Summer Engineering Internships for High School Students
Are you an engineering student who wants to get hands-on experience and skills in engineering before entering college? If yes, one of the best ways to do so is to participate in a summer engineering internship.
Summer engineering internships are short-term programs typically offered by companies, organizations, research institutions, or government agencies to provide hands-on experience and practical exposure to high school or college students interested in engineering.
These internships usually take place during the summer break and can last from a few weeks to a few months.
Also, summer engineering internships offer students the opportunity to work alongside professionals in the engineering field, allowing them to gain valuable insights into the industry, develop technical skills, and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world projects.
Interns often work on specific engineering tasks or projects under the guidance and mentorship of experienced engineers or scientists.
Here are the ten best summer engineering internships for high school students.
10 Best Summer Engineering Internships for High School Students
Here are some of the best summer engineering internships for high school students
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Research Science Institute at MIT
Duration: 6 weeks
RSI is among the best nationwide summer engineering internships for high school students. At RSI, you are trained to gain hands-on experience in STEM research.
The activities that RSI students carry out include reading current research on their field, executing a research plan, and delivering the results of their findings. Every task is done at a college level with difficulty and depth.
RSI is highly competitive, but it is a great extracurricular activity to be part of, as it will boost your resume.
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NASA Internship Program at Langley Research Center
Duration: 8-10 weeks
If you are interested in aerospace engineering, NASA offers summer engineering internships for high school students at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
The internship is paid, and you must be up to 16 years and a sophomore at the beginning of the internship to qualify. You must research STEM fields and other areas that align with NASA’s mission, such as communications, business, and marketing. Recent internship focus areas have included:
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Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program
Duration: Varies
AFRL Scholars Program is designed to allow rising juniors and seniors hands-on experience in labs working with the latest and most advanced available technology. There are various labs around the country, and you can apply for the specific internship that matches your interest. Once accepted, you will work with AFRL scientists and engineers in the lab and gain mentorship and technical training from exceptional engineers.
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Princeton University’s Laboratory Learning Program
Duration: 5-6 weeks
Princeton University offers summer research training for high school students who must be 16 years at least. The internship covers natural sciences and engineering, and if applied and accepted, you will work in a Princeton lab and be mentored by university researchers.
The students will be required to write a two-page research summary report at the end of the research, which can also contribute when making your college application.
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Boston University’s Research in Science & Engineering Program
Duration: 6 weeks
BU’s RISE program offers both an internship and a practicum path and can be assessed by seniors interested in engineering. As a participant, you will be paired with a mentor and must work 40 hours weekly on research projects in a BU laboratory.
At the end of the training, you will be required to do a poster presentation, and you can submit your research projects to prestigious STEM competitions like Regeneron ISEF.
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Office of Naval Research’s Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP)
Duration: 8 weeks
SEAP is a paid internship that can be attended by juniors, seniors, and rising sophomores and hosted run by the Office of Naval Research. You will participate in any of the 30 Navy labs nationwide each summer, where you can work under top engineers and scientists.
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MIT Online Science, Technology, and Engineering Community (MOSTEC) Program
Duration: 6 months
MIT’s MOSTEC program is one of the best summer engineering internships for high school students open for raising seniors. Unlike other internships, this is run on a hybrid basis partially in MA, Cambridge, and partially virtual)
You will be required to complete two online courses and paired with undergraduates’ mentors to guide you on projects. The participants must travel to MIT’s campus for a five-day conference to attend workshops and present their projects in early August.
The interns work with the MIT faculty ad researchers via Q&A sessions, webinars, and online blogs from August to December. Additionally, the training is entirely free to attend.
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Idaho National Laboratory Student Internships
Duration: 6 weeks
Suppose you want to enter renewable energy, nuclear energy, and national security. In that case, the Idaho National Laboratory Student internship offers you the opportunity to learn at the INL, one of the country’s major nuclear energy labs.
As an intern, you will assist the INL experts in solving real-world and learn to apply science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM) concepts to specific projects.
The internship is a paid ne, where you will be compensated $3,500 for working six weeks and $4,000 when you choose to intern with them for the second time.
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Columbia University’s Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE)
Duration: 3 weeks
Columbia University has a world-renowned undergraduate engineering program, and the institution offers high school students an opportunity to learn college-level engineering courses taught by Columbia Engineering faculty.
The high school students can choose one engineering course, either electrical engineering, robotics, or environmental engineering, and one elective course to learn for a three-week program.
The interns will be given access to Columbia’s MechTech and Makerspace labs to learn to use different equipment and build prototypes.
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Engineering Summer Academy at Penn State
Duration: 3 weeks
ESAP training at Penn State is designed to allow high-achieving high school students to learn college-level math and science courses and hands-on practical experience.
The interns will live on campus and choose to study any of the six courses: complex networks, computer graphics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, computer science, or robotics. For completing this summer internship, you will be awarded school credits.