15 Best Engineering Summer Programs for High School Students
Spending a summer on an engineering program can help you build technical skills that go far beyond what standard schoolwork can offer. These programs put you inside real labs and workshops, working alongside faculty researchers, professional engineers, and graduate students on problems that don't have textbook answers. You will also get a close look at what engineering careers actually look like day-to-day and build connections with mentors and peers who share your interests.
What are the benefits of an engineering program?
Engineering programs can vary in scope, but often let you gain early exposure to advanced concepts rarely found in school textbooks. At some programs, you will spend weeks designing and building physical systems such as radar arrays, autonomous vehicles, or robots, and testing your prototypes in front of faculty panels. At others, you will join an active university research group, collect and analyze real data, and present findings at a closing symposium. Across all programs, you will find opportunities to build habits that are harder to develop in a classroom: working with mentors, peers, and academics from diverse backgrounds; iterating on your designs; and communicating technical work to a live audience.
To help make your search easier, we have compiled a list of the 15 best engineering summer programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 15 programs span radar engineering, autonomous systems, biomedical engineering, materials science, AI, mechanical engineering, computer science, and aerospace, so students with a wide range of engineering interests can find a relevant option in person or online.
Several programs are free or paid, including RSI (free), MITES Summer (free), LLRISE (free), ARISE at NYU Tandon ($2,000 stipend), SEAP ($4,000 to $4,500 stipend), UIUC Young Scholars (free), and Northeastern YSP (free), while MIT BWSI and MIT WTP are free for students below specified income thresholds.
Programs vary significantly in depth and format, from two-week hardware-intensive experiences, such as LLRISE, to six-week full research placements, such as RSI, Princeton LLP, and UIUC Young Scholars, so students can choose based on their experience level and availability.
Application deadlines for the most selective programs fall early, including MIT WTP (December 15), SEAP (November 1), RSI (mid-December), and AFRL Scholars (January 10), so students should begin preparing materials in the fall.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI) @ MIT
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free except for a non-refundable $75 application fee (waivers available)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: ~2.5% acceptance rate; 80 – 100 students/year
Dates: Six weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Typically, mid-December
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors, ages 16 and up, from around the world
RSI is a competitive STEM program built entirely around independent original research rather than coursework. The first week consists of intensive seminars in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering delivered by MIT faculty, giving you the opportunity to build a technical foundation before the lab work begins. You will spend four and a half weeks embedded in an MIT or Boston-area laboratory, working one-on-one with a professional scientist or engineer on a live, open-ended research project in your chosen area. Research areas span materials science and engineering, mathematics, computer science, physics, and biology, among others. The final week is devoted to writing and presenting your findings in a conference-style symposium with oral and poster presentations judged by academic staff.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12 – 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; deadlines vary by cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can check details and apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase accepts previous AI Scholars participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers a range of online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science, you can choose the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about data science and AI fundamentals and work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will get a chance to work 1-on-1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Texas Tech University’s Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University campus, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and graduating seniors, ages 17 and up, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
At the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program, you will work one-on-one with a Texas Tech faculty mentor for seven weeks on a single research project, with available areas including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, physics, and chemistry. The depth you reach in seven weeks of sustained, individual mentorship is categorically different from what shorter or group-based programs can offer. You will contribute to ongoing lab work, use university research infrastructure at a professional level, and develop the kind of focused technical thinking that longer timelines make possible. Weekly seminars and field trips will supplement the research and expose you to adjacent disciplines and researchers across campus. At the end, you will submit a full written research report.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Engineering Track
Location: Remote! You can participate in the program from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies by program type; full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, spring, fall, and winter. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: Students enrolled in high school who demonstrate strong academic performance
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a broad range of subjects that you can explore as a high schooler. The program will pair you with Ph.D. mentors to work one-on-one on a research project. At the end, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can choose from areas such as engineering, data science, computer science, psychology, chemistry, international relations, physics, economics, and more. You can learn more about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Princeton University Laboratory Learning Program (LLP)
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None; some labs may offer a stipend
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective; 1–2 students/lab selected out of ~3,500 applications
Dates: Five to six weeks in the summer
Application deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16, enrolled in a high school, U.S. citizens, and live in New Jersey
LLP is a selective summer research program where you will work with Princeton University faculty and research staff on projects in STEM. The project's focus and tasks vary by placement but typically span natural science and engineering disciplines and involve activities such as data analysis, lab work, and scientific writing. You will follow the assigned lab's schedule and complete safety training. At the end of the summer program, you will write and submit a two-page research summary based on your research work.
6. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) @ NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn (New York), NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; $2,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Remote workshops: June 1 – 25; Lab experience: July 6 – August 14
Application deadline: February 27
Eligibility: NYC residents currently in 10th or 11th grade
ARISE offers New York City high school students direct placement in active NYU engineering and science research labs for six weeks, preceded by four weeks of evening workshops to build a technical research foundation. Lab placement options span biomedical engineering, civil and urban engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, and computer science, among others. Past projects have included maximizing solar cell efficiency, building robotic arms for archaeological fieldwork, and studying AI applications in urban design. You will work alongside NYU faculty and graduate students, making real contributions to the lab's active research. The summer concludes with a research colloquium at NYU and the American Museum of Natural History, where you present your findings to faculty, academic experts, and fellow participants.
7. AFRL Scholars Program
Location: Various sites across the U.S.
Stipend: Available; amount varies by site (check details here)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Summer, fall, and spring internships; minimum duration is eight weeks (exact date varies by project and site)
Application deadline: January 10; applications open on October 10.
Eligibility: U.S. high school students who are 16 or older, preferably with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
The AFRL Scholars Program offers STEM research-focused placements to high schoolers across Air Force centers and labs in the U.S. Over eight weeks or more, you will engage in research alongside Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers, contributing to real projects. Areas of work vary by site and may include engineering research. During the program, you will also visit labs, learn about advanced tools and technology, and connect with like-minded peers. When the program concludes, you will prepare a technical report and may get to present your research.
8. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Various labs in the U.S.
Stipend: $4,000 for new participants; $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~300 students/year across labs
Dates: Eight weeks in the summer; term can be extended to 10 weeks.
Application deadline: November 1; applications open on August 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores through seniors who are 16 or older; labs may have additional requirements
SEAP is a research-based summer program that places high school students in Department of the Navy labs. During SEAP, you will gain exposure to ongoing naval science and engineering research while working with scientists on research projects. You will learn about STEM tools, technologies, and pathways, especially in naval research and tech. The program also offers professional development events, like seminars, meetings, and presentations. You will also shadow researchers and other professionals during the program.
9. Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: July 12 – 25
Application deadline: March 11
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are U.S. citizens
LLRISE is one of the most technically focused programs available to high schoolers. Over two weeks, you will design and build both a Doppler radar and a range radar from electronic components, working directly with MIT Lincoln Laboratory scientists and engineers in their labs. The curriculum covers modular RF design, antenna design, the Doppler Effect, target ranging, pulse compression, introduction to electromagnetics, and radar signal processing, which are topics found in university-level engineering courses. You will practice hands-on skills like soldering, board population, and hardware debugging as part of the build process rather than as separate exercises. The experience can help you explore a future in electrical or systems engineering.
10. MITES Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Late June – early August (six weeks)
Application deadline: Typically, early to mid-February
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
MITES Summer places you on MIT's campus for six weeks of STEM-focused coursework that goes well beyond what most high schools offer. You will take five courses across math, life sciences, physics, the humanities, and a project-based elective, which can include machine learning, engineering design, genomics, and electronics. The academic experience mirrors a compressed college semester, complete with midterms, finals, and a final project symposium where you present your work to the broader MIT community. Engineering design students, for example, have built functioning robots from stock materials over a multi-week team project arc. Lab tours of MIT facilities and local companies are a major component, alongside college admissions workshops and contact with MITES alumni working across STEM industries.
11. Stony Brook University Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University campus, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: No tuition; optional residential fee: $2,450. A stipend is offered.
Acceptance rate: ~5%
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors, ages 16 and up, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents; a school nomination is required, and each school can nominate no more than two students.
This competitive program places you in research environments to work on STEM projects with Stony Brook faculty and students. You will join an active Stony Brook research group and take on genuine responsibility for a project in science, mathematics, or engineering, working directly under a faculty mentor or graduate student every day. Research areas span engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, and mathematics, and your assignment is based on the three research area preferences you rank in your application. You will attend weekly faculty seminars throughout the summer, gaining exposure to research well outside your own project's scope. The program closes with a poster symposium, where you will present a written abstract and a research poster to faculty, mentors, and fellow participants.
