15 Engineering Programs for High School Students in Kansas
If you're a high school student looking to explore engineering before committing to it in college, a structured program can be a good option to explore. These programs often combine coursework, projects, or research with mentor guidance, helping you build skills, gain exposure to new material, and develop connections. Whether your interests lie in robotics, aerospace, AI, or renewable energy, these programs can help you test out a specialization before deciding to pursue it further.
Why should you attend an engineering program in Kansas?
Kansas offers engineering programs through institutions like the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University. You could write code for a robotics system, explore aerospace concepts, or work on a solar energy or structural design project. Whether you live in Kansas or are coming from out of state, you can find a program suited to your interests and experience level.
To make the search easier, we've put together a list of 15 engineering programs for high school students in Kansas.
If you’re looking for STEM programs in Kansas, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These programs span aerospace, robotics, drones, biomedical engineering, and cybersecurity, with major aerospace employers in Kansas, such as Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation, offering paid internships alongside university-run camps.
Several programs are free, including AATEE, KAMS (tuition-free college credit), and WSU's Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, while K-State Salina's aviation-focused programs range from $120 to $2,000.
K-State Salina offers a particularly deep concentration of aviation and UAS programs, including NextGen High School Camp, Drone Engineering Camp, K-State Aviation Academy, and UAS Pre-College Enrollment, which leads directly into a bachelor's degree pathway.
Application deadlines vary widely, with KAMS closing April 1 and most other programs, such as AATEE, KU Engineering Summer Camp, and K-State EXCITE, accepting rolling registration.
1. Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS)
Location: Hays, KS
Cost: Tuition-free college credits for Kansas public high school students
Program Dates: Two-year program
Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Gifted and talented Kansas students entering 11th and 12th grade; selective and competitive admission; early admission option for 9th graders
KAMS is one of the most substantive STEM programs available to Kansas high school students- not a summer camp, but a full two-year residential academic program at Fort Hays State University in Hays. You live on campus, take college-level courses taught by Ph.D. faculty, and graduate with both your high school diploma and over 60 college credits, with the option to also earn an Associate of General Studies in Science from FHSU. Every student completes a hands-on research project, and those presentations have been shared at state science and engineering fairs, the Kansas Academy of Science, and FHSU's Research and Creative Activities Week. Engineering is one of the primary fields KAMS graduates pursue, including mechanical, computer, and electrical engineering, and the program actively collaborates with Kansas Regent universities to keep graduates in-state for their undergraduate degrees.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available
Program Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Advanced Aerospace Technologies Exploration Experience (AATEE)
Location: Lawrence, KS
Cost: Free
Program Dates: May 31 – June 12
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors currently attending a Kansas high school; priority given to students from rural schools and those with military family members
AATEE is a two-week engineering and computer science camp hosted at the University of Kansas, fully funded through a grant from the Department of Defense. You'll work on real-world engineering problems like programming autonomous race cars, piloting drones, and experimenting with open-source autopilot systems such as NVIDIA's Racer RTX and ArduPilot, while also building skills in applied physics and Python. The camp runs collaborative, project-based sessions that put you in real-world research environments alongside working scientists and engineers. Beyond the technical work, you'll get a feel for college life on KU's campus, and there's even a day trip to Worlds of Fun built into the schedule.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas to explore. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Spirit AeroSystems High School Internship
Location: Wichita, KS
Cost/Stipend: $14/hour stipend
Program Dates: Not specified; check website for updates
Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Juniors or seniors, at least 16 years old before the start date; Fabrication track requires age 18+
Spirit AeroSystems, now part of The Boeing Company, offers a paid internship for high school juniors and seniors at its Wichita aerospace manufacturing facility. Depending on your placement, you'll get hands-on exposure to sheet metal and composites assembly, fabrication, machining, manufacturing engineering, quality inspection, supply chain, or finance, all within one of the most significant commercial aerospace production environments in the country. Strong performers at the end of the program may be invited to return for a second term or offered a full-time position directly after graduating from high school.
