Civil engineering internships allow you to engage with engineering concepts beyond the classroom, often through hands-on projects, technical analysis, and exposure to professional workflows. These programs help you develop practical skills such as interpreting technical drawings, understanding structural and environmental constraints, working with engineering software, and analyzing infrastructure systems
Why should you pick a summer internship?
Picking a summer internship is one of the best ways to figure out what you actually enjoy doing before the stakes get too high in college. It’s a chance to see how professionals handle their day-to-day responsibilities, which helps you build real-world confidence and skills that cannot be learnt in a classroom. You’ll learn how to talk to adults in a work setting, manage your own schedule, and start building a network of people who can give you advice down the road. Doing an internship in the summer gives you a head start on growing up while helping you stand out when it’s time to apply for whatever comes next.
Below, we have listed 15 civil engineering summer internships for high school students. If you are looking to explore civil engineering research programs, check the link here.
15 Civil Engineering Summer Internships for High School Students
1. Kiewit Infrastructure Engineering High School Internship
Location: Colorado (select offices)
Stipend: $16.50/hr
Dates: 8–10 weeks during Summer
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors having working knowledge of MS Office Suite
This internship places you within infrastructure engineering teams working on real transportation, water, and construction projects. You gain exposure to how large-scale civil projects are planned and executed, including basic design review, quantity estimation, and field documentation. You learn how engineering drawings are interpreted and how project data is tracked across different phases of construction. You may also observe how civil engineers coordinate with safety teams, contractors, and project managers to maintain compliance and efficiency. While the role is introductory, it provides a realistic view of professional civil engineering environments and introduces you to industry-standard workflows used in infrastructure development.
2. NYC DOT High School Internship
Location: Various NYC DOT offices and field sites across the five boroughs of New York City
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not specified
Dates: Typically 6 weeks between early July through mid-August
Application Deadline: Between late February and mid-April
Eligibility: Must be a current high school student; NYC resident; at least 16 years of age; and authorized to work in the U.S.
The NYC DOT High School Internship Program covers essential topics like bridge maintenance, sustainable street design, and traffic safety. You’ll engage in hands-on activities such as conducting field inspections, assisting with data-driven traffic studies, and exploring professional drafting software. You receive direct mentorship from seasoned engineers while working on world-famous landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge. You will walk away with sharpened skills in GIS mapping, project management, and technical communication. This immersive experience effectively bridges the gap between your classroom theory and the real-world demands of urban engineering.
3. The New York City School Construction Authority – High School Internship Program
Location: Various NYC SCA departments and business partner companies throughout the five boroughs
Stipend: $17/hr
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 6
Eligibility: Must be an NYC public high school student in good academic standing, eligible to work in the U.S.
In this six-week paid internship, you will dive into New York City’s public infrastructure by working directly with civil engineering professionals. You’ll cover topics like design drafting, cost estimating, project scheduling, and building safety while earning a valuable 10-hour OSHA certification. During your weekly on-site days, you will assist with AutoCAD drafting, participate in supervised site visits, and support project managers in technical meetings. A unique feature of this program is the dedicated “educational Friday,” where you focus on professional networking and college readiness workshops. This experience offers a rare look at the life cycle of major public projects from initial blueprints to completion.
4. AECOM High School Internship Program
Location: Various U.S. Cities (e.g., Oakland, CA; Dallas, TX; Piscataway, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; Germantown, MD)
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not specified
Dates: 8–12 weeks between June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High School Juniors, Seniors, or Recent Graduates; typically 16+ years old; U.S. work authorization required
In the AECOM High School Internship, you will explore civil engineering fundamentals, focusing on areas like transportation, water infrastructure, and structural design. You’ll participate in hands-on activities such as assisting with CAD modeling, visiting active project sites, and collaborating on design presentations. You get direct access to professional mentors who work on massive, real-world infrastructure projects. Through these daily tasks, you will build technical proficiency in engineering software and data analysis. This experience provides a clear, practical look at how your academic interests can evolve into a successful engineering career.
