A robotics program helps a high schooler to master the intersection of mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical design. These structured pathways typically immerse you in hands-on laboratory environments, allowing you to transition from theoretical mathematics to the deployment of physical hardware. You’ll spend your time learning core industry competencies like microcontroller programming in Python or C++, circuit board assembly, and computer-aided design (CAD) for structural prototyping. Beyond foundational mechanics, advanced curricula introduce high schoolers to automated sensors, data analysis, and autonomous navigation algorithms.
Why should you choose a program in Boston?
As a global epicenter for academic research and venture-backed automation firms, the Greater Boston area offers students direct access to world-class university laboratories, fabrication makerspaces, and industry-grade machinery. You can learn from leading academic researchers and interact with professional engineering mentors who are actively shaping the future of autonomous vehicles, defense technology, and soft robotics. Beyond the classroom, you’ll find yourself embedded in a vibrant technology ecosystem teeming with professional networking opportunities, industry site visits, and collaborative tech events.
If you’re interested in internships for high school students in Boston, you can check out our guide here!
Below is a list of 15 robotics programs for high school students in Boston to explore.
Key Takeaways
- Boston’s robotics programs for high school students range from free, highly selective opportunities at MIT (BWSI, MITES, WTP-ME) to accessible paid programs at Wentworth, Tufts, and Boston Leadership Institute, covering students from rising 9th graders through seniors
- Core skills built across these programs include Python and C++ programming, CAD and circuit design, microcontroller programming, sensor integration, and autonomous systems, mirroring what professional robotics engineers use in industry
- Several programs specifically target underrepresented groups, including MassRobotics Jumpstart (female students) and MassRobotics BOOST (male students from Massachusetts high schools), reflecting Boston’s commitment to broadening access to robotics careers
- Most programs conclude with a public showcase, competition, or technical demonstration, giving you practice presenting functional hardware and engineering decisions to a real audience
14 Robotics Programs for High School Students in Boston
1. Northeastern University Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 22 – July 30
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising seniors who live within commuting distance of Northeastern University and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Young Scholars Program places high school students in Boston in active research laboratories within the College of Engineering. You’ll contribute to ongoing faculty projects in fields such as robotics, bioengineering, and civil infrastructure. The daily schedule involves direct laboratory work alongside professors and doctoral students to gain authentic research experience. In addition to technical work, you will attend seminars on career exploration and the college admissions process. It concludes with a poster session where you’ll share your research contributions with the academic community.
2. MassRobotics Jumpstart Fellowship Program
Location: MassRobotics, Boston, MA
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: January – May
Application Deadline: November
Eligibility: Female high school juniors and seniors (16+ by the start of the program); priority given to students in the Boston Public School district
The Jumpstart Fellowship provides high school girls with technical training and professional mentorship in the robotics industry. The curriculum covers foundational skills in CAD, electronic soldering, and Python programming. You’ll gain access to industrial-grade fabrication equipment, including 3D printers and laser cutters, at the MassRobotics innovation hub. The program includes site visits to local technology companies to observe professional robotics development in action. Successful graduates of the training phase are placed into paid summer internships with robotics startups and established tech firms.
3. Wentworth Institute of Technology: ImpactLab
Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
Cost: $3,995/session; $6,990 for both (limited partial scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session One: July 5 – 17; Session Two: July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders
ImpactLab provides a hands-on residential experience focused on applying engineering principles to modern technological challenges. Their robotics and automation-related tracks teach students how to design, build, and troubleshoot complex electromechanical systems. You’ll participate in laboratory sessions that cover circuit design, microcontroller programming, and structural assembly. The program utilizes Wentworth’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, enabling you to work with professional-grade hardware.
4. Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute: AI Summer Camp
Location: University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
Cost: $899 – $3,596 (1 to 4 weeks); $4,495 (5 weeks)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 spots/week
Dates: July 27 – August 28
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High-achieving middle school students, high school students, and early college students
This robotics program introduces high school students in Boston to artificial intelligence, machine learning, and hardware integration. Week 2 of the program focuses entirely on robotics, instructing students to program autonomous robotic arms to execute precise object retrieval and sorting tasks using real-time camera data. The curriculum also covers neural network architecture patterns, Raspberry Pi system configuration, and data science scripting. At the conclusion of the camp, you’ll compile your software code into an engineering portfolio and present it.
5. MassRobotics BOOST Program
Location: MassRobotics, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: April 20 – 24
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school boys in grades 10-12 from MA high schools
This robotics program for high school students in Boston operates within a major commercial robotics innovation hub in the Boston Seaport. The program delivers technical training focused on autonomous systems, hardware design, and mechanical fabrication. You’ll learn to write clean code to control motorized assemblies, manage sensor inputs, and process computer vision data. The daily schedule includes technical lab exercises, peer design reviews, and structured engineering project timelines. You’ll document your engineering process and present your finalized functional robotic assemblies at an industry showcase at the end of the program.
6. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (within the Greater Boston metropolitan area)
Cost: Free for families earning <$200,000; $2,400 otherwise
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 6 – August 1 or 2
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: 9th to 11th graders in the U.S.
The Beaver Works Summer Institute offers high school students an intensive robotics experience through rigorous, project-based courses. You can engage in technical tracks such as autonomous RACECARs, unmanned aerial vehicles, and satellite communication systems. The curriculum emphasizes the application of Python programming and complex algorithms to solve real-world hardware challenges. You’ll utilize advanced software environments and physical robotics kits to prototype your designs. The program concludes with a final competition where you demonstrate your autonomous systems in a public showcase.