6. Textron Aviation High School Internship
Location: Wichita, KS
Cost/Stipend: Paid; contact program for hourly rate
Program Dates: Summer: June 4 – July 31 | Fall and Spring programs also available year-round
Deadline: Summer: applications open in January | Fall: applications open in June | Spring: applications open in October
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and older
Textron Aviation High School internships include engineering, aviation maintenance, manufacturing, IT, communications, finance, human resources, and customer experience. Interns are paired with experienced professionals and work on real projects in their assigned area. Whether your interests sit closer to the technical side of aviation or the business and operations side, the range of tracks means there's a relevant placement for most directions.
7. KU School of Engineering Summer Camp
Location: Lawrence, KS
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: Session 1: July 12 – 17 | Session 2: July 19 – 24
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 9th and 10th graders (Session 1); Rising 11th and 12th graders (Session 2)
The KU School of Engineering Summer Camp is a weeklong residential program where you’ll explore engineering through hands-on activities while also being introduced to KU's engineering labs and facilities, the faculty who run them, and the broader Lawrence community. Two separate sessions run back-to-back: one designed for students entering 9th and 10th grade, and another for those entering 11th and 12th grade, so the level of exposure and exploration is tailored to your high school grade.
8. K-State EXCITE
Location: Manhattan, KS
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: Shadow Days: February 18, March 4, April 15, May 6 | Summer Workshop: June 3 – 5
Deadline: Rolling; registration open
Eligibility: Grades 9–12
EXCITE is a year-round program at Kansas State University designed for high school students considering a future in science, technology, engineering, math, or agriculture and who want to see what that looks like before committing. The program runs in two formats: Shadow Days in spring, where you join a K-State undergraduate for a real day attending their classes and labs, and a 3-day, 2-night Summer Workshop on K-State's main campus in Manhattan. Both formats are hands-on, focused on how scientists and engineers tackle real-world problems.
9. NextGen High School Camp
Location: Salina, KS
Cost: $120
Program Dates: May 28 – 30
Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12
The NextGen High School Camp is a three-day program at K-State Salina's aviation and technology campus, designed specifically for high school students who want hands-on exposure to aerospace, drones, and engineering. You'll navigate drones through live challenges, get an up-close look at actual aircraft with input from industry professionals, and work inside K-State Salina's engineering labs to build something you can take home. The program is capped at 20 students, which means real access to equipment, instructors, and the facilities.
10. Drone Engineering Camp
Location: Salina, KS
Cost: $150
Program Dates: Not specified
Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Grades 9–12; Android or iOS phone required for use as controller
At K-State Salina's Drone Engineering Camp, you don't just learn about drones; you build one. Starting from a kit, you'll work through the aerodynamics and electronics behind how unmanned aircraft actually function, covering concepts like lift, drag, and the circuitry that keeps a drone in the air. Once your drone is built, you'll fly it through a Drone Challenge obstacle course and put everything you learned to the actual test. The camp is small by design, with only around 20 students, and you take the drone home at the end.
11. K-State Aviation Academy
Location: Salina, KS
Cost: $2,000
Program Dates: June 21 – 27
Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Ages 15–17 at time of camp
The K-State Aviation Academy is a week-long residential program where you live and work on K-State Salina's campus alongside certified flight instructors and aviation faculty. A standout element of the program is up to three hours of actual flight time in university aircraft, including a potential cross-country flight to Stearman Field, a working airfield south of Wichita, where campers and instructors have lunch before flying back. Beyond the cockpit, you'll cover ground school essentials: aerodynamics, flight theory, federal aviation regulations, navigation basics, airport operations, and aircraft performance. You'll also train on the same FRASCA flight simulator used by K-State professional pilots, attend aviation maintenance workshops, and spend time with industry professionals to talk through what a career in aviation actually looks like.
