15 Engineering Summer Internships for High School Students in 2026
If you are a high school student interested in engineering, a summer internship can help you explore technical fields while gaining experience that strengthens your academic profile. These internships provide insight into how engineers approach and solve real-world problems.
By working on defined tasks and structured projects, you will gain exposure to tools, processes, and workflows used in areas such as design, materials science, and systems engineering. Many engineering summer internships for high school students are offered by universities, research institutions, and established organizations, making them credible and accessible opportunities. In addition to technical learning, these programs can help you build familiarity with professional expectations, timelines, and collaboration. As short-term summer experiences, they can fit within your academic schedule without requiring a long-term commitment.
If you want to check out other summer programs, here’s a list of free leadership programs & here’s a list of some STEM-specific internships!
What Engineering Summer internships are available for high school students in 2026?
Engineering summer internships introduce high school students to core engineering concepts through guided activities and project-based work. Depending on the program,you may gain experience with CAD software, basic programming platforms, or prototyping methods. Activities can include designing models, analyzing materials, developing engineering solutions, or exploring how systems are planned and tested. Many programs also include mentor guidance, feedback sessions, and opportunities to present your work. Some internships may be offered on university campuses, in laboratory settings, or in virtual formats. These experiences provide a structured introduction to engineering while enabling you to produce tangible skills within a defined timeframe.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 engineering summer internships for high school students in 2026.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: $75 as a nonrefundable application fee | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 100 students each year
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically early to mid-December
Eligibility: High school juniors with strong academic ability and background who are preparing to enter their last year of high school | Must be 16 years old by July 1 of the program year
The Research Science Institute (RSI), offered by the Center for Excellence in Education, is a six-week summer research program for high school students held in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You will begin with intensive classroom instruction covering advanced STEM concepts before moving into an individual research project in a chosen field like engineering. During the research phase, you will work under the guidance of scientists and researchers, contributing to ongoing research work in areas such as engineering, physics, biology, or mathematics. The program requires you to engage with academic publications, analyze data, and develop your findings in a structured format. In the concluding stage, you can prepare both a written research paper and an oral presentation based on your work.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type | Financial aid is available | No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 25% | Around 100 students per cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort – spring (January), summer (May), fall (September), and winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 8 - 12 weeks, devoting 10 - 20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is an eight-week virtual internship program that connects high school students with early-stage startups working in fields such as software engineering, machine learning and AI, and deep tech. Based on your interests, you will be matched with a host company and assigned a project designed around specific goals and deliverables. Throughout the internship, you will receive guidance from a company coach during weekly sessions. On the engineering track, past interns have built machine learning models, designed SMS and email processing systems, created AI-driven pricing tools, and created user interfaces for technology platforms. Each week will follow a defined timeline, moving from project definition through drafting, revision, and a final presentation to the company by the end of the internship.
3. University of Chicago - Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free | $5600 as a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 15 - August 7
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Open to high school and undergraduate students | High school applicants must be located in the Chicago area and must be able to comfortably commute to the UChicago Hyde Park campus | All students must be authorized to work in the United States
The DSI Summer Lab by the University of Chicago is an eight-week summer research program that includes the participation of high school students from the Chicago area alongside undergraduates. You will be paired with a mentor to work as a research assistant on a data science project across disciplines such as computer science, engineering, materials science, public policy, or biomedical research. The program is structured around active research, where you engage with methodologies such as data analysis, computational techniques, and interdisciplinary problem-solving. You will work within a research group, contributing to ongoing projects while developing an understanding of how data-driven research is conducted. Throughout the program, you can participate in speaker sessions, collaborative activities, and professional development opportunities.
4. Sandia National Laboratories High School Internship Program
Location: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid (amount varies)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Typically, 10 - 12 weeks starting in May
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students who are 16+ years old and enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university | Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for undergraduate and high school students applying for clerical or laborer positions and 3.0 for undergraduate and high school students applying for research and development (R&D), technical, or business positions
The Sandia National Laboratories High School Internship Program is a research internship where high school students can contribute to projects in areas such as mechanical systems, electrical engineering, and materials research. As a participant, you will be assigned to a technical team working on ongoing projects within the laboratory. Your responsibilities may involve supporting experiments, analyzing data, or assisting with design-related tasks. Depending on your project, you may use laboratory equipment or computational tools. Through this experience, you can observe how engineering work is conducted in national research facilities. You can also interact with scientists and engineers during your placement.
5. MIT’s MITES Summer Program
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid | Food and housing are provided free of cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Typically late June through early August
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school students who are in 11th grade (juniors) who are U.S citizens or permanent residents
The MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES) Summer program by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a six-week residential program that introduces high school students to advanced STEM coursework with a strong engineering component. The curriculum includes subjects such as mathematics, physics, engineering, and life sciences, along with elective subjects such as engineering design, electronics, or computational methods. Classes follow a college-level format, including scheduled lectures, problem sets, and assessments throughout the program. Your coursework will be focused on quantitative reasoning and the application of scientific principles to technical problems. Elective components typically include project-based tasks that involve designing systems, analyzing data, or working through engineering-focused challenges.
