Best AI Camps for High School Students
by
Indigo Research Team
&
Published:
December 11, 2024
Last Updated:
December 11, 2024
Everything from driverless cars to personalized healthcare is being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI). For a high-school student with an interest in innovation and technology, having access to explore AI at a young age is life-changing. AI camps are your best chance to get a hands-on experience of advanced topics, implement real projects, and interact with peers and industry leaders.
In this guide, we've compiled a list of the 15 best AI camps for high school students. These programs are available to students of all levels and interests. From Silicon Valley summer camps at top universities like MIT and Stanford to new and more specific courses, these camps aim to motivate the next wave of AI innovators. Now let’s talk about how these courses can be a springboard to curiosity, critical competence, and future AI careers.
Ready to take your passion for AI to the next level? Here are some of the best artificial intelligence camps to consider:
The AI Cambridge Summer School is one of the best artificial intelligence camps with a hands-on approach to teaching fundamental AI principles and applications. Using coding games and discussion groups, students learn more about AI and master computational thinking and programming in preparation for graduate programs in computer science and related areas.
Under the guidance of expert academic tutors, students are engaged in an interactive curriculum where they learn through critical thinking and practice. Each group member is assigned a project of their own which helps them build skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and communication. Individualized 1-to-1 consultations also help students with essential knowledge and principles that will help them become successful in the ever-changing world of AI and technology.
The Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) provides high school students with hands-on training in AI and games development for real-world scenarios. The theme of this year’s session is to create tactical routing algorithms for driverless ambulances. Students will create a Python application and learn AI in healthcare and public safety, as well as how to develop backend games and UI.
They will explore systems modeling, data visualization, and agile software concepts under expert guidance and collaboration. Combining AI ethics with a technical perspective, BWSI provides students with the tools and knowledge of a professional software developer as well as a deeper insight into AI’s social impact, so that they can go on to create innovation in the future.
Berkeley Coding Academy (BCA) - Data Science to AI is a game-changing virtual program for high school students interested in data science and artificial intelligence. In this AI camp, participants analyze real data to discover insights and make forecasts. They also build Python-based data visualizations in blockchain-authorized portfolio projects. Along with programming, students construct, train, and run machine learning models. They learn Tensorflow, Keras, Scikit-learn, and how to visualize data in heat maps and scatter plots.
Based on campus and run by data scientists and AI researchers from UC Berkeley and other world-class universities, BCA is about real-world training and discovery. Graduates walk away with a strong knowledge of deep AI, lifetime access to course content, and real-world projects for college applications or career ambitions.
Stanford AI4ALL is an immersive course designed to educate high-school students about the power of artificial intelligence. This artificial intelligence camp, centered on personal development, mentorship, and experimental research, exposes students to cutting-edge AI technologies while focusing on how these technologies can help solve society's problems.
Students participate in online lectures delivered by Stanford faculty members and experts in AI, computer science, and related fields. Small group mentoring sessions led by senior researchers from the program provide one-on-one advice and guidance. Participants also collaborate on practical research projects run by Stanford AI Lab graduates.
The AI Scholars (AIS) Program at Carnegie Mellon University is an award-winning, full-funded, merit-based program for rising high-school seniors. It's a four-week hands-on experience held on campus at CMU. The artificial intelligence camp gives students a detailed overview of AI through college-level courses, lab work, and thoughtful mentoring from CMU faculty and researchers who are experts in their field.
Students do project-based learning and work on computing and AI-related topics. They also work in a team to solve real-world problems for the greater good of humanity. The course also includes college preparation seminars on admissions, financial aid, and wellness to give students the complete pre-college experience.
The Harvard Secondary School Program (SSP) gives hardworking high school students the opportunity to take on college-level courses while receiving college credits. Think of it as a platform to prepare for college success. Among various courses, students interested are advised to register for Mathematical Elements of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
This advanced course teaches them the mathematics behind the contemporary algorithms in data science including single-variable calculus, three-dimensional geometry, and fundamental statistics. Students also get some computational experience writing Python code and doing a final project. A mathematical background and some programming skills, particularly Python, are a plus for the course.
The Research Mentorship Program (RMP) at UC Santa Barbara is an elite six-week high school AI summer camp for students who want to learn about university research. The participants work on real-world, interdisciplinary projects on STEM, humanities, or social sciences under the mentorship of skilled mentors, including graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty.
