If you’re a high school student interested in engineering, consider an online program! These programs cover mechanical, electrical, software, civil, biomedical, and aerospace engineering. They will help you grasp key concepts and practices.
Online engineering programs go beyond what you might learn in school, offering specialized coursework in CAD (Computer-Aided Design), data analysis, and project management. You will also engage in practical learning through group projects, research tasks, and design challenges, which can help you develop specific skills relevant to engineering careers and undergrad college applications.
If this interests you, here are 10 online engineering programs for high school students to check out!
9 Online Engineering Programs for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Cost: You have to pay a participation fee. Raise an interest form here to find out the exact cost | Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students who maintain a GPA of 3.67 or higher on a 4.0 scale | A couple of tracks require a few prerequisites, which the application info page here mentions.
Application Deadline: 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.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biomedical engineering, chemistry, neuroscience, and psychology. It is one of the few research programs for high school students that provides a choice between quantitative and qualitative research. If you’re interested in engineering, you can select the Environmental Health and Engineering track, where you’ll explore sustainability challenges in areas like agriculture, urbanization, infrastructure, resource management, and engineering innovations.
After choosing your research focus and method, you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar from a leading university who will mentor you throughout the process. The program culminates in a 20-page research paper, written at a university level, which you can submit for publication in recognized journals as a high school student. You can apply here!
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Engineering Track
Cost: $2,990–$8,900, depending on the format you choose | Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students
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.
The Lumiere research program, founded by PhDs from Harvard and Oxford, offers you a great opportunity if you’re interested in engineering. You’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor on your research project. The program combines computer science, math, and engineering to solve real-world problems.
You can focus on areas like hardware design, software development, embedded systems, or artificial intelligence. Financial aid is available to ensure the program is accessible to students from all backgrounds.
3. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Cost: The tuition fee is $3,080 + an additional fee not exceeding $100 might be required to purchase course materials | Financial aid is offered to students who can demonstrate financial need.
Eligibility: Students who are in grades 8–11 while applying | Courses may have their prerequisites.
Application deadline: March 20
Program dates: Session 1: June 16–27; Session 2: July 7–18
Stanford University’s Summer Institutes is a program for high school students who want to explore advanced topics not covered in high school. You can take online courses based on your grade level and interests, such as Introduction to Engineering or Introduction to Structural Engineering.
In these courses, you’ll attend live online lectures, participate in discussions, and work on projects. For example, in the Structural Engineering course, you’ll learn about building durable structures, materials like timber and steel, and how structures handle loads. You’ll also work on group projects, including a bridge-building challenge, which helps you build teamwork and presentation skills. You can also explore Stanford’s other virtual STEM programs here.
4. NASA’s OSTEM Internship Program
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Most NASA interns receive stipends according to their academic level and session lengths.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
Application deadline: Applications for the summer internships close on February 28, whereas the Fall applications are due on May 16
Program dates: Internship dates vary by session: Spring (16 weeks, mid-Jan to May), Summer (10 weeks, May/June to August), Fall (16 weeks, Aug/Sept to Dec/Jan).
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers internships for high school and college students, both in-person across the U.S. and remotely. As an intern, you’ll gain hands-on experience, working with research scientists and engineers on specific projects like designing experiments or analyzing data for NASA missions.
Through the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) Student Collaboration, you’ll work on atmospheric science research linked to a NASA satellite mission, evaluating sensors measuring pollutants. This experience will give you valuable insights into NASA’s work and the real-world application of engineering principles.
5. Johns Hopkins University’s Explore Engineering Innovation (EEI)
Cost: $4,115, which includes the application fee, tuition, and lab kit fee | Scholarships are available.
Eligibility: High school students and recent graduates | The program has a few academic prerequisites that you must check before applying.
Application deadline: February 14 (early action deadline) and May 28 (final deadline)
Program dates: June 30–August 1
Johns Hopkins’ Engineering Innovation Pre-College programs are designed for high school students interested in engineering. The Explore Engineering Innovation (EEI) Online Program covers fields like electrical/computer, civil, mechanical, and chemical engineering, as well as materials science, through virtual college-level instruction and problem-solving activities.
As an EEI participant, you’ll spend hours each day on class meetings, independent study, and homework, along with hands-on project work, such as testing spaghetti’s material properties, creating electronic devices to improve well-being, and designing bridges. You’ll also present your ideas to peers.
6. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES Internship Program
Cost/Stipend: None
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
Application deadline: February 22
Program dates: May 1–July 22
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) summer internship, hosted by the University of Texas at Austin in partnership with NASA, offers you the chance to explore space and Earth science research. Whether you choose a virtual or in-person experience, you’ll start with distance learning modules to understand key Earth science concepts and Python programming.
As a SEES intern, you’ll work on space science projects, analyze NASA satellite data, and engage in tasks like visualizing remote sensing data and studying ice sheets. The program concludes with a virtual symposium where you present your research, giving you a chance to explore space science, remote sensing, and astronomy while learning from NASA engineers.
7. ASPIRE by Johns Hopkins
Cost/Stipend: None
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 15, have a 2.8 GPA or higher, and live in any of the eligible Maryland counties
Application deadline: February 15 (tentative date based on previous year’s program)
Program dates: The program tends to run from six to nine weeks, starting in June and ending in August. You can discuss with your mentor and extend the internship, in which case the program will run from September in the existing year to May next year for you.
ASPIRE, a STEM research opportunity at Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), lets you explore fields like engineering, physical science, and aerospace. You can choose from eight areas of placement and work closely with an APL staff mentor who will guide you through your research project.
Throughout the program, you’ll spend 40 hours each week working on your project, gaining hands-on experience in real-world research. You’ll also have the chance to develop technical and interpersonal skills, preparing you for future professional environments. The program concludes with the submission of a digital project poster, where you can showcase your work.
8. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) at George Mason University
Cost/Stipend: None. An application fee of $25 is charged but can be waived if the applicant demonstrates financial need.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 when the internship program begins
Application deadline: February 2
Program dates: June 18–August 8
George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) offers high school students a chance to gain hands-on research experience by working alongside faculty researchers. As a participant, you’ll have access to cutting-edge university resources, improve your scientific writing and communication skills, and explore careers in engineering.
The program concludes with a poster session where you present your project. As an ASSIP intern, you may also get the opportunity to publish your research in a scientific journal and present at conferences. You can check out previous student research projects from ASSIP here.
9. SPARK Summer Mentorship Program
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Up to $500 is offered as a stipend.
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S. | Each SPARK SMP internship may have additional requirements in terms of location, interests, and education.
Application deadline: March/April(exact dates are yet to be announced)
Program dates: The 8- to 10-week mentorship program typically runs between June and August.
The SPARK Summer Internship Program (SPARK SMP) is a paid summer opportunity for high school students. You’ll work on cutting-edge STEM projects alongside industry experts, professors, and mentors. By joining the program, you’ll gain hands-on experience in areas like AI, data engineering, and engineering education.
You’ll have the chance to improve your research skills by doing background research and creating technical reports. You’ll also work with tools like data pipelines and predictive analytics, building your technical knowledge. Last year, one remote internship option was Advancing Accessibility in Engineering Education, where interns conducted background research and presented a technical report on improving access to engineering education. Another virtual opportunity was Data Engineering and AI for Real World Problems, where interns worked on AI/ML applications, data pipelines, and predictive analytics to tackle real-world challenges.
Image source – Johns Hopkins Logo
