15 Summer Engineering Research Programs for High School Students
Gaining early exposure to research can shape your future in STEM. Research programs, courses, and internships give you the chance to step outside the classroom and learn how engineering principles are applied in labs, projects, and industry settings. By working on projects, collaborating with mentors, and attending seminars, you’ll build technical knowledge while refining skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.
If you’re curious about engineering and related fields, summer engineering research programs for high school students can help you discover how your interests can develop into future studies and careers. These programs allow you to explore areas like robotics, computer science, nanotechnology, or materials engineering. You’ll get the opportunity to interact with faculty, graduate students, and peers, valuable connections who can support your academic and personal growth.
So, to help you find the right fit, we’ve compiled a list of the top 15 summer engineering research programs for high school students that feature a variety of disciplines, formats, and experiences.
15 Summer Engineering Research Programs for High School Students
1. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Apprenticeship
Location: Various U.S. Army Research Labs and university research centers nationwide, including Cambridge and Boston, MA
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: Varies by location; typically June – August
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old to qualify
Through the AEOP High School Apprenticeship, you can take part in full-time, paid summer research at U.S. Army labs or affiliated university laboratories, where projects span fields such as biology, cybersecurity, engineering, and materials science. You will be paired with a mentor who guides your day-to-day work, which may involve conducting experiments, analyzing data, or using specialized equipment. Beyond the lab, the program also connects you to workshops, webinars, and peer mentors who provide insight into both college preparation and career planning in STEM. This prestigious summer engineering research program for high school students covers professional development as well as technical training, helping you see how federal research links to broader scientific and engineering challenges.
2. Ladder Internship's Mentored Research Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: Multiple cohorts offered throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can commit to 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships is an 8-week, fully online program where you work with startups across industries like artificial intelligence, healthcare, and technology. You become part of a startup team, where you contribute to project-based work under the guidance of both a company mentor and a Ladder Coach. Weekly check-ins structure your progress, but much of your work is independent, giving you space to practice problem-solving and critical thinking in a business research environment. By the end of the term, you deliver a final presentation, summarizing your research or project contributions. Students interested in a broader experience can also choose the Combination Program, which pairs mentored research with a CEO internship.
3. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Various Department of the Navy laboratories across the country
Stipend: $4,000 (new participants); $4,500 (returning participants)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ≈300
Dates: Not specified; typically May to June
Application deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 who are 16 years old by the start of the program and are U.S. citizens
The SEAP program allows you to spend 8 weeks of your summer in a Department of the Navy laboratory, where around 300 high school students are placed each year across 38 sites nationwide. Depending on your assignment, you may support projects in electronics, systems engineering, environmental science, or materials testing, working directly with Navy scientists and engineers. While the specific projects vary by lab, you can expect to participate in hands-on research tasks and gain exposure to how science and engineering drive defense-related innovation. Mentorship and professional development activities, such as lab tours and seminars, are included in this summer engineering research program for high school students.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Engineering Track
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies based on the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
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; May for Summer
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school, high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
In the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, you design and carry out a 12-week independent research project in an engineering-related area of your choice, supported by one-on-one mentorship from a PhD scholar. Research tracks include fields such as aerospace, robotics, and software engineering, and your mentor helps you refine your question, conduct a literature review, and plan a methodology. Regular virtual meetings guide you through each stage of the project, ensuring you stay on track with your goals. Alongside technical guidance, you also receive support from a writing coach to strengthen your ability to communicate research findings clearly. By the end of the program, you will produce a formal paper that demonstrates your work at a university level, with the option to submit it to competitions or journals.
5. NYU Tandon’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: None; $1000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 1–August 14
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are New York residents
ARISE is a free 10-week summer program for New York City high school students, beginning with 4 weeks of workshops in lab safety, research methods, and scientific writing, followed by 6 weeks of lab-based research. You will be placed in one of more than 80 NYU labs, where you can contribute to projects in robotics, materials science, biomedical engineering, or computer science. A $1,000 stipend is included, and you also receive instruction in ethics, data analysis, and public speaking. The summer engineering research program for high school students concludes with two formal presentations: one at an NYU colloquium and another at the American Museum of Natural History’s poster symposium.
6. Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars (AFRL) Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Cost: None; weekly stipend of $501.60 for high school students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Late May/Early June – August
Application deadline: January 9
Eligibility: U.S. citizens at least 16 years of age with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0
The AFRL Scholars Program is a summer engineering research program for high school students that provides paid summer internships at Air Force research sites, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. As a participant, you work alongside scientists and engineers on projects in areas such as aerospace systems, artificial intelligence, sensors, atomic physics, and materials science. Your role may involve tasks such as running computer models, analyzing large datasets, assisting with experimental setups, or supporting studies of satellite systems. Each student is paired with a professional mentor, which allows you to gain both technical training and an understanding of how research supports space exploration and national defense priorities.
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 100 students globally
Dates: June 22–August 2
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors worldwide
The Research Science Institute at MIT is a 6-week program that accepts around 80–100 high school students worldwide each summer. It begins with an intensive week of academic seminars covering advanced topics in science, mathematics, and engineering, delivered by leading researchers. After that, you spend 5 weeks conducting independent research under the mentorship of university faculty or scientists, engaging in tasks such as literature reviews, experiment design, or computer simulations. Evening lectures from scientists and engineers broaden your exposure to current challenges in technology and research. The program ends with the submission of a written research paper and an oral presentation, structured like a professional academic conference.
