Robotics programs designed for high school students provide a solid opportunity to develop advanced technical skills, work with new technologies, and gain experience. These programs allow you to design, program, and build robotic systems. They go beyond theoretical learning, letting you apply concepts in physics, computer science, and engineering to real-world challenges.
Whether you choose a pre-college immersion, an internship, or a mentorship-driven research program, robotics programs expose you to emerging fields in technology. You’ll work with mentors and peers to sharpen your problem-solving abilities, collaborate on complex projects, and gain a competitive edge for your academic and career goals.
Here are 9 of the best robotics programs for high school students in 2025!
Location: Virtual
Application Deadlines: Spring Cohort: February 16, 2025 and Summer Cohort: May 18, 2025
Program Dates: Spring Cohort: March 3, 2025 onwards and Summer Cohort: June 16, 2025 onwards; lab dates are flexible, but you must apply four weeks in advance
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (GPA > 3.67/4.0). A few tracks may require specific prerequisites; detailed track requirements are available here
Subject Areas: Data Science, Machine Learning, Political Theory, Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Psychology, Robotics, and more
The Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP) offers trimester-long opportunities for high school students to engage in advanced, university-level research across diverse academic disciplines. You can choose between quantitative or qualitative research tracks, a rare choice in high school research programs.
After selecting a subject track, students are paired with professors or PhD scholars from top universities who serve as mentors throughout the program. Under their guidance, students work to produce a 20-page, university-quality research paper, which can be submitted to prestigious academic journals for publication.
This program provides students a platform to pursue specialized academic interests, enhance their research skills, and receive personalized mentorship. You will benefit from detailed project feedback, a recommendation letter from your mentor, and a completed research paper. This output can strengthen your college applications and future academic pursuits.
Cost: AI Scholars Program: $2,290, AI Fellowship: $5,400. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Spring cohort deadline: January 5, 2025
Program Dates: Vary based on the cohort
Eligibility: Open to high school students with an interest in AI and coding. AI Fellowship requires prior completion of the AI Scholars Program or equivalent experience with Python or AI concepts
Subject Areas: Finance, Medicine, AI, Robotics
Veritas AI, founded and led by Harvard graduate students, offers cutting-edge programs designed for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. Ideal for students starting their journey in AI, machine learning, and data science, the AI Scholars Program introduces the fundamentals of AI concepts and practical applications. You’ll explore topics like neural networks and data science while working on real-world projects. The program emphasizes hands-on learning, equipping you with skills to tackle challenges using AI tools.
AI Fellowship is an advanced program designed for students ready to dive deeper into AI research. You’ll work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a project tailored to your interests.
Cost: Free
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: February 20, 2025
Program Dates: June 23 – July 31, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school juniors from all school types (public, private, homeschooled, etc.) who are permanent Massachusetts residents
Subject Areas: Bioengineering, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences Research, Career Exploration, Robotics
The Northeastern Young Scholars Program (YSP) provides an opportunity for rising seniors in Massachusetts to gain research experience in various fields. You will collaborate with Northeastern faculty in state-of-the-art laboratories across the Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences. Past projects have included bioengineering and artificial intelligence, though this year’s projects are yet to be finalized. The program is highly selective, targeting academically talented students who aspire to STEM careers.
Cost: Free
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Application Deadline: The 2025 internship application will open soon
Program Dates: 6 weeks, typically between June – August
Eligibility: High school students entering their junior or senior years who will be at least 16 years old at the start of the internship
Subject Areas: Robotics, Social Behavior and Human Interaction, Engineering and Technology, Research
The Yale Social Robotics Lab High School Internship offers an unpaid internship for those interested in robotics and human-social behavior. This competitive, six-week summer program allows you to work alongside researchers, students, and faculty members in a Yale lab. You will gain valuable skills by contributing to social robotics projects. The program offers the chance to learn new concepts, apply the knowledge to research, and develop technical expertise. This program also provides mentorship from Yale researchers, which can be useful if you’re considering a future in research.
