If you're a high school student interested in engineering, you should consider participating in an online summer program. These programs offer a focused, hands-on learning experience during your break, allowing you to gain practical knowledge, connect with peers and professionals, and explore new possibilities.
Many universities and research centers offer free or fully funded programs for talented high schoolers. The programs in our list are online, which means you can participate regardless of where you live. Through these programs, you'll be introduced to engineering principles and their real-world applications while building a portfolio that showcases your skills.
To help you find the right fit, we’ve compiled a list of 15 free online summer engineering programs for high school students in 2024–2025.
Subject Areas: Engineering, environmental studies, international relations, behavioral economics, chemistry, machine learning, philosophy, psychology, biophysics, data science, neuroscience, political theory, history, biotechnology, sociology, physics, network science, and more
Application Deadline: November 10, 2024, for the winter cohort and February 9, 2025, for the spring cohort
Dates:
- Winter seminar: December 2, 2024 onwards
- Spring seminar: March 3, 2025 onwards
- The dates for Horizon Labs are flexible; however, you must submit your application at least 4 weeks in advance
Eligibility: High school students with a strong academic record (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are typically in 10th or 11th grade. Only a few tracks have formal prerequisites; more details can be found here
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across various subjects, including data science, machine learning, political theory, biomedical engineering, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. You can choose between quantitative and qualitative research. For those interested in engineering, the Environmental Health and Engineering course focuses on sustainability issues related to agricultural production, urbanization, infrastructure, resource use, and current engineering innovations.
After selecting a specific subject track and type of research, you will be paired with a professor or PhD scholar from a leading university who will mentor you throughout your research process. You will work on producing a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can submit to journals for publication as a high school student. Horizon offers need-based financial aid.
This program offers a valuable opportunity to engage in research in specialized fields under the guidance of an experienced scholar. Additionally, each student will receive a letter of recommendation and detailed project feedback that can support future projects and college applications. You can apply here!
Subject Areas: Engineering, psychology, medicine, environmental science, entrepreneurship, business, international relations, gender studies, data science, computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, and more
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Dates: Vary based on the cohort
Eligibility: Students enrolled in high school or planning to start college as freshmen in the fall with an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4 can apply. No prior knowledge of the chosen field of interest is necessary
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is a non-profit program designed for gifted students from low-income backgrounds. It evolved from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, which provides extensive one-on-one research opportunities for high school students. The Foundation offers the same access to independent research experiences at no cost.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is equivalent to the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In this flagship program, talented high school students are paired with PhD mentors to work one-on-one on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you will develop an independent research paper on a topic of your choice from subjects such as engineering, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can apply here! This program is a solid option for those interested in interdisciplinary research who wish to produce an individual research paper.
3. Veritas AI
Subject Areas: Data science, AI, machine learning, and programming
Cost: AI Scholars: $2,290 | AI Fellowship: $5,400 | Combination (AI Scholars + AI Fellowship): $6,900. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here
Application Deadline: October 20, 2024, for the upcoming winter cohort. You can apply here!
Dates: Several cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students. Ror the AI Fellowship program, students must have either a basic understanding of Python or have completed the AI Scholars program
Veritas AI, founded and managed by Harvard graduate students, offers programs designed for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars program is suited for those looking to begin their studies in AI, machine learning, and data science. This 10-session boot camp covers the fundamentals of AI and data science and provides you with opportunities to work on real-world projects.
For more advanced students, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase allows you to work one-on-one with mentors from leading universities on a unique individual project. An advantage of this program is access to an in-house publication team that assists you in securing publications in high school research journals. The fellowship encourages interdisciplinary exploration, enabling you to integrate AI with various fields, including finance, medicine, sports, and environmental science. You can also view examples of past projects here.
Subject Areas: Software engineering, data engineering, machine learning, AI, data science, social media content generation, and market research
Location: Virtual, with additional opportunities available in the Greater Seattle area, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Some projects offer stipends
Application Deadline: April 22, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Dates: Varies based on the opportunity, typically 8 to 12 weeks in May to August
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and live in the United States
The Spark Summer Mentorship Program offers hands-on, immersive internships for high school students. When applying, you can select between 1 to 5 projects that match your interests. SparkSMP has various remote projects where you can apply concepts from machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data visualization to real-world scenarios. In 2024, students had the opportunity to participate in the Advancing Accessibility in Engineering Education internship, which explored how emerging AI technologies can be used to enhance accessibility in engineering education for students requiring additional support.
The program allows you to engage with and learn from industry leaders, university professors, and mentors from various organizations. Research topics for 2024 included extreme weather conditions, software engineering, detection of tick-borne infections and cancers, machine learning workflows, quantum technologies, CHIPS/semiconductors (GaN/AIGaN), low-temperature electronics, competitive analysis, data engineering and AI, and more. This program is competitive, with an acceptance rate of about 3-5%.
