The Best Coding Summer Programs for High School Students

It is common for tech enthusiasts of all ages to spend the extra time they have during the summer months participating in summer coding programs. Camps, educational organizations, and online platforms offer a range of coding classes for teens that can be extremely useful in preparing for AP tests, college applications, or simply exploring a newfound passion. 

Alternatively, adults and college students can use a career-focused and intensive summer coding bootcamp to gain the skills they need to land a tech job. This article will provide details about all the best summer coding programs for multiple age groups. You’ll learn about the leading programs in coding for high school students and burgeoning tech professionals alike.

The 10 Best Summer Coding Programs for High School Students

Our list of the best summer coding programs for teenagers is diverse, with options ranging in length and intensity. You’ll find camps and courses full of creativity and hands-on projects for budding coders curious about technology, intensive programs in coding for high school students who are preparing for a college course load, and everything in between. 

Summer Coding Programs for Teens: In Detail

Code Galaxy Accelerated Coding Bootcamps 

Code Galaxy bootcamps are short, eight-hour programs designed for high school students considering tech majors. Students learn through interactive, hands-on projects and have access to industry experts on Discord whenever they have questions. The bootcamps are intensive, and designed to ensure students are competitive during their upcoming college applications.

Code Galaxy also offers weekly classes, private tutoring, and self-paced tech bootcamps for students who are interested in a less intensive learning environment. These summer coding classes are available to kids of all ages, not just high school students. 

iDTech Virtual Tech Camps & STEM Programs

iDTech offers a range of coding programs for high school students over the summer and year-round, including short courses, in-person and online camps, and one-on-one tutoring. The in-person summer coding camps take place on university campuses and students are mentored by experienced professors as they learn in a college-like environment. 

iDTech’s coding summer camps are also available remotely. Students can choose between dozens of subjects, including Python, JavaScript, robotics, artificial intelligence, and game development. Remote students learn in small groups and experience the same level of mentorship as in-person students. 

NextGen Bootcamp

NextGen Bootcamp courses are available online and cover skills including web design, video editing, Python data science, and Java, but the school’s flagship program is the Computer Science Summer Certificate Program. The full computer science course covers data science and programming basics to prepare students for the Computer Science AP exam.

While NextGen Bootcamp’s summer coding classes are available to students of all ages, the computer science certificate course is only recommended for high school students. All lessons take place live online in small groups to ensure all participants receive individualized attention. 

Kode With Klossy

Kode With Klossy offers programs in coding for high school students who identify as female, gender nonconforming, or transgender. You don’t need any experience in computer science to apply, and students can choose between four subjects: web development, mobile app development, data science, and AI/ML.

Kode With Klossy’s coding summer programs are available in-person in major cities around the country or online. In addition to traditional classroom and hands-on learning, students have the opportunity to learn from inspirational women in tech through the guest speaker series. 

Girls Who Code

Girls Who Code hosts coding camps for high school students aged 14 through 18 who identify as female or non-binary. The remote two-week immersive camps cover introductory through intermediate computer science topics and UX design. Throughout the day, students experience hands-on lessons, independent work time, and recreational activities aimed at building sisterhood.

Girls Who Code also offers high schoolers a self-paced summer coding bootcamp that lasts six weeks. Participants can choose between the web development, data science, or cyber security coursework pathways. The curriculum consists of hands-on projects that students can move through at their own pace with the help of instructors during optional office hours.

Emagination Tech Camps

Emagination Tech Camps hosts two-week overnight and day coding camps for high school students and elementary-aged kids in five different US states. Campers have access to over 20 different STEM course options and are able to customize their daily schedule. Some offered courses cover game design, animation, Java coding, robotics, and coding with C#. 

Juni Learning

Juni Learning offers year-round online coding classes for teens and children with an emphasis on one-on-one instruction. Students meet with their instructor four times a month and complete optional homework during the week. Courses come in three experience levels and last between six and nine months, though you can cancel your subscription at any time. 

Digital Media Academy

Digital Media Academy offers a very unique summer coding program for students aged 13 to 17 called the Global Innovation Race. Participants are placed on a team with students from all over the world to learn about emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and are tasked with identifying possible ways these technologies could be used to address challenges facing the global community.

The programs take place in person and participants learn from industry experts and innovative thinkers within their city’s tech scene. All teams have at least five students and the teacher/student ratio never exceeds 1:10. 

The Coding School

The Coding School offers four STEM summer camps, including Pre-AP Computer Science, Emerging Tech, AI & Big Data, and Quantum Computing. The Pre-AP Computer Science course covers the fundamentals of coding for high school students interested in preparing for advanced AP classes or college freshmen hoping to major in computer science. 

The camp curriculum covers foundational concepts in Java programming and students participate in a range of labs and projects, such as creating a phone number generator or a virtual bank. All programs offered by The Coding School are online and feature live instruction. 