6. Princeton University’s AI4ALL
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Cost/Stipend: Free | unpaid; housing, meals, and the trip to Washington, D.C and travel to and from Princeton are covered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: July 9 - July 30 (tentative)
Application Deadline: April 9 (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising 11th-grade students (current 10th graders) who live in the United States and Puerto Rico and who qualify as low-income | To qualify as low-income, your household income must not exceed $60,000, and/or your circumstances must qualify you for free or reduced-price lunch and/or an SAT/ACT fee waiver
The Princeton AI4ALL is a summer program focused on developing and analyzing artificial intelligence models using datasets and computational methods. In this program, you can work on a group project that involves processing data and building machine learning models. Your activities may include writing code, evaluating model performance, and interpreting outputs. You can engage with concepts related to how AI systems are designed, trained, and evaluated. Some project work connects to applications in areas such as data systems and computational technologies.
7. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, NYU, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: May 29 - August 14
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: New York City high school students in the 10th or 11th grade.
The Applied Research in Science and Engineering (ARISE) program by New York University is a multi-week summer research program that introduces high school students to engineering and related STEM fields through a structured format. The program begins with college-level coursework covering topics such as the scientific method, research practices, and laboratory safety. This is followed by a research phase, where you will be placed in NYU laboratories to work under the guidance of graduate or postdoctoral mentors on ongoing research projects in areas such as engineering, robotics, and computer science. Responsibilities during this phase may include data collection, analysis, and contributing to defined components of a research study within a defined framework.
8. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Virtual and in-person at MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free for students whose family income is less than or equal to $200,000 (other students must pay $2,400) | Unpaid | Housing not included
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: July 6 - August 2
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: 9th to 11th graders attending high school in the US
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a project-based program where high school students can complete intensive technical coursework in areas such as robotics, autonomous systems, aerospace engineering, and embedded systems. As part of the program, you can enroll in a specialized course focused on building and testing a defined engineering system. Your work will typically involve completing structured assignments and contributing to a larger technical project. Depending on the course, you may write code, design system components, or evaluate system performance. You will be introduced to concepts used in your project work through lectures and peer collaboration opportunities.
9. Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)
Location: Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Session one: July 12 - 16 | Session two: July 19 - 23 | Session three (for students returning in year 2): July 26 - 30
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Current sophomore (10th grade) or junior (11th grade) who have not been exposed to the engineering profession through high school coursework, extracurricular activities, similar programs, and close role models working in engineering, and who may lack the means to access engineering courses and programs
The Summer Engineering Seminar (SES) by Santa Clara University is a five-day residential summer program that introduces high school students to a range of engineering disciplines. You will attend faculty-led workshops covering areas such as bioengineering, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. The program combines lectures with interactive sessions, where you will work on small, guided engineering projects based on the workshop concepts. You will also interact with faculty, undergraduate students, and peers while following a structured daily schedule. Throughout the program, you can engage with introductory engineering concepts, complete guided tasks, and participate in project-based activities.
10. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified | Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), fall (September - December), winter (December - February), and spring (March - June)
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program by Lumiere Education is a virtual program in which you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to develop an independent research paper in a field such as engineering, computer science, physics, or mathematics. You will begin by aligning with your mentor on a topic and research question, then progress through stages of exploration, writing, and revision over the course of the program. Research topics can span areas such as computational methods, applied physics, data science, or architecture, and you also have the option to propose a custom topic aligned with your area of interest. The program is fully online, runs across multiple cohorts throughout the year, and concludes with a graduation symposium. Students who complete the program are eligible to earn post-baccalaureate credits through UC San Diego Extended Studies.
11. MIT Women’s Technology Program (WTP)
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free if family income is $120,000 or less | Cost varies based on family income for other students | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 20 students
Dates: June 27 - July 25
Application Deadline: Late October - December 15
Eligibility: High school students in 11th grade who live in the U.S and whose permanent family home address is in the U.S | Students attending boarding school outside the U.S., returning to the family home in the US for school breaks, can apply if their permanent family home address is in the U.S
The Women's Technology Program (WTP) is a residential program at MIT in which you study mechanical engineering through coursework, laboratories, and team-based projects. As part of the program, you will cover topics such as forces and free body diagrams, kinematics, fluids, rotational motion, materials, heat transfer, electronics, and computer-aided design. Students create CAD models that are 3D printed as part of a take-home project. Alongside lectures, you can work in maker workshops where you build circuits, use tools such as a drill press and band saw, and construct projects including a foam cutter and wire sculptures. Two major design challenges anchor the program: a first-week crane-building capstone project and a final Rube Goldberg Machine project in which teams design, build, and test a working mechanical system. You will also work with an MIT mentor on an independent poster project that connects mechanical engineering to an area of personal interest. The program includes company visits, laboratory tours, and an Engineering Showcase where you interact with practicing engineers.