Subject Areas: Engineering, space science, technology, ecology, outreach and communications, aeronautics, astronomy, space microbiology, and robotics
Location: Depending on the project, interns may work either remotely or on-site at any of NASA's 10 field centers across the country
Cost/Stipend: No cost; interns may receive a stipend that varies based on their academic level and the session duration
Application Deadline:
- Summer 2025: February 28, 2025
- Fall 2025: May 16, 2025
Dates: These internships are available in three sessions, with specific dates varying based on the opportunity:
- Fall: 16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December
- Spring: 16-week program, from mid-January to early May
- Summer: 10-week program, from late May or early June to August
Eligibility: U.S. citizens with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale who are at least 16 years old at the time of application
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships providing training, mentorship, and career development while giving students exposure to professionals in science, engineering, finance, IT, and business. These internships span a wide range of subjects and disciplines, including space science, engineering, aeronautics, astronomy, technology, space microbiology, robotics, ecology, and outreach and communications.
Although not all 2025 internships have been released yet, you can expect to collaborate with a researcher or work in a small group on a current NASA project. Tasks may involve recording and analyzing data, tracking celestial body movements using advanced telescopes and other astronomical equipment, and assisting with mission preparations. You can explore available internship opportunities here by using the ‘Filter’ option to view those open to high school students.
Subject Areas: Electronic engineering, AI, machine learning, game development, coding, quantum computation, and more
Location: Virtual or in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $1,750 for families with an income exceeding $150,000, free for families earning less
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Dates: July 8 – August 4, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 who attend high school in the U.S.
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) provides hands-on STEM courses in a workshop format, covering a variety of topics. Courses for 2025 haven’t been released yet, but we can expect them to include engineering options as in 2024. Among the online engineering courses available last year were Basics of ASICs, Microelectronics and Hardware Development, and Quantum Software.
- The "Basics of ASICs" course gave students experience in arranging and designing semiconductors at the nanometer scale to achieve specific functions.
- The "Microelectronics and Hardware Development" course offered an overview of how microchips, printed circuit boards, and hardware systems are created, as well as their significance in the modern world. Students had the chance to design and implement hardware systems using microcontrollers, with opportunities to develop electronics that could have real-world applications.
- In the "Quantum Software" course, students learned foundational concepts of quantum computation through coding exercises and worked on developing and testing a quantum algorithm as a software program.
You can view the full course list here.
Subject Areas: Engineering, biology, linguistics, philosophy, computer science, technology, design, and more
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $50 application fee, need-based financial assistance available
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Dates: June 17 – August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 14 years old, including international students
Stanford’s Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SHTEM) Summer Internship provides high school and community college students with the opportunity to work in project groups, fostering collaboration and teamwork on research projects. Throughout the program, each group will receive mentorship from students, faculty, and staff from the Stanford Compression Forum.
The program emphasizes the diverse range of research topics in engineering while highlighting the integration of the humanities and the human aspect in STEM research. You will have the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary projects across various fields, including biology, computer science, philosophy, design, technology, engineering, and linguistics. After the program, each group will present their projects and findings. Typically, 60 students are accepted into the program.
Subject Areas: Engineering, research, and scientific writing
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: May 12, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: July 29 – August 2, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th grade students
The WIE Rise Summer Research Program, organized by current Maryland Engineering students, is primarily aimed at women high school students but is open to all. It offers an introduction to engineering through research.
Throughout the week, you will explore different engineering disciplines each day while learning about various engineering research labs at the University of Maryland. You will also learn to read and write scientific research papers, conduct home-friendly experiments, and interact with current undergraduate students in Maryland Engineering.
Subject Areas: Engineering, planetary science, mathematics, biology, chemistry, data analysis, computer science, physics, information technology, and cybersecurity
Location: Virtual or in-person at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Dates: TBA for 2025. The 2024 dates were:
- Summer session: June 25 – August 22, 2024
- Academic year session: September 16, 2024 – April 25, 2025
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who:
- Will be 15 or older by June 1
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.8
- Are permanent residents of the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region
- Are U.S. citizens
The ASPIRE program offered by Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory provides high school juniors and seniors the chance to explore STEM careers before choosing a college major. Throughout the program, you will work alongside lab staff to collaborate on projects, address challenges, and develop both technical and interpersonal skills.
The program offers both in-person and virtual internships, with virtual experiences conducted entirely online, apart from in-person onboarding, equipment returns, and troubleshooting. When applying, you will indicate your area of interest, but the program will assign your mentor and project. With an acceptance rate of approximately 15%-20%, the program provides a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience in various STEM fields.
Subject Areas: Web development, mobile app development, machine learning, data science, software engineering, UX design, UI design, programming, and graphic design
Location: Virtual or in-person in multiple cities
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Dates: In 2024, multiple 2-week sessions were available between June and August; dates for 2025 are yet to be announced
Eligibility: Girls and gender-expansive teens aged 13–18
Kode with Klossy offers free two-week coding camps for students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. As a participant, you can select one of four courses: Web Development, Mobile App Development, Machine Learning, or Data Science.
