15 Robotics Summer Research Programs for High School Students
Robotics summer research programs give high school students practical experience with mechanical design, coding, and system integration. Hosted by respected universities, research labs, and tech organizations, these programs combine classroom learning with practical projects. You’ll gain exposure to industry practices and build connections with mentors and peers.
By working in collaborative lab environments, you’ll develop problem‑solving skills and explore emerging technologies like autonomous systems and AI‑driven robotics. The variety of offerings makes it possible to find programs that fit different interests and budgets. For students who want to deepen their understanding of robotics research and network with experts, choosing the right program can lay the groundwork for future academic and career opportunities.
Here are 15 robotics summer research programs for high school students.
15 Robotics Summer Research Programs for High School Students
1. MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; About 100 students are selected each year
Dates: 6 weeks from June to August
Application Deadline: January 15 (U.S. students); March 15 (international students)
Eligibility: High school rising seniors; U.S. and international students
You’ll attend a six-week, cost-free residential program at MIT, where you’ll begin with a week of advanced seminars in math, physics, computer science, and other STEM disciplines led by MIT faculty. For the following five weeks, you’ll conduct independent research under the mentorship of university professors or postdoctoral researchers in areas such as robotics, AI, or mechanical engineering. During this time, you’ll read current scientific literature, design experiments or simulations, and analyze data in a true research environment. Your work will culminate in the preparation of a formal research paper and an oral presentation delivered at the RSI Final Symposium. Alongside your project, you’ll attend evening lectures by distinguished scientists, including Nobel laureates, and have opportunities to network with peers and mentors in STEM fields.
2. Veritas AI – Robotics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Varies, depending on the cohort (multiple cohorts in a year)
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Veritas AI, established and managed by Harvard graduate students, offers specialized programs for high school students who are interested in artificial intelligence and its applications. The AI Scholars program is a great fit if you're just starting with AI, robotics, machine learning, or data science. However, if you’re seeking a more in-depth and advanced experience, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase is a strong option. If robotics is your area of interest, you'll have the flexibility to pursue high-level research in this field, developing solutions that integrate AI and robotics. The program also supports your work through access to a publication team that helps you get your research published in high school journals.
3. University of Maryland: Maryland Robotics Center (MRC) Pathways Program
Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD, with research activities across MRC-affiliated labs
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid hourly wage
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts aligned with academic terms; Summer begins on June 2
Application Deadline: Two weeks before the start of each term
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students; High schoolers must secure faculty mentor support and a letter of endorsement
You’ll engage in faculty-guided robotics research at UMD, working on projects that cover algorithms, sensor integration, perception, and robot prototyping. As an intern, you'll spend up to 10 hours per week earning a stipend while contributing to active lab work, guided through a faculty endorsement and mentoring process. You’ll also attend field trips to robotics facilities and industry sites, gaining real-world insight into engineering trends and applications. The program emphasizes both technical growth and professional skills. Teamwork, communication, and collaboration are woven into project tasks.
4. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: About 26%
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students (9th-12th grade) with a minimum GPA of 3.67; Most participants are 10th or 11th graders
You’ll choose either a small seminar group (4-6 peers) or a 1-on-1 lab format guided by a PhD scholar or professor. Over your session, you’ll conduct independent research, culminating in a 20-page, university-level paper often strong enough for academic journal submission. Upon completion, you’ll receive a certificate, detailed evaluation, and tailored letters of recommendation. With program placements in AI, machine learning, and robotics, HARP offers a flexible, rigorous research experience ideal for high school students ready to explore STEM at an advanced level.
5. University of Wisconsin: Madison Engineering Summer Program (ESP)
Location: UW–Madison, Madison, WI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; About 30 students
Dates: Virtual ESP: June 24 – 28 (tentative); Residential ESP: July 12 – August 1 (tentative)
Application Deadline: May (tentative)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; Current high school sophomores or juniors with at least a 3.0 GPA; Have completed one year each of algebra and geometry
You’ll begin your experience with a short virtual introduction week before joining an immersive three-week residential program on campus. During your time there, you’ll take college-level courses in math, physics, chemistry, and engineering design, designed to emulate a first-year engineering curriculum. You’ll engage in team projects, including robotics-focused labs where you design, build, and test creative engineering solutions, applying the theory you’ve learned. Field trips to local industry partners such as GE Healthcare give you insight into real-world engineering applications. Faculty and undergraduate mentors guide your technical and academic growth, and you'll connect with peers who share your passion for engineering.
6. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend of $1,000
Cohort Size: Approximately 80 students
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: December/January – February/March
Eligibility: Rising 11th or 12th graders who reside in New York City
NYU’s ARISE is a competitive program that offers high school students a free, 10-week summer research experience combining virtual skill-building with lab work. The first four weeks include workshops focused on lab safety, scientific ethics, research fundamentals, and college-prep skills, after which you will spend six weeks working in one of over 50 NYU research labs alongside graduate-student mentors. You will contribute to meaningful projects in areas such as robotics, biomedical engineering, computer science, and AI, gaining around 120 hours of practical lab experience. Upon completion, you will present your findings at an NYU colloquium and the American Museum of Natural History’s Poster Symposium and receive a $1,000 stipend.
7. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free for families earning under $150,000; $2,350 for families earning over $150,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; 350 students across all BWSI courses each year
Dates: Prerequisite courses run February – June; On‑campus session runs July 7 – August 3
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: U.S. high school students completing grades 9-11 in June
You’ll begin by completing online prerequisite courses typically delivered via MIT’s Edly platform to build foundational skills in Python, the Robot Operating System (ROS), and collaborative project workflows. Once you arrive on campus, you’ll spend four weeks working in teams on challenges such as Autonomous Cognitive Assistance, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and the RACECAR Grand Prix, all guided by MIT and Lincoln Laboratory instructors. Throughout the in‑person session, you’ll attend lectures, participate in office hours, and join workshops that strengthen both your technical abilities and professional communication. As you progress, you’ll apply your knowledge to real‑world robotics and AI problems, designing, building, and testing systems under time‑bound constraints. In the final week, you’ll present your project outcomes to faculty and industry guests, showcasing your problem‑solving process and technical achievements.
8. George Mason University: Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Remote, hybrid, or on-campus at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Cost: $25 application fee, which can be waived for financial need
Acceptance Rate: Around 10%
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Must be at least 15 years old (computer lab projects) or 16 (wet-lab internships) by the program start
During your internship, you'll work on projects related to robotics, including human-robot interaction, multirobot coordination, and bioinspired autonomous systems. You'll get practical experience designing and programming robots, applying machine learning and autonomy algorithms, and solving applied robotics problems in a university research environment. Faculty mentors and graduate students guide your work, and remote interns collaborate via virtual labs while on-site participants engage directly in GMU’s engineering facilities. The program emphasizes scientific communication, research documentation, and exposure to real-world engineering practices.
9. U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP): High School Internships
Location: Various sites across the U.S., including university labs and U.S. Army Research Laboratories
Cost/Stipend: Free; Some internships include stipends, which vary by location and project duration
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: Exact dates vary by location
Application Deadline: March (tentative)
Eligibility: Current U.S. high school students (grades 9–12), U.S. citizens or permanent residents
You’ll work in a university research lab or an Army Research Laboratory, collaborating one‑on‑one with scientists and engineers. You will be focusing on robotics-focused projects such as autonomous systems, perception, or AI integration. Through activities, you’ll learn real-world research methods and technical workflows using advanced tools. Project durations can vary from several weeks to over a month, and internships often include public presentations or written reports on your findings. AEOP emphasizes STEM communication, teamwork, and technical depth and provides exposure to large-scale scientific research environments that few other high school programs can match.
10. Evodyne Robotics Internship Program
Location: Evodyne Robotics Academy, Mountain View, CA, and virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Current high school junior (16+); Must have completed Evodyne’s Emergence Track
You’ll work in Evodyne’s research lab on real robotics systems, enhancing existing designs like EvoDog and EvoArm, and designing new educational or research-focused robots. You’ll also serve as a teaching assistant during summer programs, helping younger students troubleshoot robotics challenges. Your projects may include CAD design, 3D printing, control algorithms, robotics coding (Python, C++), and computer vision using ROS. Interns often select or are assigned to technically complex tasks like balance control for quadruped robots or advanced gear design.
11. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR): Summer Internship Program
Location: Danville, VA
Stipend: Paid
Cohort Size: Typically less than 20
Dates: 8 weeks from June to early August
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: High school graduates with plans to attend college in the fall
You’ll spend eight weeks working on real-world robotics and automation initiatives under the guidance of mentors, including the SMART Table robotics system, computer vision integration for agriculture sensing, and STEM education technologies. Projects are experiential and interdisciplinary, reflecting IALR’s mission to transform regional technology through applied solutions. As part of the program, you'll also receive leadership and professional development training, including communication and teamwork skills taught through the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership framework. Interns from robotics roles, such as those on “Coding and Robotics,” tackled tasks like building smart sensing applications or automating plant imaging workflows.
12. University of Texas at Austin: Academy for Robotics
Location: UT Austin campus
Cost: $2,100; Limited scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Session 1: June 15 – 20; Session 2: June 22 – 27
Application Deadline: Spring; Register as early as possible
Eligibility: High school students entering 10th-12th grade in the fall
You’ll spend one immersive week living and learning on the UT Austin campus, where you’ll assemble and program a Bot’n Roll One robot using C++, Arduino, and Linux. You’ll explore sensor integration, motors, skid‑steering, and PID control, and then apply these skills in a robot race. Along the way, you’ll attend lectures and lab tours led by UT faculty and undergraduate mentors. With small groups (10:1 ratio), you’ll receive personalized guidance and opportunities to network within UT’s robotics community. By competing in challenges and exploring campus life, you’ll gain confidence and practical experience that bridges high school interests with collegiate-level robotics.
13. Tufts University Engineering Design Lab
Location: Tufts University, Medford/Somerville, MA
Cost: Commuter $4,225; Residential $5,750 (plus a $200 materials fee); Limited scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Session 1: July 8 – July 16; Session 2: July 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders (15-19 years old by program’s end); If non-native English speakers, proof of proficiency required
You’ll spend one to two weeks immersed in engineering design, including robotics-focused projects using Tufts’ Nolop Makerspace, equipped with tools for 3D printing, laser cutting, and circuitry. Working in teams, you’ll conceptualize, fabricate, and program robotic systems to meet real‑world design challenges. Guest speakers from industry and faculty will help guide your process and connect classroom work to emerging technologies. At the end of each session, you’ll present your project outcomes with peers and faculty, gaining experience in technical communication and peer feedback.
14. NYU Tandon: Summer Program in Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost:$2,500; Additional fees apply
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Session 1: Orientation: June 14; Program: June 17 – 28 | Session 2: Orientation: July 1; Program: July 8 – 19 | Session 3: Orientation: July 26; Program: July 29 – August 9
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders (age 14+, with 15+ required for housing);
In this program, you’ll spend two full weeks building and programming robots using Arduino and sensor kits, guided by NYU Tandon faculty. The curriculum includes mechanics, electronics, coding logic, like conditionals and loops, and challenges culminating in a robot competition. You’ll receive the robotics kit to continue projects after the program, even if you don’t choose on-campus housing. While SPARC offers a strong introduction to mechatronics and coding, it’s designed for exploratory rather than advanced robotics research.
15. Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University: Robotics & Autonomous Systems Camp
Location: Embry‑Riddle Daytona Beach Campus, FL
Cost: $1,030; Scholarships may be provided
Acceptance Rate: Not very selective
Program Dates: July 20 – 25
Application Deadline: Registration opens January 8
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18
In this program, you’ll spend a full week working directly with Embry‑Riddle faculty and staff to design, build, program, and test autonomous robots. The camp covers key topics like mechanical and electrical engineering fundamentals, control systems, sensor integration, and embedded programming, often culminating in a mini-project or competition. Even if you don’t have prior coding experience, instructors guide you through learning the basics. Living and working on campus also gives you insight into university life and engineering facilities.
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