12. NASA + UT Austin SEES High School Summer Intern Program
Location: The University of Texas at Austin
Cost/Stipend: Free for scholarship recipients | Selected scholarship recipients also receive travel cost support to Austin | Paid participation option available for a fee of $2000 | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Distance learning to be completed by July 1 | Remote work from June - July 3, onsite internship from July 5 - 18
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current high school Sophomores or Juniors who are 16 years old by July 5 and who are US citizens
The NASA SEES High School Summer Intern Program is a research program focused on analyzing Earth science data using computational tools, satellite datasets, and modeling techniques. In this program, you will work in a team to analyze datasets provided through NASA-supported research. Your responsibilities may include coding, interpreting data, and using geospatial or scientific software. Some projects incorporate applications related to environmental monitoring systems and satellite-based analysis. You will receive guidance for your project work through guided virtual sessions.
13. Northeastern Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Northeastern's Boston Campus, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 22 - July 30
Application Deadline: December 15 - March 2
Eligibility: High school students entering 12th grade in the fall following the program who are permanent Massachusetts residents living within commuting distance of Northeastern University and who are US citizens or permanent residents
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) by Northeastern University is a six-week commuter research program in which you work in a university laboratory across the Colleges of Engineering, Science, or Health Sciences. You will be placed in a faculty-led research lab where past projects have included work on model compression algorithms for FPGA implementation, battery chemistry optimization, agent-based simulations of active particles, and cancer therapy research. In addition to lab work, you will also attend an introductory engineering seminar series featuring presentations by professors from disciplines such as chemical, civil, electrical, computer, mechanical, and industrial engineering on topics such as radar, robotics, superconductivity, and environmental engineering. The program includes field trips to corporate and government research sites where you observe engineers at work.
14. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program (Texas Tech University)
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
Cost/Stipend: Free except for the $25 application fee | Expenses for on-campus meals, on-campus room, board, and weekend activities/programming are covered | $750 stipend provided on completion of research project
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students each summer
Dates: June 21 - August 6
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (at least 17 years old) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a research program where high school students can complete an individual project under faculty mentorship across disciplines including engineering, physics, and computer science. In this program, you will be placed in a specific research area, which may include fields such as mechanical or electrical engineering. Your work will include reviewing background material, developing a research question, and contributing to an ongoing project. Depending on your placement, you may assist with experimental procedures, data collection, or technical analysis. Alongside your research, you will also attend seminars and discussions.
15. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Internship
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid, exact amount varies depending on specific internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies depending on the specific internship
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the specific internship
Eligibility: Full-time students attending an accredited high school or college the semester before and after an internship award with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
The Idaho National Laboratory High School Internship is a research internship relevant to fields such as energy systems, national security technologies, and applied engineering. As a participant, you will be placed within a technical team working on cybersecurity, nuclear energy, or materials science. Your responsibilities may include assisting with experiments, analyzing datasets, and supporting technical investigations. Through this work, you can see how engineering problems are tackled in large-scale research environments. You also interact with researchers and engineers across different disciplines.
Summary
This list covers 15 engineering summer programs for high school students, ranging from free, need-based residential programs like MIT's MITES and Women's Technology Program to research placements at national laboratories like Sandia and Idaho National Laboratory, with most programs either fully free or offering significant financial aid. The programs divide clearly between structured coursework programs that teach engineering fundamentals through lectures and labs, like Santa Clara's SES and MIT's WTP, and independent or mentored research placements that produce a tangible project or paper, like the Research Science Institute, Lumiere, and Northeastern's YSP. Deadlines cluster heavily between December and March for the most selective programs, including RSI (early to mid-December), MITES (February 1), and NASA SEES (February 22), so students should begin preparing application materials well before the end of the fall term.
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. Several of these are extremely selective national programs, like RSI and MITES. What if I don't get in? Are there strong alternatives?
Yes. Ladder Internships and the Lumiere Research Scholar Program are both open more broadly and don't carry the same narrow academic thresholds as RSI or MITES, while still producing a substantive project or paper. Santa Clara's Summer Engineering Seminar and Northeastern's Young Scholars Program are also good regional alternatives if you're located near those campuses, since both offer genuine faculty-led exposure without requiring the same level of prior achievement.
2. I want hands-on, build-something engineering experience, not just data analysis or coursework. Which programs are the best fit?
MIT's Women's Technology Program is the most hands-on option, with maker workshops where you build circuits and construct physical projects like a foam cutter and a Rube Goldberg Machine. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is similarly project-based, having you build and test robotics or embedded systems. If you want a mix of coursework and applied projects, Santa Clara's SES offers guided engineering projects within a shorter, five-day format.
3. A few programs here, like Princeton AI4ALL and NASA SEES, seem more computational or data-focused than traditional engineering. Should I still consider them if I want a mechanical or hands-on engineering career?
They're worth considering if you want exposure to how modern engineering increasingly relies on computational tools, even if the end goal is a more traditional mechanical or hands-on path. NASA SEES specifically applies coding and data analysis to real satellite datasets, which builds transferable skills in geospatial and scientific software relevant across engineering disciplines. If you want a purely hands-on introduction instead, MIT's WTP or Santa Clara's SES are more directly aligned with mechanical and physical engineering work.