Beyond research, students also gain from networking with peers and specialists. They also attend GRIT Talks, a lecture series showcasing cutting-edge research and innovation. This program is extremely selective with an acceptance rate of 4-6% which makes it attract some of the most motivated and talented students in the country.
Princeton AI4ALL is a three-week residential program meant to expose high school students to the wonders of artificial intelligence. The program, which is run by Princeton University, focuses on practical education, ethical AI development, and diversity in technology.
Coursework consists of lecture and workshop sessions by Princeton faculty and AI researchers. They teach students basic AI principles like machine learning and computer vision.. Students are also encouraged to consider AI’s social effects and ethical implications. They are also given opportunities to apply their learnings in group projects where they collaborate to solve real-world problems.
The Indigo Research Intensive Seasonal (IRIS) Program is an online, group-style research programme for high-school students. For six weeks, students work with some of the world’s most prominent professors and researchers at Stanford, Columbia, UCLA, Cornell, and Oxford. There are multiple tracks in the program, like Artificial Intelligence, Genetics, Environmental Science, Neuroscience, etc.
The Artificial Intelligence track involves studying emerging technologies like machine learning, generative AI and data science. The course caters to students of all skill levels, including non-programmers. One way it does this is by providing ready-made code sections that can be applied to any research project. Participants can select from a list of research areas such as natural language processing, AI ethics, computer vision, and deep learning, and create a publishable paper.
The Inspirit AI Scholars Program is an online artificial intelligence camp that teaches high school students about AI principles while giving them tools to build socially meaningful projects. The 10-session (25-hour) course is taught by graduate students from leading universities such as Stanford and MIT, with 5:1 student-teacher ratios to ensure a very personalized experience. Students participate in AI demos, workshops, and real-world projects in healthcare, economics, and media.
Beyond the technical syllabus, they explore cutting-edge AI research with instructor spotlights and showcase their solutions at a final showcase event. The program also offers some valuable post-course material such as Python tutorials, code samples, and a portal with other AI projects. This means that students will be able to keep exploring and using AI principles even after the bootcamp.
The NYU Tandon Summer Program for Machine Learning is an intensive course introducing high school students to the basics of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Students learn about computer science, data mining, and mathematics. They also study the logic behind advanced technology such as driverless cars, video and image recognition, and advanced medical diagnosis.
The course includes the basics of machine learning: model building, cross-validation, linear regressions, and neural networks. Students also get to learn about the logic and mathematics that lets computers do things autonomously and get better. What's unique about this AI summer camp is the way it focuses on engineering problems and using machine learning to address social issues. Combining technical expertise with an eye for practicality gives students a strong sense of how AI can be harnessed to make an impact in different fields.
CalTech's Summer Tech Camp provides high school students with a hands-on, experimental platform to learn the latest technologies in coding, artificial intelligence, game design, and robotics. These two-week AI camps are held on elite university campuses, bringing students to cutting-edge labs and a hands-on curriculum. Real-world projects are taught by Gen Z experts with relatable views to share with students.
The students develop great portfolio projects like generating games or apps using JavaScript, AI/ML with Python, or autonomous robots using sensors and microcontrollers. Beyond technical education, CalTech's Summer Camp focuses on collaboration, innovation, and networking. Students walk away with a resume of their accomplishments, lifetime friends, and tools to pursue their passion for technology.
The journey to learning sophisticated concepts, acquiring practical knowledge, and making a name for yourself in STEM begins with access to the right opportunities. From immersive AI camps to cross-disciplinary research projects, there's a lot for high school students willing to explore.
If you are looking for a flexible and effective program to get started, the Indigo Research Intensive Seasonal (IRIS) Program is one of the best options. With its focus on cohort learning, real-life research, and individual mentoring, IRIS is an excellent foundation to develop your expertise and display your skills. Apply now and become part of a worldwide network of ambitious students turning their passions into actionable research.
Dive into AI research with the Indigo Research Intensive Seasonal (IRIS) Program, taught by leading professors. This 6-week program offers a unique blend of cohort learning, real-world research, and individual mentoring to help high school students explore advanced AI concepts and build their expertise. Join a global network of ambitious students turning their passions into impactful research.