Berkeley Summer Sessions

The University of California, Berkeley allows high school students between 16 and 18 to enroll in remote college courses during the summer session. This is ideal for students looking for summer coding classes that will prepare them academically for university and improve their college applications. 

To be eligible, students must be in good academic standing and must intend to continue their high school studies during the subsequent fall. There is a wide range of courses available, including multiple options within STEM fields. 

Are There Free Summer Coding Programs for High School Students?

Yes, there are a few free summer coding programs for high school students, including Kode With Klossy and Girls Who Code. You can also find coding classes for teens that provide full scholarships to students with financial need, such as iDTech Virtual Camps.

Students who are unable to pay tuition can also use free resources like Khan Academy, freeCodeCamp, and Codecademy to learn essential skills in an engaging and supportive environment. These days, there are numerous ways to learn to code for free from your own home. 

The Best Summer Coding Bootcamps

Summer coding bootcamps for adults and college students differ significantly from offerings designed for teenagers because they are far more career-focused. Many leading coding bootcamps offer programs that can be completed entirely during a few short weeks over the summer, during which you will gain the hands-on training you need to enter the job market. 

Here are the top summer coding bootcamp programs for college students and adults:

• Flatiron School. Flatiron School is a well-regarded bootcamp with in-person and online programs in coding, data science, cyber security, and product design. The full-time coding bootcamp takes 15 weeks and new cohorts begin monthly. In addition to a quality curriculum, students have access to technical coaches, advisors, and career coaches. 
• Devmountain. You can complete Devmountain’s full-time web development bootcamp in just 14 weeks over the summer. The course covers in-demand technologies including HTML/CSS, JavaScript, React, and Git. In-person students in Dallas and Lehi have access to free housing. 
• Coding Temple. This 12-week software engineering bootcamp is offered live online and covers topics like Python, Bootstrap, Git, and HTML/CSS. Coding Temple strives to provide an immersive experience, with a mix of live instruction, coding exercises, and group projects. This course also comes with a job guarantee. 
• General Assembly. General Assembly’s 12-week software engineering immersive program was developed with the help of industry experts. It is designed for beginners hoping to gain a well-rounded tech education. Upon graduation, students work with career coaches, participate in mock interviews, and benefit from GA’s alumni network.
• Ironhack. Ironhack offers bootcamps in web development, data analytics, and UX/UI design in major cities around the world and online. The remote web development bootcamp can be completed in only nine weeks and covers a wide range of front end and backend tools. Students participate in daily live lessons and code-alongs.

Benefits of a Summer Coding Bootcamp

Tech bootcamps can be costly and time-intensive, especially if you want to graduate in a few weeks or less. However, enrolling in a bootcamp comes with a range of benefits that you won’t find taking short summer coding classes elsewhere. Here are the most important benefits of participating in a coding bootcamp. 

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Comprehensive Curriculum

The course content you’ll find at a coding bootcamp is frequently updated, often with the help of local employers, to ensure students are learning all the tools they need to be competitive on the job market. This takes care of one of the most common problems people face when they are studying independently, which is unintentional knowledge gaps.

Flexible Payment Methods

Most coding bootcamps don’t require students to pay full tuition upfront. They tend to accept a wide range of payment methods, including installment plans, income share agreements, deferred tuition plans, loan financing, and scholarships. Additionally, tuition between coding bootcamps varies significantly, with the cheapest programs costing only $7,000 or less. 

Project-Based Learning

One of the ways summer coding bootcamps prepare students for employment is by having them practice their newfound skills in real-world situations. Most students complete multiple projects during the course of their studies, including at least one capstone project. This is helpful for multiple reasons, including the fact that students graduate with an impressive portfolio already prepared. 

Career Services

Top coding bootcamps offer a host of professional career services to students during and after their programs. This often includes one-on-one career coaching sessions, mock interviews, resume assistance, and even help with things like salary negotiation and social media optimization. 

Networking Opportunities

One of the reasons coding bootcamps are worth it is that they are able to successfully place graduates quickly. This is because they have close relationships with local employers and companies all over the country. Most bootcamps have extensive hiring networks that you can take advantage of to learn about new opportunities before anyone else. 

Should I Enroll in a Summer Coding Program?

Yes, you should enroll in summer coding programs if you are interested in gaining new tech skills to prepare for college, pass AP exams, enter the tech industry, or even if you are simply passionate about programming. You can find numerous high-quality coding classes for teens that foster problem-solving abilities and encourage creativity on top of technical skills. 

Summer coding programs allow you to make connections with like-minded peers and mentors, which is beneficial at all ages. Ultimately, these experiences not only prepare teens for future careers in tech but also empower them to think critically, innovate, and navigate an increasingly digital world with confidence.

Summer Coding Programs FAQ