Best Pre-College Programs for High Schoolers Interested in AI

Key Takeaways

• These 15 programs span a wide spectrum of AI-related learning, from foundational Python and machine learning courses to specialized tracks in healthcare AI, generative art, and theoretical computer science.
• Program formats vary considerably, from fully self-paced, free courses like Harvard’s CS50 AI course and Elements of AI to intensive residential experiences like Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program and Stanford AI4ALL’s residential session.
• Costs range widely, with several programs like MIT PRIMES, Khan Academy’s AI for Education, and Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program completely free, while others, like the UCLA AI and Art Summer Institute, charge several thousand dollars.
• A number of these programs, including Stanford AIMI’s academic year and summer research internships, pair you directly with researchers on active projects rather than a fixed classroom curriculum, giving you genuine hands-on research experience.
• If you want a longer, mentored research experience that results in an independent paper rather than a structured course, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs offers a mentored path toward a formal academic paper across 600+ specializations, including artificial intelligence and machine learning.

15 Best Pre-college Programs for High Schoolers Interested in AI

If you are a high school student interested in exploring a career in Artificial Intelligence, joining a pre-college program can be an excellent way to dive into the field. Whether you choose to dedicate your summer or academic year to studying artificial intelligence, you’ll place yourself at the cutting edge of modern technology. These experiences help you to transition from being a passive user of AI tools to becoming an active builder, helping you understand the complex algorithms, machine learning models, and datasets that power intelligent systems. You will also gain hands-on experience using industry-standard tools such as Python, neural network frameworks, and data libraries. Beyond coding, you will strengthen your critical thinking skills as you evaluate the ethical dimensions, transparency, and biases of AI systems, thus preparing you to become a responsible creator of future technologies.

Why should you choose a program in AI?

By participating in an AI pre-college program, you’ll experience campus life, have structured mentorship from graduate students, and in some cases, visit companies deploying AI in areas such as autonomous vehicles, healthcare, or creative fields. You will learn to navigate academic research environments, collaborate in diverse teams, and build a portfolio of projects that demonstrate your ability to solve real-world problems using AI. This exposure gives you a clear understanding of what a collegiate or professional pathway in computer science or AI looks like. Selecting the right pre-college program requires evaluating how well each option fits your academic background, mathematical maturity, and scheduling availability. Some programs prioritize theoretical computer science and research-level mathematics, while others focus on applied machine learning, medical imaging, or even generative art. 

To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 best pre-college programs for high school students interested in AI.

1. Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars Program

This Carnegie Mellon AI scholars four-week program gives you the opportunity to live on campus in Pittsburgh and take college-level courses that introduce you to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and computing. You will begin with a virtual Python preparatory course a month before arrival to build your coding confidence, ensuring you are ready for study regardless of your prior programming experience. Once on campus, you will learn from Carnegie Mellon faculty, explore ongoing research in areas such as robotics, computer vision, and natural language processing, and collaborate with other students on hands-on AI projects. Working in teams, you’ll clean datasets, train predictive models, and ultimately present your findings at a capstone symposium. Beyond the classroom, you’ll  attend weekly college prep seminars, develop a polished college application essay, and visit top technology companies to see real-world AI applications in practice.

2. Stanford AI4ALL Online Program

This two-week virtual program gives you the opportunity to explore human-centered artificial intelligence alongside a global community of peers. During the program, you’ll attend interactive classes from Monday through Friday, balancing live lectures, demonstrations, and team activities focused on domains such as medical AI, robotics, and natural language processing. Because this experience is designed for students early in high school, you will focus on conceptual clarity and ethical reflection rather than advanced math. Working in small teams, you will design an AI prototype to address a real societal challenge under the guidance of Stanford mentors. You will also participate in career workshops, meet researchers from diverse backgrounds, and learn to present both the technical details and societal implications of your work.

3. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)

Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback you can use to improve future projects. Apply here!

4. Stanford AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp

This bootcamp is an excellent choice if you are looking for a hands-on introduction to healthcare AI without committing to a full-summer program. You will attend focused sessions that cover how machine learning models detect patterns in medical scans, predict patient trajectories, and assist in clinical decision-making. Interactive lectures and coding demonstrations introduce you to key concepts such as model training, validation, and performance evaluation. You’ll also explore the social and ethical responsibilities of deploying AI in medical clinics, including algorithm transparency and dataset fairness. By working with simplified datasets, you will build AI models while discovering the wide range of career opportunities available at the intersection of computer science, engineering, and clinical medicine.

5. Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation

This college-level summer program at Johns Hopkins gives you the opportunity to strengthen your scientific and mathematical problem-solving skills through hands-on learning. You will learn to think and work like an engineer by completing structured projects and laboratory assignments across disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, and biomedical engineering. Along the way, you’ll develop essential computational thinking, data analysis, and mathematical modeling techniques that form the foundation of machine learning and AI. You will work in collaborative teams to design, test, and iterate on functional prototypes, learning to analyze performance data and navigate real-world engineering constraints. If you successfully meet the program’s academic expectations, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn Johns Hopkins university credit, helping you transition smoothly to advanced undergraduate engineering coursework.

