Engineering summer programs for high school students such as yourself offer a unique opportunity to engage in various engineering disciplines, from mechanical and civil engineering to robotics and bioengineering. These programs provide hands-on experiences, allowing you to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges, develop technical skills, and explore cutting-edge technologies. Whether it’s working in labs, collaborating on projects, or participating in workshops, you will gain a deeper understanding of engineering while building a solid foundation for future academic and career pursuits. By the end of these engineering summer programs, you will walk away with advanced skills, practical experience, and a clearer vision of potential career paths in engineering.
If you’re looking for such engineering summer programs to get started, here is a list of the 16 best engineering summer programs for high school students!
Subject Areas: Environmental Health and Engineering, Bioengineering, Network Science, and more.
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. November 10, 2024, for the Winter cohort, and February 9, 2025, for the Spring 2025 cohort.
Program Dates:
- Winter seminar: December 2, 2024 onwards
- Spring seminar: March 3, 2025 onwards
- 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 few tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon’s Academic Research Program (HARP) offers an intensive, trimester-long research experience for high school students passionate about engineering. As one of the few programs that allow students to choose between quantitative and qualitative research methods, this unique opportunity lets you dive deep into engineering subfields such as Environmental Health and Engineering, Bioengineering, and Network Science. With guidance from professors or PhD scholars, you’ll produce a 20-page, university-level research paper fit for submission to prestigious journals. This program not only enhances your research skills but also equips you with a stellar recommendation letter and expert feedback. You can explore the different course options in the Engineering track here and apply here!
Subject Areas: Civil, Environmental, Chemical, and Biology Engineering.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,990 (12 weeks), $5,900 (16-20 weeks), $8,900 (6-12 months). Financial aid available
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the Winter cohort
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring from March to June
Eligibility:
- You must be currently enrolled in high school
- Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
- No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Engineering Track is a selective independent research program that allows high school students to dive deep into advanced engineering topics. With one-on-one mentorship from a Ph.D. scholar at a top institution, students specialize in fields such as Civil & Environmental Engineering and Chemical & Biological Engineering. Through rigorous research, students develop technical skills and produce independent, publishable research projects that can enhance college applications and academic portfolios. You can find the application form here.
Subject Areas: Mechanical, Automotive, Civil Engineering, and more.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $5,900 for the research internship. Financial assistance is available.
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the Winter cohort
Program Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, offers high school students a unique chance to gain real-world experience by interning with startups and nonprofits around the world. While the program offers internships across multiple industries, students interested in engineering will benefit from hands-on exposure to design concepts, manufacturing techniques, and innovative engineering practices. This virtual internship provides students with practical experience, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems while contributing to the mission of startups and nonprofits across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. This internship program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, among other skills, and group training sessions with fellow interns. You will be paired with a manager at the startup and with a Ladder coach, who serves as a second mentor. You can apply here.
Subject Areas: Astrophysics, Aeronautics, Engineering, Technology, Space Biology, Artificial Intelligence, and more.
Location: NASA centers across the country. Virtual options are offered as well.
Cost: No cost. A stipend will be awarded based on academic level and session duration.
Application Deadline: Summer 2025: February 28, 2025 | Fall 2025: May 16, 2025
Program Dates: Spring session (Mid-January to Early May) | Summer session (Late May to August) | Fall session (Late August to Mid-December).
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
- Be a full-time student (high school through graduate level) or a part-time college-level student enrolled in at least 6 semester hours.
- Be at least 16 years of age at the time of application (no exceptions).
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships to high school students, providing a unique opportunity to work alongside engineers and scientists on cutting-edge technologies used in space exploration and aerospace engineering. Whether you're interested in satellite communication, aeronautics, or space biology, OSTEM internships immerse you in real-world applications of engineering and tech fields. With positions available across NASA centers, you can explore engineering solutions that impact space missions and Earth-based technologies. They also offer you an opportunity to gain practical work experience while working side-by-side with mentors who are research scientists, engineers, and individuals from many other professions. You can check out a complete list of positions here - you may have to use the “Filter” option to see opportunities only open to high school students.
5. Veritas AI’s Computer Engineering Research Program
Location: Virtual
Cost:
- $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
- $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
- $6,900 for both
- Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Winter cohort deadline - December 1, 2024
Program dates: Various according to the cohort
Program selectivity: Moderately selective
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs tailored for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. The fellowship encourages students to explore interdisciplinary approaches, enabling them to merge AI with various fields such as finance, medicine, sports, environmental science, and more! You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
Subject Areas: Civil, Biomedical, Environmental, Computer Engineering, and more.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $60 application fee; $3,050 tuition fee; financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: March 29, 2024
Program Dates: June 17, 2024 - June 28, 2024 | July 08, 2024 - July 19, 2024
Eligibility: High school students who are in grades 8, 9, and 10 at the time of application are eligible.
