11 Robotics Programs for High School Students in Georgia
Robotics programs offer a structured way for high school students to move beyond theory and engage directly with how technology is designed, built, and applied. Through projects, you’ll learn to work with tools like sensors, circuits, and programming languages while developing problem-solving and systems-thinking skills that are difficult to build in a traditional classroom setting. In addition to technical exposure, these experiences often include mentorship from industry professionals or university faculty, giving you insight into potential career paths and expectations.
Why should you attend a program in Georgia?
Georgia is home to many universities and organizations that offer programs integrating robotics with broader fields such as artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and data science. As a participant, you will design and program robots, conduct lab-based research, and tackle team-based engineering challenges. For students in Georgia, these programs provide a convenient way to improve their technical skills without traveling far, while also building connections within local academic and professional networks. At the same time, out-of-state students may find these opportunities appealing for their focused curriculum and access to established STEM ecosystems.
To help you navigate these options, we’ve narrowed down a list of 11 robotics programs for high school students in Georgia.
If you’re looking for science programs in Georgia, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 11 programs span physical robotics, industrial automation, AI and machine learning, autonomous systems, computer vision, and engineering design, so students with a range of interests in robotics can find a relevant option in Georgia or online.
Several programs are free or paid, including Project ENGAGES at Georgia Tech (free with a stipend), Georgia Tech STEP (free), Georgia Tech SEI (free), Harvard CS50 AI (free), and MIT BWSI (free for qualifying families), while UGA Summer Academy camps charge only $530 for a full week.
Many programs specifically target Georgia residents or students from partner schools, including Project ENGAGES (partner high schools only), Georgia Tech STEP (Georgia residents), and Georgia Tech SEI (Georgia residents), so local students should take note of these targeted opportunities.
Programs vary significantly in length and commitment, from self-paced seven-week online courses, such as Harvard CS50 AI, to year-long lab placements, such as Project ENGAGES, so students can choose based on their availability and depth of interest.
Application deadlines for competitive programs fall early, including Project ENGAGES (February 27), Georgia Tech STEP (March 1), and MIT BWSI (early spring), while UGA Summer Academy camps open enrollment December 1 on a rolling basis, so students should apply as soon as registration opens.
1. Project ENGAGES
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend paid
Dates: Year-long
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors (16+) from select partner high schools with an overall GPA average of 83+; Must have completed science courses with a GPA of 83+
Project ENGAGES is a long-term, research-intensive program that gives you sustained exposure to engineering fields, including robotics, through a year-long lab placement. As a participant, you’ll work closely with researchers on active projects across disciplines such as bioengineering, materials science, and computational systems, where robotics may be explored as part of broader engineering- or automation-focused research. The experience begins with a full-time summer component and continues during the academic year, allowing you to build depth in your work rather than just surface-level exposure. Alongside lab research, you’ll engage in enrichment activities that introduce you to real-world applications, career pathways, and interdisciplinary problem-solving within STEM.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies (financial aid offered); Unpaid
Dates: Multiple cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling; Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; Applicants to the AI Fellowship program must have already completed the AI Scholars program or have experience with coding
Veritas AI offers a strong entry point into the computational side of robotics, focusing on how intelligent systems are built and trained rather than on physical hardware. Across its AI Scholars and AI Fellowship tracks, you’ll learn Python, machine learning, and neural networks while working on project-based applications that mirror real-world use cases like computer vision and pattern recognition. The structure moves from guided learning in small groups to more independent research with 1:1 mentorship, allowing you to explore how data-driven models power decision-making across areas such as autonomous systems and human-machine interaction. You can check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Georgia Institute of Technology: Science, Technology, and Engineering Program (STEP)
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 17 (Atlanta session)
Application Deadline: January 15 – March 1
Eligibility: Georgia high school students (16+)
STEP at Georgia Tech is a two-week immersive engineering program that stands out for its focus on solving open-ended, research-inspired problems, often involving systems that overlap with robotics, automation, or mechanical design. As a participant, you will work in a team under the guidance of faculty mentors to design and prototype solutions without a predefined outcome, mirroring how real engineering and robotics challenges are approached. The experience emphasizes hands-on building, iteration, and problem-solving, which can include elements like rover design, embedded systems, or sensor-based applications depending on the challenge theme. Rather than following step-by-step instructions, you will be pushed to think critically, test ideas, and refine your designs, culminating in a final presentation to academic and industry professionals.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Robotics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies (financial aid offered); Unpaid
Dates: Multiple cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling; Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing
Lumiere’s Research Scholar Program offers a more academic, research-driven pathway into robotics by focusing on the systems and intelligence that power modern machines. Over a structured mentorship period, you’ll work one-on-one with a researcher to develop an independent project in areas like computer science, data science, or engineering, which can be applied to robotics contexts such as autonomous systems, optimization, or human-robot interaction. The experience is less about physically building robots and more about understanding how they think, learn, and make decisions, a critical aspect of robotics today. Students are guided through framing a research question, developing a methodology, and producing a final paper, closely reflecting how innovation in robotics happens in real-world academic and industry settings.
