15 Engineering Programs for High School Students
Exploring programs and internships during high school is one of the most practical ways to test your interests before committing to a college major. These experiences give you early exposure to hands-on skills, real research environments, and professional mentorship, without always being an expensive commitment.
What do the best engineering programs for high school students entail?
Many of the best engineering programs for high school students are offered by top universities and nonprofit organizations, which makes them both credible and academically meaningful. Some are even fully funded, helping you gain experience without adding financial stress to your family. If you are even slightly curious about engineering, these programs help you move beyond textbooks and into actual problem-solving. They also help you build experiences that colleges genuinely recognize during admissions review.
P.S. If you want to go deeper on the engineering side,15 Prestigious Engineering Internships for High School Students is the natural companion to this one, and13 Free Online Engineering Internships for High School Students is worth bookmarking if you want remote-friendly options you can do from anywhere.
In this guide, we curated 15 of the most valuable engineering programs for high school students, based on academic depth, selectivity, quality of mentorship, and real-world application.
1. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,000 stipend upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors in the upcoming school year who live in New York City and attend NYC high schools
ARISE gives you about 120 hours of real lab research with NYU faculty while still in high school. The program begins with 4 weeks of training in lab safety, research fundamentals, and college-level writing skills. After that, you spend 6 weeks working inside active NYU engineering research labs in fields like robotics, environmental engineering, and applied sciences. Weekly seminars help you improve your communication and public speaking, which is often overlooked in technical training. You also receive college application support and long-term access to the ARISE alumni network. Since it is fully funded with a stipend, ARISE stands out as one of the most accessible Research-based engineering programs for high school students in NYC.
2. Ladder Internships – Engineering Track
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Varies based on cohort
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: High-school students with good academic standing
Ladder pairs you with a real startup team where you work on meaningful engineering projects remotely. You typically commit 5–10 hours per week while collaborating with founders or engineers on technical deliverables. Weekly one-on-one mentorship with both a company mentor and a Ladder coach helps keep your project on track. Group training sessions focus on professional skills like project management, communication, and engineering workflows. The program ends with a final deliverable, such as a product feature, algorithm, or prototype design. Among virtual engineering programs for high school students, Ladder stands out for its industry-level project exposure and structured mentorship.
3. HK Maker Lab
Location: Columbia University campus (Hypothekids), New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: July 6 – August 7
Application Deadline: December 5
Eligibility: Current 10th or 11th graders graduating in 2027 or 2028; NYC public or charter high school students with demonstrated educational or economic disadvantage
HK Maker Lab blends technical engineering design with digital media and communication training. The program begin with Columbia’s SHAPE engineering design curriculum, followed by a digital media experience focused on storytelling through design. You learn how to identify real community problems and turn them into working engineering prototypes using tools such as 3D printers and microcontrollers. Team projects emphasize collaboration, leadership, and project documentation. Mentors guide you through both technical execution and media presentation. As far as city-based engineering programs for high school students go, HK Maker Lab adds rare training in both engineering and communication.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend:
Individual Research Program: $3190
Premium Research & Publication Program: $6450
Research Fellowship: $9900
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance (unweighted GPA around 3.3/4)
Lumiere places you in a one-on-one research mentorship with a PhD scholar to complete original engineering research. You meet weekly to build your research question, analyze existing literature, and design a structured research methodology. Over time, you conduct independent analysis and produce a full research paper. Students in the Premium track receive additional editorial guidance to produce publication-ready work. The flexible virtual format allows participation from anywhere in the world. For students seeking research-driven engineering programs for high school, Lumiere offers one of the deepest academic models available.
5. Computer Engineering for Good (CE4G)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: $4,620
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Session 1: June 15 - July 2 | Session 2: July 6-July 24
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ (current 9th–12th graders), open to U.S. residents and international students
CE4G focuses on applying computer engineering to real social, environmental, and health challenges. You learn to program microcontrollers like Arduino and Raspberry Pi while building responsive hardware systems. Team-based design projects push you to brainstorm, prototype, and test engineering solutions for real-world issues. Workshops also cover systems thinking, ethics, and sustainability in engineering design. Faculty provide feedback throughout the development cycle. If you want socially-driven engineering programs for high school students, CE4G offers a strong blend of coding and systems engineering.
6. Design, Invent & Innovate (DII)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: $3,230
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 15-June 27
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ (current 9th–graduating 12th graders); open to U.S. residents and international students.
DII introduces you to the full engineering design thinking cycle from idea to prototype. You learn CAD modeling, rapid prototyping, laser cutting, and 3D printing through practical workshops. Mentors also guide you through the basics of intellectual property and market evaluation. Throughout the program, you refine your ideas through multiple iterations based on user testing. The program ends with a formal product pitch to instructors and peers. If you’re interested in innovation-oriented engineering programs for high school students, DII balances design and entrepreneurship effectively.
7. Immersive Summer Interacting with Technology & Engineering (I-SITE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: $10,350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ (current 9th through graduating 12th graders); open to U.S. residents and international students
I-SITE offers a 5-week intensive across robotics, machine learning, and physical computing. You wire circuits, program sensors, and build autonomous devices through guided labs. Machine learning sessions introduce you to algorithm training and applied data modeling. Team-based challenges push you to solve real-world technical problems. Daily mentorship from faculty and graduate students supports both theory and implementation. This is one of the more technically immersive engineering programs for high school students on this list.
8. Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: ieSoSC I: July 6- August 7 | ieSoSC II: July 13 - August 7
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ (current 9 to graduating 12 graders) who are NYC residents
ieSoSC explores how engineering, data, and entrepreneurship shape modern urban life. You study renewable energy systems, transportation networks, and waste management through applied engineering labs. Microcontrollers and sensors help you build intelligent prototypes for smart-city systems. Entrepreneurship workshops teach the fundamentals of business modeling and pitching. Teams present solutions to academic and industry judges at the conclusion. For civic-minded engineering programs for high school students, this program tightly integrates engineering with urban innovation.
9. Summer Program in Automation, Robotics & Coding (SPARC)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: $3,300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ (current 9th–12th graders). U.S. residents and international students accepted
SPARC gives you hands-on exposure to robotics, automation systems, and mechanical design. You build robots from mechanical frames to full electronic systems. Coding instruction in Python and C++ teaches you how to control sensors and actuators. Mini competitions reinforce design logic and troubleshooting. Instructors emphasize safety, documentation, and engineering workflow discipline. SPARC is a great option if you’re seeking robotics-focused engineering programs for high school students.
10. Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE)
Location: Columbia University School of Engineering, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $5,880 commuter; $10,705 residential; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 450 students
Dates: July 6 - July 24; July 27 - Aug 14
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent high-school graduates; residential students must be 16+
SHAPE lets you specialize in a focused engineering discipline through a 3-week academic track. You choose from areas like biomedical, mechanical, or computer engineering. Electives and professional workshops complement your main coursework. Field trips expose you to engineering research labs and industry environments. You end the program with a capstone project presentation. For students wanting a structured campus-based experience, SHAPE is one of the longer-running engineering programs in New York.
11. Engineering the Next Generation (ENG)
Location: Columbia University School of Engineering, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend:
$16.50/hour (Foundations of Research Track)
$17/hour (Center for Smart Streetscapes Track)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 6 – August 13
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Rising high-school seniors (Current 11th graders) interested in engineering and research
ENG places you inside active Columbia engineering research labs alongside graduate researchers. You contribute to real projects involving sensors, material modeling, or mechanical prototyping. Weekly workshops cover ethics, data literacy, and scientific communication. Multi-level mentorship pairs you with graduate students and faculty advisors. Paid stipends further emphasize the program’s professional orientation. ENG is a good option if you’re looking for research-oriented engineering programs for high school students.
12. Summer Engineering Awareness Program
Location: Manhattan College School of Engineering, Riverdale, NY
Cost/Stipend: $2,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: August 2- August 8
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in 10th or 11th grade. Must be 16 years old or older at the time of attendance
This program introduces you to six engineering disciplines through classroom and lab exposure. Morning lectures explain engineering theory, while afternoon labs focus on applied experimentation. You explore robotics, green construction, aerospace, and CAD systems. Guest speakers discuss college admissions and engineering career pathways. Students also visit engineering firms to observe industry operations. Among introductory engineering programs for high school students, this one emphasizes early exposure for underrepresented groups.
13. NYIT High School Summer Maker Academy
Location: NYIT, New York, NY (Long Island and New York City Campuses)
Cost/Stipend: $250 per program/per session
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students per program
Dates: Program 1: Session I: July 21 – 25 | Session II: August 11 – 15 | Program 2: Session I: July 28 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 6 (Tentative)
Eligibility: High-school students aged 14–18
This short program centers on building solutions for water delivery and smart cities. You gain skills in 3D modeling, PCB design, microcontroller programming, and digital fabrication. Faculty mentors guide you through concept creation and prototype testing. Team-based design challenges simulate real engineering design workflows. Final presentations allow you to communicate both technical and social impact. If you’re looking for low-cost engineering programs, this is one of the most accessible options.
14. Webb Institute Summer Engineering Academy (SEA)
Location: Webb Institute, 298 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – 18 (Tentative) | Session 2: July 21 – August 1 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8–12
SEA introduces you specifically to marine and naval engineering concepts. You study buoyancy, propulsion, and structural stability through classroom instruction. Design-build-test projects allow you to apply these theories to physical marine models. Labs test vessels in water under controlled conditions. Field trips expose you to shipyards and maritime museums. This is a rare specialization among the engineering programs for high school students that focuses entirely on naval engineering.
15. Cooper Union Summer STEM Program
Location: The Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: 3-week courses: $3150 | 6-week courses: $5150
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 18-24 students
Dates: 3-week courses: Session 1: July 6-23; Session 2: July 27 - August 13 | 6-week courses: July 6 - August 13
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th graders
Cooper Union’s program blends team-based engineering coursework with academic portfolio development. Students work in areas like robotics, biomedical design, and sustainable energy. Faculty and graduate students provide technical critique on ongoing projects. Workshops on admissions preparation support long-term planning. The program finishes with a public exhibition showcasing student work. It remains a feasible academic option among urban engineering programs for high school students.
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