15 Electrical Engineering Summer Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student curious about engineering, summer programs can be one of the most practical ways to explore the field. Many of these programs are designed to provide exposure to technical skills, insight into how engineering works in academic and industry settings, and early access to mentors. Today, a growing number of top universities and established organizations offer well-structured engineering programs for high school students.
Why should I participate in an electrical engineering summer program in high school?
Summer electrical engineering programs are a fantastic way for high school students to test out a tech career. You will build things, like robotics or basic power systems, giving you practical skills. You also get useful introduction to the industry by touring labs and meeting professional engineers who can offer valuable career advice. It’s a great way to build a network of mentors who can help you figure out if engineering is the right path for you.
To help you navigate the many options available, we’ve narrowed this list to the 15 best summer electrical engineering programs for high school students.
1. Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Cambridge, MA & Lexington, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 18–26 students per year
Dates: July 12–25
Application Deadline: March 11
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors; U.S. citizens only
This two-week, project-based workshop introduces you to the fundamentals of radar system design through practical electrical engineering work. You build and test small Doppler and range radar systems, applying concepts from electronics, signal processing, and electromagnetic sensing. The program emphasizes circuit assembly, system integration, and structured problem-solving rather than relying solely on lectures. You work closely with MIT Lincoln Laboratory scientists and engineers, gaining exposure to real-world defense and research applications of electrical engineering. Activities take place across both the MIT campus and Lincoln Laboratory facilities, giving you experience in academic and applied research environments. The program concludes with functional radar prototypes, reinforcing end-to-end engineering design skills.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25% acceptance; 70–100 students per session
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); apply here
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10–20 hours/week, for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships offers a hands-on way to dive into the startup world, placing you with well-funded companies in fields like AI, health tech, and consulting. Throughout the program, you tackle actual business challenges under the dual guidance of a company manager and a dedicated mentor. This setup is designed to sharpen your professional collaboration and problem-solving abilities in a fast-paced environment. The experience culminates in a formal presentation to senior leadership, providing a rare chance to receive high-level feedback on your contributions. It’s a practical, high-impact opportunity to build your resume while helping an emerging business grow.
3. Applied Research in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY (hybrid: remote workshops + in-person labs)
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~60 students
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: New York City high school students in 10th or 11th grade
ARISE is a 10-week applied research program that places you in an NYU engineering or STEM lab to work on research problems. You begin with remote workshops focused on research readiness and then transition to full-time, in-person lab work under faculty and graduate researcher mentorship. Electrical engineering–related placements may include nanoelectronics, smart energy systems, mechatronics, telecommunications, or applied machine learning, depending on lab assignment. You develop hands-on research skills such as experimental design, data analysis, and technical documentation while contributing to active lab projects. The program also includes structured training in presentation and public speaking. You conclude by presenting your research at a formal colloquium.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 1:1 mentor-to-student ratio
Dates: 2 weeks to 1 year. Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring cohorts available
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); you can apply here
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
In this program, you partner with a PhD mentor to conduct college-level research across topics like STEM, economics, psychology, and the humanities. Throughout the 12-week sessions, you will review academic literature, define a unique research question, analyze data, and draft a professional 20-page paper. The program is unique for its personalized one-on-one mentorship and the chance to seek publication in prestigious journals or earn university credit. By completing these tasks, you develop critical thinking, systematic data analysis, and advanced academic writing skills. Ultimately, you’ll walk away with a polished project that showcases your intellectual curiosity and ability to handle complex, independent academic work. You can check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program (EEMP)
Location: Sci-MI (virtual)
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; cohort size varies based on the number of volunteer mentors (PhD students and industry pros
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: Mid-May
Eligibility: All high school students
The Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program introduces you to core electrical engineering domains such as circuits, signal processing, embedded systems, computer architecture, and software engineering. You work toward an individual, independent project, supported by volunteer mentors and open-source technical resources. Weekly programming includes technical lectures, journal clubs, interactive lab sessions, and research skills workshops, all delivered virtually with asynchronous options. The program emphasizes research thinking, technical writing, and exploratory problem-solving rather than formal coursework. You conclude the experience by producing a written project paper and delivering a 10–15 minute presentation. The structure mirrors early-stage academic research.
