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Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program guide
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program guide
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program guide | RISE Research
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program guide | RISE Research
RISE Research
RISE Research
TL;DR: The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a free, competitive coding program for high school girls and non-binary students in the US. It runs for two weeks and introduces participants to software engineering through project-based learning. Acceptance is selective. Students who want a stronger, verifiable computer science credential for college applications should also consider RISE Research, which produces a peer-reviewed published paper in computing or a related field. Our deadline is closing soon.
Introduction
Girls Who Code has taught computer science skills to more than 580,000 girls and non-binary students since its founding in 2012. The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program guide below covers everything you need to know: what the program involves, how competitive it is, what students actually produce, and how it compares to other paths toward a strong computer science credential for college.
The challenge most students face is this: completing a two-week coding program produces a certificate and new skills, but it does not produce a verifiable research output that appears in a college application. For students who want both the coding experience and a published credential, RISE Research provides a 1-on-1 mentorship program that results in a peer-reviewed published paper in computer science, data science, or a related field, regardless of which other programs a student attends.
What is the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program and who is it for?
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a free, two-week coding experience hosted at partner company and university sites across the United States. It targets high school girls and non-binary students in grades 10 and 11 who have little or no prior coding experience. The program is run by the Girls Who Code nonprofit organization.
The program was designed to close the gender gap in technology by introducing students to software engineering before they reach college. Participants learn coding fundamentals, work on team projects, and hear from women working in the technology industry. The program is hosted at partner sites including major technology companies, financial institutions, and universities. Sites vary by year and location.
Eligibility requirements, as listed on the official Girls Who Code website, include:
Identifying as a girl or non-binary individual
Being enrolled in grades 10 or 11 at the time of application
Being a US resident
Having no or limited prior coding experience (the program is designed for beginners)
The program is fully free of charge. There is no tuition, and many sites offer stipends or cover transportation costs for participants. Full eligibility and site details are available at girlswhocode.com/programs/summer-immersion-program.
How competitive is the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is selective. Girls Who Code does not publish an official acceptance rate, but the program receives a high volume of applications relative to available seats. Students with demonstrated interest in technology, strong academic records, and clear motivation in their application essays tend to be competitive.
Because the program targets students with little or no coding experience, prior technical knowledge does not differentiate applicants. What matters more is how clearly a student communicates why she wants to learn to code and how she plans to use that knowledge. Community involvement and a genuine interest in the mission of Girls Who Code also strengthen an application.
Students who are not accepted, or who want a credential that goes beyond a program certificate, should look at RISE Research as their primary computer science credential. RISE accepts students based on research readiness and intellectual curiosity, not prior prestige or geography. The program carries a 90% publication success rate, meaning the vast majority of students who enroll produce a peer-reviewed published paper.
If you have been waitlisted or rejected from a selective program, the waitlisted at a summer program guide and the rejected from every summer program comeback plan on the RISE blog offer practical next steps.
What does the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program actually include?
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program runs for two weeks at a partner site. Students spend most of each day in structured coding instruction and team-based project work. The curriculum covers programming fundamentals, with recent cohorts focusing on Python, web development, and introductory data science concepts, depending on the host site.
Each cohort ends with a team project that students present to peers, mentors, and sometimes company representatives at the host site. This project is not published externally and does not appear in academic databases. It is a program-internal demonstration of skills learned during the two weeks.
Students receive a certificate of completion and access to the Girls Who Code alumni network, which includes career programming and networking events. The certificate and experience can be listed in the Common App Activities section, but it does not carry external verification in the way a peer-reviewed publication does.
For students who want a computer science output that is externally verified and directly citable in a college application, RISE Research publications appear in indexed academic journals and can be listed with a DOI in the Common App. That level of verification is categorically different from a program certificate.
How RISE Research compares for students interested in computer science
RISE Research is the option for students who want a guaranteed, verifiable research outcome in computer science or a related field, regardless of which other programs they attend. The two paths serve different purposes, and many students pursue both.
