If you’re a high schooler interested in robotics, but aren’t sure of how to explore the field further, consider a robotics program!
Robotics programs give high school students the chance to apply coding, engineering, and design thinking to practical challenges. From programming autonomous machines to exploring mechanical systems, these programs provide structured opportunities to build technical skills, solve problems creatively, and collaborate in team settings. Concord, CA, offers opportunities in robotics, like the local FIRST Robotics Competition teams, and gives access to structured robotics programs hosted at nearby California universities and through remote options. If you’re based in or around Concord, choosing a local program is the best thing you can do cost-wise!
Many of these programs are within a short drive or available virtually, making them highly accessible without the costs of long-distance travel or relocation. Below, we’ve highlighted 15 rigorous robotics opportunities that provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities to prepare you for higher-level study in robotics and engineering.
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Application Deadlines: March 15, April 15, May 15 (for summer cohorts); rolling for other sessions
Program Dates: Summer (June–August), Fall (September–December), Winter (December–February), Spring (March–June)
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance (recommended GPA 3.3/4.0); no prior research experience required
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor to design and complete an independent research project. Over 12 weeks, you’ll dive deep into a field of your choice—from robotics and computer science to psychology, engineering, economics, or international relations—and produce a full-length research paper by the end. You’ll gain skills in academic writing, data analysis, and project design while working closely with experts from top universities. With flexible cohorts and remote access, this program lets you build research experience on your own schedule while preparing for advanced study in college-level STEM.
2. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
3. CHOC’s Medical Intelligence and Innovation Institute (Mi4) Summer Internship Program
Location: Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), Orange, CA
Cost/Stipend: None (limited support for transportation and housing for low-income students)
Program Dates: June 16 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Hosted at CHOC’s Medical Intelligence and Innovation Institute, this eight-week internship exposes high school students to emerging areas at the intersection of healthcare and technology. You’ll explore nanomedicine, AI in healthcare, robotics, and genomic medicine through guided research projects and clinical shadowing. The program includes journal clubs where you critically examine artificial intelligence applications in medicine, as well as workshops led by clinicians and engineers. You’ll conclude with a capstone project or abstract, and if selected, you may even be invited to present your work at the international AIMed conference.
4. California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
Location: UC San Diego, UC Los Angeles, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis
Cost: $5,256 + $44 application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; ~160–200 students per campus
Dates: UC Irvine, UC San Diego: July 6 – August 1; UC Davis, UC Los Angeles, UC Santa Cruz: July 6 – August 2
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: California high school students entering grades 9–12 with a GPA of 3.5+
COSMOS is a four-week STEM residential program for high school students that immerses you in advanced research alongside faculty and scientists at UC campuses. At some sites, you can join a robotics cluster where you’ll design and program autonomous systems while using university-grade labs and equipment. Beyond robotics, you might explore cutting-edge areas such as nanotechnology, sustainable aviation, quantum mechanics, or computer science, depending on the campus. Each cluster is rigorous and project-based, giving you a real sense of the pace and expectations of college-level STEM coursework.
5. Research Experience for High School Students (REHS)
Location: University of California, San Diego (UCSD) + Virtual
Cost: Free; $1,500 for the research track
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Eligibility: Rising 10th graders from San Diego County
The REHS program, hosted by the San Diego Supercomputer Center, introduces you to advanced computing and its applications in science and engineering. Over eight weeks, you’ll train in Python, TensorFlow, and parallel programming, with opportunities to apply these tools to fields such as robotics, bioinformatics, or climate modeling. If you choose the research track, you’ll work on active projects where you can design AI models and analyze large datasets. In the non-research track, you’ll attend workshops on topics like cybersecurity, machine learning, and robotics. Both pathways help you build coding proficiency and strengthen your computational thinking for higher-level study.
6. UCLA Pre-Med Summer Scholar Program
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $1,450; need-based scholarships available
Application Deadline: March 15
Dates: June 23 – June 27; July 7 – July 11
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the U.S. who are at least 16 years old by the program start
This one-week program introduces high school students to medicine through direct exposure to surgical tools and clinical practice. Alongside medical residents and faculty, you’ll explore robotics in healthcare, including training in robotic and laparoscopic surgery techniques. Sessions also cover pathology, imaging, and suturing, with opportunities to practice on advanced virtual reality simulators. Beyond robotics, you’ll earn CPR and Stop the Bleed certifications, attend career panels, and tour labs to understand how technology is shaping the future of surgery.
7. Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) High School Summer Program
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 30 (tentative, based on prior year; check official site for updates)
Program Dates: July 8 – July 12 (tentative; confirm with official site)
Eligibility: Bay Area high school students entering grades 10–12
The BAIR Summer Program gives you the opportunity to learn directly from UC Berkeley researchers working on artificial intelligence and robotics. Over the course of the week, you’ll explore topics such as computer vision, planning and control, natural language processing, and reinforcement learning, with an emphasis on how these methods apply to robotics. Activities include guest lectures, lab visits, and hands-on coding sessions that bring AI concepts to life. You’ll also examine the ethical implications of emerging technologies while experiencing life on campus through guided tours and shared meals in the dining halls.