6. ESTEEM / SER-Quest Summer Program
Location: University of Maryland, College Park, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 20–30 students
Dates: July 20 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders; minimum 3.2 GPA; no C’s in math or science; completion of Trigonometry, Chemistry, and Pre-Calculus (B or better); should’ve completed Pre-Calculus by the summer of 12th grade
The ESTEEM/SER-Quest Summer Program is a four-week engineering program that places you in a structured college-level research environment. You work on an engineering research project that involves proposal development, literature review, and guided investigation under faculty or research mentors. The program emphasizes research methodology, technical communication, and analytical thinking rather than coursework alone. In addition to project work, you receive structured exposure to college preparation, financial aid processes, and engineering career pathways. You also interact with undergraduate and graduate engineering students through organized activities and mentoring sessions. The program concludes with research deliverables that mirror early-stage undergraduate engineering research experiences.
7. Grainger Engineering Young Scholars (GEnYuS) – WYSE Young Scholars
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, The Grainger College of Engineering, Urbana, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Fellowship payment awarded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very selective; approximately 20–30 students
Dates: Approximately 6 weeks between Late June – Late July
Application Deadline: Late March
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders residing in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, or Wisconsin
The Grainger Engineering Young Scholars program places you in department-specific research groups within The Grainger College of Engineering, including electrical engineering labs. You participate in full-time, mentored research alongside faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, committing roughly 30–35 hours per week. Electrical engineering projects may involve areas such as micro- and nanoelectronics, circuits, energy systems, or applied computing, depending on lab placement. In addition to lab work, you attend weekly seminars focused on scientific communication, poster design, and college readiness. The program culminates in a formal research poster and symposium presentation. This is a research-first experience designed to mirror early undergraduate lab immersion.
8. HighTech Bound Summer Internship
Location: University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory, Durham, NH
Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically, 8–10 students
Dates: July 6 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year
HighTech Bound is a paid engineering internship that places you inside the UNH InterOperability Laboratory to work on hardware projects and network. You collaborate in small teams under the guidance of dedicated mentors, contributing to projects involving Ethernet, networking protocols, hardware testing, and systems used by major technology companies. The program emphasizes applied problem-solving, debugging, and exposure to professional engineering workflows rather than classroom instruction. You gain experience with both software and hardware tools commonly used in industry-grade testing environments. Interns work full-time on assigned projects and build technical confidence through sustained, real-world engineering tasks.
9. Explore Engineering Innovation (EEI)
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, and multiple U.S. locations; hybrid and online options available
Cost: Varies depending on format, complete details here; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 18–24 students
Dates: In-person Residential and Commuter: June 29 – July 24; additional hybrid and online sessions run June – July
Application Deadline: January 30 (early action); rolling admissions through May 27
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; completion of Algebra II, trigonometry, and a full year of chemistry or physics required; As and Bs in science and math classes; between ages 15 and 17
Explore Engineering Innovation is a college-level engineering course designed to mirror a first-year Johns Hopkins engineering curriculum in an accelerated summer format. You work in small teams on applied engineering projects that include electronics, circuit logic, microcontroller-based systems, and computational problem-solving. Electrical engineering concepts are introduced through hands-on labs using hardware such as the Circuit Playground Express, alongside structured programming tasks. The program emphasizes engineering design, quantitative reasoning, and technical communication rather than short exploratory workshops. Instruction is delivered by Johns Hopkins engineering faculty across in-person, hybrid, and synchronous online formats. The experience concludes with completed design projects that reflect the scope and rigor of early undergraduate engineering coursework.
10. Summer Engineering Institute (SENGI)
Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
Cost: Residential: $3,907; Commuter: $2,262 + $45 application fee; partial and limited full scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically 40–50 students disclosed
Dates: July 13–26
Application Deadline: May 15 (recommended)
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores through rising seniors
The Summer Engineering Institute introduces you to multiple engineering disciplines, including electrical engineering, through structured design and problem-solving work. You engage in hands-on projects that apply core engineering principles alongside guided faculty instruction and team-based learning. Electrical engineering concepts are explored in the context of systems thinking, applied science, and real-world engineering challenges. The program emphasizes skills such as engineering design, technical communication, teamwork, and the use of computer software tools. You complete a multi-day project that culminates in a formal presentation, reinforcing both technical understanding and professional skills. Instruction takes place in modern team-based learning labs and engineering facilities on the UMass Amherst campus.