5. Clark Construction Youth Apprenticeship Program
Location: Washington, DC Metropolitan Area (DMV); classes in Upper Marlboro, MD
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not specified
Dates: Summer, between June/July
Application Deadline: Typically Late December
Eligibility: High school seniors; 17+ years old; DMV resident; reliable transportation
In Clark Construction’s Youth Apprenticeship, you’ll explore topics like worksite safety, blueprint reading, and construction material management. You will participate in practical activities like building concrete formwork, touring massive active jobsites, and collaborating with professional mentors on-site. The program features the “summer-to-school” model, allowing you to gain paid field experience while you are still finishing your high school diploma. You will gain technical skills in precision measurement and tool operation alongside professional growth in teamwork and communication. This program offers a direct, debt-free pathway into the engineering industry, effectively launching your career before you even graduate.
6. California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) — High School Student Assistant Internship
Location: California Department of Transportation, California, USA
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not specified
Dates: Year–round; flexible around school schedules
Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students; minimum 16 years old; 2.0+ GPA
Caltrans offers paid summer internships that introduce high school students to civil and transportation engineering within a state agency. You may assist engineering teams with documentation, traffic data collection, construction support activities, or materials-related tasks, depending on placement. The internship emphasizes applied exposure to how highways and transportation systems are planned, built, and maintained. You work under professional supervision and learn about safety standards, engineering workflows, and public-sector project coordination. The program focuses on practical experience rather than theoretical instruction, making it a strong early exposure opportunity. This internship is appropriate if you are exploring transportation engineering or infrastructure-focused civil engineering pathways.
7. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) — High School Summer Internship
Location: Texas Department of Transportation, Texas, USA
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not specified
Dates: Summer (typically June – August); 8–12 week duration
Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students 16+; Texas resident, and enrolled in a high school co-op program
TxDOT’s summer internship program provides hands-on exposure to civil engineering within a statewide transportation agency. You may support engineers through surveying assistance, traffic studies, materials testing, or engineering office support tasks. The program emphasizes safety, accuracy, and real-world application of engineering standards rather than classroom learning. You work under professional supervision and gain insight into how transportation projects move from planning to construction and maintenance. This experience is designed to introduce students to transportation infrastructure systems and public-sector engineering environments. It is well suited for high school students interested in civil or transportation engineering careers.
8. Baltimore Red Line High School Internship Program
Location: Baltimore, MD (Focuses on the East-West Transit Corridor)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Dates: Summer (6 Weeks); typically late June through early August
Application Deadline: Late March to early April
Eligibility: High school students who reside and attend school within the Red Line corridor
In the Baltimore Red Line High School Internship Program, you will explore civil engineering through a six-week paid journey focused on transit development and urban infrastructure. Throughout the program, you will engage in hands-on activities like site visits to construction areas, professional development workshops, and a final capstone project to solve real-world transit issues. You receive direct mentorship from Morgan State University engineering students, which bridges the gap between your high school classes and professional life. This immersion provides a significant head start on your career by building both engineering knowledge and essential workplace confidence.
9. Summer Engineering Seminar at Santa Clara University
Location: Santa Clara University Campus (Santa Clara, CA)
Stipend: None
Dates: Session One: July 12-16; Session Two: July 19-23; Session Three: July 26- 30
Application Deadline: Late March
Eligibility: Current High School sophomores and juniors
In the Summer Engineering Seminar at Santa Clara University, you will explore how civil, sustainable, and environmental engineering impact modern infrastructure. During the week, you’ll cover core topics such as structural integrity, water resource management, and sustainable urban design. You will engage in hands-on activities like building bridges with design software, testing local water samples for mineral hardness, and participating in team-based structural integrity competitions. This program is completely free and residential, providing a genuine taste of college life for students who haven’t had prior exposure to engineering.
10. Transportation & Civil Engineering Summer Camp
Location: University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Stipend: None
Dates: July 7 – 11; July 14 – 18
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: All high school students
In this program, you dive into civil engineering by exploring how highways, bridges, and transit systems are designed and maintained. You cover core topics, including structural analysis, traffic flow theory, geotechnical foundations, and environmental sustainability, while working alongside university faculty. During the week, you will test concrete strength in labs, use professional driving simulators, and build load-tested bridge models. The program’s unique feature is its integration of industry site visits and professional micro-simulation software used by real-world engineers. This immersive experience helps you decide if a career in infrastructure is your path.
