15 Summer Coding Internships for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in coding, spending your summer in an internship can be a smart way to build skills and explore your interests. Internships give you a chance to apply what you've learned in a classroom to real projects—whether that’s debugging code, contributing to a team, or learning a new programming language.
Taking part in an internship early on helps you understand what working in tech or computer science actually looks like. You’ll begin developing habits like problem-solving, communicating in a team, and working with deadlines—all valuable in college and beyond. It’s also a way to see whether you actually enjoy the field before committing to it later.
Many internships are free or offer a stipend, and some are run by universities, research labs, or startups. These experiences don’t just help you grow—they also make your college applications more competitive by showing initiative and curiosity.
To help you get started, here are 15 summer coding internships for high school students to explore.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10 – 20 hours/week for 8 – 12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program. During the internship, you intern with a high-growth startup, which, on average, raises over a million dollars. Interning with such a startup provides insights into working in a professional environment. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You will be expected to work with the startup’s managers and a Ladder Coach who will mentor and guide you. Your tasks will involve working on projects and presenting your work to the company.
2. National Institute of Standards & Technology’s Summer High School Intern Program
Location: Boulder, CO, or Gaithersburg, MD
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 6
Program Dates: June 23 – August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who have a minimum GPA of 3.0
If you’re a high schooler interested in science, you can take up a research internship with NIST’s SHIP. This is an opportunity for you to learn from scientists as you work on your own research project over 8 weeks. In the past, students have conducted research in the communications technology and information technology laboratories, both of which deal with computer science and statistics topics. If you are interested in programming, you are required to explicitly state your preference in the application. Students will benefit from prior experience in Python, Java, web development, and other programming topics. During the internship, you will also tour campus facilities.
3. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Stipend: $4,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 300
Application Deadline: November 1
Program Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Eligibility: High school students who have completed grade 9, are at least 16 years old, and are U.S. citizens
The SEAP program places you in the Department of Navy laboratories where you will conduct research. There are various labs dedicated to computer science, programming, robotics, and more. During the program, you will be mentored by scientists and engineers. The aim of the program is to encourage research in STEM subjects and an interest in science and technology. Some tasks you will be involved with include assisting mentors with guided research projects, job and project shadowing with professional researchers, and attending seminars, conferences, and technical meetings. You’ll also network with STEM professionals and other interns, tour labs, and participate in other professional development activities.
4. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program
Location: Varies
Cost: $25 application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 2
Program Dates: June 18 – August 8
Eligibility: Students who are at least 15 years old (remote or computer lab in-person or hybrid internships) or 16 years old (‘wet-lab’ in-person or hybrid internships)
ASSIP is a research opportunity for high school and college students. You will work one-on-one with faculty researchers and gain access to advanced technology. The program deals with subjects like robotics, cybersecurity, computer modeling, game design, and more. You will develop scientific writing and communication skills as you work on original research. You will also discover careers in STEM through discussion forums and meetings with seasoned professionals. Depending on the research you produce, your name may be published in scientific journals, and your research may be presented at scientific conferences.
5. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; stipend of $750
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 12
Application Deadline: February 24
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or recent graduates who are at least 17 years old and are U.S. citizens of permanent residents
This summer research program lasts 7 weeks. High school students conduct original research in a topic of their interest. The list of available research in areas such as computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical engineering. You will gain research experience and guidance from university faculty. Social activities and weekly seminars are also included in the programming.
6. NYU’s Cyber Security for Computer Science
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: May 15
Program Dates: July 14 – August 8
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 – 11
The Cyber Security for Computer Science is a fully funded program for high school students. Over 4 weeks, you will learn the fundamental concepts of cybersecurity and ethical hacking. The lessons cover a wide range of topics, including “white-hat” hacking, cryptography, steganography, digital forensics, privacy, data usage, and so on, helping you develop skills in cryptography and digital forensics. You will practice coding and programming and conduct security analysis. Theatre-based workshops are designed to help you develop communication skills.
7. Stony Brook University Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 7
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program
The Simons Summer Research Program is an outreach program to encourage high school students to undertake research. As a Simon Fellow, you will be matched with a faculty member and placed in a research group. You will end the apprenticeship by completing a research abstract and poster. You will present the poster at the closing poster symposium. Besides conducting research, you will attend weekly faculty research talks and participate in special workshops, tours, and events.
