BUILD YOUR OWN APP
LEARN FROM UT INSTRUCTORS
MAKE CORPORATE CONNECTIONS
Crafting Future-Ready Skills
Dive into a hands-on learning experience, where creativity meets cutting-edge technology. Explore the fundamentals of iOS app creation, learning from experienced professors and industry professionals. From coding fundamentals to user interface design, gain practical skills that transcend the classroom. Seize the opportunity to bring your app ideas to life, connect with like-minded peers, and discover the limitless possibilities of app development.
Academy Tuition: $2,100
Location: UT Austin Campus
Academy Type: Residential, overnight
Eligibility: Students entering 9-12 grade (Fall 2025)
2025 Dates: Coming soon
Prerequisites: Intermediate; Prior programming experience such as Python, C++, or Java
Tools: Xcode, Swift
Tech Requirements: Bring a 13-inch or larger MacBook Air or MacBook Pro
Credit: Academy Certificate
What You'll Explore
Topics Covered
- Xcode and Playgrounds
- Views and View Controllers
- Delegates and Segues
- Tables
- Optionals and Closures in Swift
- Stack Views and Scrolling
- Location
- Animation
- Motion
- Camera and Photos
- Gesture Recognition
- Simple Graphics
- Calendar
- Augmented Reality
Hands-On Experiences
- Code projects with advanced features of Swift, Apple's strategic programming language
- Use Xcode, Apple's official tool for software development
- Create simple apps for the iPhone and iPad and install them on your personal device
- Learn tactics for a standout UT application from UT admissions
Academy Experience
Where You'll Learn
This academy takes place on campus at the University of Texas at Austin. Students get a taste of university life by learning in the Gates Dell Complex – the home of UT Computer Science.
Where You'll Stay & Eat
You will stay in student residence halls on campus where you’ll be matched with another student by age as your roommate. You can look forward to trying out college residence hall food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which is included.
How You'll Be Supported
Our mentors help you get accustomed to learning on a college campus by staying in the same residence halls and accompanying you throughout your stay. Our academies boast an impressive 10:1 student to mentor ratio to make sure students are getting the most out of their time on campus.
Meet Your Academy Staff
William C. Bulko
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Department of Computer Science
Dr. William C. Bulko will be teaching students how to write code and build iOS applications. His research interests primarily center around Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems, Programming Languages, Pervasive Computing, and Computer Science Education. As an undergraduate, he attended UT El Paso, and received his Ph.D. in Computer Science at UT Austin. Bulko spent 24 years with IBM, and has multiple patents and publications.
Allison Grindle
Academy Director
Department of Computer Science
Allison manages the UT Computer Science Summer Academies, introducing high school students from diverse backgrounds to programming. She holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA from King’s College London. With extensive experience in managing special programs at UT Austin and leading community outreach across Texas, she leverages her project coordination skills to create impactful learning experiences for participants.
Scholarships
Academy scholarships are available on a limited basis. Enrollees with financial need can apply for a scholarship by completing the scholarship application between the date academy registration opens and May 1st.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The Academy for iOS App Development is hosted by the Department of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin in the Gates-Dell Complex. All activities are hosted on the UT Austin campus, which is where students will stay for the duration of the program.
Students entering grades 10-12 in Fall 2025 are eligible to register.
Students do not need to submit an application for the Academy for iOS App Development. Click the “Enroll now” button on the webpage and you will be walked through the enrollment process in the Ideal-Logic portal. When you enroll, be sure to select “Community Login,” not “University of Texas Login.” Please see information on prerequisites below.
Students in this academy should be at an intermediate programming level and should have prior experience with programming in languages such as C++, Java, or Python. All participants in this academy must bring a 13-inch or larger MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
Students will create simple apps for the iPhone and iPad and install them on their personal devices. They will code projects with advanced features of Swift, Apple's strategic programming language, and learn to use Xcode, Apple's official tool for software development.
Outside of lab time, students will attend guest speaker presentations and activities, tour UT facilities, and join various social activities.
All UT Computer Science Summer Academies are led by UT Austin Computer Science faculty members. More information on each faculty member can be found in the Academy Staff section.
The cost of tuition for the 6-day immersive academy is $2,100. Housing, meals, instruction, and all educational and recreational activities are included in the cost.
All participants in this academy must bring a 13-inch or larger MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. We are unfortunately unable to provide Apple computers to students for this program.
Academy tuition scholarships are available on a limited basis. Registrants with financial need can apply for a scholarship by completing the scholarship application, which will open on January 31, 2024 with registration for the Summer 2024 academies.
Students will stay in one of the residence halls on the UT Austin campus. To learn more about the UT Austin residence halls, visit: housing.utexas.edu/housing/residence-halls. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided for the academy participants. Students will eat at one of the main dining halls on campus. Top 9 allergen-free meals are available. For more information on dining, visit: housing.utexas.edu/dining/dining-locations/dining-halls.
Each student will be assigned to a residence hall room with a roommate. Rooms are shared with another student of the same gender and all residence hall floors are split by gender. Each floor has counselors of the same gender as students on that floor. Please contact us with any specific questions.
Please email our team at academies@cs.utexas.edu and we will direct you to our Academy Accommodations Coordinator. Please be as specific as possible in your message so we can best assist you.
Academy participants are supervised at all times. Each participant will be placed into a group of around 10 students and will be supervised by a counselor 24 hours a day. Our daytime counselors, Program Assistants, provide supervision and help students in the computer lab and during programming activities. Our evening counselors, Resident Assistants, provide supervision and engage students in social activities and stay in the dorms overnight.
Typically, students have breakfast around 7:30 in the morning and begin their first activity at 9:00 am. From 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, students are either in the computer lab working on their projects, taking a break for lunch, attending a guest lecture, or touring campus. After dinner, students will participate in various social activities including bowling, movie night, basketball, and more. All academy participants return back to their residence hall each night by 9:30 pm.
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