If you are a high school student who wants to gain hands-on experience with engineering, coding, and autonomous systems, robotics summer research programs provide a structured way to do it. These programs often combine mechanical design, electronics, and programming while emphasizing applied research.
Robotics summer research programs for high school students enable them to learn how to solve real-world problems using industry-standard tools and technologies, such as Python, Arduino, and CAD software. You build and program robots, exploring key areas such as computer vision, machine learning, and control systems. Working in collaborative lab environments, you develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork abilities while receiving mentorship from experts.
The in-depth, project-based nature of these programs allows you not just to master technical concepts but also to innovate, develop research papers, and gain confidence, preparing you for future careers in STEM. Below is a list of 13 robotics summer research programs for high school students to help you find the right opportunity.
13 Robotics Summer Research Programs for High School Students
1. SPARC – Summer Program in Automation, Robotics, and Coding
Location: New York University, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $3,300 + $638 housing fee + $398 mandatory meal plan
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – 27 | Session 2: July 7 – 18 | Session 3: July 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: U.S. and international students, rising 9th–12th graders (age 15+) with strong math background
The SPARC program (Summer Program in Automation, Robotics, and Coding) is a two-week, full-day summer program offered by NYU Tandon School of Engineering, designed for rising 9th through 12th-grade high school students interested in robotics, coding, and automation. You’ll program microcontrollers, interface sensors and actuators, and build robotic devices capable of performing specific tasks. Core programming topics include conditionals, loops, and binary logic, applied directly to robot control. Electrical and mechanical engineering skills are emphasized through circuit building, wiring, and system integration. The program concludes with robotics challenges where you test your builds in competitive tasks, giving you practical exposure to automation design.
2. Education Unlimited – Robotics Summer Camp for High School Students
Location: Multiple U.S. campuses
Cost: $3,025 for Extended Day Camp, $3,560 for Overnight Camp; partial tuition assistance awards for families who demonstrate financial need
Dates: One-week sessions in June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling until filled
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12)
Education Unlimited Robotics Summer Camp for High School Students is a week-long, immersive program held at multiple U.S. locations that teaches students to build and program robots using the VEX5 robotics platform. You’ll start by constructing a stable chassis, then integrate motors, wheels, and gears to explore mechanics like torque and speed. Programming tasks include remote control, obstacle navigation, and sensor integration. Design thinking is emphasized through iterative build–test–redesign cycles. The program culminates in a fun robotics sports competition where your robot competes in terrain and transportation challenges.
3. Engineering & Robotics Workshop at MIT
Location: Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,290 + airfare; scholarships are available
Dates: July 9 – 18
Application Deadline: Rolling until filled
Eligibility: High school students currently in grades 9-12
The Engineering & Robotics Workshop at MIT, operated by Putney Student Travel, is a 10-day summer program that offers students the opportunity to explore the intersections of technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics. You’ll engage with MIT researchers on topics like robotic exploration, 3D printing, and micro-robotics while participating in hands-on experiments. Sessions focus on data collection, coding, and mechanical design as you explore applications of robotics to real-world problems such as coastal restoration or remote exploration. The program concludes with a capstone project proposal, where you integrate workshop experiences into a research-driven solution.
4. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: 38+ Navy labs across the U.S.
Stipend: $4,000 (new participants); $4,500 (returning participants)
Dates: 8 weeks in summer (option to extend by 2 weeks)
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least grade 9 / At least 16 by the program’s start date | U.S. citizens only | Graduating seniors may apply; some labs may have additional criteria
SEAP places you in the Department of Navy research labs to assist with active projects in engineering, robotics, and applied sciences. If you are interested in robotics, you can choose to work at a lab where research aligns with your focus, for instance, the Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) at Patuxent River, MD. There, you’ll get hands-on experience supporting Naval projects, experiments, engineering evaluations, cybersecurity assessments, STEM activities, and tool development under the mentorship of experienced engineers. You’ll also receive technical guidance across fields such as robotics, physics, aerodynamics, mathematics, electronics, and materials science. With limited placements, the program is competitive and research-intensive.
5. UT Austin – Academy for Robotics
Location: University of Texas at Austin
Cost: $2,100; limited academy scholarships are available
Dates: Session 1: June 15 – 20; Session 2: June 22 – 27
Application Deadline: August 31
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders (Fall)
The University of Texas at Austin Academy for Robotics is a six-day, residential summer program for high school students that introduces them to robotics through both hardware assembly and programming. You’ll work with the Bot’n Roll One A robot, using C++ and Linux for control, and Arduino for sensor integration. Core technical skills include PID control, skid steering, sensor thresholding, and turn-and-push behaviors. The program emphasizes applied experimentation, including building robots, running simulations, and testing control algorithms. You’ll also connect with UT faculty and industry representatives while exploring career pathways in robotics and computer science.
6. SHAPE – Robotics and Autonomous Driving
Location: New York, NY (Columbia University)
Cost: Residential: $10,705; Commuter: $5,880; financial aid is available
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – 25; Session 2: July 28 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: All high school students | Residential: 16 and above
The SHAPE (Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers) Robotics and Autonomous Driving program by Columbia University is a selective, immersive 3-week summer program designed for rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors. Over three weeks, you’ll study the design and programming of autonomous systems, integrating coding, sensor use, and control logic. The course emphasizes project development in robotics, with applications to self-driving technology. Alongside technical work, you’ll take electives and workshops on college preparation while working closely with Columbia faculty and current students. The program aims to equip students with practical engineering skills, exposure to cutting-edge research, and a strong foundation for STEM careers while helping with college readiness.
