Data sits behind almost everything you use today, from the apps on your phone to how companies make decisions or how research is conducted. If you are a high school student interested in knowing how these systems actually work, data science programs are a smart choice.
You might spend time learning how to work with datasets, write basic code, or understand how trends are identified. Some programs also include guided projects where you apply what you learn to real-world problems. This gives you a clearer idea of how data is used in practice.
Why should you choose a program in Indiana?
Indiana has universities and institutions that offer structured programs in data science and related areas like computer science, statistics, and artificial intelligence. Many of these programs are connected to academic departments, which means you get a more organized learning experience along with exposure to how these subjects are taught at a higher level.
Staying within the state can also make things more practical by reducing additional costs. At the same time, you get exposure to local academic environments and potential career paths, which can help you plan.
To help you explore your options, here are 15 data science programs for high school students in Indiana! You can also explore our blog on online data science programs here!
15 Data Science Programs for High School Students in Indiana
1. Purdue AI + Machine Learning Summer Camp
Location: Hammond Campus, Hammond, IN
Cost: $130
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16-20
Application Deadline: Typically in April
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12
Purdue University Northwest’s AI/ML Summer Camp runs over a week on campus, where you move step by step through how machine learning models are built and tested using Python. The sessions start with core ideas like supervised and unsupervised learning, and then move into specific methods such as linear regression, k-nearest neighbors, and basic neural networks. You spend most of your time working with small datasets, writing code, and checking how changes in input affect model output. Some parts focus on evaluation, where you compare results using simple metrics and understand why one model performs better than another. The program also connects these methods to areas like recommendation systems, robotics, and energy use, but the work stays grounded in the code and data.
2. Purdue Northwest – Storytelling with Data Summer Camp
Location: Purdue University Northwest, Hammond Campus, Hammond, IN
Cost: Not listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13– July 17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 12 to 16
PNW’s Storytelling with Data camp focuses on how you handle datasets from start to finish, with most of the work centered on cleaning, structuring, and interpreting data before presenting it. You spend time working through datasets using basic statistical reasoning, then move into building visualizations that reflect what the numbers actually show. The sessions run in a fixed daily block, which allows you to stay with one dataset long enough to see how small changes affect results. A large part of the work is deciding what to include and what to leave out when presenting findings.
3. Club SciKidz Central Indiana – AI & Data Science Summer Camp
Location: Multiple locations, Central Indiana (Carmel and Greenwood, IN)
Cost: $400 – $425
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 18 per session
Dates: June 15 or July 13
Application Deadline: Rolling (until full)
Eligibility: Students aged 10-15
Club SciKidz’s AI and Data Science camp runs as a one-week program where you build simple AI models by working directly with datasets and code. You move through areas like natural language processing, data visualization, and recognition systems, with each topic tied to small projects. The schedule follows a full-day format, so you revisit similar tools across different activities rather than moving on quickly. Group size stays limited, which means most tasks are done with direct input from instructors. You also pick a topic of your own and build a small project around it during the week. The work ends with a presentation, where you explain how your model works and what the output shows.
4. Project SELECT
Location: Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN
Cost: $1,650
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited
Dates: July 12-July 18, July 19-July 25
Application Deadline: April 20
Eligibility: Open to students during the summer after their freshman and sophomore years of high school.
Project SELECT runs as a short, immersive program where you move through engineering problems that include working with datasets and basic computational tasks. You start with core ideas from science and programming, then apply them in team-based projects that often require collecting and interpreting data. Some of the work involves simple analysis, where you use code to make sense of patterns in real-world problems. Faculty guide the process, but a lot of the learning comes from working through the problem step by step. The structure keeps you switching between building something and checking whether your data supports it.
5. Notre Dame Summer Scholars – Data Science Track (Data Visualization)
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $5,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 6 -20, June 27 – July 11
Application Deadline: February 18
Eligibility: High School students
Notre Dame’s data science track leans more toward the mathematical side, where you work with probability, distributions, and statistical modeling before moving into applications. You write Python code to implement models rather than relying only on built-in tools, which forces you to understand how each method works. Topics like Bayesian and frequentist approaches come up when comparing how different frameworks handle uncertainty. Some sessions include reading simplified research papers, where you break down how models are used in actual studies. You also work with datasets that require structured analysis rather than quick visualization.
6. Luddy Precollege Summer STEM Camp (IU Bloomington)
Location: IU Bloomington campus, IN
Cost: $950
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 26-August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Grades 10 to 12
Luddy’s program connects data science with real-world systems, where you work with sensor data, AI tools, and computational models. You collect data through devices or simulations, then process it into usable formats before analysis. Topics like IoT and robotics introduce how data is generated in physical systems. You also work with sound or image data, which adds another layer to how inputs are handled. Some sessions include basic signal processing, where you filter and structure raw data. The program moves between hardware and software, showing how data flows across both.
7. SEED/STEM Summer Program (Indiana CTSI)
Location: IU Indianapolis campus, IN
Cost: None. A stipend of up to $4,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Indiana high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have completed chemistry, demonstrated STEM interest; able to commute daily.