12. UAS Pre-College Enrollment
Location: Salina, KS
Cost: Standard K-State Salina tuition per credit hour across 14 credits; contact program for current rates
Program Dates: Multi-semester program
Deadline: Summer/Fall enrollment: mid-April | Spring enrollment: mid-November
Eligibility: Current high school students
The UAS Pre-College Enrollment at K-State Salina allows high school students to earn a college-level certificate in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems technology before they graduate. Spread across five online courses and one in-person multirotor flight lab, the 14-credit program covers UAS design and fundamentals, safety, multirotor construction, and small UAS maintenance, all taught by faculty with direct industry experience. You'll also have the option to pursue FAA Remote Pilot in Command certification, which authorizes commercial drone operation under Part 107. The credits you earn count toward a full UAS Bachelor's degree at K-State Salina, either in flight and operations or design and integration, so this functions less like a summer program and more like a head start on a degree.
13. WSU Engineering Summer Camps
Location: Wichita, KS
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: June 8 – July 17; multiple sessions across summer
Deadline: Registration opens March 19
Eligibility: Multiple camps open to grades 9–12, including Biomedical Engineering, Ethical Hacking & Capture the Flag, Electrical Circuits, Python Programming, and Engineering Design: Residential Solar Management
WSU's College of Engineering runs more than 10 week-long summer camps each June and July across a range of engineering disciplines. For high school students, the relevant tracks include a Biomedical Engineering camp covering medical imaging and hands-on work with ultrasound equipment and CT/MRI reconstruction software, an Ethical Hacking & Capture the Flag camp structured like a real cybersecurity exercise, an Electrical Circuits camp where you build and test a series circuit, a Python programming course, and an Engineering Design camp focused on residential solar PV systems from basics to full design. Each camp is built around doing the work: you're reconstructing 3D patient geometries, designing an energy solution, or competing in a live hacking exercise, not watching a slideshow.
14. WSU Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED)
Location: Wichita, KS
Cost: Free
Program Dates: March 12
Deadline: Registration open; contact program for details
Eligibility: High school students, freshmen through seniors; event focused on girls in engineering
IGED is an annual one-day event hosted by WSU's College of Engineering during National Engineers Week, designed to connect high school students, particularly young women, with real people working across engineering and computing. You'll take part in hands-on STEM activities, hear from professional engineers and WSU faculty, and attend an opportunity fair featuring companies from the engineering and tech industries. It's structured around mentorship more than information; the goal is direct access to people already in the field who can speak to their experience honestly.
15. Garmin Engineering Day Camp
Location: Olathe, KS
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: Not specified
Deadline: Registration opens in spring
Eligibility: Incoming high school freshmen and sophomores (grades 9–10)
The Garmin Engineering Day Camp is a hands-on program at Garmin's headquarters in Olathe, Kansas, designed for students just entering high school. Over the course of the camp, you’ll work directly alongside Garmin professionals and their teams on real projects, getting exposure to electrical, mechanical, and software engineering in the same environment where Garmin's actual products are built. You're embedded with engineers, working on projects, and on the final day, you present your work during a challenge event open to parents and guests.
Frequently asked questions
1. What engineering programs are available for high school students in Kansas?
Options include aerospace and aviation programs, such as AATEE, Spirit AeroSystems Internship, Textron Aviation Internship, and K-State Aviation Academy; university-run summer camps, such as KU School of Engineering Summer Camp and WSU Engineering Summer Camps; and long-term academic programs, such as KAMS and UAS Pre-College Enrollment.
2. Are there paid engineering internships for high school students in Kansas?
Yes, Spirit AeroSystems offers a $14/hour stipend for its high school internship, and Textron Aviation also offers a paid internship with rates available upon contact. Both are based in Wichita and place students directly within active aerospace manufacturing environments.
3. Which Kansas engineering programs are best for students interested in drones or aviation?
Students interested in aviation might consider K-State Salina's NextGen High School Camp and Drone Engineering Camp for hands-on drone building, K-State Aviation Academy for actual flight time in university aircraft, and UAS Pre-College Enrollment for a college-level certificate in uncrewed aircraft systems.
4. When should I apply to engineering programs for high school students in Kansas?
KAMS has the most defined deadline at April 1, while most other programs, including AATEE, KU School of Engineering Summer Camp, and K-State EXCITE, use rolling registration. WSU Engineering Summer Camps open registration on March 19, and UAS Pre-College Enrollment closes mid-April for summer and fall entry.