Stanford's Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute offers high school students a dynamic introduction to various engineering fields, including civil, biomedical, computer, and environmental engineering. Through this selective program, you will gain hands-on experience by working in teams on real-world engineering projects while exploring fundamental design principles and tackling ethical considerations. The course provides a comprehensive foundation that helps students clarify their engineering interests and potential career paths. You will also learn from experienced faculty members and have opportunities to network within the field.
Subject Areas: Biomedical Engineering, Competitive Programming, Sustainable Engineering, Electrical And Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and more.
Location: Columbia University, New York City, NY.
Cost: $5,500 program fee; covering tuition, lab and materials fee, and activities; housing and transportation are not provided; need-based scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: December 15, 2023 (priority deadline) | March 26, 2024 (final deadline)
Program Dates: Students can opt for one of these two 3-week sessions: July 8, 2024, to July 26, 2024, | July 29, 2024, to August 16, 2024
Eligibility: All current high school students are eligible to apply.
Columbia University's Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE) offers an intensive, project-based learning experience for high school students. Over three weeks, students dive into a variety of engineering disciplines, including robotics, biomedical engineering, competitive programming, sustainable engineering, electrical and chemical engineering, civil engineering, and data science. This academically rigorous program is taught by Columbia’s esteemed faculty, providing an authentic taste of college-level courses. This competitive program has limited spots and smaller cohorts aimed to enhance engagement and learning among participants. The program also includes workshops, electives, lab work, college preparation, and learning from Columbia students.
Subject Areas:
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA.
Cost: Free for all accepted participants; covering housing, meals, and activities.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2024
Program Dates: The program typically runs late June through early August (6 weeks).
Eligibility: High school juniors are eligible to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The program prioritizes students from underrepresented and underserved communities.
MITES Summer (Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science) is an intensive, prestigious program offered by MIT for high school students passionate about STEM. Over six weeks, participants explore a range of STEM subjects with a curriculum that includes one math course, one life sciences course, one physics course, one humanities course, and one project-based elective. For those interested in engineering, electives such as Engineering Design, Architecture, Machine Learning, and Electronics offer opportunities to dive into specialized topics. This program is competitive and takes in around 80-100 students annually. The program also includes social activities, events, lab tours, and admissions counseling for students to gain a deeper insight into the field and what to expect from a career in engineering. MITES Summer will give you an advantage in the college admission process while allowing you to explore potential career paths.
Subject Areas: Aerospace and Automotive Engineering, Mechanical Design, Artificial Intelligence, and more.
Location: Varies based on the program; you can check the different locations here.
Cost: Free for all accepted participants; a weekly stipend of $492.40 is provided (might differ from state to state).
Application Deadline: January 10, 2025
Program Dates: Varies but should fall under one of these three cohorts:
- Fall - from late August/early September to mid-December (16 weeks)
- Spring - from mid-January to early May (16 weeks)
- Summer - from late May/early June to August (10 weeks)
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be an Upper High School Student (over 16 years old).
- Be a U.S. Citizen.
- Have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
- Be available full-time (40 hours a week) and work in their physical offices over the summer.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program offers a paid internship for upper-level high school students interested in automotive and aerospace engineering. This prestigious program provides a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge, research-driven projects alongside AFRL's full-time scientists and engineers. Interns are guided by expert mentors and gain hands-on experience in dynamic lab environments, contributing to advanced research in aerospace and mechanical engineering. Research topics cover areas like aerospace and mechanical design, complex electromagnetic structures, and artificial intelligence. Some recent projects include exploring cold atom sources for navigation technology and developing personalized chatbots for improved user interfaces and in-car communication systems.
You can find a full list of mentors and additional details on the AFRL website, and you can apply through this portal.
Subject Areas: Chemical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, Machine Learning, and more.
Location: NYU campus, New York City, NY
Cost: Free. Students will receive a stipend of at least $750.
Application Deadline: March 6, 2024
Program Dates: June 3, 2024 - August 9, 2024 (10 weeks). The first 4 weeks will be remote after-school workshops, and the next 6 weeks will have in-person labs on weekdays.
Eligibility: Students residing in New York City, who will complete 10th or 11th grade in June 2024, are eligible to apply.
NYU’s ARISE program offers an immersive summer experience for high school students passionate about engineering and its diverse applications. All participants of ARISE will be given personalized mentorship from NYU's research faculty. With an interdisciplinary curriculum, ARISE covers a wide array of subjects such as chemical engineering, robotics, computer science, aerospace engineering, bioengineering, and machine learning. The program emphasizes hands-on research, mentoring, and collaboration, preparing students for advanced STEM studies and careers. At the end of the program, students will present their findings at a colloquium.
Subject Areas:
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: No cost, stipend of $750 provided.
Application Deadline: February 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: June 16 – August 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or recent graduates who are at least 17 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program at Texas Tech University offers 12 highly qualified high school juniors and seniors the chance to participate in a concentrated seven-week summer research internship in their chosen subject. This program is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of less than 3%. Once selected, you will join a cohort of high-achieving students to conduct research across a wide range of fields, including engineering, and receive 1-1 mentorship and guidance from some of the country’s top scholars. As part of the program, you will also attend discussions, seminars, and field visits. Under the mentorship of experienced faculty, you will also work on hands-on research projects, developing essential skills in different fields of engineering. You can take a look at the work of previous scholars here.
