15 Robotics Pre-College Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in exploring your academic and career options, pre-college programs can be a great way to start. These programs, offered by top universities, enable you to experience college-level learning while developing practical skills and exploring various academic disciplines. You’ll have the chance to connect with professors, mentors, and peers who share your interests, helping you build confidence and clarity about what you might want to study in the future.
If you’re drawn to robots, automation, or artificial intelligence, a robotics pre-college program can open the door to one of the most exciting and fast-growing STEM fields. You’ll learn about programming, mechanical design, and systems thinking while applying your knowledge in collaborative projects. Many programs also provide access to university labs and collaborative environments, where you can apply theory to practical challenges and help build your skillset.
In this blog, we’ve compiled 15 robotics pre-college programs for high school students.
If you are looking for online internships, check out our blog here.
1. Summer Program for Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $3,300
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Session 1: June 17 – 28; Session 2: July 8 – 19; Session 3: July 29 – August 9
Application Deadline: May 1 (or until full)
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders who have completed Algebra 2
The Summer Program for Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC) at NYU Tandon is an intensive two-week, hands-on engineering program that provides the opportunity to design, build, and program your own robots. Guided by NYU faculty and graduate students, you’ll explore electronics, circuits, microcontrollers, and coding while constructing two fully functional robots. Each session culminates in a mobile manipulator challenge, where you’ll put your creations to the test. Classes emphasize design thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving, helping you strengthen both technical and teamwork skills. Outside the lab, you can join on-campus activities, NYC field trips, and social events with other high school students from around the world.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Robotics Track
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type; Full financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance and an interest in engineering, robotics, or computer science
The Lumiere Robotics Track is part of the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective research experience for ambitious high school students. You will work one-on-one with PhD mentors from leading universities to design and execute an independent robotics-focused research project. You will explore topics such as autonomous systems, machine learning in robotics, sensor integration, and robotic control. The program culminates in a research paper or engineering prototype. As a participant, you will be eligible to receive post-baccalaureate credit from UC San Diego Extended Studies, recognizing the academic rigor of your work. Through this program, you will gain exposure to real-world robotics applications, build technical and analytical skills, and strengthen your profiles for future STEM pursuits.
3. Harvard Summer School: Computer Science and Engineering
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Varies by program; Scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June 20 – August 8
Application Deadline: December 1 – January 7 (early), February 11 (regular), April 1 (late)
Eligibility: High school students who meet course prerequisites; Must have a programming background (e.g., Python) and familiarity with algebra and geometry recommended
The Harvard Summer School Secondary School Program (SSP) offers an opportunity to study college-level computer science and engineering alongside Harvard students and instructors. You can customize your summer experience by enrolling in one or two for-credit courses in areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, or game development. A standout course—Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Artificial Intelligence—introduces you to the systems and technologies shaping automation and AI through hands-on simulations, coding, and design projects. Classes meet for several hours weekly and may be taken on campus, online, or in a hybrid format. You’ll earn transferable college credit and experience life as a Harvard student, attending lectures, joining activities, and connecting with peers from around the world.
4. Academy for Robotics
Location: UT Austin, Austin, TX
Cost: $2,100; Limited scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: 1 week in the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students entering 10th-12th grade
The Academy for Robotics at UT Austin introduces you to mechanical design, programming, and control systems through hands-on robot building in a university lab setting. You’ll assemble and program a Bot’n Roll One robot, experiment with sensors and motors, and test your designs through real challenges and races. The curriculum encompasses C++, Arduino, Linux basics, and core robotics concepts, including PID control, skid steering, and sensor thresholding. You’ll also get to explore robotics research tools, meet UT professors and students, and learn more about potential STEM pathways and the UT admissions process. Because the academy is residential, you’ll stay in a campus dorm, eat in dining halls, and get support from mentors at a 10:1 ratio.
5. UConn Pre-College Summer – Robotics Engineering: The Impacts of Robotics on Our World
Location: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Cost: $50 non-refundable application fee; Program fee varies (discounts may be available)
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 21 – 27
Application Deadline: April 1 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students; Basic programming knowledge is helpful but not required
The Robotics Engineering course at UConn’s Pre-College Summer (PCS) program introduces you to the fundamentals of robotics through an engaging mix of theory and practice. You’ll learn how robots perceive, act, and interact with the world, and explore how robotics impacts industries from manufacturing to defense. Classes incorporate interactive lectures, collaborative problem-solving sessions, and practical programming exercises utilizing real robotics hardware. You’ll also get a window into cutting-edge topics like robot motion and control, human-robot interaction, and automation, guided by UConn engineering faculty. By the end of the week, you’ll have designed and programmed simple robotic systems while strengthening your critical thinking, coding, and engineering design skills.
6. Robotics Summer Institute
Location: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $1,300 per two-week full-day session; $700 for half-day session; Financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – 18; Session 2: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders with a minimum 3.0 GPA
The Robotics Summer Institute at Temple University is part of Temple’s Pre-College Workshops and offers a project-based introduction to robotics and electrical engineering. As a participant, you will learn how to design and program your own autonomous mobile robot capable of performing tasks such as obstacle avoidance, lane following, and even playing music. Using MakeCode and Python, you’ll work with sensors, motors, and microcontrollers in Temple’s state-of-the-art electronics labs. Led by Temple faculty and engineering students, you will gain insight into the connection between robotics and electrical and computer engineering while developing technical skills through practical, hands-on experience.
