Carnegie Mellon Programs for High School Students
Carnegie Mellon's high school programs mirror what it's famous for: computer science and AI summer academies, picoCTF (the largest hacking competition for students), and conservatory-grade drama and music intensives.
CMU's CS-adjacent programs are unusually credible with admissions readers because the university itself sets the bar — finishing one is evidence you can handle the real thing.
12 verified Carnegie Mellon programs, 6 free — every listing includes cost, eligibility, deadline, and the official application link.
Featured programs
Browse 12+ curated programs for high school students:
- CMU Drama Pre-College — Carnegie Mellon University: Drama program at CMU's top-ranked School of Drama. Conservatory-style training in acting and production.
- Carnegie Mellon Informatics & Mathematics Competition (CMIMC) — Carnegie Mellon University: Challenging hybrid contest spanning math and computer science.
- Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Drama — Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama: Immerse yourself in conservatory-style summer training in acting, musical theatre, and design at Carnegie Mellon. Boost performance skills and build y
- Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Programs — Carnegie Mellon University: Immerse in a six-week summer program focusing on arts, design, or STEM. Build skills, gain hands-on experience, and strengthen your college applicatio
- Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars (CSS) — Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science: Full-scholarship pre-college program in CS for rising seniors from underrepresented groups.
- SAMS (Summer Academy for Math and Science) at CMU — Carnegie Mellon University: 6-week free program for underrepresented students. Rigorous STEM curriculum. All expenses covered.
- Carnegie Mellon National High School Game Academy — Carnegie Mellon University: Game design and programming intensive at CMU. Learn game development from CMU faculty.
- Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) — Carnegie Mellon University: Fully funded summer program for rising high school seniors to explore STEM fields through hands-on learning, skill-building, and college-prep opportun
- PicoCTF Cybersecurity Competition — Carnegie Mellon University: Largest cybersecurity CTF for high schoolers. Challenges in cryptography, forensics, etc.
- Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars — Carnegie Mellon University: Selective, merit-based AI program. Fully grant-funded. ~30 students work on real AI problem-solving.
- Carnegie Mellon Architecture Pre-College — Carnegie Mellon University: Architecture program at CMU featuring studio-based learning. Design projects, digital fabrication, and portfolio development at top architecture schoo
- CMU AI Scholars (AI4ALL) — Carnegie Mellon University: Selective AI summer exploring ML concepts, ethics, and projects with CMU mentors.
Frequently asked questions
Does Carnegie Mellon offer programs for high school students?
Yes — ExtracurricularHub lists 12 verified Carnegie Mellon programs open to high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. Carnegie Mellon's high school programs mirror what it's famous for: computer science and AI summer academies, picoCTF (the largest hacking competition for students), and conservatory-grade drama and music intensives.
Are any Carnegie Mellon high school programs free?
Yes — 6 of the Carnegie Mellon programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Funded programs are often the most selective, so apply early and to more than one.
Which Carnegie Mellon deadlines are coming up soonest?
The next deadlines: Carnegie Mellon Informatics & Mathematics Competition (CMIMC) (January 5, 2027); Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars (CSS) (February 1, 2027); SAMS (Summer Academy for Math and Science) at CMU (February 1, 2027). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the official Carnegie Mellon page.
How competitive are Carnegie Mellon programs?
It varies widely within one organization — flagship selective programs sit alongside broad-access options. Read each listing's eligibility, and treat the selective ones as reach applications: apply to several programs across organizations rather than betting a summer on one.