RISE Research is fully online, available to any student in any location, and structured as a 10-week 1-on-1 mentorship with a PhD-level mentor. Students work on an original research question in their chosen field, from machine learning to cybersecurity to computational biology, and produce a paper submitted to one of 40 or more peer-reviewed journals. The program carries a 90% publication success rate.
Published research is the strongest research signal in a college application because it is externally verified. An admissions officer can look up the paper, confirm it exists, and see the student's name on it. That is not possible with a program certificate.
RISE scholars are accepted to top universities at significantly higher rates than the general applicant pool. The Stanford acceptance rate for RISE scholars is 18%, compared to 8.7% for all applicants. The UPenn acceptance rate for RISE scholars is 32%, compared to 3.8% for all applicants. You can review the full admissions outcomes data on the RISE website.
Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.
RISE Research is open to students with an interest in computer science, data science, and technology. Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.
Frequently asked questions about the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Is the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program free?
Yes. The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is fully free of charge. There is no tuition or program fee. Some host sites also provide stipends or cover transportation costs for participants. All cost details are listed on the official Girls Who Code website at girlswhocode.com.
The program is funded through corporate partnerships with companies that host cohorts at their offices or facilities. This model allows Girls Who Code to offer the experience at no cost to students, including those from lower-income households.
Can international students apply to the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
No. The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is open to US residents only. International students are not eligible to apply. The program is hosted at physical sites across the United States and requires in-person attendance.
International students who want a computer science research credential for college applications should consider RISE Research, which is fully online and open to students in any country. RISE has no residency requirement and accepts students from across the world.
Does the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program help with college admissions?
Participation in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program can strengthen a college application by demonstrating initiative in computer science and commitment to a field. It is a recognized program with a strong national profile, and it can be listed in the Common App Activities section.
However, the program produces a certificate rather than a published research output. Students who want a credential with external verification, such as a peer-reviewed paper, will need to pursue that separately. RISE Research produces exactly that outcome, with a 90% publication success rate across 40 or more academic journals. Combining both credentials creates a significantly stronger application narrative in computer science.
What is the application deadline for the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
Girls Who Code opens applications for the Summer Immersion Program on a rolling basis, with site-specific deadlines. The exact deadline varies by host site and year. Students should check the official Girls Who Code website directly for current application windows, as deadlines are updated each cycle.
Students who miss the Girls Who Code deadline or are not accepted still have strong options. RISE Research accepts students on a rolling basis, though our deadline is closing soon. A Research Assessment is the first step to finding out whether RISE is the right fit.
What are the best alternatives if I do not get into the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
RISE Research is the strongest alternative for students who want a verifiable computer science credential. RISE produces a peer-reviewed published paper through 1-on-1 mentorship with a PhD-level mentor, with a 90% publication success rate. It is fully online and open to students regardless of location or prior coding experience.
Other options include university-affiliated computer science programs for high school students and virtual coding bootcamps offered by accredited institutions. For students interested in broader research program options, the Garcia Summer Research Program guide and the Broad Summer Scholars Program guide cover two well-regarded research experiences in STEM fields. None of these alternatives produce a published paper with the consistency that RISE does.
Conclusion
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a well-regarded, free coding experience for high school girls and non-binary students in the US. It introduces participants to software engineering, connects them with industry professionals, and provides access to a strong alumni network. For students who are eligible and accepted, it is a valuable two weeks.
RISE Research serves a different and complementary purpose. It produces a peer-reviewed published paper in computer science or a related field, a credential that is externally verified, directly listable in the Common App, and associated with significantly higher acceptance rates at top universities. Students who combine coding program experience with published research present the strongest possible computer science profile to admissions committees.
You can explore the full range of RISE student projects and RISE mentors to see what is possible in your field. Our deadline is closing soon. If you want a real research outcome on your application, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will tell you exactly what is achievable in your timeline.
