If you’re looking to build a solid skill set in aerospace engineering as a high school student, consider applying to a program in the field! Whether you’re passionate about designing rockets, building drones, or exploring space science, these programs provide courses with hands-on projects and the chance to work with advanced technology.
You’ll develop skills in programming, design, and problem-solving by working on projects such as building rockets or studying aerodynamics. These programs give you the chance to work with advanced technology, apply theory to real-world problems, and gain experience in areas like CAD, coding, and simulation.
With that, here are 10 aerospace engineering summer programs for high school students!
10 Aerospace Engineering Summer Programs for High School Students
1. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program
Location: Part online and part on-site at the University of Austin, Austin, TX
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are US citizens and at least 16 years of age
Program dates: Online component from May 1 – July 5, in-person component from July 6 – 19, Virtual SEES Science Symposium from July 21-22
Cost: Free, travel scholarships to Texas are available
NASA has been at the forefront of space exploration and Earth sciences, making groundbreaking discoveries that shape our understanding of the universe. Through NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program, you have the chance to be part of this exciting work. You’ll gain hands-on experience with real NASA satellite data and work with professionals from NASA and the University of Texas at Austin.
The program includes projects in various fields, including aerospace engineering, where you’ll design experiments, test ideas, and analyze data. It combines distance learning, remote work, a residential internship, and a final symposium to present your research.
2. NASA Johnson Space Center’s High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) Program
Application deadline: October 16 (tentative, based on the last year program)
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school juniors in a Texas high school, Texas residents, and U.S. citizens.
Program dates: Virtual learning from October to April. The summer virtual component will run for one week in June and the two-day residential component will be in July
Location: Combination of virtual learning and an in-person experience at Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
NASA’s High School Aerospace Scholars program is a year-long STEM learning experience for high schoolers interested in Earth science, technology, and aeronautics. It starts with a five-month online course, and the highest-achieving students will participate in Moonshot, a virtual experience where you’ll plan a mission to the moon and Mars. Top teams will then get a residential experience at the Johnson Space Center. The program also gives you the chance to earn one science elective credit. You can go through the FAQs here.
3. NASA Office of STEM Engagements (OSTEM) Internships
Application deadline: February 28 for the summer session
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school students, U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Program dates: Internships are offered as 10-16 week programs that take place during fall, spring, and summer sessions
Location: Varies as per internship
Stipend: Some internships offer a stipend
NASA’s OSTEM internships let you work directly with researchers and scientists on real-world projects, giving you a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the field. You’ll get involved in exciting work, such as testing materials for Space Nuclear Propulsion or operating advanced equipment like a Pneumatic Shock Simulator.
These internships allow you to develop skills in technology, software, design, and mechanics, all while enhancing your problem-solving, teamwork, and communication abilities. Whether you’re interested in engineering, science, or technology, this program gives you the chance to apply your knowledge in a professional setting. You can go through the full list of opportunities here.
4. Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program
Application deadline: January 10
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, enrolled in school, able to work 40 hours/week, and have a 3.0 GPA (encouraged)
Program dates: Depends on internship location
Location: Several locations available
Stipend: The stipend amount varies depending on the internship location. Find more information here.
The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Scholars Program allows you to work on aerospace engineering research with AFRL scientists and engineers. You’ll be involved in projects like “Accelerated Aging of Spacecraft Materials,” where you test how materials age in space, “Advanced Space Vehicle Guidance and Control,” where you learn how spacecraft are navigated, and “AI Spacecraft Control,” where you explore how AI can control spacecraft systems.
Throughout the program, you’ll gain practical experience in designing experiments, analyzing data, and applying engineering principles. You’ll also develop skills in technical writing, data interpretation, and problem-solving. You can go through the full list of mentors here and browse through all the research topics here.
5. Horizon Academic Research Program – Engineering Track
Location: Virtual
Application Deadlines: Spring: February 16; Summer: February 16 (early), March 23 (priority), April 20 (regular-I), May 18 (regular-II)!
Program Dates: Spring: March 3; Summer: June 16! Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects like engineering, data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more.