8. Stony Brook University Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: No cost; stipend is offered at completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Current high school juniors; U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents; At least 16 years by the start of the program
At Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program, you spend 7 weeks embedded in a faculty-led research group, working on projects in science, mathematics, or engineering. As a Simons Fellow, you are matched with a mentor and contribute to a variety of tasks, depending on your assigned field. The summer engineering research program for high school students integrates weekly faculty lectures, skill-building workshops, and academic discussions that expand your perspective on scientific research. You are also required to prepare a research abstract and design a poster that summarizes your findings, which you present at a closing symposium attended by peers and mentors. A stipend is provided to support your participation in the program.
9. Texas A&M PATHS-UP University Young Scholars
Location: Texas A&M University campus
Cost: Free; $2,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 12 students
Dates: In-person research: June 9 – July 27 | Virtual lecture series: July 7 – 25 | Research Symposium: July 31
Application deadline: April 4
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors, ages 16 or older, in Los Fresnos CISD, Sharyland ISD, or South Texas ISD, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The PATHS-UP Young Scholars Program is a 3-week residential research experience held on the Texas A&M University campus, where you focus on biomedical engineering and health-related technologies. Over the course of the program, you conduct lab experiments, practice scientific writing, and participate in seminars and technical discussions designed to connect your research with broader STEM applications. A highlight of this summer engineering research program for high school students is the virtual research symposium, where you present your findings alongside interns from universities such as UCLA, Rice, and Florida International. Daily activities often include literature reviews, lab-based projects, and exposure to college and career pathways in science and engineering.
10. NASA and UT Austin’s STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Intern Program
Location: Virtual or hybrid at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ≈200
Dates: Virtual: June – July 5 | In-person: July 6 – 19 | Virtual Symposium: July 21 – 22
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old by July 5
This is a NASA-supported summer engineering research program for high school students, run in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin, that brings together high school students each summer for Earth and space science research. The experience begins with a virtual learning phase, followed by a two-week on-site component at UT Austin, where you work directly with scientists and engineers on projects using real NASA satellite data. Areas of focus can include climate change, planetary systems, remote sensing, or geodetic science, and your work may involve tasks like data visualization, mission design, or field investigations. Each team is mentored by NASA subject matter experts and contributes to research with practical applications in space and Earth sciences. The program concludes with the Virtual SEES Science Symposium, where you present your findings to peers and professionals.
11. Texas Tech University - Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: $25 application fee; $750 stipend on successful completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 12 students
Dates: June 21 - August 6
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 17 by the start date
Through the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University, you spend 7 weeks working closely with a faculty mentor on research in an area tied to your academic interests, which could include engineering, computer science, or biomedical sciences. Only 12 students are selected each year, with admission based on academic achievements, teacher recommendations, and well-defined research goals. Your work involves developing an independent project, contributing to faculty-led studies, and participating in seminars and field trips that expand your perspective on academic and professional research paths. Alongside technical experience, you gain exposure to scientific communication through discussions and presentations in this competitive summer engineering research program for high school students.
12. NIST Summer High School Intern Program
Location: NIST laboratory at Gaithersburg, Maryland, or Boulder, Colorado
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June - August
Application deadline: February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who are U.S. citizens.
At the NIST Summer High School Intern Program, you spend 8 weeks working alongside scientists and engineers in one of the institute’s laboratories, gaining firsthand research experience. Based on your placement, you may study subjects such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, polymers, or quantum physics while applying lab techniques to solve real problems. Your daily responsibilities could include programming, measurement testing, or refining data analysis, depending on the project. Throughout the program, you attend technical seminars, receive mentorship, and practice scientific methods in a federal research setting. Toward the end, you prepare a research poster that summarizes your findings and present it to peers and staff in a symposium format.
13. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute
Location: Virtual and in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Online Courses: February 3 - June 20 | In-person Summer Program: July 7–August 3
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year who are U.S. citizens
The Beaver Works Summer Institute at MIT is a free, 4-week program for rising seniors that centers on advanced, project-based engineering courses. You choose a specialized track, such as autonomous vehicles, quantum software, or embedded security, and spend the summer learning through coding, simulations, and applied lab work. Each course combines instruction and hands-on application, enabling you to deepen your understanding of complex STEM concepts, such as control theory, cryptography, or machine learning. You’ll also learn practical tools, such as Python, VS Code, and Git, to support your projects. Every course concludes with a capstone project, where you present your group’s work.
14. MIT Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, and Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 12–25
Application deadline: March 11
Eligibility: High school students completing their junior year of high school and who are U.S. citizens
The LLRISE program at MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a fully funded, 2-week summer workshop focused on radar engineering for rising high school seniors. As a participant, you design and assemble functional Doppler and range radar systems while gaining instruction in topics such as electromagnetic waves, signal processing, and waveform generation. The summer engineering research program for high school students combines classroom lectures with lab-based construction, giving you both theoretical and practical insight into radar design. Working in teams, you troubleshoot, test, and refine your systems under the guidance of engineers and scientists at the laboratory. By the end of the program, you have a working radar system that you built and analyzed yourself!
15. Virginia Tech’s Pathways for Future Engineers Program
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Rising seniors: June 15–28 | Rising sophomores and juniors: June 23–28
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, or 12th graders who are potential first-generation college students.
Pathways for Future Engineers at Virginia Tech is a multi-year program designed for first-generation high school students in Virginia who want to explore engineering while preparing for college. During summer sessions, you participate in team-based design projects and lab activities that demonstrate how engineers approach real-world problems. The program also integrates college readiness workshops that cover admissions, financial aid, and test preparation, with family members invited to join certain sessions. Throughout the year, you visit campus to tour labs, connect with faculty and current students, and attend community-building events. If you later enroll in Virginia Tech’s engineering program, you will continue to receive support through initiatives like the STEP transition program and specialized living-learning communities.
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