If you are a high schooler curious about computer science, a structured program can help you explore your interests beyond the classroom. As a participant, you will typically work with programming languages like Python or Java while learning core concepts such as algorithms, data structures, and basic software development. In these programs, the focus is usually project-based work where you get to build applications, analyze datasets, or experiment with machine learning models. You may also use tools like GitHub for version control or work with libraries such as TensorFlow or pandas, depending on the focus area. The curriculum often combines lectures, coding exercises, and guided projects, with some programs offering opportunities to conduct research and present your findings.
Why should you choose a program in California?
California has a high concentration of universities, research labs, and technology companies that influence the design of many student programs in the state. Institutions like the University of California system and Stanford host programs that often reflect current research efforts in areas like artificial intelligence, data science, and computing systems. The state is home to major technology hubs, including Silicon Valley and parts of Los Angeles and San Diego, where work revolves around software development, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. This environment shapes program content, with some programs including guest lectures, site visits, or project topics connected to real-world applications. In addition, California offers a wide range of programs, from short introductory workshops to longer residential research experiences, letting you find programs that align with your interests.
To help you with your search, here are 15 computer science programs for high school students in California.
If you are strictly looking for summer opportunities in the state, check out our other curated list of California-based computer science programs here. If you are interested in CS research, explore our selection of opportunities here.
1. UCSD Research Experience for High School Students
Location: UC San Diego’s San Diego Supercomputer Center, La Jolla, CA
Cost: $2,000 registration fee; full and partial scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: 10th, 11th, and 12th graders who are Southern California residents, at least 16 years old, and have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
This eight-week program lets you work on a real computational research project at UC San Diego’s San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), alongside a UCSD faculty or postdoctoral mentor. Projects span computer science, machine learning, cyber infrastructures, and computational science. You will work in pairs or small groups alongside peers with similar interests, learning how to formulate hypotheses, run computational experiments, and analyze results. Most projects require 15 – 20 hours of work per week; however, you can design your schedule directly with your mentor. You will also attend bi-weekly lunchtime research talks and participate in regular lab meetings and group discussions. At the end of the program, you will create a scientific poster summarizing your research and present it at a closing event. You can also choose the non-research track to assist SDSC staff with work focused on summer programs.
2. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost: $2,400 + $45 application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~50 students/session
Dates: Session A: June 15 – 26 | Session B: July 6 – 17
Application deadline: February 20
Eligibility: U.S. high school students over the age of 14; preference is given to students with math/programming skills or experience with a healthcare project.
This is a two-week virtual summer program run by Stanford’s Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI), where you explore how AI is used in healthcare and medicine. You will attend lectures by Stanford researchers and clinicians on topics like machine learning basics, medical imaging, and responsible AI. You will work in a small team on a health AI research project, guided by Stanford student leads and research mentors. The program also includes a guest speaker series featuring professionals from academia, healthcare, industry, nonprofits, and government who share their experiences and career paths in AI. At the end of two weeks, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Stanford AIMI.
3. Meta Summer Academy
Location: Meta headquarters, Menlo Park, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 24
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores living in Belle Haven, East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City with a minimum GPA of 2.0
The Meta Summer Academy is a six-week, paid program for high school students in the Bay Area. As a participant, you will spend 30 hours every week engaging in a mix of technical and professional skill development, learning about coding, financial concepts, and creative work within the arts and media. You will work on guided projects and group-based tasks that reflect how teams collaborate in a workplace. The program also includes sessions with guest speakers and opportunities to interact with employees from different parts of the company. The experience can help you get a glimpse into a range of technical and non-technical roles.
4. UCSD Mentor Assistance Program (MAP)
Location: UC San Diego, La Jolla (San Diego), CA
Cost: Free for non-research tracks and students qualifying for free and reduced lunch | $1,000 for research projects; financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: October 1 – May 31
Application deadline: May 31
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 12 in San Diego County
MAP is an eight-month mentorship program run by UC San Diego’s School of Medicine and the San Diego Supercomputer Center, where you will be paired one-on-one with a UCSD faculty member, researcher, or staff expert in a field of your choice. Opportunities span disciplines ranging from computer science and biochemistry to marine science and history. You will work with your mentor to define your program experience, whether that’s developing a research or science fair project, exploring scholarly readings, or learning more about a potential career path through regular discussions. You will spend about 2–4 hours every week working with your mentor. After completing the eight-month program, you may be invited to apply for a summer internship opportunity.
5. UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: $5,675 (commuter) | $13,274 (residential); scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application deadline: March 9
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 11 with a 3.80 academic weighted GPA or higher
RMP is a six-week opportunity to conduct university-level research under the guidance of a mentor on the UC Santa Barbara campus. The program begins with a virtual orientation, where you will learn about projects and meet your mentor before starting hands-on work on campus. You can choose a research area from a wide range of disciplines, including computer science. You will spend most of your time on research, lab work, and data analysis. At the end, you will complete a research paper and present your findings at a formal symposium. The program also lets you earn university credits through two research courses covering research techniques, methods, scientific writing, and research presentation.
6. California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
Location: UC Los Angeles, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Merced, and UC Santa Cruz, CA
Cost: $5,518 + $46 non-refundable application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~150 – 200 students/campus and 20 – 25 students/cluster
Dates: July 5 – 31 or August 1, depending on your campus placement
Application deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Rising 9th – 12th graders and graduating seniors who are California residents; a minimum 3.5 GPA is recommended. Specific clusters may have additional prerequisites.
COSMOS is a four-week residential program where you get to select a specific STEM “cluster” and spend the entire program studying that subject in depth at a University of California campus. Each cluster is led by university faculty and focuses on advanced topics within areas like computer science, engineering, or data science, depending on the campus. You will follow a schedule that combines lectures, lab work, and group projects tied to your chosen subject. You will complete the coursework within your cluster under the guidance of professors, build technical skills, and explore real-world applications of computer science. Throughout the program, you will live in college dorms, getting a look at life on campus.
7. Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Virtual or at Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Online: $4,120 | Residential: $9,800; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Online: June 15 – 26 | Residential: July 19 – 31
Application deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Current 9th graders/rising 10th graders who are 14+ by the start of the program
Stanford AI4ALL is a three-week virtual and on-campus program designed to introduce you to AI through lectures, projects, and mentorship. During the program, you will explore how AI can be applied to real-world problems while gaining experience in coding, data analysis, and machine learning. Instruction covers concepts such as robotics, computer vision, natural language processing, and medical AI. Additionally, the curriculum includes discussions on ethics and equity in AI. Graduate students, researchers, and professionals will provide guidance and mentorship throughout the program. Career panels and workshops will help you see how AI research connects to academic and professional pathways.
8. UPenn’s Wharton Global Youth Program’s San Francisco, CA: AI Leadership
Location: Wharton San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Cost: $8,959 + $100 non-refundable application fee; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 5 – 17
Application deadline: Priority: January 28; final: March 18
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 11; selection is based on a record of excellent academic performance and demonstrated interest in tech advancement and leadership.
The AI Leadership program is a nine-day residential experience at Wharton’s San Francisco campus, where you will explore how artificial intelligence is changing business and society. You will learn about machine learning and generative AI, natural language processing, ethics and governance of AI, and the use of tools like ChatGPT. Each day typically combines lectures, group activities, simulations, and trips to AI firms around the Bay Area. The program ends with a team-based project where you will apply AI tools to a real business problem and present your solution. Upon completing the program, you will receive a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
9. Stanford’s Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SHTEM) Summer Internship
Location: Stanford University, Stanford (San Francisco Bay Area), CA
Cost: $95 non-refundable application fee; financial assistance may be available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: February 1
Dates: June 22 – August 14
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 14 years old, as well as full-time community college students, ages 17 – 21, within their first three years; applicants must be U.S. citizens/permanent residents.
Stanford’s SHTEM offers high schoolers and community college students an eight-week on-campus research experience that blends computer science, humanities, engineering, and math. During the program, you will be placed in small groups of peers and matched with interdisciplinary projects based on your interests. You will work with mentors from Stanford’s Compression Forum, including faculty, staff, and students. You will take part in regular meetings, research assignments, and collaborative discussions, typically committing 20 to 3 hours each week. The experience can provide insight into how different disciplines, including tech and computer science, connect within research settings.
