Applications Open for Google’s Free Coding Program

In February 2022, Google announced that it would join Ford Motor Company as a founding member of Michigan Central — a “new innovation hub where companies, government and community stakeholders will focus on the future of mobility,” as Google CFO Ruth Porat described in a blog post. As part of that commitment, Code Next, Google’s free computer science, and coding education program for Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native high schoolers, has just launched applications for its newest Code Next Lab in Michigan Central for local Detroit students.

This Code Next Lab is Google’s first in the Midwest, and will join our other locations in New York and Oakland in offering computer science education programming. The Lab will provide live coaches, state-of-the-art technical equipment and coding content ranging from Javascript programming to user experience (UX) design. 

“Not only are [students] going to walk into this lab and feel like they are owners in their future and owners in the future of Google, but we’re hoping because of what that building represents for the city that they feel like they are indeed owners in the future direction of the city at large, and that’s really special for us,” Kyle Ali, Code Next’s interim program manager, describes his excitement about the launch.

Nationally, approximately 88% of Code Next graduates have gone on to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) majors at the higher education level, with over two-thirds choosing “computer science” or “information systems” as a major. 

As founding members of the first cohort, students will get:

• Activities on coding, design and making with hardware
• Coaching from real Google Employees
• Google and Code Next swag
• A Code Next email address
• Mentorship and advising—developing relationships that will last into the future!
• Opportunities to present your work to the broader Google community at our Demo Days
• A feature on the Code Next Students page (as shown here)
• Early access to new Code Next curriculum

Applications (g.co/codenext/apply) for rising 9th and 10th grade students in Detroit are open from now until August 5. Questions? Check out the full Application FAQs here. Curious to learn more about Code Next? Visit g.co/codenext.