7. Wentworth Institute of Technology: Momentum
Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
Cost: $699 (commuter), $1,699 (residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 spots/course
Dates: August 3 – 7
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th and 10th graders
This one-week introductory program introduces early high school students to interdisciplinary engineering, computer science, and technical design. Depending on the course, you can explore different engineering majors and technical pathways. The curriculum may focus on basic circuit configuration, simple algorithmic design, and architectural modeling concepts. You’ll work in small peer cohorts to complete guided engineering challenges under the supervision of university faculty.
8. MITES Summer (MIT)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (within the Greater Boston metropolitan area)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
MITES Summer is a residential program designed to provide high-achieving students with deep exposure to advanced STEM disciplines. The curriculum includes elective courses in robotics, machine learning, and digital architecture. You’ll work in state-of-the-art labs to build complex systems while mastering university-level engineering concepts. Academic rigor is balanced with professional development workshops that prepare you for careers in technical fields. The experience culminates in a final symposium where you present your technical projects and research findings.
9. MIT Women’s Technology Program (WTP-ME)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (within the Greater Boston metropolitan area)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 20 students
Dates: June 27 – July 25
Application Deadline: December 15
Eligibility: High school juniors who live in the U.S. with little or no prior experience in engineering
The Women’s Technology Program in Mechanical Engineering focuses on the hands-on application of physics and engineering design. You’ll explore the mechanics of robotics through labs centered on manufacturing, electronics, and materials science. The program includes daily lectures that bridge the gap between abstract mathematical concepts and tangible mechanical builds. You’ll spend significant time in the machine shop learning to use professional tools and fabrication equipment. By the end of the four weeks, you’ll have completed a comprehensive design project that integrates your newly acquired mechanical and electronic skills.
10. Harvard Summer School: Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Artificial Intelligence
Location: Virtual
Cost: $540/credit (undergraduate); $860/credit (graduate); $400/credit (noncredit)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: January 26 – May 16
Application Deadline: January 22
Eligibility: Students who have completed CSCI E-7, CSCI E-50, or an equivalent course.
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the theoretical foundations and engineering processes enabling artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, drones, and robotics. You analyze the commercial growth, structural capabilities, and modern industrial limitations of automated systems from a macro-systems perspective. The technical curriculum focuses on developing a fundamental engineering toolkit through the study of sensor technologies, mathematical modeling, and abstraction layer design. You’ll examine specific automation methodologies, including vision-based perception techniques and modern machine learning algorithms used for autonomous navigation.
11. Boston Leadership Institute: Electronics & Robotics
Location: Gann/Bentley, Waltham, MA (within the Greater Boston metropolitan area)
Cost: $2,500 + $2,097 residential fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Typically 15-20 students/class
Dates: June 22 – July 10
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school students
This robotics program for high school students in Boston provides a comprehensive introduction to mechanical engineering, electronics, and computer science. You’ll work inside a dedicated urban robotics laboratory using advanced diagnostic and construction equipment. The curriculum begins with foundational instruction in digital electronics, circuit design, and microcontroller programming. You can apply these concepts by designing, assembling, and wiring autonomous robotic vehicles and machines. The program concludes with testing trials where your creations must successfully navigate a structured obstacle course.
12. NuVu Summer High School Program
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA (within the Greater Boston metropolitan area)
Cost: $2,290 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session One: July 6 – 17; Session Two: July 20 – 31; Session Three: August 3 – 14
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school students (ages 14-18)
This program operates as an intensive innovation studio where high school students tackle multidisciplinary engineering challenges through an architectural design process. Rather than following standard step-by-step instructional manuals, you’ll receive broad engineering prompts and work iteratively to invent unique physical hardware solutions. You will spend most of your time inside an expansive innovation workspace, learning to operate laser cutters, 3D printers, and professional electronics fabrication machinery. The final day of each session features a public presentation where you’ll demonstrate your functional automated mechanisms to an audience of industry professionals and peers.
13. Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, and MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA (within the Greater Boston metropolitan area)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 12 – 25
Application Deadline: March 11
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors interested in STEM
This robotics program offers high school students a highly technical, hands-on, immersive experience in electrical engineering, radar systems, and autonomous tracking. You’ll attend daily lectures delivered by practicing defense scientists and engineers on the fundamentals of electromagnetic wave propagation, signal processing, and circuit design. Working in small collaborative teams, you’ll spend the majority of your time in laboratory environments assembling actual Doppler and range-radar systems. The program concludes with a final technical demonstration day, during which teams showcase the operational capabilities and signal accuracy of their custom-built radar instrumentation.
14. Tufts University Pre-College: Engineering Design Lab
Location: Tufts University, Medford/Somerville, MA (5 miles from Boston)
Cost: Commuter: $4,425; Residential: $5,950 (limited scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session 1: July 5 – 17; Session 2: July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising sophomores to seniors (including graduating seniors)
The Engineering Design Lab at Tufts introduces high school students to the iterative process of prototyping and system construction. The curriculum features a dedicated robotics module where you build and program mobile robotic platforms. You can utilize the Nolop Makerspace to practice fabrication techniques, including 3D printing and woodworking. Instruction focuses on integrating sensors and motors with algorithmic control systems using Python and C++. The program concludes with a showcase where you’ll present your functional prototypes to peers and instructors.
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: Tufts University