10. San José State University’s CyberAI Summer Camp
Location: San José State University campus, San Jose, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application deadline: April 13
Eligibility: Local high school students completing grades 9 – 12
This free five-day program at San José State University introduces high schoolers to cybersecurity concepts and how artificial intelligence is used in digital security. You will complete lab exercises focused on network security, threat detection, and ethical hacking. The program is structured around short, hands-on lab sessions, where you will learn how to use cybersecurity tools and AI-based methods. Faculty and students will lead workshops and guide activities throughout the week. You will also find opportunities to connect with peers, university students, and professors during lunch. All required equipment is provided during sessions.
11. LAunchPad Summer Program @ Cal State University
Location: California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free (meals provided)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26 (Grades 11 – 12) | July 15 – 19 (Grades 9 – 10)
Application Deadline: April 10
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12
This one-week program introduces you to engineering and computer science through short lectures, hands-on activities, and group projects. Each day typically begins with faculty presentations, followed by interactive project work and sessions with industry professionals. You will work in small teams on a collaborative project that leads to a final presentation at the end of the program. The curriculum covers multiple fields, including computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering, rather than focusing on just one subject. You will also attend speaker sessions where professionals will discuss their work and answer your questions.
12. Berkeley Lab Director’s Apprenticeship Program (BLDAP)
Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $500/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – July 24
Application deadline: March 22
Eligibility: Public school students, ages 16 and up, in grades 10 and 11 in Alameda, San Francisco, and Contra Costa counties in Northern California
This six-week program focuses on machine learning, data science, and related areas through project-based work. You will collaborate with mentors from research labs and universities while building and testing models. Activities include coding sessions, workshops, and guided project work in AI and related topics such as computer vision, robotics, or reinforcement learning. The program emphasizes skill-building in collaboration and scientific inquiry, culminating in a final presentation of your work. The program also offers college and career guidance.
13. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps
Location: Various sites, including Oakland, CA, and San Francisco, CA + virtual options
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: Late March
Dates: Multiple two-week camps in June – August
Eligibility: Women and gender-expansive teens, ages 13 – 18
Kode With Klossy runs free coding camps focused on topics such as web development, data science, and AI. You will join tracks like data science, web development, or artificial intelligence and machine learning to learn how to work with tools like SQL and Python, use languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or study algorithms and natural language processing. You will apply what you learn to projects like training a chatbot, developing a site, and working on data visualization. Beyond track-specific learning, each camp includes a speaker series featuring women working in tech, offering you insights into what careers in the field look like.
14. Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley’s Teen Research Programs: Artificial Intelligence for Real-Life Problem Solving
Location: UC Berkeley campus, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,550 + optional residential add-on: $1,350; financial aid available for California residents (financial aid deadline: April 12)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26 | July 6 – 10 | July 20 – 24 | July 27 – 31
Application deadline: Sunday, the week before the session/residential package begins.
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 – 12
This is a one-week program hosted by the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley, developed in partnership with the Berkeley AI Research Lab, where you will learn how AI works and how it applies to real-world problems. Each day, you will participate in coding workshops in Python, sessions covering machine learning models, and discussions about the math behind AI systems and the ethics of AI. You will also hear from UC Berkeley graduate students and researchers working on current AI projects and go on lab tours, including a robotics lab. You will also have access to the “Pathways” program, which lets you tour campus facilities, interact with college students, and meet professionals across STEM fields. At the end of the week, you will present your project to peers and parents and receive a UC Berkeley certificate of completion. An optional residential add-on lets you stay in UC Berkeley dorms and take part in supervised evening activities.
15. UC San Diego’s Sally Ride Science Academy: High School track
Location: Virtual or UC San Diego Extended Studies, San Diego, CA
Cost: $175 – $495/course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 24
Application deadline: May
Eligibility: High school students
This UCSD program offers high schoolers the opportunity to enroll in short workshop-style courses across STEM subjects, including coding, data science, and engineering. Each course runs independently and focuses on hands-on activities such as programming exercises, data analysis, or design challenges. Sessions, conducted online or on campus, are led by instructors with academic or industry backgrounds. The format varies by course, but most include project-based tasks completed during class time. For instance, the robotics course covers the basics of the JavaScript language to help you use it to write programs and make a robot interact with its surroundings.
One more option—Horizon Academic Research Program
If you are looking for a competitive mentored research program in computer science, you can consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! It is a selective virtual research program that allows you to engage in advanced research and come up with a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1,000+ high school students so far, offering 600+ research specializations to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source: UC San Diego