TL;DR: The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a free, competitive coding program for high school girls and non-binary students in the US. It runs for two weeks and introduces participants to software engineering through project-based learning. Acceptance is selective. Students who want a stronger, verifiable computer science credential for college applications should also consider RISE Research, which produces a peer-reviewed published paper in computing or a related field. Our deadline is closing soon.
Introduction
Girls Who Code has taught computer science skills to more than 580,000 girls and non-binary students since its founding in 2012. The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program guide below covers everything you need to know: what the program involves, how competitive it is, what students actually produce, and how it compares to other paths toward a strong computer science credential for college.
The challenge most students face is this: completing a two-week coding program produces a certificate and new skills, but it does not produce a verifiable research output that appears in a college application. For students who want both the coding experience and a published credential, RISE Research provides a 1-on-1 mentorship program that results in a peer-reviewed published paper in computer science, data science, or a related field, regardless of which other programs a student attends.
What is the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program and who is it for?
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a free, two-week coding experience hosted at partner company and university sites across the United States. It targets high school girls and non-binary students in grades 10 and 11 who have little or no prior coding experience. The program is run by the Girls Who Code nonprofit organization.
The program was designed to close the gender gap in technology by introducing students to software engineering before they reach college. Participants learn coding fundamentals, work on team projects, and hear from women working in the technology industry. The program is hosted at partner sites including major technology companies, financial institutions, and universities. Sites vary by year and location.
Eligibility requirements, as listed on the official Girls Who Code website, include:
Identifying as a girl or non-binary individual
Being enrolled in grades 10 or 11 at the time of application
Being a US resident
Having no or limited prior coding experience (the program is designed for beginners)
The program is fully free of charge. There is no tuition, and many sites offer stipends or cover transportation costs for participants. Full eligibility and site details are available at girlswhocode.com/programs/summer-immersion-program.
How competitive is the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is selective. Girls Who Code does not publish an official acceptance rate, but the program receives a high volume of applications relative to available seats. Students with demonstrated interest in technology, strong academic records, and clear motivation in their application essays tend to be competitive.
Because the program targets students with little or no coding experience, prior technical knowledge does not differentiate applicants. What matters more is how clearly a student communicates why she wants to learn to code and how she plans to use that knowledge. Community involvement and a genuine interest in the mission of Girls Who Code also strengthen an application.
Students who are not accepted, or who want a credential that goes beyond a program certificate, should look at RISE Research as their primary computer science credential. RISE accepts students based on research readiness and intellectual curiosity, not prior prestige or geography. The program carries a 90% publication success rate, meaning the vast majority of students who enroll produce a peer-reviewed published paper.
If you have been waitlisted or rejected from a selective program, the waitlisted at a summer program guide and the rejected from every summer program comeback plan on the RISE blog offer practical next steps.
What does the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program actually include?
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program runs for two weeks at a partner site. Students spend most of each day in structured coding instruction and team-based project work. The curriculum covers programming fundamentals, with recent cohorts focusing on Python, web development, and introductory data science concepts, depending on the host site.
Each cohort ends with a team project that students present to peers, mentors, and sometimes company representatives at the host site. This project is not published externally and does not appear in academic databases. It is a program-internal demonstration of skills learned during the two weeks.
Students receive a certificate of completion and access to the Girls Who Code alumni network, which includes career programming and networking events. The certificate and experience can be listed in the Common App Activities section, but it does not carry external verification in the way a peer-reviewed publication does.
For students who want a computer science output that is externally verified and directly citable in a college application, RISE Research publications appear in indexed academic journals and can be listed with a DOI in the Common App. That level of verification is categorically different from a program certificate.
How RISE Research compares for students interested in computer science
RISE Research is the option for students who want a guaranteed, verifiable research outcome in computer science or a related field, regardless of which other programs they attend. The two paths serve different purposes, and many students pursue both.