6. Stanford AIMI Academic Year Research Internship

This long-term internship program gives high school students the opportunity to engage in medical AI research throughout the school year. You will collaborate with Stanford AIMI researchers, contributing to ongoing projects through tasks such as data preprocessing, literature reviews, and preliminary data analyses. By attending regular laboratory meetings and seminars, you will gain firsthand insights into the iterative, and collaborative nature of research in academic medicine and computer science. Because the program spans the school year, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of how AI systems are gradually built, tested, and validated for clinical use over time. You will also learn to manage your schedule effectively as you balance high school coursework with research responsibilities, while receiving mentorship that can help shape your college plans and future career goals.

7. MIT PRIMES Mathematics and Computer Science Program

This year-long research program gives you the opportunity to work on unsolved computational and mathematical problems under the guidance of MIT researchers. If you join the computer science track, you will explore topics such as theoretical computer science, algorithmic design, and proof techniques, while developing the mathematical maturity that is essential for advanced AI and computer science research. You will also attend regular seminars, read complex research papers, and propose and test your own algorithms to solve open-ended problems. Throughout the program, you’ll experience the iterative nature of research by refining ideas, overcoming setbacks and experiencing the thrill of genuine discovery. You’ll conclude your research by writing a scientific paper and presenting your findings to a community of mathematicians and researchers, thereby preparing you for the demands of collegiate STEM research.

8. Harvard CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

This course lets high school students explore the concepts and algorithms that power modern artificial intelligence systems, including technologies such as game-playing engines, handwriting recognition, and machine translation. Through hands-on projects, you will gain exposure to graph search algorithms, classification, optimization, reinforcement learning, and machine learning while developing a solid understanding of the principles behind intelligent systems. You’ll incorporate these concepts into your own Python programs, working with machine learning libraries and implementing AI techniques to solve real-world problems. By combining both theoretical foundations with practical programming experience, the course helps you develop the technical skills and conceptual understanding needed to design and build intelligent systems.

9. Khan Academy’s AI for Education

Khan Academy  introduces high school students to artificial intelligence and large language models through engaging, student-friendly lessons. You’ll understand AI concepts while seeing their practical application in educational settings. Rather than focusing solely on theory, the platform demonstrates how AI is being used to support teaching and learning in the real world. The course materials support self-directed learning at a pace that suits your schedule and learning style. By presenting AI not as abstract technology but as a tool directly relevant to your educational experience, Khan Academy helps you better understand the growing role in education and everyday life.

10. Elements of AI by University of Helsinki

The Elements of AI courses provide a university-accredited introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning that is available in more than 20 languages. The program consists of two sequential courses: “An Introduction to AI” and “Building AI,” allowing you to progress from conceptual understanding to hands-on implementation. The introductory course requires no programming knowledge or complex mathematics, making it accessible to complete beginners. You’ll explore  real-world AI applications, machine learning fundamentals, neural networks, and AI’s societal implications. The second course involves actual programming with Python, where you’ll implement and understand machine learning algorithms, gaining practical programming experience while reinforcing the concepts you have learnt. Your learning experience combines theory with practical exercises, ensuring you can both understand AI concepts and apply them to solve real-world problems. 

11. Stanford AIMI NextGen Tech Talks

This specialized enrichment series gives you an inside look at the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and healthcare. You will attend presentations and interactive panel discussions led by Stanford researchers, hospital clinicians, and technology industry professionals who are shaping the future of medical AI. The talks explore diverse topics such as deep learning applications in clinical diagnostic systems, predictive patient analytics, and the use of AI to improve workflows in medical settings. Along the way, you will gain insights into  emerging medical technologies and learn about the regulatory and ethical hurdles researchers face when validating tools for patient use. This program is highly accessible, requiring no prior programming experience, making it a perfect starting point to understand the interdisciplinary field of health AI and gather inspiration for future research projects.

12. PRIMES STEP Enrichment Program

Designed for students in early high school and late middle school, this year-long enrichment program helps you develop a strong foundation  in mathematical thinking through engaging, interactive sessions. You will explore topics such as logical puzzles, geometry, combinatorics, and algebraic structures, while strengthening your problem solving and analytical skills. The curriculum is built around conceptual discovery and creative problem-solving rather than rote memorization, helping you build a strong foundation for future studies in computer science and AI. Throughout the program, instructors will guide you in formulating hypotheses, explaining your mathematical logic to peers, and approaching complex problems from multiple creative angles. By participating consistently across the school year, you will establish solid academic habits and develop the quantitative mindset that prepares you for advanced STEM coursework and competitive pre-college AI programs.

