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26 High School Summer Engineering Programs to Jumpstart Your Future in Engineering
High school summer engineering programs offer an incredible opportunity for students who are passionate about pursuing a career in engineering. These programs not only provide a glimpse into college life by immersing you in a campus-like environment but also allow you to connect with like-minded peers and professionals in the field. In addition, participation in one of these prestigious programs can significantly boost your college application by demonstrating your drive and commitment to exploring your interests.
Below is a curated list of 26 outstanding high school summer engineering programs that can help set you on the path to a rewarding engineering career.
1. Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES)
•Dates: Late June – early August
•Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Application Deadline: February 1
•Cost: Free
MITES is a six-week residential program for academically talented high school juniors. It offers an immersive MIT experience with challenging coursework in math, science, and humanities—all expenses (education, food, and boarding) are covered, with students responsible only for transportation. Applicants from underrepresented and underserved communities are especially encouraged to apply.
2. MIT Women’s Technology Program (WTP)
•Dates: June 29 – July 26
•Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Application Deadline: January 15
•Cost: Free
This four-week summer program is designed for female high school rising seniors with little to no background in engineering. Through hands-on labs, classes, and team projects, WTP empowers young women—especially those from underserved or underrepresented backgrounds—to explore engineering. Note that this is a commuter program, so participants will need to arrange their own transportation.
3. Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE) Program
•Dates: July 14 – 27
•Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Application Deadline: January 8
•Cost: Free
LLRISE is a two-week workshop for rising high school seniors that introduces them to radar system design. Working under the supervision of MIT and Lincoln Laboratory scientists and engineers, students gain creative problem-solving skills and experience a taste of college life on MIT’s campus.
4. Summer Engineering Exploration Camp (SEE Camp)
•Dates: July 7 – 13
•Location: University of Michigan
• Application Deadline: March 1
•Cost: $650
Hosted by the Society of Women Engineers at the University of Michigan, SEE Camp is a competitive, one-week residential program for high school students entering grades 10–11. With over 600 applicants in 2023 and only 40 spots available, students participate in design challenges, hands-on engineering activities, and team-building events while exploring the UM campus.
5. Research in Science & Engineering (RISE)
• Dates:
•Residential: June 30 – August 9
•Commuter: July 1 – August 9
•Location: Boston University
• Application Deadline: February 14
• Cost:
•Residential: $8,940 – $9,246
•Commuter: $5,820
RISE at Boston University gives rising seniors the chance to conduct laboratory research under the mentorship of BU faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students. With research opportunities in multiple engineering disciplines, this program is available in both commuter and residential formats.
6. Carnegie Mellon University Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
•Dates: June 22 – August 24
•Location: Carnegie Mellon University
• Application Deadline: March 1
•Cost: Free
SAMS is a no-cost summer opportunity for students from underrepresented communities to deepen their STEM knowledge at one of the nation’s top technical schools. Participants engage in classroom instruction and hands-on projects while exploring various STEM majors and experiencing college life.
7. California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
•Dates: July 7 – August 2
• Location:
• Application Deadline: February 9
•Cost: $5,005
COSMOS is a four-week program that motivates the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians by building a community of gifted students who work with university faculty on advanced topics beyond the standard high school curriculum.
8. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
•Dates: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
•Location: Remote – participate from anywhere!
•Application Deadline: Varies by cohort (Main summer deadlines: March 15, April 15, and May 15)
•Cost: $2,990 – $8,900
Founded by researchers from Harvard and Oxford, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs high school students with PhD mentors for an intensive, one-on-one independent research project. With topics ranging from medicine to engineering, this flexible, fully remote program offers financial aid to qualifying students.
9. ESTEEM/SER-Quest Summer Program
•Dates: July 12 – August 6
•Location: University of Maryland
• Application Deadline: May 13
•Cost: Free
The ESTEEM (Engineering Science and Technology to Energize and Expand Young Minds) and SER-Quest program at UMD’s A. James Clark School of Engineering is an intensive four-week summer opportunity for high school seniors. Students work on engineering research projects and gain valuable exposure to college-level research.
10. National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) on Engineering Summer Program
•Dates: Varies
• Location:
•University of California, Berkeley
• Application Deadline: Varies
•Cost: $3,795 – $4,095
The NSLC on Engineering Summer Program invites students to explore various engineering fields—from mechanical to biomedical—through hands-on workshops and leadership training across five renowned campuses.
11. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
•Dates: June 16 – August 1
•Location: Texas Tech University
• Application Deadline: February 15
•Cost: Free (includes a $750 stipend)
Although not exclusively for engineering, the Clark Scholars Program is one of the nation’s most prestigious summer opportunities. Each summer, 12 exceptional students participate in a seven-week research experience at Texas Tech, gaining skills and credentials that significantly boost their college applications.
12. CURIE Academy
•Dates: July 14 – 20
•Location: Cornell University
• Application Deadline: February 15
•Cost: $1,850
CURIE Academy is a one-week residential program at Cornell University for rising juniors and seniors. Focused on engineering, the program features daily classes, a hands-on research project, and field sessions. Students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in STEM are highly encouraged to apply.
13. CATALYST Academy
•Dates: July 14 – 20
•Location: Cornell University
• Application Deadline: February 15
•Cost: $1,850
Also at Cornell, CATALYST Academy brings together a diverse group of rising juniors and seniors to explore engineering. With daily classes, research projects, and field sessions, the program helps participants discover various educational and career pathways—tuition waivers are available for rising seniors from underrepresented groups.
14. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
•Dates: June 3 – August 9
•Location: New York University (NYU)
• Application Deadline: March 1
•Cost: Free
ARISE is a seven-week program designed for rising 10th and 11th graders in New York City who are interested in STEM research. Participants gain real research experience in fields such as bioengineering, robotics, AI, and more, along with instruction in expository writing and ethics.
15. Santa Clara University Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)
• Dates:
•Session 1: July 14 – 18
•Session 2: July 21 – 25
•Session 3: July 28 – August 1
•Location: Santa Clara University
• Application Deadline: March 12
•Cost: Free
This five-day program—offered in three sessions—targets rising juniors and seniors who want to explore multiple engineering disciplines. Through workshops, projects, and exposure to college life, SES is especially welcoming to female students, underrepresented groups, low-income students, and first-generation college hopefuls.
16. My Introduction to Engineering (MITE)
• Dates:
•Session 1: June 23 – 27
•Session 2: July 7
•Location: University of Texas, Austin
• Application Deadline: N/A
•Cost: $100
Hosted by the University of Texas at Austin, the MITE program is a five-day camp for high school juniors to explore engineering. Participants engage in hands-on activities and team projects while interacting with UT engineering students, faculty, and alumni. Outstanding candidates from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
17. Women in Engineering
•Dates: June 23 – 28
•Location: Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Application Deadline: N/A
•Cost: $950
This program from MSOE offers high school girls in grades 10–12 an immersive experience in various engineering fields—including architectural, biomedical, civil, computer, electrical, mechanical, and software engineering. The program features hands-on projects during the day and fun, interactive social activities in the evening.
18. High School Summer STEMM Worldwide Research Program
•Dates: June 20 – August 2
•Location: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Application Deadline: March 24
•Cost: N/A
Hosted by the Grainger College of Engineering, this unique program pairs students with a classmate and teacher to participate in cutting-edge research in areas like cancer immunology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, and more. It’s an excellent way to build confidence, develop college skills, and connect with STEM professionals.
19. Office of Naval Research Science and Engineering Apprentice Program
•Dates: Varies by location (8 weeks)
•Location: Varies (one of 25 Navy labs)
• Application Deadline: November 1
•Cost: Free (stipend provided: $4,000 for first-year interns, $4,500 for second-year interns)
SEAP places talented high school STEM students as apprentices in Department of Defense labs, where they gain hands-on scientific and engineering experience, earn a stipend, and build interest in future careers with the DoD.
20. Purdue University Multiethnic Introduction to Engineering (MITE)
•Dates: July 8 – August 2
•Location: Purdue University
• Application Deadline: April 22
• Cost:
•Indiana residents: $2,164.70
•Non-Indiana residents: $3,365.60
Purdue’s four-week MITE program focuses on college readiness with an emphasis on math and engineering research projects. Participants get hands-on experience across a variety of engineering majors and even earn college credits.
21. Simons Summer Research Program
•Dates: July 1 – August 9
•Location: Stony Brook University
• Application Deadline: February 7
•Cost: Free
High school juniors with an interest in science, math, and engineering can participate in this hands-on research program at Stony Brook University. Students are paired with mentors, take part in workshops and tours, and present their research findings in the form of an abstract and poster.
22. University of Wisconsin–Madison Engineering Summer Program (ESP)
•Dates: July 13 – August 2
•Location: University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Application Deadline: March 11
•Cost: Free
ESP offers high-achieving high schoolers a three-week residential experience that simulates a first-year engineering student’s life at UW–Madison. Through workshops, field trips, and mentorship, students get an authentic taste of the engineering world.
23. Michigan State University High School Honors Science, Math and Engineering Program (HSHSP)
•Dates: June 16 – August 3
•Location: Michigan State University
• Application Deadline: March 1
•Cost: $4,000
One of the nation’s oldest summer research programs for high school students, HSHSP provides rising seniors with a seven-week intensive experience at MSU. Participants gain hands-on research experience in science, math, and engineering while getting a real sense of college life.
24. Northeastern Young Scholars’ Program
•Dates: June 24 – August 1
•Location: Northeastern University
• Application Deadline: March 15
•Cost: Free
This free program for Massachusetts rising seniors offers research opportunities with Northeastern’s Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences. Students benefit from seminars, career counseling, field trips, and an immersive campus experience.
25. Princeton University Laboratory Learning Program
•Dates: Varies
•Location: Princeton University
• Application Deadline: March 15
•Cost: Free
This summer internship lets high school students work on ongoing research projects under the supervision of Princeton faculty. Internships typically last five to six weeks and culminate in a two-page research summary, providing a valuable glimpse into college-level research.
26. Bucknell Engineering Camp
•Dates: June 23 – 28
•Location: Bucknell University
• Application Deadline: N/A
• Cost:
•Residential: $1,250
•Commuter: $900
Bucknell’s summer program, open to students in grades 7–12, offers a hands-on introduction to engineering. Participants tackle engineering challenges, conduct lab research, and experience a slice of college life.
How Much Do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Extracurricular activities play a significant role in college admissions. Participating in a prestigious summer program—like the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program—can substantially enhance your application by showcasing your dedication and aptitude in your chosen field. For a clearer picture of how your extracurricular activities might affect your college chances, contact angiek@mmtprep.com to schedule for personalized tips and estimates.
Whether you’re looking to dive into engineering research, get hands-on lab experience, or simply explore what a future in engineering might look like, these programs offer diverse opportunities to learn, grow, and shine. Be sure to check each program’s website for the most up-to-date details on dates, application deadlines, and costs.
Happy exploring, and here’s to a future filled with innovation and discovery!
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