The “Environmental Health and Engineering” course focuses on the causes and effects of ecosystem collapse and explores how society can create solutions to prevent or respond to environmental issues. You’ll look at challenges in agriculture, urbanization, infrastructure, and resource management, while also learning about engineering innovations. Linking this to aerospace engineering, students can understand how environmental factors influence the design and operation of sustainable systems, preparing them to tackle complex challenges in both fields.
Once you pick a subject track, you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar from a top university who will guide you through your research. You’ll work on a 20-page research paper that you can submit to top journals for publication as a high school student. Apply here!
6. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Online
Eligibility: High school students may apply.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The Spring Cohort application deadline is February 9!
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Financial assistance: You can check out the Lumiere Foundation, a non-profit research program, which offers assistance to low-income students
Lumiere is a research program for high school students, created by Harvard and Oxford PhDs, that pairs you with a PhD mentor to guide you in developing an independent research paper. The program covers various fields, including aerospace engineering. With personalized mentorship, you’ll engage with the latest developments in the field and improve your research skills by working closely with experts.
You’ll also have the chance to connect with mentors from top universities like Harvard, Stanford, and CMU. Lumiere is ideal for students interested in interdisciplinary research and creating a distinctive research paper. You can find more details about the application here.
7. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) at NYU
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are residents of New York
Program dates: June 2–August 8
Application deadline: February 21
Stipend: $1,000
NYU’s ARISE program offers a 10-week summer experience for high school students, with a 4-week remote workshop and a 6-week in-person lab component. During the in-person part, you’ll work in the “Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering” labs, focusing on areas like dynamical systems, robot movement, and human-robot interaction.
In the dynamical systems project, you’ll study how systems change over time, which is key for understanding and designing aerospace vehicles. In the principles of robot movement project, you’ll learn how robots move and interact with their environment, an important part of developing autonomous systems for space exploration. The human-robot interaction project will help you explore how humans and robots can work together effectively.
8. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who live and attend school in the US
Program dates: July 7 – August 3
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Fee: Free for families with an income of less than $150,000. Families in a higher income bracket need to pay a fee of $2,350.
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute offers high school students workshop-style courses with a focus on hands-on experiences. You can take courses in aerospace engineering, such as “Autonomous Air Vehicle Racing,” “Remote Sensing for Disaster Response,” and “Unmanned Aerial System–Synthetic Aperture Radar.”
During the program, you will develop skills in operating software, debugging code, analyzing geospatial data, and building radar imaging systems. By the end of the program, you’ll have developed critical technical skills, including software operation, coding, geospatial data analysis, and radar system construction, all while collaborating with peers who share your passion for innovation.
9. University of Kansas’s Advanced Aerospace Technologies Exploration Experience
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
Program dates: June 16 – 28 (tentative, based on the last year program)
Location: The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Cost: Free
The Advanced Aerospace Technologies Exploration Experience (AATEE) is a free, two-week summer program for high school students interested in aerospace engineering and computer science. You’ll learn about applied physics, Python programming, robot operating systems, and open-source autopilot systems like NVIDIA’s Racer RTX and Dronecode. You’ll also work on hands-on projects like building autonomous race cars and drones. This program gives you practical experience and helps you develop skills used in aerospace technology.
10. NSLC – High School Summer Aerospace Program
Location: Two options available: Duke University, Durham, NC, or John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 14-18 who have completed at least one year of high school
Application deadline: None. NSLC will accept applications as long as space is available
Program dates: Multiple sessions are offered, you can go through them here
Cost: $4,195
If you’ve ever wanted to design and build your unmanned aerial vehicle, the High School Summer Aerospace Program by the National Student Leadership Conference gives you that chance. You’ll work on real-world aerospace projects, like rockets, launch systems, and payload delivery systems.
You’ll also learn important skills such as soldering, CAD, and types of propulsion. The program includes hands-on simulations, guest lectures, and behind-the-scenes tours to places like Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the James Webb Space Telescope Facility.
Image source – NASA logo
