Engineering is about more than textbooks – it’s all about solving problems and bringing ideas to life, and getting an early start can make all the difference. And the best part? You don’t have to wait until college to get started. High school engineering programs let you design, code, test, and build projects in ways that feel much closer to real college-level work, giving you the skills and confidence to think like an engineer. These programs also show you how engineering connects to exciting industries such as technology, aerospace, and energy.
California, with its strong network of universities, labs, and organizations, has become a hotspot for such opportunities, drawing students eager to dive deeper into the field. For California residents, joining a local program is also a smart financial choice – many programs don’t require travel and housing while still providing access to cutting-edge resources and amazing mentors. In this blog, we’ve pulled together 13 engineering programs for high school students in California that help you dive into the field, explore your interest and take the next steps towards your future.
1. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) by the Department of Navy
Location: Various lab locations across the country, including the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) in San Diego, California
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend: $4,000 (new participants) | $4,500 (returning participants)
Program Dates: June – August (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 10-12 who are 16 years old by the start of the program and are U.S. citizens
The SEAP program is an eight-week program that allows high school sophomores, junior and senior students with strong STEM grades to work in a Department of Navy lab lab. As an intern, you’ll work alongside professional scientists and engineers in cutting-edge areas such as robotics, ocean engineering, cybersecurity, and advanced materials. The program is competitive, with around 300 students placed across dozens of Navy labs nationwide each year – including several in California. Interns work full-time, and some may even extend their tenure for an additional two weeks.
2. Experiences in Research
Location: Berkeley Lab, Berkeley, CA
Cost: None; $500 stipend per week
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 (11th-12th graders preferred) living in Northern California (20-mile radius preferred); Must have a 3.0+ GPA and be 16+; OUSD students need the ECCCO common application
The Experiences in Research program at Berkeley Lab, allows high school students to spend six weeks, working about 30 hours per week, on STEM-related projects. Your placement depends on your interests, which could range from experimental research and data science to coding, science communication, or even administrative roles tied to research organizations. You’ll contribute to ongoing projects while also acquiring skills in teamwork, analysis, and project design. The program includes weekly workshops, career talks, and group sessions that connect you with lab professionals and other students.
3. Bay Area Youth Science (BAYS) Program at UCSF
Location: University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA
Cost: No cost; $5,000 stipend
Program Dates: June 17 – August 9
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: KIPP-SFCP students who are rising juniors and seniors, and are at least 16 years old
The Bay Area Youth Science (BAYS) Program is an eight-week paid summer internship engineering program for high school students in California that provides hands-on research experience in the biomedical sciences. The program kicks off with virtual career talks and scientist panels, then moves into a UCSF lab research, where you’ll work under the mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in a UCSF lab. Research projects usually focus on cancer biology, drug discovery, computational chemistry, and infectious disease, but students interested in bioengineering can apply those concepts in their projects as well. Fridays are dedicated to workshops on lab techniques, college preparation, and developing broader life skills such as financial planning. The program concludes with a public symposium where you present your research to the UCSF community.
4. Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars (AFRL) Program
Location: Multiple locations across the country, including SSC – CGN, San Diego, California
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will be paid $615.60 – $861.60/week (based on education level and credits earned)
Program Dates:
– Fall: 16 weeks (late August/early September – mid-December)
– Spring: 16 weeks (mid-January – early May)
– Summer: 10 weeks (late May/early June – August)
Application Deadline: October 10 – January 10 (summer cohort)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens over 16 years of age with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0
The AFRL Scholars Program lets high school students spend their summer as paid research interns alongside Air Force scientists and engineers on defense and space technologies. The students are placed at research sites such as the San Diego Mobile User Objective System, where projects focus on aerospace systems, communications, computing, or satellite operations. Your work may include tasks such as coding, modeling, or data analysis, depending on your assignment – while mentors guide you through the research process. Rather than just observing, you’ll contribute to ongoing projects that support national defense and space communication.
5. Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP)
Location: Fremont, CA
Cost: $0 – $1,070 (For students who meet financial need eligibility criteria, there is no cost to attending ASDRP)
Program Dates: June 1 – August 24
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students in 9th-12th grade; No prior research experience required
The ASDRP program in the Bay Area is meant for students interested in designing and carrying out their own research projects in fields such as chemistry, physics, biology, computer science, or engineering. Instead of following standard set lab exercises, you’ll come up with unique research questions and work with a mentor to investigate them using professional lab tools and methods. Along the way, you’ll write research papers, review scientific literature, and participate in peer review exercises – just like scientists do. The program includes structured guidance on communicating your findings clearly and effectively. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your work at a poster symposium, and many students even go on to submit their projects to journals or conferences.
6. California Academy of Science Careers in Science (CiS) Internship
Location: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California
Cost/Stipend: No cost; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: NA
Program Dates: After school and weekends, multi-year and year-round (2-3 years till graduation)
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Open to underrepresented 9th or 10th graders in an SFUSD school with a 2.5 GPA and a grade C or higher in math and science, who can commit 2-3 years of attendance
The CiS Internship at the California Academy of Sciences is a multi-year, paid program that begins in the summer before your sophomore or junior year and continues all the way through graduation. It’s designed for San Francisco high school students who are underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields and offers opportunities in environmental research, public engagement, and museum-based science work. The program combines summer and school-year activities, including fieldwork, exhibit development, and project-based learning in small research groups, led by Academy staff. You’ll also join regular workshops on college prep, financial literacy, and science communication, while gradually taking on more leadership responsibilities as you advance through the program. Interns often present their work at conferences, connect with scientists and participate in college tours – making this program a launchpad for your future in STEM.
7. Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Residential Track
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost: 8-week session: $15,950 | 6-week session: $14,650
Program Dates: Session 1: June 23 – August 15 | Session 2: July 7 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 10
Eligibility: Students must have completed 10th or 11th grade by summer, have a 3.0 GPA (weighted or unweighted), and be at least 16 years old.
With the Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Residential Track, you’ll spend several weeks living on campus while taking two college-level courses through Berkeley Summer Sessions. Courses cover a wide range of subjects, from engineering and computer science to business, law, or the humanities, giving you a taste of potential college majors. You’ll live in residence halls with other high school students from around the world, share meals, and participate in excursions and social events organized by university mentors. The program also includes workshops on college readiness run by admissions professionals, along with orientation and support from program staff to help you settle in. At the end of the session, you’ll walk away with an official Berkeley transcript, and your credits may even be transferred to your future college programs.
8. Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminar (SES) Program
Location: Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Cost: None
Program Dates: Session One: July 13 – 17 | Session Two: July 20 – 24 | SES Advanced (for returning students): July 27 – 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students who will have completed their sophomore or junior year of high school by July
The Santa Clara University’s Summer Engineering Seminar (SES) is an engineering program for high school students in California, where you’ll spend five days on campus exploring different branches of engineering through faculty-led workshops and projects. The program introduces you to mechanical, civil, bio, computer, and electrical engineering through short modules that mix lectures with lab work. Each session gives you an opportunity to apply engineering principles to guided projects, helping you understand how different disciplines approach problem-solving. You’ll also get a taste of college life by living in the dorms, connecting with faculty and learning from current students. SES runs in multiple sessions each summer, and students who return for a second year can pursue more advanced activities.
9. UC San Diego – Research Experience for High School Students
Location: University of California, San Diego
Cost: $1,500
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 studying at a public/private high school or in a home school setting within Southern California who are at least 16 years of age on or before June 15 of the application year; Applicants must have a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0 and be college bound
The Research Experience for High School Students at UC San Diego places high school students in an active research team at the San Diego Supercomputer Center for eight weeks. You’ll contribute to projects in areas such as computational science, engineering applications, or machine learning, using tools such as Python, Jupyter notebooks, and Expanse supercomputers. Alongside your technical work, you’ll take part in lab meetings, attend skill-building workshops, and improve your scientific writing through practice and feedback. The program wraps up with a symposium, where you’ll share your findings through a professional research poster presentation.
10. University of California Santa Barbara – Research Mentorship Program
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara
Cost: Commuter: $5,175 | Residential: $12,474
Program Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 17 (rolling)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-11 with a minimum 3.80 academic weighted GPA (exceptional 9th graders are accepted on a case-by-case basis)
At the UC Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program, you’ll spend six weeks on campus working closely with a mentor such as a faculty member, postdoc, or graduate student. Before arriving, you’ll complete an online prep course to become familiar with the tools and resources being used for your project. Once on campus, you’ll dedicate around 35–50 hours each week to a research project in engineering, physics, data science, or another area that matches your interests. The program also includes courses on research methods and communication, while the GRIT Talks lecture series brings in university researchers to share their cutting-edge work. By the end of the program, you complete a technical paper and present your findings at a symposium, earning UC credit that appears on your official transcript.
11. NASA OSTEM High School Internship Programs
Location: NASA centers or virtual
Cost: None
Program Dates: Varies by internship
Application Deadline: Fall: May 16; Spring: September 12; Summer: February 27
Eligibility: Full-time high school students over 16 years of age with a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale who are U.S. citizens
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement internships allow high school students to join real research teams at NASA centers around the country, with placements available either in-person, virtual, or hybrid. These internships are paid and run year-round, giving you an opportunity to get involved as per your convenience. Your work could cover aerospace engineering, robotics, environmental science, or mission operations. Depending on your placement, you might analyze satellite data, design experiments, or help develop systems that support space exploration. Each intern is paired with a NASA mentor, and your tasks are designed to make a direct impact on ongoing projects.
12. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Apprenticeship
Location: Various U.S. Army Research Labs and university research centers nationwide, including Cambridge and Boston, MA
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Program Dates: Varies by location; typically June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old
The AEOP High School Apprenticeship is a paid summer program that places you in one of the U.S. Army research labs or a partner university lab. You’ll work under the guidance of scientists and engineers on projects that could involve cybersecurity, materials science, synthetic biology, or engineering applications. Your responsibilities may include setting up experiments, analyzing data, and learning how to use advanced lab equipment. Mentorship is a key part of the program – you’ll receive career guidance along with opportunities to join AEOP workshops and webinars to grow your skills. Beyond the project, the program connects you to a nationwide network of students and researchers engaged in Army-supported STEM research, giving you both hands-on experience and a strong professional network.
13. UCLA Engineering Design Summer Institute
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $2,881 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: Session A: June 23 – July 11; Session B: July 14 – August 1
Application Deadline: June 13
Eligibility: 9th-11th graders who are at least 15 years old with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and a basic knowledge of engineering and/or science
At UCLA’s Engineering Design Summer Institute, you’ll take on design projects in mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering, over a period of three weeks. Depending on the track you choose, your project could involve building a go-kart, programming microcontrollers for devices, or designing rovers that navigate autonomously. Along the way, you’ll pick up real engineering skills such as CAD modeling, Finite Element Analysis, and circuit design, while learning how to integrate mechanical and electrical systems into a working project. Each session ends with a competition or demonstration, so you can test your design and experience the complete design-build-test cycle, just like real engineers do.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, 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 – University of California, Los Angeles