If you’re a high school student interested in computational linguistics, you might be wondering: What are some ways to dive deeper into this field over the summer? As someone who loves language, AI, and everything in between, I’ve spent the past year researching programs and activities, and I wanted to share what I’ve learned (along with some of my personal experiences).
1. Summer Linguistic Institute for Youth Scholars (SLIYS)
What it is:
SLIYS is a two-week summer program run by The Ohio State University’s Department of Linguistics. It focuses on introducing high school students to language analysis and linguistic theory in a fun and rigorous way. Students get to explore syntax, morphology, phonetics, language universals, and even some computational topics.
My experience:
I’m super excited to share that I’ll be participating in SLIYS this summer (July 14 – 25, 2025). I was so happy to be accepted, and I’m looking forward to learning from real linguistics professors and meeting other students who are passionate about language. I’ll definitely share a reflection post after I finish the program, so stay tuned if you want an inside look!
2. Summer Youth Camp for Computational Linguistics (SYCCL)
What it is:
SYCCL is a summer camp hosted by the Department of Linguistics and the Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University. It introduces high school students to computational linguistics and language technology, covering topics like language data, NLP tools, and coding for language analysis.
My experience:
I had planned to apply for SYCCL this year as well, but unfortunately, its schedule (July 6 – 18, 2025) conflicted with SLIYS, which I had already accepted. Another challenge I faced was that SYCCL’s website wasn’t updated until late April 2025, which is quite late compared to other summer programs. I had actually contacted the university earlier this year and they confirmed it would run again, but I didn’t see the application open until April. My advice is to check their website frequently starting early spring, and plan for potential conflicts with other summer programs.
3. North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition (NACLO)
What it is:
NACLO is an annual computational linguistics competition for high school students across North America. It challenges students with problems in linguistics and language data analysis, testing their ability to decipher patterns in unfamiliar languages.
My experience:
I’ve tried twice to participate in NACLO at my local test center. Unfortunately, both times the test dates were weekdays that conflicted with my school final exams, so I had to miss them. If you’re planning to participate, I strongly recommend checking the schedule early to make sure it doesn’t overlap with finals or other major commitments. Despite missing it, I still find their practice problems online really fun and useful for thinking like a computational linguist.
4. LSA Summer Institute
What it is:
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA) Summer Institute is an intensive four-week program held every two years at different universities. It offers courses and workshops taught by top linguists and is known as one of the best ways to explore advanced topics in linguistics, including computational linguistics.
My experience:
I was planning to apply for the LSA Summer Institute this year. However, I found out that it is only open to individuals aged 18 and older. I contacted the LSA Institute Registration Office to ask if there could be any exceptions or special considerations for underage participants, but it was disappointing to receive their response: “Unfortunately, the age limit is firm and the organizers will not be considering any exceptions.” So if you’re thinking about applying, my advice is to check the age qualifications early before starting the application process.
Learn more about LSA Summer Institute here.
5. Local University Outreach Events and Courses
Another great way to explore linguistics and computational linguistics is by checking out courses or outreach events at local universities. For example, last summer I took LING 234 (Language and Diversity) at the University of Washington (Seattle). It was an eye-opening experience to study language variation, identity, and society from a college-level perspective. I wrote a reflection about it in my blog post from November 29, 2024. If your local universities offer summer courses for high school students, I highly recommend checking them out.
6. University-Affiliated AI4ALL Summer Programs for High School Students
What it is:
AI4ALL partners with universities to offer summer programs introducing high school students to AI research, ethics, and applications, often including NLP and language technology projects. While these programs are not focused solely on computational linguistics, they provide a great entry point into AI and machine learning, which are essential tools for language technology research.
About AI4ALL:
AI4ALL is a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in artificial intelligence (AI) education, research, development, and policy, particularly for historically underrepresented groups such as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous, women, non-binary, low-income, and first-generation college students. Their mission is to make sure the next generation of AI researchers and developers reflects the diversity of the world.
Examples:
- Stanford AI4ALL
- Princeton AI4ALL
- Carnegie Mellon AI4ALL
These programs are competitive and have different focus areas, but all aim to broaden participation in AI by empowering future researchers early.
Final Thoughts
I feel grateful to have these opportunities to grow my passion for computational linguistics, and I hope this list helps you plan your own summer learning journey. Whether you’re solving NACLO problems in your free time or spending two weeks at SLIYS like I will this summer, every step brings you closer to understanding how language and AI connect.
Let me know if you want a future post reviewing SLIYS after I complete it in July!
— Andrew
CompLing Insights 
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