5. Georgia Institute of Technology: Summer Engineering Institute (SEI)
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 7 – 15
Application Deadline: Check the website for more details
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th graders (Georgia residents only)
The Summer Engineering Institute is a one-week residential program that introduces you to core engineering concepts through hands-on experimentation and collaborative projects, some of which intersect with robotics and mechanical systems. While the program is broad in scope, you will engage with technologies and problem-solving approaches that underpin fields like robotics, including design thinking, prototyping, and systems-based engineering. Through workshops, lab interactions, and exposure to advanced campus facilities, you will gain a clearer sense of how different engineering disciplines (such as computer science and mechanical engineering) come together in real-world applications.
6. University of Georgia’s Summer Academy Camps: Advanced Engineering
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Cost/Stipend: $530; Unpaid
Dates: May 31 – June 4
Application Deadline: Enrollment opens on December 1
Eligibility: High school students (ages 15-17)
The Summer Academy Camp’s Advanced Engineering track offers a hands-on introduction to how engineering concepts translate into real-world systems. Over the course of the week, you’ll move through the full cycle of thinking, designing, and building, working on team-based projects that reflect actual engineering applications. A key highlight is exposure to smart manufacturing technologies, where you’ll learn to program industrial robots and experiment with digital twin models, adding a strong robotics and automation angle to the experience. The structure encourages exploration across multiple engineering disciplines, allowing you to test different interests rather than stay confined to a single track.
7. Georgia Institute of Technology: CEISMC Summer PEAKS (Expanded Learning Programs)
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: $400 – $550 (Scholarships offered); Unpaid
Dates: Multiple 4-5 day sessions in June – July
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders
CEISMC’s Summer PEAKS programs offer a flexible, multi-course structure, allowing you to choose from a range of short, immersive STEAM sessions, some of which directly explore robotics and related fields. As a participant, you will engage in hands-on activities that combine coding, engineering, and experimental design, with select sessions introducing robotics through beginner programming, automation concepts, and interactive demos. For example, the Digital Research Program blends robotics exposure with AI and simulation-based learning, allowing you to design experiments, explore human-AI interaction, and understand how intelligent systems are developed and tested. The broader program structure encourages interdisciplinary thinking, so if you’re interested in robotics, you can also explore its overlap with data science, game design, or computational research.
8. Summer Camps @ Museum of Aviation
Location: Museum of Aviation Foundation, Warner Robins, GA
Cost/Stipend: $160 per week; Unpaid
Dates: Multiple sessions within June 1 – 17
Application Deadline: Rolling; Registration opens on February 1
Eligibility: K-12 (select programs available for high school students)
The Museum of Aviation’s Summer Camps offer a flexible lineup of short, hands-on STEM experiences, with select sessions introducing you to robotics-adjacent fields like mechatronics, aerosystems, and engineering design. Across multiple week-long camps, you will engage in interactive challenges where you’ll build, test, and experiment with systems that reflect real-world applications in aviation and technology, often incorporating elements of automation, circuitry, and mechanical problem-solving. Since each week features a different theme, you can choose sessions that align more closely with robotics or related disciplines. The program emphasizes active learning in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, encouraging you to think creatively while working through engineering-style challenges.
