Which Girls Who Code Program Fits You? A 2027 Guide

Oct 6

Updated November 2026

TL;DR

Girls Who Code runs three free ways to learn computer science: Pathways (a seven-week online program for high schoolers), Clubs (in-person or online groups for grades 3 to 12) and Code at Home (free activities you can do on your own). Pathways is the most structured and ends in a certificate; Clubs are the most social; Code at Home is the easiest place to start. Girls Who Code hasn't posted 2027 Pathways dates yet; in 2026, sessions ran June 29 to August 14 and October 19 to December 4.

Most students searching for Girls Who Code are really asking one question: which program should I join? What sets Girls Who Code apart is that every option is free, so the choice comes down to your grade, how much structure you want and whether you'd rather learn alone or with a group. This guide compares the three side by side.

Exploring tech options? See Ladder's guides to the skills a tech internship teaches and how to get into a competitive internship.

How do the Girls Who Code programs compare?

All three Girls Who Code programs are free; they differ in grade range, format and how much structure you get.

Detail	Pathways	Clubs	Code at Home
Who it's for	Grades 9 to 12 (including rising 9th graders and graduating seniors)	Grades 3 to 12, any skill level	Anyone 13 or older who signs up
Format	100% virtual, self-paced	In person or online	Self-paced activities, some unplugged
Length	Seven consecutive weeks	School year, weekends or summer	Whenever you like
What you learn	Data Science + AI, Cybersecurity, Web Development, AI + Society, Game Design	Web development, cybersecurity, game design, AI (grades 6 to 12)	Python, Scratch, HTML/CSS
Cost	Free	Free	Free
What you get	Beginner, intermediate or advanced certificate	A peer group and a facilitator	Practice projects

What is Girls Who Code Pathways?

Pathways is a free, fully virtual program for students in grades 9 to 12, with asynchronous courses that run for seven consecutive weeks. You choose a track (Data Science + AI in Python, Cybersecurity in Python, Web Development in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, AI + Society, or Game Design in JavaScript) and earn a beginner, intermediate or advanced certificate. Rising 9th graders, Summer Programs alums and graduating seniors can also join.

Pathways also connects you with the tech industry: you're expected to attend at least one Partner Signature Event, and some cities offer in-person Industry Immersion Days. Because it's self-paced, it fits around school, but you'll need to keep yourself on schedule.

What are Girls Who Code Clubs?

Girls Who Code Clubs are free groups for students in grades 3 to 12 at any skill level, meeting in person or online, after school, on weekends or in the summer. The grades 6 to 12 curriculum covers web development, cybersecurity, game design and AI.

Clubs are led by facilitators, who can be teachers, librarians, parents or volunteers, and they run across the U.S. If there isn't a club near you, an adult at your school or library can apply to start one, which can make a strong leadership story if you help get it going.

What is Girls Who Code at Home?

Code at Home is a free library of activities you can do on your own: Python for intermediate and advanced coders, Scratch for beginners and HTML/CSS through the Activist Toolkit. There are also unplugged activities, such as Binary Bracelets and Cyber Detective, that teach computing ideas without a screen.

You sign up with an email and confirm you're 13 or older. It's the lowest-commitment way to find out whether you enjoy coding before you join Pathways or a club.

How do you choose the right Girls Who Code program?

Pick by what you want out of the next few months.

Choose Pathways if you're in high school and want a structured, seven-week course with a certificate and industry events.
Choose a Club if you want to learn with friends, you're in middle or elementary school, or you'd like to help run something at your school.
Choose Code at Home if you're just curious and want to try coding this week, with no schedule.

Many students combine them: try Code at Home first, then join Pathways or a club once you know which area you like.

Does Girls Who Code help with college applications?

It can, if you show what you built and where you took it next. A Pathways certificate or a club role tells colleges you're interested in computer science; a project you finished, a club you started or a skill you used somewhere real tells them much more.

Girls Who Code teaches skills, while an internship lets you use them on real work. Ladder Internships places high school students in remote, eight-week start-up internships, where they work on a real project with a company coach, including in software, AI and data, with full financial aid available.

Common questions about Girls Who Code

Is Girls Who Code free?

Yes. Pathways, Clubs and Code at Home are all free.

What do you learn in Girls Who Code Pathways?

You pick one track: Data Science + AI, Cybersecurity, Web Development, AI + Society or Game Design. Courses use Python, HTML, CSS or JavaScript depending on the track, and you finish with a certificate at your level.

When is the next Girls Who Code Pathways session?

Girls Who Code hasn't posted 2027 dates yet. In 2026, the summer session ran June 29 to August 14 and the fall session ran October 19 to December 4, so check the Pathways page for the next round.

What can you do after Girls Who Code?

Put your skills to work on a real project. Ladder Internships runs remote, eight-week start-up internships for high school students worldwide, at 5 to 10 hours a week, with a company coach and full financial aid available. The next deadline is November 15, 2026, for the Winter I cohort starting December 7, 2026.

Dhruva Bhat

Dhruva Bhat is one of the co-founders of Ladder, and a Harvard College graduate. Dhruva founded Ladder Internships as a DPhil candidate and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, with a vision to bridge the gap between ambitious students and real-world startup experiences.