20 Engineering Internships for High School Students – 2025
February 17, 2025
When it comes to high school engineering internships, acronyms are abundant. Familiar ones like NASA and STEM are joined by myriad others: EPIC, RISE, OSTEM, SHIP, SEW, SEES. This article wades through the alphabet soup to spotlight twenty engineering internships for high school students. It covers a range of fields within engineering, such as civil, mechanical, computer, and biomedical engineering. For students invested in innovation and practical problem solving, these internship programs offer critical mentorship and work training.
Engineering Internships for High School Students 鈥 #1-3
1)
What is it?
EPIC is a one-week summer camp for various engineering fields that includes hands-on labs and projects. It is based on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus. Campers work with faculty and industry professionals to design and test engineering projects.
How much?
$1,900-2,100 depending on session.
Where?
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA.
Who?
Students currently in grades 6-11.
When?
July 29 鈥 July 25, 2025.
2)
What is it?
Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 Summer Academy provides underrepresented students with access to faculty instruction and hands-on projects in STEM fields. A short virtual jumpstart part of the program precedes the main six-week on-site portion. It is a fully funded, merit-based program.
How much?
The program is fully funded (no cost to participate).
Where?
Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.
Who?
Pre-college students from underrepresented groups in STEM.
When?
The virtual jumpstart is in mid-June, followed by the six-week in-person program.
3)
What is it?
Cornell鈥檚 Engineering Outreach Program offers one-week residential academies for rising juniors and seniors interested in engineering. The CURIE and CATALYST academies allow students to experience college live while pursuing hands-on engineering projects.
How much?
Costs vary; financial aid is available.
Where?
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
Who?
Rising juniors and seniors.
When?
Third week of July.
Engineering Internships for High School Students 鈥 #4-6
4)
What is it?
For the six-week research program in summer, rising high school seniors intern in lab research projects with Boston University faculty. The program is open to both commuter and residential students and has both internship and practicum research tracks. The internship track is open to most engineering specializations, while the practicum is focused on neuroscience and related computational research.
How much?
This paid program鈥檚 cost varies based on whether participants pursue the commuter or residential options.
Where?
Boston University, MA.
Who?
Rising seniors interested in science and engineering fields.
When?
July 29-August 8, 2025.
5)
What is it?
The University of Michigan鈥檚 Electrical and Computer Engineering department runs this non-residential engineering camp for high schoolers in the summer. Students are taught by UM engineering faculty and gain hands-on engineering experience.
How much?
The fee for each camp is $900, with some scholarships available.
Where?
Ann Arbor, MI.
Who?
High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors interested in electrical and computer engineering.
When?
This is a summer program.
6)
What is it?
Honeywell is an engineering company focused on aerospace, automation, and energy. They host 鈥#FutureShapers鈥 engineering internships for high school students. Students can acquire experience engineering fields through working with subject matter experts on real-world projects. The program also includes training and experience in networking, mentorship, and professional development.
How much?
This is a paid internship program.
Where?
Honeywell locations across the country.
Who?
High school students interested in STEM and engineering.
When?
During the school year or summer.
High School Engineering Internships 鈥 #7-9
7)
What is it?
The Applied Physical Laboratory at Johns Hopkins offers a STEM Academy for middle and high school students. Participants explore careers in STEM and learn through practical experience by taking after-school classes.
How much?
The Academy charges a $59-per-course commitment fee.
Where?
The Johns Hopkins APL is in Baltimore, MD.
Who?
Maryland students in grades 8-12.
When?
The after-school courses run during the school year at 5:00-6:30pm ET.
8)
What is it?
The Meta (formerly Facebook) Summer Academy is a six-week summer program for high schoolers to gain hands-on experience in tech. Participants learn coding, explore tech careers, and develop professional skills with the guidance of Meta employees. The goal is to inspire career success through early exploration and skills development.
How much?
This is an unpaid internship program.
Where?
Meta offices.
Who?
High school student.
When?
June 16 鈥 July 25, 2025.
9)
What is it?
RSI is a six-week summer program for high schoolers that show promising aptitude in science, math, and engineering fields. Participants are immersed in research at MIT, learning from faculty and expert lectures in engaging with projects.
How much?
Those selected for this competitive program attend for free, with room and board covered.
Where?
MIT campus, Cambridge, MA.
Who?
High achieving high school juniors.
When?
Annually in the summer.
Engineering Internships for High School Students 鈥 #10-12
10)
What is it?
NASA鈥檚 OSTEM promotes advancements in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. To this end, the office helps students acquire practical work experience through paid high school engineering internships. Selected students work with mentoring research scientists and engineers at a NASA facility during the summer session.
How Much?
OSTEM offers paid internships.
Where?
A participating NASA center or facility.
Who?
Students interested in careers in scientific research, technology, aerospace engineering, and space exploration.
When?
The session for high schoolers takes place in the summer.
11)
What is it?
HiSTEP is a summer program for rising high school seniors from underrepresented schools near the NIH main campus. Participants engage biomedical research and healthcare careers through lectures, networking events, group projects, and leadership training. The program also provides instruction on the college application process.