7. AEOP High School Internships
Location: Multiple sites nationwide
Cost/Stipend: None / Stipend paid, varies by location
Dates: Summer sessions lasting 5–10 weeks (typically between May and August), depending on the specific site
Application Deadline: Rolling (opens around December; close dates depend on the specific location)
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Site-specific requirements apply
AEOP High School Internships place you in university or Department of Defense labs for hands-on research alongside scientists and engineers. You’ll work with advanced equipment, gain exposure to laboratory methods, and receive 1:1 mentorship on active projects. If your focus is robotics, you can target placements like the University of Pennsylvania’s General Robotics, Automation, Sensing & Perception (GRASP) Lab, where you can explore autonomous systems, computer vision, and control engineering. The experience is designed to strengthen problem-solving, coding, and teamwork skills while contributing to applied research with real-world impact.
8. Yale University – Social Robotics Lab High School Internship
Location: New Haven, CT
Stipend: None
Dates: 6 weeks during the summer, usually from early June to mid-July or late July to early August
Application Deadline: Typically late March
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors, age 16+
Yale’s Social Robotics Lab is a highly competitive program that accepts a small number of high school interns each summer to work on projects at the intersection of robotics and human interaction. You’ll gain exposure to experimental design and hands-on robotics tasks while learning how robots can be programmed to understand and respond to social cues. The program includes orientation and technical training, after which you’ll contribute to ongoing lab work in areas like perception, interaction design, and algorithm testing. As a selective, research-intensive internship, placement is based on interests, skills, and available lab projects.
9. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research – Summer Internships
Location: Southern Virginia
Stipend: Paid semi-monthly, amount not specified
Dates: Typically runs for eight weeks during the summer, with mandatory orientation dates in early June
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: High school graduates entering college
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Summer Internship program is designed to provide students with hands-on, paid work experience in cutting-edge fields such as research and data analysis, coding and robotics, biotechnology, agricultural technology (AgTech), information technology, and advanced manufacturing. You will commit to a weekly schedule set with your mentor, working on real projects that require technical skill development and teamwork. Robotics placements often involve coding for automation, testing prototypes, and analyzing system performance in applied research contexts. The program also emphasizes leadership development and workplace professionalism, making it a strong transitional experience for students moving into higher education or technical careers.
10. Smith College Summer Science & Engineering Program (SSEP)
Location: Northampton, MA
Cost: $4,864 per session (2 weeks); $9,728 for both sessions (4 weeks) + $50 application fee; limited financial aid is available
Dates: Session 1: July 4 – 17; Session 2: July 19 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12 (Fall); program typically open to young women
The Smith College Summer Science & Engineering Program (SSEP) is an immersive, hands-on summer program designed for exceptional high school students, particularly girls, who have strong interests in science and engineering. You can enroll in one course per session, with options including Designing Intelligent Robots and Microcontrollers and You. These courses emphasize applied robotics design, Arduino programming, and intelligent system development, blending coding and hardware integration. With small class sizes, you’ll work in teams to design experiments, build devices, and apply engineering concepts. Beyond the labs, you’ll participate in workshops, field discussions, and campus life at Smith’s residential setting.
11. SPARK Summer Mentorship Program
Location: Seattle, WA
Stipend: $500
Dates: May – August, 8–12 weeks, depending on project
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: High school students | U.S. citizens or permanent residents
SparkSIP provides highly selective research internships for high school students to collaborate with industry professionals, university faculty, and community leaders. Only a small cohort (5–6 students) is selected each summer, making the program intensive and personalized. Projects often involve robotics-related fields such as machine learning for autonomous systems, data visualization, and hardware and software integration. Past work has included Python coding for neuromorphic computing, spiking neural networks, and architecture modeling. The program requires a full-time commitment, providing both mentorship and technical experience in research-oriented environments. Previous mentees have gone on to participate in competitions such as the International Science and Engineering Fair.
12. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: None, except for a $25 application fee / Stipend of $750
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors | At least 17 by the start date | U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Graduating this year or next
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program, offered by Texas Tech University, is a highly selective summer research experience that pairs you with faculty for an intensive 7-week project. While the program spans multiple disciplines, you can focus on robotics applications within computer science, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. Possible directions include integrating robotics with machine learning, computer vision, or data-intensive computing. You’ll gain research training, one-on-one mentorship, and experience producing a formal research report. With only a handful of participants admitted each year, the program emphasizes independent inquiry and technical rigor.
13. Project ENGAGES – Georgia Tech
Location: Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: None / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Dates: June – May; Summer (35 hrs/week) + school year (15 hrs/week)
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: High school students from partner Atlanta public schools | Overall GPA of 83 (3.0) or above and science course GPA of 83 (3.0) or above
Project ENGAGES places selected high school scholars in Georgia Tech labs for sustained research, with graduate and postdoc mentors guiding day-to-day work. You’ll learn experimental design, data collection, and analysis using lab equipment aligned to your placement e.g., mechatronics benches, embedded systems toolchains, or biomedical instrumentation. For robotics-focused interests, you can target labs working in autonomous systems, sensing, and control to gain experience with microcontrollers, basic ROS workflows, or computer vision pipelines. The program couples lab immersion with enrichment seminars and industry visits to translate research into real-world contexts. Expect professional lab practices, documentation, and a long-horizon project that spans summer into the school year.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Georgia Tech