9. University of Georgia’s Summer Academy Camps: Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Cost/Stipend: $530; Unpaid
Dates: July 12 – 16
Application Deadline: Enrollment opens on December 1
Eligibility: High school students (ages 15-17)
The Summer Academy Camp’s Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics track leans directly into the intersection of robotics and modern manufacturing, offering you a hands-on look at how automated systems operate in real-world environments. Over the course of the week, you will work with industrial robotic arms, learning to program them for precise, task-based functions while integrating sensors and vision technology to create responsive systems. The experience goes beyond isolated builds, introducing you to data analysis and digital twin modeling, which are virtual simulations of physical factories that allow for experimentation and optimization. Working in teams, you’ll engage with both the mechanical and computational sides of robotics, gaining a clearer understanding of how intelligent manufacturing systems are designed and improved.
10. Harvard CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free (certificate available for $299); Unpaid
Dates: Self-paced (approx. 7 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to all (intermediate level recommended)
CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python is a rigorous online course that builds a strong foundation in AI concepts that are increasingly central to modern robotics, including machine learning, reinforcement learning, and intelligent system design. Through hands-on programming projects, you will learn how algorithms power decision-making systems used in areas like autonomous robots, computer vision, and navigation. While not exclusively a robotics program, the course equips you with the computational thinking and technical skills needed to develop AI-driven robotic systems, making it a valuable complement to more hardware-focused experiences. Its self-paced structure allows you to go deep into topics like neural networks and optimization while building practical Python-based applications. For students interested in the software and intelligence layer behind robotics, this course offers a strong and flexible entry point.
11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $2,400 (free for qualifying families); Unpaid
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically early spring
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders (must reside in the U.S.)
The Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) is a highly selective, project-based STEM program that offers advanced tracks in areas closely tied to robotics, such as autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and sensing technologies. Over four intensive weeks, you will work in teams to tackle real-world challenges that often involve designing and programming systems capable of decision-making, navigation, or interaction with their environment – core principles in robotics. The curriculum blends theory with hands-on implementation, pushing you to apply concepts like machine learning, control systems, and data analysis in practical scenarios. With mentorship from experts and a strong emphasis on collaboration, you will gain an experience that mirrors collegiate-level engineering and research.
Frequently asked questions
1. What robotics programs are available for high school students in Georgia?
Options include year-long lab research programs, such as Project ENGAGES at Georgia Tech, engineering design and prototyping programs, such as Georgia Tech STEP and SEI and UGA Advanced Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics camps, AI and autonomous systems programs, such as Veritas AI, MIT BWSI, and Harvard CS50 AI, and independent research programs, such as Lumiere Research Scholar Program.
2. Are there free robotics programs for high school students in Georgia?
Yes, Project ENGAGES at Georgia Tech is free and includes a paid stipend; Georgia Tech STEP and SEI are both free to attend; and Harvard CS50 AI is free online. MIT BWSI is free for families below a qualifying income threshold, and Veritas AI and Lumiere offer need-based financial aid for their virtual programs.
3. Which Georgia programs are best for students interested in AI and autonomous systems?
Students interested in the computational side of robotics might consider Veritas AI for machine learning and neural networks projects, MIT BWSI for autonomous systems and AI engineering challenges, Harvard CS50 AI for self-paced Python-based AI programming, and Lumiere Research Scholar Program for independent research in autonomous systems or human-robot interaction.
4. Which programs are open to students outside Georgia?
Veritas AI, Lumiere Research Scholar Program, Harvard CS50 AI, and MIT BWSI are all fully virtual and open to students regardless of location. Museum of Aviation Summer Camps and UGA Summer Academy Camps also accept out-of-state applicants.
5. When should I apply to robotics programs for high school students in Georgia?
Project ENGAGES closes February 27, and Georgia Tech STEP closes March 1, making these the earliest deadlines. MIT BWSI typically closes in early spring. UGA Summer Academy Camps open enrollment December 1 on a rolling basis, so students should register early to secure a spot. Programs, such as Veritas AI, Lumiere, and Harvard CS50 AI, accept rolling applications throughout the year.