Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MCF AI bootcamp?

• A 4 half-day bootcamp on Saturdays in Fall 2023 (Oct 14th, Oct 21st, Oct 28th, Nov 4th).

Who is the bootcamp for?

• Any current high school student (9th-12th grade) in the U.S. interested in learning more about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

• No prerequisite courses and no knowledge of coding is required.

Who is eligible to participate?

• All high school students that live within a 15-20 mile radius of our host cities are encouraged to apply. MCF is focused on serving students on free and reduced lunch as well as recruiting girls and students of color to participate in our bootcamps.
• Are you a middle school student?
  Fill out our K-12 Interest Form to sign up for our newsletter and learn more about potential middle school programs in the future.

What is the time commitment?

• 4 hours each Saturday (1pm-5pm CDT, 2-6pm EDT, 11-3pm PDT, 8-12pm HST, 12-4pm MDT, 11-3pm MST, 10-2pm AKDT) on Oct 14th, Oct 21st, Oct 28th, Nov 4th 2023.

Where are the bootcamps being held in 2023?

Alabama: 1-5pm CT

• Birmingham, AL (Protective)

Alaska: 10-2pm AKDT

• Anchorage, AK (The Odom Corporation)

Arizona: 11-3pm MST

• Tempe, AZ (DriveTime)

California: 11-3pm PT

• Pasadena, CA (Pasadena Educational Foundation)
• Mountainview, CA (ThoughtSpot)
• El Segundo, CA (Notified)

Florida:  2-6pm ET

• Fort Lauderdale, FL (The ODP Corporation)
• Miami, FL (Miami Dade College)
• West Palm Beach, FL (Florida Power & Light)

Hawaii: 8-12pm HST

• Honolulu, HI (The Odom Corporation)

Illinois: 1-5pm CT

• Chicago, IL (Rush)

Indiana: 2-6pm ET

• Indianapolis, IN (Corteva)

Maryland: 2-6pm ET

• White Marsh, MD (Strategic Education)

Michigan:  2-6pm ET

• Detroit, MI (Perficient)
• Pontiac, MI (United Wholesale Mortgage)

Minnesota: 1-5pm CT

• Twin Cities, MN (Strategic Education)

Missouri: 1-5pm CT

• St. Louis, MO (Perficient)

New Jersey:  2-6pm ET

• Atlantic City, NJ (South Jersey Gas)
• Union Township, NJ (Elizabethtown Gas)

Oregon: 11-3pm PT

• Portland, OR (Notified)

Pennsylvania: 2-6pm ET

• Philadelphia, PA (CSL Behring)
• Pittsburgh, PA (Carnegie Learning)

Texas: 1-5pm CT

• Addison, TX (Headstorm)
• Fort Worth, TX (Elevate)
• Houston, TX (Perficient)
• Plano, TX (Perficient)
• Richardson, TX (University of Texas at Dallas)
• San Antonio, TX (USAA)

Washington, D.C.: 2-6pm ET

• Washington, D.C. (Booz Allen)

Wisconsin: 1-5pm CT

• Madison, WI (Fetch)

Do I need to live in a city above to attend a bootcamp?

• Yes, it is imperative that students live within a 15-20 mile radius of the city they are applying to. If you have any questions about your location, please email hi@markcubanai.org.
• Would you like to hear when we come to a city near you? Fill out our K-12 Interest Form to sign up for our newsletter and learn more about when an MCF bootcamp comes to a city near you.

Where can I apply?

• Our 2023 student application is now available here.

How are applications scored?

• Your application will be scored based on your short answer responses. All applications will be throughly reviewed by MCF staff.
  *Please note- this program is not a signup, so please be thoughtful about your answers.

What does the schedule for a half-day bootcamp look like?

• Bootcamp schedule coming soon.

Can I show up to camp without being accepted?

• No, please do NOT attend camp if you haven't received an acceptance email. Camp sites will only have enough seats, devices, & food for the students on their roster. If you do show up to camp and you aren't on the roster, you will be asked to leave.

What is required of students who are selected to attend the bootcamp?

• Attend the bootcamp every Saturday from October 14th-November 4th during the times referenced for your city above.
• Engage, ask questions, and immerse yourself during the bootcamp to receive the best possible student experience
• MCF works with host companies to coordinate laptop and wi-fi support, food and snacks (1 meal at the start of camp), and lastly transportation options (differs by city) over the camp duration, all at no cost to students and parents/legal guardians.
• Contact the MCF team or your Bootcamp Leader should any issues arise.

I am a parent/guardian interested in having my student a attend bootcamp. Where can I apply?

• Our 2023 parent / legal guardian application is now available here.

I work for a company interested in hosting a bootcamp. Where can I sign up to host?

• MCF partners with businesses and corporations to allow students to meet folks in the corporate world and when applicable connect them to adults with real-world jobs in STEM, AI, and ML.
• All host companies must be at least 50 employees in size and have at least one US Office location.
• You can complete the Host Company Interest Form here.

I am a K-12 Teacher, Administrator, Non-Profit or Government Agency contact interested in bringing a bootcamp to my city. Where can I sign up?

• K-12 contacts take an active role in partnering to drive awareness and student applications for our local camps.
  Fill out our K-12 Interest Form to sign up for our newsletter and find out when an MCF bootcamp comes to a city near you.
• If you know a local business in your community that would be interested in hosting a camp you can have them fill out the Host Company Interest form linked above.

Can I receive a grant or funding from the Mark Cuban Foundation?

• The AI Bootcamps program at the Mark Cuban Foundation is not a grant funding organization.