In today’s digital age, students are learning technology at younger ages. No matter what career students are interested in, gaining hands-on experience in tech-focused summer programs can help them gain valuable skills.
As summer approaches, students should consider attending a summer program concentrated on technology, especially if their school curriculum doesn’t offer them much opportunity to explore the field. Here are some of the hidden benefits of attending a technology-focused summer program.
Entrepreneurial Skills
When students are exposed to technology, they are also encouraged to be more creative, innovative, or learn how to solve problems. Students who learn computer science are also taught to approach problems systematically and break them down into manageable steps. Having an understanding of technology can better position high school students to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. These skills can improve the student’s ability to contribute to innovative projects or create their own solutions to problems.
Digital Citizenship And Responsibility
Beyond potentially learning a new coding language, students will also learn principles of digital citizenship and responsibility. They might learn digital etiquette, ethical behavior online, or responsible technology use. Having a strong foundation in these skills will help students navigate the digital world safely.
Prepare For The Future
As students transition into their university coursework, they might find having basic knowledge in technology will help them. Having an understanding of digital platforms and other tools might help them with projects or research.
Additionally, when students start looking for jobs, they might find that being digitally literate can help them in almost every single career field, from engineering, business, mathematics, healthcare and more. Having an interdisciplinary approach can give students a leg up in their job search.
Many college and university programs integrate technology into their coursework. High school students exposed to technology are better prepared for the academic demands of higher education, where digital tools and platforms are commonly used for research, collaboration, and project work.
Coding As A Universal Language
No matter what country a student is from, coding can be a unifying language that can connect people from all cultures. It can help people worldwide collaborate on projects and is a skill that can quite literally be taken anywhere.
Top Tech-Focused Summer Programs For High School Students
Columbia University Introduction to Programming with Java
- Location: Virtual
- Dates: 7/15/25-7/26/25
- Cost: $3,850
- Age requirements: 9th-12th graders
- Deadline: Not available
- Overview: This is a two-week program that teaches Java programming fundamentals, algorithms, and object-oriented programming. Students will learn logical reasoning and participate in college-prep activities as they gain practical experience.
Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS)
- Location: New York University (NYU)
- Dates: 7/1/25-8/9/25
- Cost: Free
- Age requirements: 9th-11th graders from NYC and neighboring cities
- Deadline: 4/14/25
- Overview: CS4CS is a three-week cybersecurity program teaching digital forensics, steganography, hacking, and cryptography. No prior experience in computer science is required, and it aims to empower underrepresented populations in cybersecurity.
iD Tech Tech Camps (Python Camp)
- Location: Nationwide and online
- Dates: One-week sessions
- Cost: Starting at $1,199
- Age requirements: 13-17 years old
- Deadline: Not available
- Overview: This course is offered either online or in-person and will teach students Python coding basics, neural networks, and advanced machine learning techniques. Students will also complete problem-solving projects.
MIT Women’s Technology Program
- Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Dates: 6/28/25-7/26/25
- Cost: Based on income. Cost can range from free to $15,000.
- Age requirements: 11th graders (women-focused program)
- Deadline: 1/15/25
- Overview: This four-week program aims to empower women in technology. Participants will engage in hands-on classes, lab work, and team projects led by female MIT graduate students.
Naval Academy Summer STEM Program
- Location: U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, MD)
- Dates: Rising 9th Graders: 6/2/25-6/7/25, Rising 10th Graders: 6/9/25-6/14/25, Rising 11th Graders: 6/16/25-6/20/25
- Cost: $750
- Age requirements: Rising 9th–11th graders
- Deadline: Applications open on 1/6/25
- Overview: This is a one-week residential program focusing on problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration in coding, game development, and robotics. Participants will explore labs and facilities to gain hands-on experiences.
Penn Summer Coding Academy
- Location: University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
- Dates: 7/6/25-7/27/25
- Cost: $9,700 (Free for School District of Philadelphia public/charter school students)
- Age requirements: 9th-11th graders
- Deadline: Applications open late fall
- Overview: This program teaches web development, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and GitHub for collaborative coding. It provides a foundation for careers in technical fields.
Rising Researchers
- Location: Virtual
- Dates: Ongoing/flexible start date
- Cost: Designing a Science Fair Project – $2,900, Bioinformatics – $7,900
- Age requirements: 8th-12th graders
- Deadline: Applications open
- Overview: Rising Researchers is a sister company of Moon Prep and has two options available. The first is a 15-session bioinformatics program where students will build a strong foundation in data analysis and learn no-code tools for artificial intelligence and machine learning. The second option is a 6-session program focused on designing a science fair project or developing a conference presentation. Both programs are fully customizable and designed to fit seamlessly into summer break or the school year.
Stanford AI4ALL
- Location: Virtual
- Dates: TBD
- Cost: $4,000 (financial aid available)
- Age requirements: Rising 10th graders
- Deadline: Not available
- Overview: Stanford AI4ALL hosts a three-week program designed to increase diversity in the AI field. Students will learn AI research, ethics, and hands-on projects, mentored by Stanford experts.
Tandon NYU Summer Programs: Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC)
- Location: New York University (NYU)
- Dates: Session One: 6/17/25-6/28/25, Session Two: 7/8/25-719/25, Session Three: 7/29/25-8/9/25
- Cost: $3,000
- Age requirements: Must be 14 or older (15 for housing)
- Deadline: 4/22/25
- Overview: SPARC teaches robotics, mechatronics, and programming while providing a foundation in computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. This program is ideal for students interested in IoT, machine learning, and augmented reality.
UCLA Design Media Arts Summer Institute
- Location: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) or Virtual
- Dates: TBD
- Cost: $461 + housing fee
- Age requirements: 9th-12th graders, ages 15+
- Deadline: Not available
- Overview: This multimedia-focused program allows students to create projects such as 3D games, video presentations, and print designs. Students can combine their technical and artistic skills. Check their website for more information on deadlines and dates of the program.