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Cost/Stipend: Stipend is available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 14
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Eligibility: High school sophomores who are full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
At the Meta Summer Academy, you will explore life at a major tech company and learn about its everyday operations. As part of the academy, you will learn coding, explore careers, and develop soft skills. The program aims to provide early exposure to tech careers and roles. It will also teach you to chart a career in the industry and network with professionals. You will develop your teamwork skills over 6 weeks.
9. Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: June 21 – July 19
Eligibility: High school sophomores who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program
Computer Science Scholars is a 4-week program for you to explore computer science with Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff, and researchers who act as mentors. You will take college-level courses, which will cover the core elements of programming and problem-solving in Python, including algorithmic components (variables, functions, conditionals, and loops), basic data structures (lists and dictionaries), and problem-solving techniques (algorithmic thinking, top-down design, testing, and debugging). You will also attend weekly college prep and readiness seminars that talk about college admissions, financial aid, social-emotional well-being, and more. The program aims to strengthen your computational skills.
10. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging’s Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $850 + $40 application fee. Financial aid is available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 25
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Eligibility: High school students over the age of 14.
Stanford Center’s AIMI aims to advance AI research in healthcare. In this program, you will explore the technical and clinical aspects of AI in medicine. The internship involves introductory and technical lectures on AI in healthcare fundamentals. Stanford Student Leads and researchers mentor you throughout the internship. Group working sessions are designed for you to work on research projects. Social activities, including Virtual Career Lunch and Learns, allow you to network with professionals and explore careers in AI. For interested students, an extended independent research internship opportunity may be available.
11. UCLA Computer Science Introductory Track
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $3,291. Financial aid is available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: June 20
Program Dates: June 23 – July 11
Eligibility: High school students
This introductory program is for high school students interested in computer science and related subjects. Although not a traditional internship, this course is useful for learning the fundamentals required for a coding career. Because it is a beginner-level course, no prior experience is required. You will explore computers as a tool for problem-solving, creativity, and exploration through the design and implementation of computer programs. Some of the key topics covered by the course are data types, including integers, strings, and lists; control structures, including conditionals and loops; and functional decomposition. You will receive a letter grade upon completing the program.
12. Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab at the University of Chicago
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago IL
Stipend: $5,600
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 21 (tentative)
Application Deadline: January 12
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Eligibility: High school students living and attending school in the Chicago area
DSI’s Summer Lab is an 8-week research program. You will be paired with data science mentors from different fields, such as computer science, data science, social science, climate and energy policy, public policy, materials science, and biomedical research. With the mentor, you will develop skills in and engage with research methodologies, practices, and teamwork. You will work in a lab setting and have access to applied data science research. You will practice how to communicate your research findings in a video, which will be presented at the final symposium. The program also includes professional development and training for careers in data science and computing.
13. MITES Summer
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: 6 weeks from late -July – early-August
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
MITES Summer is a 6-week program where you can take up 5 courses in math, science, and humanities. You can also take electives, such as machine learning, architecture, genomics, and more, that emphasize the application of STEM. Alongside gaining practical skills to succeed in college, you will receive guidance on college applications. You can also participate in lab and company tours and social events.
Location: Hybrid in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta
Stipend: $500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Program Dates: Various sessions depending on location
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors currently attending a New York City (all boroughs), Los Angeles County, Miami-Dade/Broward County, or Atlanta high school
This Intro to AI course teaches you about the fundamentals of artificial intelligence. You will learn what AI is and how it is affecting the world at large. The program also grapples with the ethics of AI, how to develop generative and predictive models of AI, and what data science and machine learning concepts inform AI. By the end of the program, you will complete a group project where you will apply your knowledge and skills to pitch an AI-powered tool to mock clients. The top projects will be selected for presentation to a panel of judges on Demo Day.
15. Boston University RISE Internship Track
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: $6,185 + $60 application fee. Financial aid is available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 130
Application Deadline: February 14
Program Dates: June 29 – August 8
Eligibility: Students entering their senior year of high school
The RISE internship track engages high school students in research in science and engineering topics. Computer science and electrical and computer engineering are some subjects you can pursue research in. Throughout the program, you will attend weekly workshops that teach you about the scientific process, research ethics, reading a research paper, making a poster, and networking in the scientific community. These workshops will guide your research project and develop your technical skills. Sessions on college admissions and preprofessional health are built into the internship. At the end of the program, you will present your research at the poster symposium.