If you’re a high school student passionate about technology, coding, AI, or biotech, online pre-college programs are a super accessible way to work on your skills. Pre-college programs are hosted by universities, and offer hands-on projects, virtual labs, and interactive coursework that go far beyond what you’d typically learn in school.
You’ll explore areas such as computer science, data science, robotics, and biomedical engineering while developing practical skills and collaborating with your peers. Many programs also provide mentorship from industry professionals and opportunities to work on team-based challenges. An added bonus is that all of the programs below are 100% virtual, making it super cost-effective to participate in!
To help you find the right fit, we’ve rounded up 9 online tech pre-college programs for high school students.
1. Veritas AI
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs specifically designed for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars program is for students who want to study AI, machine learning, and data science. This 10-session boot camp covers the fundamentals of AI and data science, providing students with the opportunity to work on real-world projects. For more advanced students, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase provides the opportunity to collaborate one-on-one with mentors from top universities on an individualized project. A key feature of this fellowship is access to an in-house publication team that can help you get your work published in high school research journals. The program supports interdisciplinary exploration, enabling students to apply AI to diverse fields such as finance, medicine, sports, and environmental science. You can also explore examples of past student projects here.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June – August), Fall (September – December), Winter (December – February), and Spring (March – June).
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school | Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4) | No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here. You can also earn UCSD credit upon successful completion of the program!
3. Harvard University’s CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science
Cost: Free to audit; $219 for a verified certificate
Dates: 11 weeks; Self-paced
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students
Harvard’s CS50x is the online version of its well-known introductory computer science course, designed for high school students looking to improve their programming skills. The 11-week course builds algorithmic thinking and programming skills through self-paced study. The curriculum covers core computer science topics like algorithms, abstraction, and data structures, while also introducing students to programming languages such as C, Python, and SQL. To finish the course, you must complete nine problem sets and a final project.
4. Stanford Online Computer Science 101
Cost: Paid after free trial
Dates: Self-paced (Approx. 4-6 hours per week for 6 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Everyone is eligible for the course
Stanford’s Computer Science 101 course introduces you to programming and computational thinking through video lectures and practical assignments. You’ll explore programming syntax, core concepts, and data structures, learning how they apply to real-world problems. The course doesn’t require any software pre-installation because most instruction is delivered via a web browser. It offers hands-on exercises and provides access to online forums for collaboration and support.
5. Harvard Secondary School Program
Cost: $4,050 (four credits) or $7,900 (eight credits); need-based financial aid available
Dates: Various sessions from June 21 to August 9
Application Deadline: 4-week: February 12 | 7-week: April 9 (or earlier if full)
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 before the start of the program and will not turn 19 before July 31
The Harvard Secondary School Program (SSP) enables high school students to enroll in credit-bearing Harvard courses for either 4 or 7 weeks. Participants can select from more than 200 courses across disciplines such as biology, neuroscience, global health, psychology, and other STEM or pre-med fields. Students earn letter grades and official transcripts while studying with college and adult learners. The 7-week session provides options for residential, online, and commuter participation, while the 4-week session is exclusively residential. Participants will have access to live and recorded classes, academic support services, and community events.
6. Columbia University’s Data Science and Machine Learning 1
Cost: Online Summer Program (2 Weeks): $3,965 per session
Dates: Online: July 7 – July 18 | July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: Varies with sessions
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
Columbia University’s pre-college Data Science and Machine Learning 1 program teaches high school students the basics of data science and machine learning, without needing any prior coding experience. You will learn Python programming, analyze datasets, and explore essential machine learning algorithms. The course combines theoretical lessons with practical projects and features small class sizes (20–25 students) to ensure personalized instruction.
7. Brown University – AI, Data Science and Machine Learning
Cost: $5,314
Application Deadline: May 9
Program Dates: June 23 – July 18
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply. A basic foundation in computer programming, using languages such as Python or R, is required.
Brown University’s AI, Data Science and Machine Learning course provides a deeper exploration of advanced data techniques beyond the basics. You can explore data visualization, predictive modeling, diagnostic techniques, and text analytics, as well as advanced topics such as deep learning, recommender systems, and computer vision. Through real-world case studies, you’ll gain practical experience while also examining the societal impact of emerging technologies. This course emphasizes both technical proficiency and responsible innovation.
8. Brown University – Introduction to Computational Mathematics and Big Data Visualization Program
Cost: $6,238
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application deadline: May 9
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12 who are aged 14 to 18
This course covers the basics of computational mathematics and their practical uses in the real world, including weather forecasting and disaster modeling. You will learn how numerical simulations and big data visualization can predict events like hurricanes and evaluate their effects. Aimed at future STEM students, this course explores parallel computing methods, 3D data analysis, and software tools essential for large-scale scientific simulations. Through hands-on experience, students can develop practical skills in mathematical modeling and high-performance computing, which are applicable in both research and industry.
9. Stanford University’s Pre-Collegiate Studies
Cost: $3,080, along with course-specific materials not exceeding $100. Financial aid is available based on need.
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – June 27 | Session 2: July 7 – July 18
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11
Stanford University’s pre-college summer program offers intensive courses for high school students in a competitive, small-class setting. Computer science options include Introduction to Machine Learning, Introduction to AI, Introduction to C++, and Human-Computer Interaction. The courses will feature project work, practical exercises, collaboration, discussions, lectures, and social activities, providing students with an in-depth learning experience.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like tech, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Brown University