7. Aerial Robotics
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: $2,250 (residential); $1,250 (commuter); Discounts available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 20 – 25
Application Deadline: Opens in January
Eligibility: U.S. high school rising juniors or seniors (ages 15-17) in good academic standing
The Aerial Robotics course at Stony Brook University’s Pre-College Summer Program gives you the chance to build, program, and fly your own micro quadcopter drone. You’ll assemble a Crazyflie drone from start to finish and learn how to program it to fly autonomously and land with precision. Through hands-on experimentation, you’ll explore the fundamentals of drone flight mechanics, autonomous systems, and safe testing procedures. You’ll also develop both coding and problem-solving skills along the way. Led by Professor William Stewart, whose research focuses on multimodal and soft robotics, this course is ideal for students who learn best through hands-on experience.
8. Illinois Tech’s Elevate College Prep: Build Your Own Robot
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost: $650 (commuter); $1,500 (residential)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 20 – 24
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: High school students
The Build Your Own Robot course offers an engaging introduction to robotics and automation. Over five days, you’ll use Arduino-based robotic kits to design, build, and program automated systems that respond to real-world challenges. Working in teams, you’ll learn how to integrate coding, circuits, and mechanical design while gaining insight into how engineers approach problem-solving. Classes take place on Illinois Tech’s tech-focused Chicago campus, giving you a feel for college life and access to university resources.
9. Intro to Python Programming 1: Games, Drones, & 6-Axis Arms
Location: Kettering University, Flint, MI
Cost: $700
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 20 – 23
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12
In this day camp, you’ll get a hands-on introduction to Python through simple text-based games before gradually moving to more advanced automation projects. You’ll learn how Python can control drones, using sensors like gyroscopes and color detectors to navigate obstacle courses and complete autonomous tasks. The camp also introduces you to industrial robotics through the VEX CTE Workcell kit, where you’ll explore how 6-axis robotic arms are programmed and used in fields like manufacturing and quality control. Along the way, you’ll tackle engineering challenges that require teamwork, troubleshooting, and creative problem-solving. The program is led by an experienced programmer and FIRST mentor and is sponsored by RECF, VEX, GM, and Magna.
10. FIRST LEGO Robotics Camp
Location: University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
Cost: $720 (residential); $400 (commuter); Scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 23 – 27 (tentative)
Application Deadline: May 1 (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising 7th-9th graders
This camp is a week-long, hands-on STEM program where you will design, build, and program your own autonomous robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS technology. Throughout the week, you’ll take on exciting design challenges that test your creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Guided by university instructors, you’ll explore the engineering principles behind robotics while learning to code and test your robots in a series of friendly competitions.
11. Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE)
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $5,880 (commuter); $10,705 (residential); Limited need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Session 1: July 6 – 24; Session 2: July 27 – August 14
Application Deadline: November 25 – March 2
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent high school graduates; Students who are 16+ are eligible for the residential option
The Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE) at Columbia Engineering is a three-week pre-college experience designed for students passionate about STEM and innovation. You’ll take college-level, project-based courses in fields such as robotics, computer science, electrical engineering, and design, all taught by Columbia faculty and researchers. Each session combines rigorous academics with hands-on lab work, electives, workshops, and industry visits, giving you a clear sense of what studying engineering in college is like. The program’s small class sizes and team-based projects encourage collaboration, creativity, and real-world problem solving.
12. LSU Pre-College Programs: Interactive Computing
Location: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Cost: $1,250 (commuter); $2,750 (residential)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 26
Application Deadline: June 14
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders
During the Interactive Computing course, you’ll explore how software interacts with the physical world through autonomous robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and web-based interfaces. Projects include teaching robots to navigate mazes, building web apps to control sensors and actuators, and automating systems like smart greenhouses. Along the way, you’ll learn core programming concepts such as debugging, testing, and model-based design. Taught by LSU faculty and graduate students, this camp combines college-level instruction with fun, hands-on experimentation, giving you both technical skills and a glimpse into college life.
13. Summer Discovery: Engineering and Robotics Academy
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: Varies by program type; $195 lab and materials fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple 2-week sessions
Application Deadline: August 26 – December 16 (early), January 27 (regular 1), March 24 (regular 2), April 28 (regular 3), May 1 (late)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9-12
The Engineering and Robotics Academy at UC Berkeley provides an introduction to robotics and modern engineering through hands-on projects in design, programming, and innovation. You’ll explore how robotics is revolutionizing industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and space exploration, while learning the fundamentals of circuitry, sensors, and mechanical design. In addition to classroom learning, you’ll take part in interactive projects and a capstone challenge, where you’ll design and present an innovative robotic solution to a real-world problem. The program also features a private tour of UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering and visits to Silicon Valley tech companies and research labs.
14. WPI’s Launch Program: Robotics Engineering
Location: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, MA
Cost: $795
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: January 8 – April 30
Eligibility: Rising 9th-11th graders
The Robotics Engineering course, part of WPI’s Launch Program, gives you an exciting hands-on introduction to the interdisciplinary field of robotics. You’ll learn how mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering come together in modern robotic systems through projects involving motors, sensors, mechanisms, and Python programming. Using industry tools and lab equipment, you’ll experiment with embedded computing, the kind found in drones and autonomous vehicles, to understand how robots move, sense, and respond to their environment. Taught by WPI faculty, this weeklong commuter program blends lectures, demos, and design challenges to help you apply engineering concepts to real-world problems.
15. Discovering Engineering Summer Program
Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Cost: $1,400; Scholarships available
Cohort Size: Approximately 25-30 students per session
Dates: Session 1: July 27 – August 1; Session 2: August 3 – 8
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th graders
The Discovering Engineering Summer Program provides a weeklong, residential experience in which you’ll explore various engineering disciplines through hands-on laboratories, lectures, and design projects. You’ll visit all eight engineering departments, participate in team-based projects, and gain insight into the daily life of an engineering student. Evenings include social and campus activities, giving you a taste of university living and a chance to connect with peers who share your interests. With a small cohort size, the program provides close mentorship from faculty, advisors, and student leaders.
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