In the Web Development course, you will learn to create websites using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, focusing on ensuring they are responsive and user-friendly. The Mobile App Development course will teach you how to build fully functional iOS apps using Xcode and Swift. If you choose the Machine Learning course, you will gain a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning concepts. The Data Science course will involve analyzing data with SQL, Python, and data visualization tools.
Subject Areas: Biomedical engineering, technology, AI, healthcare, and research
Cost/Stipend: No fee, unpaid internship
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Dates: June 17 – 28, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 who reside in the U.S. and are at least 14 years old by the start of the program
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging offers a two-week summer internship for high school students interested in technology and AI. This internship focuses on the application of AI in the healthcare industry. As an intern, you will attend lectures covering AI in healthcare and participate in research projects to develop related skills.
You will work on solving a problem related to AI in medicine. You will also be mentored by Stanford students and researchers and have the chance to attend Virtual Career Lunch and Learn sessions featuring guest speakers from academia, industry, nonprofits, and government sectors. Approximately 25 students are accepted into the program. Those who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Subject Areas: Bioengineering; electrical and computer engineering; civil, environmental and infrastructure engineering; cyber security engineering; electrical and computer engineering; mechanical engineering; systems engineering and operations research
Location: Virtual or in-person at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free except for a $25 application fee, which may be waived based on financial need; The internship is unpaid
Application Deadline: February 2, 2025
Dates: June 18 – August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Interns for remote internships must be at least 15 years old by the program start date
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program offers high school students the opportunity to work directly with faculty researchers at George Mason University on their research projects. Throughout the 8-week internship, you will gain hands-on experience with advanced technologies and equipment, enhance your scientific writing and communication skills, explore STEM career paths through discussions and meetings with professionals, and learn to apply creative problem-solving, a vital aspect of innovative research.
Past engineering projects have addressed topics such as Adapting Large Language Models to Aid End-Users in Bug Reporting, Correcting Visual Design Errors in Presentation Slides, and Automated Inputting of Grades into Online Gradebook Using Optical Character Recognition. You can review previous research projects from the College of Engineering and Computing here.
Subject Areas: Engineering, astronomy, remote sensing, space geodetic techniques, planetary science, climate science
Location: Virtual or in-person at the University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cost/Stipend: No cost, unpaid internship
Application Deadline: February 22, 2025
Dates:
- Completion of SEES distance learning modules: May 1 – July 1, 2025
- Remote project work guided by mentors: June 5 – July 5, 2025
- Virtual projects: June – July 19, 2025
- SEES Virtual Science Symposium: July 21 – 22, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors who are U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old by July 5, 2025, and have not previously worked as SEES interns
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Sciences (SEES) High School Summer Intern Program is offered by NASA and the University of Texas at Austin. Both on-site and virtual interns will work with NASA experts on data analysis and visualization, gaining hands-on experience in real NASA research. Project themes vary each year, with some focusing on engineering. Virtual internships follow specific timelines listed in the project descriptions. The virtual internships will allow you to analyze the air quality near your home, calculate the magnitude of stars, and use photometry software to find exoplanets. Upon completion of the program, interns will receive a NASA certificate of completion.
Subject Areas: Space life sciences, computational biology, and bioinformatics
Cost/Stipend: No cost, students receive a small stipend to help cover miscellaneous expenses
Application Deadline: You can visit the website in December 2024 for details about the 2025 application process
Dates: Program dates for 2025 will be announced in January 2025
Eligibility: Students must:
- Be U.S. citizens
- Be at least 16 years old by December 31, 2025
- Be entering their junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2025
- Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Have completed at least one high school biology course
Sponsored by NASA’s Ames Research Center, GL4HS is a virtual program focused on omics-based bioinformatics research, including the analysis of complex biological data like genetic codes. During the program, you will learn bioinformatics and critical thinking through interactive classes such as ‘Molecular Biology and the Omics Revolution,’ and apply this knowledge during training with NASA’s GeneLab Data System. You will also explore organismal physiology in microgravity.
You will have the chance to engage with scientists and industry experts through guest lectures, networking, and virtual field trips. The program also features a research competition, where the best team is selected to present at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research conference.
Subject Areas: Engineering design, project management
Cost: Free without a certificate
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Dates: Self-paced, requiring 6 hours to complete over 3 weeks
Eligibility: Open to all
The University of Leeds offers the Fundamental Skills in Engineering Design course, which focuses on key principles and techniques important for professional growth in engineering. In this course, you will explore essential aspects of engineering design, such as requirement gathering, problem-solving, and project management.
The course includes active participation in real-world design scenarios to enhance your problem-solving abilities and provide practical experience. You will gain a basic understanding of the term "engineering design" and explore the product life cycle. The course features video lectures, readings, and quizzes which will allow you to apply the material effectively. Additionally, you will review some of the soft skills necessary for a career in engineering design before analyzing a case study that will help you practice elements of conceptual design.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.