How much?
This program involves a stipend for accepted participants.
Where?
Bethesda, MD.
Who?
High school juniors that are U.S citizens or permanent residents in Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia.
When?
July 7 鈥 August 7, 2025.
12)
What is it?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers high school engineering internships through this intern program. Students have the chance to work on research projects with scientists at labs in Boulder, CO, or Gaithersburg, MD.
How much?
Unpaid; students are responsible for housing and transportation.
Where?
Boulder, CO, and Gaithersburg, MD.
Who?
High school juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.0+
When?
June-August.
High School Engineering Internships 鈥 #13-15
13)
What is it?
Northwestern University Medicine鈥檚 Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC) offers a program for students interested in transplant research. During the eight-week summer program, participants develop research projects with mentors. The program aims to provide hands-on clinical research experience, of interest for students engaged with medical engineering fields.
How much?
Unpaid; no travel reimbursement or housing provided.
Where?
NU鈥檚 Chicago campus.
Who?
Undergraduates and high school students.
When?
June 17-August 15, 2025.
14)
What is it?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY hosts this two-week, residential program for high school juniors and seniors. It is designed to connect students from underrepresented groups to research in STEM fields. Depending on the year鈥檚 theme, students can work with faculty to explore different types of engineering. Those engineering fields can include biomedical, mechanical, aeronautical, electrical and computer systems, civil and environmental, nuclear, materials, industrial, and chemical.
How much?
There is a tuition for the program that covers dorms and meals. Financial aid is available through some partial scholarships.
Where?
On Rensselaer鈥檚 campus in Troy, NY.
Who?
High school juniors and seniors, particularly those from underrepresented student groups.
When?
This is a two-week summer program.
15)
What is it?
Purdue鈥檚 SEW program is for rising 7th-9th grade students, immersing them in engineering fields through hands-on projects. Participants learn about various engineering discipline and complete design challenges with the supervision of faculty and students.
How much?
$1,100 for both the registration and workshop fees.
Where?
Purdue University, IN.
Who?
Students completing grades 6th-8th.
When?
June 22-27, 2025.
Engineering Internships for High School Students 鈥 #16-18
16)
What is it?
Through this Scripps program, high schoolers can gain hands-on experiencing in biomedical research. Participants work in labs, receive mentorship from graduate students, and learn from scientific discussions and courses on advanced research techniques.
How much?
This is a paid internship program, with selected students awarded a $4,760 stipend for the program.
Where?
La Jolla, CA.
Who?
San Diego County high school students aged 16+.
When?
June 24 鈥 August 9.
17)
What is it?
High schoolers interested in fields like biomedical engineering can investigate Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program. During the eight-week program, students work on medically oriented research projects with Stanford faculty and researchers.
How much?
Applicants pay a $40 application fee, but if selected they are provided a $500 minimum stipend.
Where?
The Bay Area.
Who?
Current juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old and are attending a U.S. high school.
When?
Early June through the end of July.
18)
What is it?
SEES is the acronym for a nationally competitive high school internship program that is both virtual and on-site in Austin, Texas. The program is a joint project of The University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research and NASA. Participants will intern with UT/CSR scientists and engineers working on NASA research projects. The program has engineering subject matter experts that mentor students interested in research.
How much?
This internship experience is mostly or wholly free. Airport transportation, dorms, meals, and activities are covered at no cost. The only out-of-pocket costs are if you need transportation to/from Austin and any incidentals. Travel scholarships are available for students in need.
Where?
Students complete distance learning modules and work remotely in June before a two-week on-site internship in July.
Who?
High schoolers apply and are selected based on their academic records. Additionally, the application involves written short essays, an introductory video, and recommendation form.
When?
The first half of summer.
High School Engineering Internships 鈥 #19-20
19)
What is it?
The Pre-College Scholars Program allows students to learn from UC Berkeley faculty and earn college credit. The program is open to fields from across STEM and the humanities. There are options for students to participate in residential, commuter, or virtual formats.
How much?
The costs vary by track, with scholarships available.
Where?
UC Berkeley campus and online.
Who?
High schoolers from around the world.
When?
These are summer sessions (June-August).
20)
What is it?
The Pathways Internship Program offers paid internships with the Department of State for high school and college students. It includes two tracks: The Internship Experience Program (IEP) and the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP). IEP interns work in long-term roles, with potential federal job placement upon graduation. ITEP offers shorter, flexible appointments. Both programs allow students to gain professional experience while exploring federal careers.
How much?
This is a paid internship program, using different pay scales based on experience.
Where?
Various U.S. Department of State locations.
Who?
U.S. citizens, age 16+, enrolled in school.
When?
Ongoing, varies by position and track.
Engineering Internships for High School Students 鈥 Further Reading
- Business Internships
- CS Internships
- Medical Internships
- Best Colleges for Internships
- Paid Internships for High School Students 鈥 2025
- Best Colleges for Internships and Co-ops