Subject Areas: Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Materials Science, and more.
Location: Various colleges in Baltimore, MD; a virtual option is available as well.
Cost: $50 application fee; $3,575 tuition fee; residential and commuter costs vary based on college; need-based scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: December 15, 2023
Program Dates: July 1 - July 26, 2024
Eligibility: Current high school students between the ages of 15 and 17 with academic backgrounds in math, chemistry, and physics are eligible to apply.
Explore Engineering Innovation (EEI) is a rigorous, college-level summer program designed for high school students with strong skills in math and science and a passion for engineering. Offered by Johns Hopkins University, this program gives students the chance to dive into a wide range of engineering fields, including civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and materials science. Alongside attending college-level lectures, you will engage in hands-on activities, solve real-world problems, and test theories. Working in small teams, you will work on projects like testing the material properties of household materials like spaghetti, designing and constructing a structurally stable bridge, linking concepts of heat transfer and chemical reactions to a small bioreactor, and more. In addition to boosting your resume and college applications, the Johns Hopkins School of Engineering will also offer you invaluable opportunities to network with professionals in the field.
Subject Areas: Mechanical, Electrical, Sustainability Engineering, Physics, and more.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: June 7, 2024
Program Dates: July 8 - July 12, 2024
Eligibility: High school girls entering 10th or 11th grade. Boys and non-binary students in 10th or 11th grade (current 2023-2024 school year) are welcome to apply to participate in this program.
Rice STEM Academy is a free, week-long enrichment program aimed at high school girls interested in exploring scientific principles and engineering. Hosted by Rice University in collaboration with Design Connect Create, the program focuses on sustainability-driven engineering challenges using cutting-edge labs and discussions with faculty and graduate students. The program will allow you to work with engineering landing capsules, learn about circuits using Microbits, explore motion concepts with the help of TI Nspire Rovers, and discuss other physics concepts, their connection to engineering, and the challenges of making more sustainable designs.
Subject Areas: Mechanical and Environmental Engineering, Biotechnology, Machine Learning, and more research areas.
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost: Free for all accepted students.
Application Deadline: March 15, 2024
Program Dates: 5-6 weeks in the summer, depending on the research project and the researchers' schedule. Each research project has its schedule. Interns work full-time, Monday to Friday, with no weekend activities.
Eligibility: Students who
- are enrolled in a U.S. high school and are at least 16 years old. High school graduates who will not turn 18 by June 15, 2024, can apply (for the 2024 cohort)
- are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International students enrolled in a U.S. high school can also apply. Princeton does not sponsor visas for the program.
The Laboratory Learning Program (LLP) at Princeton University offers high school students the unique opportunity to work alongside leading faculty and researchers in cutting-edge engineering and natural science labs. This highly selective program accepts only 40 students, allowing them to assist with ongoing research in fields like mechanical engineering, biotechnology, machine learning, and more. You’ll spend the summer conducting research, learning lab techniques, and experiencing the inner workings of Princeton’s state-of-the-art facilities. At the end of the program, you must produce a two-page research summary report. Research opportunities change every year, depending on the laboratory and the researcher’s focus. You can see the entire list of 2023 research opportunities here!
Subject Areas: Mechanical, Electrical, and Aerospace Engineering.
Location: University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA.
Cost: $2,799 for first-time participants; financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: June 1, 2024
Program Dates: Students can choose to attend one of these two 3-week sessions:
- Session A: June 24 to July 12, 2024
- Session B: July 15 to August 2, 2024
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-11 in spring 2024, who are at least 15 years old by the program start date can apply.
UCLA’s Pre-College Summer Sessions in Engineering Design introduce high school students to core engineering design principles through hands-on projects in aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Whether you're designing and launching rockets, building GoKarts, or programming rovers, this immersive experience provides a comprehensive introduction to engineering fields. The program provides access to engineering design software and materials for students to work with. You will have the option to choose from 4 tracks – aerospace engineering (rockets), aerospace engineering (planes), mechanical engineering (GoKarts), and electrical engineering (rovers). Additionally, the program offers the opportunity to earn college credit and receive a letter grade upon completion.
Subject Areas: Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Sustainable Energy, Manufacturing, and more.
Location: Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
Stipend: Paid (unspecified amount). Travel reimbursements and a housing stipend may also be offered.
Application Deadline: Applications generally close in the spring.
Program Dates: 10-16 weeks in the summer.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) High School Internship Program offers a six-week paid internship for high school students passionate about mechanical and automotive engineering. As a leading Department of Energy facility, INL provides hands-on experience where interns work alongside engineers and scientists on cutting-edge projects related to advanced manufacturing, transportation systems, and sustainable energy technologies. This program is ideal for students looking to apply STEM concepts to real-world engineering challenges. You will work on a real project and gain hands-on experience with a mentor. You can check out the current openings for Summer 2025 here.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.