RISE Research is fully online, available to any student in any location, and structured as a 10-week 1-on-1 mentorship with a PhD-level mentor. Students work on an original research question in their chosen field, from machine learning to cybersecurity to computational biology, and produce a paper submitted to one of 40 or more peer-reviewed journals. The program carries a 90% publication success rate.
Published research is the strongest research signal in a college application because it is externally verified. An admissions officer can look up the paper, confirm it exists, and see the student's name on it. That is not possible with a program certificate.
RISE scholars are accepted to top universities at significantly higher rates than the general applicant pool. The Stanford acceptance rate for RISE scholars is 18%, compared to 8.7% for all applicants. The UPenn acceptance rate for RISE scholars is 32%, compared to 3.8% for all applicants. You can review the full admissions outcomes data on the RISE website.
Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.
RISE Research is open to students with an interest in computer science, data science, and technology. Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.
Frequently asked questions about the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Is the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program free?
Yes. The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is fully free of charge. There is no tuition or program fee. Some host sites also provide stipends or cover transportation costs for participants. All cost details are listed on the official Girls Who Code website at girlswhocode.com.
The program is funded through corporate partnerships with companies that host cohorts at their offices or facilities. This model allows Girls Who Code to offer the experience at no cost to students, including those from lower-income households.
Can international students apply to the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
No. The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is open to US residents only. International students are not eligible to apply. The program is hosted at physical sites across the United States and requires in-person attendance.
International students who want a computer science research credential for college applications should consider RISE Research, which is fully online and open to students in any country. RISE has no residency requirement and accepts students from across the world.
Does the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program help with college admissions?
Participation in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program can strengthen a college application by demonstrating initiative in computer science and commitment to a field. It is a recognized program with a strong national profile, and it can be listed in the Common App Activities section.
However, the program produces a certificate rather than a published research output. Students who want a credential with external verification, such as a peer-reviewed paper, will need to pursue that separately. RISE Research produces exactly that outcome, with a 90% publication success rate across 40 or more academic journals. Combining both credentials creates a significantly stronger application narrative in computer science.
What is the application deadline for the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
Girls Who Code opens applications for the Summer Immersion Program on a rolling basis, with site-specific deadlines. The exact deadline varies by host site and year. Students should check the official Girls Who Code website directly for current application windows, as deadlines are updated each cycle.
Students who miss the Girls Who Code deadline or are not accepted still have strong options. RISE Research accepts students on a rolling basis, though our deadline is closing soon. A Research Assessment is the first step to finding out whether RISE is the right fit.
What are the best alternatives if I do not get into the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program?
RISE Research is the strongest alternative for students who want a verifiable computer science credential. RISE produces a peer-reviewed published paper through 1-on-1 mentorship with a PhD-level mentor, with a 90% publication success rate. It is fully online and open to students regardless of location or prior coding experience.
Other options include university-affiliated computer science programs for high school students and virtual coding bootcamps offered by accredited institutions. For students interested in broader research program options, the Garcia Summer Research Program guide and the Broad Summer Scholars Program guide cover two well-regarded research experiences in STEM fields. None of these alternatives produce a published paper with the consistency that RISE does.
Conclusion
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a well-regarded, free coding experience for high school girls and non-binary students in the US. It introduces participants to software engineering, connects them with industry professionals, and provides access to a strong alumni network. For students who are eligible and accepted, it is a valuable two weeks.
RISE Research serves a different and complementary purpose. It produces a peer-reviewed published paper in computer science or a related field, a credential that is externally verified, directly listable in the Common App, and associated with significantly higher acceptance rates at top universities. Students who combine coding program experience with published research present the strongest possible computer science profile to admissions committees.
You can explore the full range of RISE student projects and RISE mentors to see what is possible in your field. Our deadline is closing soon. If you want a real research outcome on your application, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will tell you exactly what is achievable in your timeline.
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