13. UCLA Artificial Intelligence and Art Summer Institute

This three-week residential institute at UCLA gives you the opportunity to combine your creative passions with cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools. You will explore how generative AI software can be used in the visual arts for ideation, pattern-making, performance, and narrative storytelling, while examining the evolving relationship between technology and artistic expression. The program combines daily lectures, workshops, studio sessions, and critiques to help you study both the history and theory of AI in art. You will engage in deep discussions about the ethics challenges of AI, including the power dynamics, biases, and inequities that can be embedded in modern algorithms and training data. Working closely with instructors and teaching assistants, you will complete three guided exercises and a final, personal project that you will showcase in an exhibition. Along the way, you will live in supervised UCLA dorms, experience campus life, and build a distinctive, portfolio-ready body of creative work.

14. NYU Tandon Machine Learning Summer Program

This two-week program, held at NYU Tandon’s campus in Brooklyn, is designed for high school students with a strong background in precalculus and coding. You will spend your days attending lectures and hands-on laboratory sessions that cover the mathematical and logical foundations of machine learning. The curriculum will introduce you to neural network basics, model validation, data preprocessing, and common pitfalls such as overfitting and data bias. You will also explore how machine learning powers real-world systems, such as diagnostic medical tools, autonomous driving, voice controls, and real-time traffic monitoring. Working closely with NYU graduate researchers, you will build and test your own machine learning models using Python, gaining practical experience and a strong foundation for future academic and professional pursuits in artificial intelligence.

15. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship

This summer internship at Stanford’s Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) gives you hands-on research experience at the intersection of AI and healthcare. You will work alongside clinicians and AIMI-affiliated researchers on active projects that apply advanced machine learning techniques to medical imaging datasets. Through structured lectures and seminars, you will learn about medical imaging technologies and the clinical validation of AI tools. You will gain practical experience preprocessing medical data, training classification models, and evaluating system performance under the guidance of expert mentors. You’ll  also explore the challenges of handling patient data responsibly, focusing on ethical concerns such as  privacy, consent, and bias in medical algorithms. At the end of the internship, you will present your findings to peers and researchers, showcasing your ability to apply AI to real-world clinical problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of AI pre-college programs are available to high school students?
You’ll find a mix of formats, including residential university programs like Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program and Stanford AI4ALL’s residential session, research-focused internships like the Stanford AIMI Academic Year Research Internship and MIT PRIMES, and self-paced online courses like Harvard’s CS50 AI course and Elements of AI. Specialized options like the UCLA Artificial Intelligence and Art Summer Institute let you combine AI with creative fields rather than pursuing a purely technical track.

Do you need prior coding experience to apply?
It depends on the program. Some, like the NYU Tandon Machine Learning Summer Program, expect a strong existing background in precalculus and coding, while others, like Stanford AI4ALL’s programs and Khan Academy’s AI for Education, are designed for students early in high school with little to no technical background. Programs like Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program bridge the gap by including a preparatory course before the main program begins.

Are there free options available?
Yes, several programs on this list don’t charge a fee. Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program, MIT PRIMES, Harvard’s CS50 AI course, Khan Academy’s AI for Education, Elements of AI, Stanford AIMI’s NextGen Tech Talks, and PRIMES STEP are all free to participate in. Others, like the UCLA AI and Art Summer Institute and the NYU Tandon Machine Learning Summer Program, do charge tuition.

Which programs focus specifically on AI in healthcare or medicine?
If healthcare AI interests you, Stanford AIMI offers several dedicated pathways, including the Summer Health AI Bootcamp, the Academic Year Research Internship, the Summer Research Internship, and the NextGen Tech Talks enrichment series. These range from short introductory bootcamps to full academic-year research commitments, so you can choose based on how much time you want to invest in the medical AI track specifically.

Which programs are open to younger high school students, like freshmen or sophomores?
A few programs are specifically designed for students earlier in high school. Stanford AI4ALL’s online and residential programs are open to current 9th graders, and PRIMES STEP is designed for students in grades 7 through 9. Most other programs on this list, like Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program and MIT PRIMES, are geared toward juniors and seniors, so it’s worth checking grade-level eligibility closely if you’re younger.

Is there a way to pursue independent AI research beyond a structured course?
Yes. If you want to move from a structured course into an original research project, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs pairs you with a professor or PhD scholar to develop a 20-page research paper you can submit for academic publication in fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning. The program also provides a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback, and covers over 600 research specializations. You can find the application here.

When should you apply?
Deadlines for these programs are spread throughout the year, so it helps to plan ahead. Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars Program has one of the earliest deadlines at February 1, followed closely by the Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship (February 13) and the Summer Health AI Bootcamp (February 20). Later deadlines include the NYU Tandon Machine Learning Summer Program (April 17 for Session 1, May 1 for later sessions) and the UCLA AI and Art Summer Institute (June 30). Horizon, by contrast, has multiple deadlines throughout the year across its Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts, giving you more flexibility if you miss an earlier cutoff.

Image source: UCLA