12. MIT’s Women's Technology Program in Mechanical Engineering (WTP)
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free for students with a family income of less than $120,000; tiered pricing starts at $2,000 for others. Check details here.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Extremely selective, only ~20 participants accepted per year
Dates: June 27 – July 25
Application deadline: December 15
Eligibility: Students currently in 11th grade who identify as women or are from groups historically underrepresented in engineering
WTP’s mechanical engineering program at MIT is a rigorous experience designed for students who excel in math and science but have had little or no exposure to mechanical engineering. Over four weeks, you will work through fluid mechanics, materials science, statics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and engineering design through a combination of MIT classroom lectures, hands-on lab sessions, and team-based projects. MIT graduate and undergraduate students in mechanical engineering teach the courses. Program exercises include activities with CAD tools, building a crane or a simple circuit, and computer programming sessions. You will also have access to workshops on building a foam cutter, wire bending, woodworking, and portfolio building.
13. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Online or MIT campus, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cost: Free for families with an income under $200,000; $2,400 otherwise
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Four weeks during the summer (July – August) + prerequisite online course in the spring
Application deadline: Typically, the end of March
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 11 residing and attending school in the U.S.
BWSI is a joint program of MIT Lincoln Laboratory and MIT's School of Engineering that lets high schoolers engage in project-based learning across a range of engineering concentrations. You can choose from courses such as Autonomous RACECAR Grand Prix, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, UAS Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Build-a-CubeSat, with additional virtual options covering topics including quantum software, embedded security, and cognitive systems design. Each concentration is a four-week intensive in which you will work in a team to design, build, and test a working system. Admission works differently here than at most programs. You must first complete an online prerequisite course starting in December, and your acceptance into the summer program depends heavily on your demonstrated progress and technical engagement during those prerequisites. This multi-step process lets you arrive on campus well prepared, which improves the quality of the team-based work you will engage in over the summer.
14. Young Scholars Program (YSP) @ Northeastern University
Location: Northeastern University campus, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically, 25 – 40 students/year
Dates: June 22 – July 30 (Monday through Thursday research and activities)
Application Deadline: Applications close March 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors (rising seniors) who are Massachusetts residents and within commuting distance
YSP is a six‑week, hands‑on research opportunity to work in Northeastern University laboratories alongside faculty and graduate mentors on STEM projects. You will learn about research methods by contributing to ongoing research in disciplines such as computer engineering, bioengineering, electrical engineering, and more while building technical skills and research confidence. Throughout the program, you will attend lectures, participate in field trips to corporate and government labs, and engage in sessions that support academic and career exploration. The experience ends with a final presentation and poster session where you will share your work.
15. UIUC Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, ~30 spots for 600+ annual applications
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, or Wisconsin
The Young Scholars Program places high school students into department-specific research groups within the Grainger College of Engineering. Research areas span computer science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, nuclear physics, quantum physics, and civil engineering, with your placement determined by your interests. You will work alongside UIUC faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students for 30 to 35 hours each week, contributing to ongoing research. Weekly seminars on research methods, scientific communication, and college readiness run throughout the six weeks. You will present your research findings at the Young Scholars Symposium at the end of the program, alongside participants from the other WYSE tracks running concurrently on campus.
Frequently asked questions
1. What are the best engineering summer programs for high school students?
Strong options include RSI at MIT and UIUC Young Scholars for competitive research placements, LLRISE for hands-on radar and electrical engineering, ARISE at NYU Tandon for lab-based engineering research with a stipend, and Veritas AI and Lumiere for virtual independent research in AI and engineering fields.
2. Are there free engineering summer programs for high school students?
Yes, RSI, MITES Summer, LLRISE, ARISE at NYU Tandon, Northeastern YSP, UIUC Young Scholars, and Princeton LLP are all free. MIT BWSI is free for families earning under $200,000, and MIT WTP is free for families earning under $120,000. SEAP and AFRL Scholars both provide stipends in addition to being free to attend.
3. Which engineering programs are most selective?
Princeton LLP selects only one or two students per lab from roughly 3,500 applications, MIT WTP accepts around 20 students per year, Simons Summer Research has an acceptance rate of about 5 percent, and RSI admits roughly 80 to 100 students from a global applicant pool. LLRISE and UIUC Young Scholars are also highly competitive.
4. When should I apply to engineering summer programs for high school students?
SEAP closes November 1, MIT WTP closes December 15, and RSI closes in mid-December. AFRL Scholars closes January 10, LLRISE closes March 11, and Princeton LLP closes March 17. Programs, such as Veritas AI and Lumiere, accept rolling applications throughout the year.