11. Engineering Investigations (EI)
Location: Tufts University, Medford / Somerville, MA
Cost: Commuter: $4,425; Residential: $5,950; limited need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; likely 20–30 students per session
Dates: Session 1: July 5–17; Session 2: July 19–31
Application Deadline: May 1 (rolling admissions)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 or recent high school graduates; residential students must be at least 15 years old
Engineering Investigations is a program designed to introduce you to multiple engineering disciplines, including electrical engineering, through structured activities. Each day combines short lectures, discussions, and applied design tasks that expose you to areas such as electrical systems, fabrication, engineering ethics, and project management. You work in small teams to apply engineering design processes to real-world challenges rather than completing isolated labs. The program emphasizes client-centered design, technical communication, and collaborative problem-solving. You culminate the experience with a group engineering project that is publicly presented at a final showcase. Instruction is supported by Tufts engineering faculty, makerspace staff, and industry-informed perspectives.
12. Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP)
Location: University of Pennsylvania, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,250; limited need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 30–35 students per cohort
Dates: July 12–31
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising sophomores to rising seniors; minimum 3.0 GPA; must be at least 15 years old by program start
The Engineering Summer Academy at Penn is a three-week, intensive pre-college program that immerses you in college-level engineering coursework and labs. You can engage with electrical engineering topics such as circuits, applied electronics, and computational problem-solving. Instruction is led by Penn engineering faculty and emphasizes both theoretical foundations and practical implementation. The program mirrors the pace and expectations of undergraduate engineering study, with daily academic commitments and structured assignments. You live on campus and work closely with peers in a collaborative learning environment. ESAP concludes with evaluated coursework and projects that reflect the rigor of a selective university engineering program.
13. California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
Location: University of California campuses including UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC Merced, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz (fully residential)
Cost: $5,518 total program cost + $46 application fee; need-based financial assistance is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 20–25 students per cluster cluster-based admission)
Dates: July 5–31 (Some campuses conclude August 1)
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: California residents only; rising 9th–12th graders; strong academic record expected
COSMOS is a four-week pre-college program where you enroll in a specific academic cluster rather than a general STEM curriculum. At select UC campuses, electrical engineering–aligned clusters focus on areas such as circuits, robotics, embedded systems, control systems, microelectronics, or applied computing. Instruction is faculty-led and combines advanced lectures with lab-intensive, project-based work that exceeds typical high school coursework. You engage in sustained technical problem-solving within your chosen cluster while living on campus full-time. The program emphasizes depth within a defined domain rather than survey-style exposure. COSMOS concludes with evaluated academic work and project outputs that are directly tied to the selected cluster.
14. Columbia Engineering SHAPE (Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers)
Location: Columbia University, New York City, NY (commuter and residential options available)
Cost: $5,880 per session (commuter); $10,705 per session (residential); full need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 25 students per class
Dates: Session 1: July 6–24; Session 2: July 27 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent high school graduates; residential option limited to U.S.-based students aged 16+
SHAPE is a three-week, intensive pre-college engineering program that allows you to enroll in college-level, project-based engineering courses taught by Columbia faculty. Electrical engineering–relevant offerings may include robotics, circuits, innovation and design, and applied computing, depending on course selection. Instruction emphasizes hands-on projects, problem-solving, and applied theory rather than survey-style exposure. You will participate in workshops and industry or company visits that contextualize engineering concepts in industry settings. The academic pace mirrors introductory undergraduate engineering courses, with graded assignments and collaborative work. SHAPE is best suited for students seeking structured EE coursework rather than mentored research.
15. Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) Internship / Practicum
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA (in-person; residential and commuter options)
Cost: Commuter: $6,415; Residential: $10,393/$10,735 (depending on 14 or 19 weekly meals) + $75 application fee; limited need-based aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 190 students
Dates: June 28 – August 7 (residential); June 29 – August 7 (commuter)
Application Deadline: February 4
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
In this internship track, you spend up to 40 hours per week conducting independent research in fields that include electrical and computer engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, physics, and related STEM areas. The Practicum track offers structured, instructor-led group research in computational fields such as data science or computational neurobiology. All students participate in professional development workshops and present their work at a formal poster symposium at the end of the program. The experience emphasizes research methodology, technical skill development, and scientific communication. RISE is best suited for students seeking serious, college-level research exposure rather than exploratory coursework.
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