Cybersecurity Summer Programs for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 24 cybersecurity summer programs for high school students. Of these, 14 are free to participate in and 1 offers virtual participation. Examples include "Gateway to Cyber" Summer Camp – Assumption University, AFA CyberCamps, and Air Force Association CyberCamp.
- 24
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- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are cybersecurity summer programs for high school students?
- Cybersecurity Summer Programs for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students interested in cybersecurity. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- Are any of these summer programs free?
- Yes — 14 of the 24 summer programs listed here are free to participate in.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 1 of the 24 summer programs listed here offer virtual or online participation.
- Are cybersecurity summer programs good for a college application?
- Yes — cybersecurity summer programs are a common way for high schoolers to show sustained interest and initiative in cybersecurity on college applications.
Related Categories
24 activities found·Browse by category
"Gateway to Cyber" Summer Camp – Assumption University
A four-day cybersecurity day camp at Assumption University in Worcester, MA for Massachusetts high schoolers entering grades 10-12, covering multi-factor authentication, cryptography, drone hacking, and password cracking through hands-on activities led by faculty and undergraduates.
AFA CyberCamps
Summer cybersecurity camps run by the Air & Space Forces Association at sites nationwide. Standard and Advanced camps introduce networking, operating-system security, and hands-on defense skills, often used as an on-ramp to CyberPatriot.
Air Force Association CyberCamp
A free week-long residential summer camp for high schoolers hosted by the Air Force Association at partner universities nationwide (including the University of Pittsburgh), covering cyber hygiene and systems administration and culminating in a hands-on vulnerability-finding competition; a feeder program into CyberPatriot.
California State University Summer Cybersecurity Academies
Week-long programs at various CSU campuses (San Bernardino, Dominguez Hills, Channel Islands) offering hands-on training in ethical hacking, digital forensics, and network security.
Code@TACC Cybersecurity AI
A free, residential week-long summer camp at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (UT Austin) for rising 11th and 12th graders, exploring online safety, networking, mobile security, cryptography, cloud computing, and cyber ethics.
CS@Mines High School Summer Internship & Programming Project
Colorado School of Mines hosts high school students for summer computer science research internships (scholarship-funded at $20/hour for selected applicants, with topics including AI, robotics, cybersecurity) and a 5-week virtual computer programming project program ($200) where students build a CS project in teams. Priority application deadline April 10.
Cyber Camp (Messiah University)
A day camp for students entering grades 9-12 at Messiah University covering cryptography, ethical hacking, social engineering, digital forensics, and IoT security, taught by cybersecurity faculty and industry experts with a visit to the university's Security Operations Center.
Cyber Immersion Camp (Norwich University)
A weeklong residential summer camp at Norwich University for students in grades 10-12 of all skill levels, teaching command line, Python, Linux, Metasploit, Nmap, and Wireshark through labs covering digital forensics, ethical hacking, and information warfare.
Dakota State University Cyber Camp for High Schoolers
A low-cost, residential summer cybersecurity camp at Dakota State University for students entering grades 10-12, covering digital forensics, cryptography, and C/Python programming with morning core sessions and afternoon electives.
GenCyber Camps
NSA- and NSF-funded free, one-week cybersecurity camps hosted at universities across the country covering internet safety, cryptography, ethics, network scanning, and core security principles. No prior experience required.
GenCyber Forensics Camp – Norwich University
A free week-long GenCyber pre-college program at Norwich University for rising sophomores through seniors, using gaming, modeling, and simulation to teach digital forensics tools while students build and keep a mini computer.
GenCyber Summer Camp – Baylor University
A free five-day cybersecurity summer camp for students completing grades 8-12, hosted by Baylor University and McLennan Community College in Waco, TX, featuring hands-on exercises, industry speakers, and a closing team competition.
GenCyber Summer Camp – Illinois State University
A free, NSA/NSF-funded residential summer camp at Illinois State University where high schoolers entering grades 9-12 learn cybersecurity fundamentals and IoT security through hands-on labs while experiencing college life.
GenCyber Summer Camp – Purdue University Northwest
A free, five-day NSA/NSF-funded GenCyber camp for high schoolers at Purdue University Northwest covering cybersecurity awareness, network security, cryptography, ethical hacking labs, and cyber forensics.
GenCyber Summer Camp – University of West Florida
A free five-day GenCyber camp at the University of West Florida for rising 7th-12th graders (age 13+), introducing cybersecurity first principles, Linux fundamentals, and career pathways through hands-on activities.
GenCyber Summer Camp (Rochester Institute of Technology)
A free, NSA-funded GenCyber day camp at RIT for rising 8th-12th graders covering cyber ethics, online safety, and cybersecurity defense fundamentals, with a dedicated GenCyber for Girls session alongside the co-ed session.
GenCyber Summer Camps (Northern California locations)
NSA/NSF-funded free camps at various NorCal colleges (SJSU, Sacramento State, Cabrillo). Topics: ethical hacking, digital forensics, cryptography, cyber hygiene.
NSLC Summer Cybersecurity Program
A 9-day residential summer program at Georgetown University run by the National Student Leadership Conference, where students ages 14-18 study cryptography, digital forensics, and network security through simulations, a capture-the-flag exercise, and visits to federal agencies like the FBI and DIA.
SJSU Cybersecurity Summer Camp
San José State University week-long camp covering Linux commands, network security, threat detection, and ethical hacking. Collaboration among SJSU engineering and information programs.
Stanford Applied Cyber Summer Workshops
Stanford's cybersecurity club hosts workshops covering practical skills in analyzing, exploiting, and defending computer systems. Open to Silicon Valley high school students.
UC Berkeley Cybersecurity Clinic Summer Intensive
Advanced program for high school students covering network security, cryptography, ethical hacking, and hands-on labs with Berkeley mentors.
UMBC Summer Enrichment Academy – Introduction to Cybersecurity
A week-long summer day camp for high schoolers at UMBC covering ethical hacking, digital forensics, and open-source investigation, including a field trip to Northrop Grumman's Cyber Security Operations Center.
University of Maryland Cyber Camp
A summer cyber camp for high school students run by the University of Maryland's cybersecurity center, offering hands-on introductions to cybersecurity concepts and hacking/defense skills.
USF CyberCamp
A University of South Florida summer cybersecurity camp for high schoolers delivered by USF Innovative Education, introducing core cyber concepts through hands-on activities.
ECFinder provides links to outside extracurricular opportunities for informational purposes only. Students and families should research each program before applying. ECFinder does not operate or control the listed organizations and is not responsible for their actions or policies.