems in healthcare. Through a mix of lectures, mentoring sessions, and research team meetings, you’ll study topics like medical imaging, health equity, and algorithm development in a clinical context. Stanford researchers and student mentors guide you as you work on a group research project, with opportunities to discuss your findings and learn from others. The program includes “Career Lunch and Learn” sessions where you’ll meet professionals from academia, nonprofits, and the tech industry to understand different paths in AI and medicine. Upon completion, you’ll receive a certificate recognizing your work and involvement.

11. Texas Tech University - Anson L. Clark Scholars Program 

Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Stipend: $750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, 12 students
Dates: June 22 - August 7
Application deadline: February 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 17 by the start date

The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech offers a seven-week, fully-funded opportunity to conduct university-level research alongside faculty across disciplines (including AI, computer science, natural sciences, and even the humanities). You’ll be matched with a faculty mentor and engage in an individualized research project. Throughout the program, you’ll also attend weekly seminars, participate in field trips, and collaborate with peers from around the world. You’ll spend your summer living on campus, experiencing college life and academic inquiry in a professional environment.

12. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Location: George Mason University; Remote & hybrid options available 
Cost: $25 application fee with need-based fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Students must be at least 15 years old for remote internships and at least 16 years old for in-person or hybrid wet-lab internships

The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program at George Mason University is a full-time research experience where you’ll work with university faculty and collaborators on current STEM projects. If you’re interested in AI or data science, you might contribute to studies in machine learning, software engineering, or scientific computing, though the program also spans other fields like neuroscience, biochemistry, and environmental science. For eight weeks, you’ll receive training in lab techniques and computational tools, and you’ll also develop skills in scientific writing, ethics, and communication through weekly workshops. 

13. EDIT ML Summer Internship Program

Location: Virtual 
Cost: No cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: Starts June 15
Application deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students with a demonstrated ability in computer science

The EDIT ML Summer Internship gives you the chance to apply machine learning to clinical research problems. Over the course of the summer, you’ll work with researchers on projects involving cancer diagnostics, electronic health records, gigapixel imaging, and other healthcare applications, using tools like Python, R, and computing systems. This is a research-oriented experience, so you’ll be coding, analyzing data, and learning to present findings to medical and scientific audiences. You can also attend seminars and lectures that introduce topics in pathology, algorithm design, and the ethical considerations of AI in medicine. Prior exposure to deep learning or machine learning is recommended. 

14. Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (BAIR) High School Summer Program

Location: UC Berkeley Campus, Berkeley, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 8 -12
Application deadline: Applications typically close in April
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10-12 residing in the Bay Area

Designed to increase access to AI education, the BAIR High School Summer Program at UC Berkeley offers a two-week, in-person introduction to artificial intelligence for students. Hosted by the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab, the program is tuition-free and geared toward students with limited exposure to STEM outside the classroom. Each day includes guest lectures from Berkeley faculty, interactive activities, and learning in machine learning and Python. You’ll also participate in lab visits and small group projects mentored by graduate students working in areas like robotics, natural language processing, or ethical AI. 

15. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute 

Location: Virtual and in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Online Courses: February 3–June 20 | In-person Summer Program: July 7–August 3
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year who are U.S. citizens.

The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a project-based program for students who want to take on STEM topics through coursework. BWSI includes multiple course options, some of which center on AI, such as Serious Game Design with AI or Remote Sensing for Disaster Response. You’ll start with a required online prerequisite course during the spring, then attend the summer program on MIT’s campus if accepted. Throughout the program, you’ll work in teams to build systems, apply AI techniques to simulations, or analyze satellite imagery using deep learning and geospatial tools. Instructors and mentors include MIT researchers and graduate students, and the program features guest speakers from fields like emergency management, game design, and AI ethics.

Image Source - Carnegie Mellon University Logo