Cost: $800 – $1,000 (Includes live 1:1 classes and robotics kit)
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: To be declared
Program Dates: Throughout the summer
Eligibility: Students aged 8-16
Subject Areas: Robotics, Coding, Electronics
The Playto Labs Robotics Summer Camp offers a virtual experience focused on robotics and STEM education for students aged 8-16. You will participate in live, 1:1 classes, receiving personalized instruction and mentorship. Throughout the camp, you will build, program, and test your own robots, gaining hands-on experience in robotics, coding, and electronics. The program provides a robotics kit, enabling you to participate in hands-on projects from home. This virtual camp is a good option for learners of all ages interested in robotics and STEM.
Cost: Free; stipend provided – $4,000 (new participant) | $4,500 (returning participant)
Location: Various Department of Navy laboratories across the U.S.
Application Deadline: November 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: 8 weeks in the summer (possible extension of up to 2 weeks)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who have completed at least Grade 9, are currently enrolled in high school, and will be 16 years of age or older by the internship start date
Subject Areas: Robotics, Physics, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electronics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, and more
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) offers an opportunity for high school students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This prestigious program places interns in Department of Navy (DoN) laboratories across the country to gain experience in naval research.
You will receive mentorship from Navy scientists and engineers and work on projects in areas such as robotics, physics, materials science, aerodynamics, electronics, and mathematics. SEAP provides you with a chance to contribute to research while developing technical and professional skills. The program is highly selective, offering only around 300 placements nationwide. You will also receive a stipend and the potential for a program extension.
Costs: Commuter: $4,225, Residential: $5,750, Materials Fee: $200. Limited scholarships available
Location: Tufts University, Medford and Somerville, MA
Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Program Dates:
- Session 1: July 8 – 16, 2025
- Session 2: July 20 – August 1, 2025
Eligibility:
- Students currently in grades 10-12 or graduating from high school in the spring
- Residential students must be at least 15 years old at the program's start and no older than 19 before the program ends
- If English is not your primary language, you must provide evidence of English language proficiency
Subject Areas: Engineering Design, Fabrication, Robotics, Computation, Technology
The Tufts Engineering Design Lab program focuses on engineering, fabrication, robotics, and computation through hands-on projects that address challenges. If selected for the program, you will work on engineering design projects using the Nolop Makerspace at Tufts University. The Makerspace includes equipment for laser cutting, 3D printing, robotics, and computational design.
Throughout the program, you will hear from guest speakers who share their expertise in engineering. These talks are designed to help you explore potential directions for your project. This is a project-based experience where you will develop technical and creative skills for future study in engineering and technology.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (virtual options available)
Cost: Free for families earning less than $150,000; $2,350 for families earning more than $150,000
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
Program Dates: July 7 – August 3, 2025
Eligibility: High school students in a grade no greater than 11 attending school in the U.S.
Subject Areas: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Data Science, Engineering, and more
The Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) at MIT is a 4-week STEM program that allows high school students to explore various STEM topics. This workshop-style program allows you to participate in hands-on projects in robotics. For example, the course ‘Remote Sensing for Disaster Response’ teaches you about GIS, remote sensing, image processing, and deep learning for emergency management. Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence (SGAI) helps you develop game modifications (mods) using AI to explore ethical dilemmas. The ‘Autonomous Air Vehicle Racing’ module uses robotics software to control drones.
Location: Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
Cost: $1,000 (early registration discount of $25 if completed by April 3, 2025) + non-refundable $30 registration fee
Application Deadline: April 3, 2025
Program Dates: July 20 – 25, 2025
Eligibility: High school students ages 15-18
Subject Areas: Robotics, Autonomous Systems, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering
The Robotics & Autonomous Systems Summer Camp offers high school students the opportunity to explore robotics and autonomous technology. You will work with Embry-Riddle faculty and college robotics competition teams to build and program your own autonomous robots. Through this week-long program, you will gain experience in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. The skills you build can prepare you for future studies and careers in engineering and robotics. The camp emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, and the application of engineering principles in real-world projects.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.