8. Sally Ride Science Academy at UC San Diego
Location: University of California, San Diego, CA
Cost: $175–$450 per course; scholarships available
Application Deadline: May 31
Program Dates: July 7 – July 25
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
The Sally Ride Science Academy offers high school students short workshops across STEM fields, with robotics available as one of the elective tracks. You’ll work with scientists and instructors on hands-on projects that emphasize coding, engineering design, and creative problem-solving. In the robotics sessions, you’ll build and program small autonomous systems while learning how data analysis and computer science connect to real-world engineering. In addition to robotics, you can choose workshops in coding, digital design, or astronomy, giving you the flexibility to explore multiple STEM disciplines during the summer.
9. Robotics Summer Camp by Education Unlimited
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $3,115 (extended day); $3,625 (overnight camp)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: July 20 – July 26
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders
This one-week camp trains you on the VEX V5 robotics platform, a professional-grade system used in global robotics competitions. You’ll work through the full process of building functional robots, from electrical circuits and power systems to communication protocols and control design. Using the engineering design cycle, you’ll test and refine your machine to tackle tasks like terrain navigation and object transport. The week concludes with a robotics sports competition where you and your team showcase your robot’s performance under real-world constraints.
10. National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) Engineering Summer Program
Location: University of California, Berkeley, San Francisco, CA
Cost: $4,195
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts between June 13 – July 27
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The NSLC Engineering Summer Program introduces high school students to engineering through hands-on projects and technical training. You’ll work on applications such as bridge construction, water filtration, rocket design, and wind turbine engineering. You will also learn to code in Python for robotics and control systems. Using industry-standard tools like AutoCAD, you’ll design and test structural models, sharpening your CAD and spatial reasoning skills. The program emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, and applied design while giving you early exposure to robotics and advanced engineering concepts.
11. BattleBots® Robotics Academy – iD Tech Global Academy
Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: $11,999
Program Dates: Session 1: June 22 – July 4 | Session 2: July 6 – July 18 | Session 3: July 20 – August 1 | Session 4: August 3 – August 15
Application Deadline: No fixed deadline; early sign-up recommended
Eligibility: High school students aged 13–17
The BattleBots® Robotics Academy is an immersive 13-day overnight program where you build, code, and battle your own combat robot using the VEX V5 system and C++. You’ll explore CAD design, 3D printing, and mechanical engineering while learning to program autonomous and driver-controlled functions. Daily build challenges sharpen your systems thinking and iterative design skills, and the experience culminates in an arena-style BattleBots competition. Outside of the robotics lab, you’ll join campus activities, connect with peers from across the country, and get a first-hand experience of college life at Stanford.
12. Caltech C-STEM Center
Location: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Cost: Varies by program
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Program Dates: Typically held during the summer
Eligibility: K–14 students (including high school students)
The Caltech C-STEM Center introduces you to coding and robotics through project-based learning that connects directly to real-world problem solving. Using platforms like RoboBlockly and C-STEM Studio, you’ll build technical fluency while applying math and engineering concepts to robotics challenges. The program emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, with a particular focus on expanding STEM opportunities for students from underrepresented groups. By working on robotics projects, you also strengthen skills that prepare you for college-level coursework and future careers in science and engineering.
13. UC Davis C-STEM GIRL Camps
Location: Various sites across California and the U.S.
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Varies by site; check program website
Program Dates: One-week sessions during the summer
Eligibility: Middle and high school girls interested in STEM
The UC Davis C-STEM GIRL (Girls in Robotics Leadership) Camps are designed to inspire young women to pursue STEM by combining robotics training with leadership development. Over the course of a week, you’ll design, build, and program your own robot using Arduino and the C/C++-based Ch programming language. Alongside developing technical skills, the camp emphasizes teamwork, critical thinking, and public speaking. You’ll work on group projects, present your solutions, and develop both your technical and communication abilities while gaining confidence as a leader in STEM.
14. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship Programs
Location: Remote or on-site at NASA field centers across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free; some positions include a stipend
Application Deadline: September 12 (for spring session)
Program Dates: Fall, Spring, and Summer sessions; dates vary by program
Eligibility: High school students (16+), U.S. citizens, GPA of 3.0 or higher
NASA’s OSTEM Internships give you the chance to contribute to real NASA projects in fields like robotics, aeronautics, computer science, and space science. Depending on your placement, you might program robotics systems, use AI and machine learning for aerospace applications, or design experiments alongside NASA engineers. Other projects include cosmic ray data analysis, developing tools for air traffic management, and supporting mission preparation. You’ll also attend virtual lectures by scientists, astronauts, and engineers while receiving mentorship and career guidance. To find positions open to high school students, you’ll need to filter the NASA internship database.
15. FIRST Robotics Competition – Concord Area Teams
Location: Concord, CA (teams at Mt. Diablo HS, De La Salle HS, Carondelet HS, and other Bay Area schools)
Cost: Varies by team; fundraising and sponsorships available
Application Deadline: School-year sign-ups (usually August–September); summer training and workshops available
Program Dates: Year-round, with the main competition season January – April
Eligibility: High school students in Concord and surrounding districts
As a member of a local FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, you’ll work with mentors to design, build, and program a robot capable of completing complex game challenges. Using tools like CAD software, Java or Python for coding, and professional-grade hardware, you’ll gain direct experience with engineering design and team-based problem solving. In addition to technical skills, you’ll learn project management, fundraising, and collaboration in a high-pressure competition environment. Concord-area teams regularly compete at regional and national levels, making this a great way to get hands-on robotics experience right in your own community.
Image source – FIRST