The SEED/STEM program runs full-time in a research lab, where your work often involves handling datasets tied to biomedical or computational projects. You may spend time collecting data, organizing it, and applying analysis methods depending on the lab you join. Programming tools like Python or R come into play when working with structured datasets. The program also introduces research methods such as literature review and experimental design, which shape how data is interpreted. Regular check-ins help track progress, especially when projects evolve. You begin to understand how research data is built and refined across weeks rather than days.
8. Research Computing: Computers Accelerating Discovery (Notre Dame Summer Scholars)
Location: Notre Dame campus, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $4,900 (grants available for special cases)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 6-June 20, June 27 – July 11
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school students (usually rising juniors/seniors)
The Notre Dame Research Computing program introduces students to High Performance Computing (HPC) and will have the chance to build and operate their own “supercomputer, on a small scale. You explore how computing tools speed up research, including data handling, simulation, and acceleration techniques across disciplines. You’ll also work with large datasets and learn how to optimize workflows for efficiency using parallel processing or vectorized operations. Expect exposure to simulation environments and computational models used in fields like physics, biology, or engineering. Some modules may include benchmarking performance and comparing different computational approaches.
9. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Virtual
Cost: The program costs $2,350 for students from families with an income above $150,000, but is free for those from families earning less.
Application Deadline: Typically late March
Dates: July 7 – August 3
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11 who attend school in the U.S. can apply, with most accepted students typically in 11th grade.
BWSI is run by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and MIT’s School of Engineering, where you work on technical projects across areas like AI, data science, and computing through structured online courses. In Remote Sensing for Disaster Response, you use Python to process satellite imagery and work with geospatial datasets, applying GIS and basic deep learning methods to analyze patterns.
Medlytics focuses on medical datasets, where you build machine learning models to classify signals and make predictions, such as identifying conditions from physiological data. The Quantum Software track shifts toward computation, where you write code to test quantum algorithms and understand how they behave. Each course is built around problem sets and projects, so most of your time goes into working with data and code directly. You also interact with instructors and peers while moving through the coursework.
10. CS50: Introduction to Computer Science by Harvard University
Location: Online
Cost: Free to audit, an optional verified certificate is available for $219
Program Dates: Self-paced (start anytime)
Application Deadline: Enrollment is open year-round
Eligibility: Open to high school students
CS50 starts with C, where you work with memory, pointers, and efficiency before moving into Python, SQL, and JavaScript. The problem sets are built around specific tasks, so you spend time writing and fixing code rather than following examples. Concepts like data structures and algorithms come up while you’re working through these problems. Later, you build small web projects that connect code to actual use cases. The course ends with a final project where you put these pieces together into something functional.
11. UC San Diego EnCORE – FinDS (Foundations in Data Science)
Location: Online
Cost: $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 27- August 14
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students
The FinDS program at UC San Diego focuses on the mathematical structure behind data science, starting with topics like probability, linear algebra, and graph theory. You will work through how algorithms are built and why they behave the way they do. Concepts like vectors, matrices, and graph relationships come up when understanding data systems. You also explore how these ideas connect to machine learning models at a basic level. The program stays close to theory, so most of your time goes into working through underlying concepts. It feels more like preparing for advanced coursework than learning quick applications.
12. Columbia University Online Data Science Program
Location: Online
Cost: $2,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students
Dates: June 29 – July 17
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9-12
Columbia’s program introduces Python-based data analysis through structured projects using real datasets. You work with libraries to clean data, generate visualizations, and apply basic machine learning models like regression and classification. Each step is tied to a workflow, so you move from raw data to interpretation in stages. You also focus on how to structure your code and results clearly. Some parts involve comparing outputs to understand how models behave under different conditions.
13. Stanford – Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute – Introduction to Data Science
Location: Online
Cost: $3,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – June 26, July 06- July 17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
The Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute’s “Introduction to Data Science” course is a two-week, intensive online program for high school students that explores how data is used to answer real-world questions. You learn core concepts like algorithms, statistical thinking, and different modeling approaches, while working with datasets from both natural and social sciences. The course emphasizes hands-on learning through R programming and machine learning exercises, helping you build practical coding and analytical skills.
14. IBM: Python Basics for Data Science
Location: Online
Cost: $99
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
This course by IBM starts from the basics of Python, where you learn how to handle variables, loops, and functions before moving into data-related tasks. You work inside Jupyter Notebooks, writing small scripts that process and analyze simple datasets. The focus stays on building familiarity with code rather than jumping into complex models. You also learn how data structures like lists and dictionaries are used to organize information. The labs guide you step by step, so each concept builds on the previous one. It works as an entry point into programming for data-related work.
15. NextGen Bootcamp – Python Data Science & AI (Online)
Location: Online
Cost: $1,699
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
NextGen’s program runs as a longer, project-based course where you work through statistical methods like hypothesis testing and regression models. You build classification pipelines and evaluate how well they perform using validation techniques. The program includes structured datasets that simulate business scenarios, so your work often involves interpreting outcomes rather than just generating them. You also handle preprocessing steps such as feature engineering and dataset splitting. Each project builds on the previous one, adding more complexity to the workflow.
One more option—Horizon Academic Research Program
If you are looking for a competitive mentored research program in data science, information technology, and analytics, 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: University of Notre Dame