11 Engineering Internships for High School Students in Dallas, Texas
If you are a high school student in Dallas, Texas, looking for some hands-on engineering experience, an internship in the field is worth considering!
Engineering internships offer you a chance to explore career paths while getting some hands-on experience in the field, insights into the workings of engineering organizations, and networking opportunities. Such programs can also help you explore the real-world applications of engineering concepts and the current tools, activities, research, and resources engineers use.
Texas is home to many reputable institutions and organizations that offer engineering internships to high school students, including those in Dallas. As an intern, you may get to work in labs, carry out independent projects, access mentorship opportunities, and even network with experts and engineering professionals. Many internships in the city offer stipends, rewarding you for your time and effort.
To help you get started, we have come up with this list of 11 engineering internships for high school students in Dallas, Texas.
1. Army Educational Outreach Program’s High School Internships
Location: Various sites across the U.S., including Army Research Laboratories and universities such as the University of Texas at Dallas
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Moderately selective. Cohort size varies based on site and project availability.
Dates: Varies depending on the cohort
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents and are at least 16 years of age
Cost/Stipend: No cost | You will receive an educational stipend, which varies by site, program duration, and cost of living
An Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)’s High School Internship is a chance to work in university labs or U.S. Army Research Laboratories on ongoing science and engineering projects alongside university researchers or Department of Defense scientists. Some projects involve integrating large language models with robotics, studying particle dynamics on rotor blades, or exploring autonomous navigation systems. For instance, at the Dallas, TX site, you will be responsible for developing an experimental database that measures the effects of sand particles on flow statistics over a model rotor blade. So, the program can help you see the real-world application of classroom concepts to real-world problems. Here, you will be paired with professional scientists or engineers who will serve as mentors, helping you work on your research posters or abstracts, which you present toward the end of the program. This experience can also help you build valuable public speaking and scientific writing skills.
2. NASA’s OSTEM High School Internship Program
Location: Virtual and in-person options
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective; updated information on cohort size is not available.
Dates: Vary for each session | Multiple sessions throughout the year—Spring session: Mid-January – early May; Summer session: Late May/early June – August; Fall internships: Late August/early September – mid-December
Application deadline: Spring: September; Summer: February 27; Fall: May 22
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old with a GPA of at least 3.0/4.0.
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; a stipend is offered based on session duration and academic level
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement offers various internships for high school students interested in working on real-world engineering projects in areas like aerospace, robotics, software, mechanical systems, and electrical engineering. As a NASA intern, you get to contribute to the agency’s missions by assisting them with relevant tasks, including hardware testing and developing algorithms for space and flight systems. You will be paired with a NASA mentor and get to help with tasks that involve robotics, for instance, building systems that improve movement, precision, or decision-making in remote environments. You may also work on simulations, troubleshoot code, and/or run tests on engineering systems. You will also get to work alongside researchers and scientists in well-equipped facilities. This experience can help you get hands-on engineering experience and hone technical skills.
Location: Remote
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Dates: Vary depending on the cohorts, which run throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies according to the cohort | The upcoming Summer cohort’s applications are due on June 23.
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
Cost/Stipend: $2,490 | Financial aid is available.
Ladder Internships can help you get hands-on experience while working with fast-growing start-ups. Here, you will be matching with companies across fields such as tech, AI/ML, health tech, and engineering. These start-ups are typically backed by top investors, with many having raised over a million dollars. Past hosts include Y Combinator alumni and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and Meta. During the internship, you will contribute to live projects under the guidance of a company mentor and a Ladder Coach, and then present your work to the company. You also receive one-on-one skills training in communication, organization, and time management. This experience can help you gain early insights into start-up environments and pick up professional skills.
4. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX (about five hours away from Dallas, TX)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective; 12 students/cohort
Dates: June-August
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 17 years old and U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Cost/Stipend: No tuition; a $25 non-refundable application fee | A $750 stipend is awarded
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University offers 12 high school students a chance to engage in hands-on research. You can choose to conduct your research on any one of the available research areas, including engineering disciplines. Here, you will work closely with faculty mentors to complete your research project and get guidance to hone your critical thinking and investigation skills. This experience can give you practical insights into the life of researchers, the research process, and what it is like to live on a university campus and work in well-equipped research facilities. You will also engage in weekly talks, group sessions, and field trips to network with peers and explore career paths.
Location: Multiple sites across the U.S., including Austin, TX (about three hours away from Dallas)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective; information on cohort size is not available.
Dates: Vary based on the site, project, and funding availability; students typically have to intern for at least eight weeks
Application deadline: January 10
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16, U.S. citizens with a minimum GPA of 3.0
Cost/Stipend: No cost | A weekly stipend starting from $501.60 is provided.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program is an opportunity to engage in real research relevant to the fields of defense and engineering. Here, you will get to work with Air Force Research Lab teams on ongoing projects in areas of aerospace, cybersecurity, materials, and space tech. Depending on your role, you might help run tests, build models, write code, or work with data. Site visits, lab tours, and professional networking are all part of the experience. Some locations offer opportunities to present final projects or research findings.
6. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) at George Mason University
Location: Online opportunities available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: February 2
Program dates: June 18 – August 8
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old
Cost: Free to attend; An application fee of $25 is charged, but it can be waived based on a needs-based system.
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is an opportunity to gain hands-on research experience in STEM fields while working alongside faculty researchers. Throughout the internship, you will have access to cutting-edge resources and gain solid experience in scientific research. You can find a mentor offering research assistance in fields like electrical engineering, civil engineering, or bioengineering, among other areas. As an intern, you will also find opportunities to work on skills like scientific writing and communication. At the end of the program, you will get to present your project at a poster session. A key feature of ASSIP is the opportunity to publish your work in a scientific journal and present it at scientific conferences.
Location: Hybrid format with virtual sessions and in-person options. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June – July
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors in Los Fresnos CISD, Sharyland ISD, and South Texas ISD who are 16 years old and U.S. citizens and permanent residents
Cost/Stipend: No cost | A $2,000 stipend offered upon meeting all program milestones.
If you are interested in exploring the field of healthcare engineering, the PATHS-UP program can offer you opportunities to work on hands-on projects in the field. The work you engage in will be aimed at improving healthcare access for underserved communities. You will get to work in a lab, run experiments, review scientific papers, and practice your writing and presentation skills. You will also join virtual seminars and team up with researchers from UCLA, Rice, and FIU. Key components of the program include a virtual research symposium, creation of a Young Scholars Club at school, and involvement in a Young Scholars Invent event.
8. NASA High School Aerospace Scholars
Location: NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (three hours away from Dallas, TX) for the summer experience + virtual participation during the academic year
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Updated information on cohort size is unavailable
Dates: 10-month program | Courses run from late October to April, and summer opportunities are offered in June and July
Application deadline: October 16
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens and Texas residents with internet access
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded program
While not a traditional internship, this program offers hands-on experience. Designed to help you develop an interest in space, engineering, and aeronautics, NASA’s High School Aerospace Scholars combines academic work, interactive digital modules, and hands-on project work. During the program, you will complete courses covering NASA missions, space exploration, and Earth science, and get to work on design challenges such as 3D modeling, video production, and interactive posters. Top program performers get to join the in-person summer experience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Here, you may collaborate on an Artemis mission-themed design project and/or attend team briefings led by NASA staff as well as visit key NASA and Texas A&M engineering facilities.
Location: Online
Application deadline: Rolling
Program dates: The program runs throughout the year | You can choose from half-time (2 – 8 weeks in summer) and quarter-time (1 – 9 months at any time of the year) virtual sessions
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have taken at least one honors science or honors English class and have a minimum GPA of 3.25
Cost/Stipend: Free opportunity; no stipend
EnergyMag offers flexible virtual internships to high school students interested in energy storage. As an intern, you will primarily research and analyze topics related to energy storage, such as a specific company, technology, or market, under the guidance of a mentor. During the program, you will collect and analyze relevant data, compile your findings, and create an analysis report. Once your report is completed, it will be published on the EnergyMag website, and you will receive an Internship Letter of Accomplishment.
10. SPARK Summer Mentorship Program
Location: Multiple sites in the U.S. + online internships available for Dallas, TX students
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective program
Application deadline: March/April | Exact dates yet to be announced.
Dates: TBA, but the program runs from June to August
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S.; The precise requirements, in terms of location, interests, and education, can vary for each project/internship.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend is offered
The SPARK Summer Mentorship Program offers high school students opportunities to work on innovative STEM projects and connect with professionals, professors, and mentors. In the past, one of the virtual internships focused on engineering, called Advancing Accessibility in Engineering Education, where interns worked on preparing a technical report on improving access to engineering education. Another remote option called Data Engineering and AI for Real World Problems involved working on tasks involving the use of AI/ML applications, data pipelines, and predictive analytics to address real-world issues.
11. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program
Location: Online and in-person at the University of Texas at Austin, TX (about a three-hour drive from Dallas, TX)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: ~10%; in the past, the program received 2,000 applications and accepted 215
Dates: May 1 – July 22
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, and have a strong interest in STEM fields
Cost/Stipend: Free program
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) program, run by NASA and UT Austin’s Center for Space Research, focuses on Earth and space science. Here, you will explore these fields using real satellite data. Here, you will study topics like astronomy, climate, natural disasters, and mapping tech, and get to work with scientists, engineers, and grad student mentors. It includes both virtual and on-site components. Selected students then attend a two-week on-site session in Austin, TX. You must present your final projects at the SEES Virtual Science Symposium.