10 Free Summer Engineering Programs For High School Students
Summer programs offer high school students a valuable opportunity to explore new interests, build practical skills, and gain insight into potential career paths. In the field of engineering, hands-on experience and real-world applications are critical, and many summer programs deliver just that through labs, group projects, and mentorship from industry professionals.
Numerous top universities and institutions offer free summer engineering programs for high school students, allowing you to engage with college-level material without financial constraints. These programs often include meals, housing, supplies, and in some cases, stipends, making them accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. To help you explore your options, we have compiled a list of 12 free summer engineering programs for high school students.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
Program dates: June 22 - August 2.
Application deadline: December 11.
Eligibility: High school juniors are eligible to apply.
MIT's Research Science Institute is a great opportunity for students seeking a deep, research-intensive experience. This highly competitive program begins with a rigorous week of STEM classes and seminars led by top researchers. Over the following five weeks, you will be paired with a mentor and work on an original research project in a lab setting, tackling complex problems, reviewing academic literature, and developing your own research papers. You will also gain access to MIT’s advanced academic resources and present your work in both written and oral formats. Evening lectures by prominent scientists offer further insight into STEM careers and current advancements in the field.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including summer.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. May for Summer cohort.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world are eligible to apply. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Founded by Harvard graduate students, Veritas AI offers several programs for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars Program introduces you to the fundamentals of AI, machine learning, and data science through a structured 10-session boot camp, culminating in real-world project work. For more advanced learners, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase allows students to work one-on-one with mentors from leading universities on individual AI research projects. The program includes support from an in-house publication team to help students publish their work in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Location: Various locations across the United States.
Program dates: The summer program typically runs for 10 weeks (late May/early June - August).
Application deadline: January 10.
Eligibility: High school students over 16 years of age who are U.S. citizens and have a minimum 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply.
The AFRL Scholars Program offers high school students a paid internship experience working alongside professional engineers and scientists on research projects relevant to national defense. Projects may include game development with Godot and Blender, system reliability modeling using Python or MATLAB, or even contributions to historical preservation efforts at aerospace facilities. This program emphasizes independent problem-solving and provides access to advanced tools and technical mentors, offering a firsthand view into scientific careers within the Department of Defense.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Remote - you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: May.
Program Dates: Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Summer.
Eligibility: Current high school students who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement are eligible to apply. No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is a non-profit initiative that provides high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with free access to research opportunities. Adapted from the prestigious Lumiere Research Scholar Program, the Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors for one-on-one, independent research across disciplines such as engineering, physics, computer science, economics, and more. Over 12 weeks, you will produce an original research paper while gaining mentorship and exposure to interdisciplinary academic work. You can apply here!
5. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Lakehurst, NJ.
Program Dates: The program runs for 8 weeks in the summer.
Application Deadline: November 1.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 who are 16 years old by the start of the program and are U.S. citizens are eligible to apply.
SEAP places high school students in Department of the Navy laboratories across the U.S. for an eight-week research internship. Selected students work under the mentorship of Navy scientists and engineers in areas like materials science, engineering design, and data analysis. Admission is highly competitive and based on academic performance, essays, and recommendation letters. The program offers invaluable exposure to careers in research and national defense, as well as daily experience in high-tech lab environments.
6. New York University - Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY.
Program dates: June 2 - August 18 (preceded by 4 weeks of remote workshops).
Application deadline: February 21.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in the upcoming school year who are full time NYC residents attending NYC schools are eligible to apply.
ARISE is a ten-week summer research program hosted by New York University that enables you to work directly in NYU's science and engineering laboratories. The first four weeks focus on research methods, safety, and college readiness training. The remaining six weeks involve hands-on contributions to ongoing projects in fields like biomedical engineering and robotics. You will work under the mentorship of graduate students and faculty, and the program concludes with a public research presentation at NYU and the American Museum of Natural History.
7. Texas Tech University - Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
Program dates: June 22 - August 7.
Application deadline: February 24.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 17 years of age by the start of the program and are graduating are eligible to apply.
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a highly competitive, seven-week summer research experience open to only twelve students annually. You will work one-on-one with Texas Tech University faculty on original research projects spanning a wide range of disciplines, including engineering. The program includes academic seminars and enrichment activities and is designed for highly accomplished students seeking serious engagement with advanced research. All participants receive free housing, meals, and a stipend.
8. NASA - OSTEM High School Internship Program
Location: NASA centers across the United States.
Program dates: The program typically runs for 10 weeks in the summer (late May – August).
Application deadline: February 28.
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 are eligible to apply.
NASA’s OSTEM High School Internship Program provides paid part-time and full-time internship opportunities across multiple NASA centers. You will support active projects in areas such as robotics, aerospace engineering, planetary science, and technical writing. Depending on your placement, you may assist with programming, lab experiments, data analysis, or content development. Working closely with NASA professionals, interns gain practical skills and insights into large-scale innovation and research.
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Beaver Works Summer Institute
Location: Virtual and in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
Program dates: Online Courses: February 3 - June 20 | In-person Summer Program: July 7 - August 3.
Application deadline: March 31.
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year and who are U.S. citizens are eligible to apply.
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) is a four-week program for rising high school seniors to explore advanced STEM topics through team-based, hands-on projects led by experts from MIT Lincoln Laboratory. You will work with tools like Python, hardware kits, and simulations to tackle real-world challenges in areas such as engineering, robotics, cybersecurity, remote sensing, and machine learning. Courses culminate in a capstone project and are offered both in-person and online, with guided instruction provided to build technical skills regardless of prior experience.
10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge and Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA.
Program dates: July 13 - 26.
Application deadline: March 12.
Eligibility: High school students completing their junior year of high school and who are U.S. citizens are eligible to apply.
LLRISE is a two-week summer program for rising seniors interested in engineering, hosted by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. You will design and build functional radar systems while learning about signal processing, electromagnetics, and hardware design. The program focuses on hands-on learning and team collaboration, offering a practical introduction to real-world engineering challenges in a fully funded setting.