11. Bucknell University Engineering Camp
Location: Bucknell University Campus (Lewisburg, PA)
Cost/Stipend: Residential: $1,500; Commuter: $1,000; need-based full and partial scholarships are available
Dates: June 21–26
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Students who will have completed grades 10–12 by the Summer of the camp
At Bucknell’s Engineering Camp, you’ll explore how civil engineers shape the world by studying structural integrity, water conservation, and earthquake resilience. You will dive into hands-on projects like building K’NEX towers for shake table tests, mapping local watersheds, and calculating ecological footprints to see the real-world impact of design. You will live on campus and work directly with faculty in professional research labs, which bridges the gap between high school and college-level rigor. By the end, you’ll understand how to balance technical innovation with social and environmental ethics.
12. Explore Engineering Innovation – Johns Hopkins University
Location: Various colleges in Baltimore, MD
Cost/Stipend: Varies; complete details here; financial aid is available
Dates: June 29 – July 24
Deadline: May 27
Eligibility: High school students with A/B grades in math and science, Algebra II, trigonometry, and one year of chemistry/physics; residential participants must be 15–17 years old, born between July 25, 2008, and June 28, 2011
In the Explore Engineering Innovation program at Johns Hopkins, you will study chemical processes, electronics, materials, statics, data analysis, ethics, and finance. Focusing on civil engineering, you will test material strength, use simulators to calculate structural forces, build a spaghetti bridge, and present your designs to peers. This unique four-week intensive condenses a full semester of university coursework into one summer, offering three JHU credits and access to faculty-designed labs. You will master the engineering design process while sharpening technical communication and collaborative problem-solving skills.
13. Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE) at Columbia University
Location: Columbia University, New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Commuter: $6,250; Residential: $11,500; limited need-based scholarships are available
Dates: Session 1: July 6–24; Session 2: July 17 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: All current high school students (freshmen to seniors) are eligible for the commuter option | Students who are 16 and above are eligible for the residential option
In Columbia’s SHAPE program, you explore civil engineering by studying the vital relationship between modern infrastructure and the environment. It covers sustainable urban planning, smart green designs, and climate resilience through a professional lens. Your schedule includes hands-on activities, such as field mapping in Morningside Park, creating structural models in the university MakerSpace, and attending site visits to engineering firms. The program stands out for its “near-peer” mentoring from Columbia students and direct interaction with world-class Ivy League faculty. This immersive experience provides a genuine bridge to the rigors of a college-level engineering education.
14. Michigan Tech – Engineering Scholars Program (ESP)
Location: Michigan
Cost/Stipend: Residential: $1,175; Commuter: $700; scholarships are available
Dates: June 21–26
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11
The Michigan Technological University Engineering Scholars Program is a residential experience that allows students to explore multiple engineering disciplines, including civil and environmental engineering. You engage in hands-on laboratories and design challenges that introduce structural systems, materials behavior, and fundamental environmental processes. The curriculum emphasizes engineering problem-solving, data interpretation, and collaborative teamwork. Through direct interaction with faculty and peers, students gain insight into how civil engineers address real-world challenges related to infrastructure performance, environmental impact, and sustainability. The program also supports informed decision-making by helping participants evaluate their interest in pursuing engineering and related fields at the collegiate level.
15. Manhattan University – Residential Summer Engineering Program
Location: Manhattan University Campus (Riverdale, Bronx, NY)
Cost: $2,500
Dates: August 2–8
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11
At Manhattan University’s residential program, you’ll dive into civil engineering fundamentals, including structural, environmental, geotechnical, transportation, and water resource systems. You will spend your days in the lab designing model bridges, testing material strength, and analyzing soil composition to solve complex engineering puzzles. This program allows you to live on campus and earn college credit while taking field trips to iconic infrastructure projects throughout New York City. Ultimately, this program empowers you to understand the vital role engineers play in building and maintaining our modern world.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like structural engineering, transportation systems, sustainable infrastructure, urban planning, construction materials, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Manhattan University