12 Engineering Programs for High School Students in Massachusetts
If you’re a high school student interested in engineering, participating in engineering programs for high school students in Massachusetts will allow you to explore fields like robotics, electrical engineering, and sustainable design, and more. It will provide you with a strong foundation for future studies and careers, giving you more clarity into which field of engineering you want to specialize in.
Massachusetts is home to top-tier engineering programs that will allow you to engage with cutting-edge technology, work on real-world projects, and interact with experts in the industry. In this blog, we’ve highlighted 12 engineering programs for high school students in Massachusetts for you to explore.
1. The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging’s Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee; scholarship available
Application Deadline:
Fee Waiver and Scholarship Application Deadline: February 21
Summer Research Internship Application Deadline: February 28
Dates: June 16 – 27
Eligibility: U.S.-based high school students (grades 9 – 12 in Fall 2025) aged 14+ with strong math, programming, or healthcare project experience. Participants must commit to the full 2-week program. Valid visa or residency documentation is required.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) focuses on advancing AI in medicine to improve healthcare and promote health equity. The Summer Research Internship is designed for high school students eager to explore the intersection of AI and healthcare. As a participant, you will attend daily lectures on the fundamentals of AI in healthcare, engage in hands-on group research projects, and receive mentorship from Stanford researchers and Student Leads.
The program includes networking opportunities, social activities, and Virtual Career Lunch & Learns featuring guest speakers from academia, industry, government, and nonprofits. For those who are seeking further engagement, an extended independent research internship may be available. At the end of the program, you will will receive a Certificate of Completion.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starting from $2,290. Need-based financial aid is available. You can apply here.
Program Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year. The spring cohort starts in March.
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis. February 23 for the spring cohort
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you’re interested in exploring AI, ML, and data science, you would benefit from the AI Scholars program. It is a 10-session boot camp that will introduce you to the fundamentals of AI & data science while also giving you the chance to work on real-world projects.
If you’re a more advanced student, you can check out the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase program. Through this program, you will get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. You’ll also have access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Varies; Massachusetts is an option. Virtual options are available too.
Stipend: Stipend is provided but varies from location to location
Application Deadline: Rolling. Applications open on December 4 and remain open throughout the year.
Dates: 6-10 weeks in May – August. Specific dates vary from location to location.
Eligibility: Current high school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Additional eligibility requirements vary by location. Check details here.
The AEOP High School Internships is one of those engineering programs for high school students in Massachusetts (and other states) that offers a unique opportunity to work closely with a university researcher or a Department of Defense (DoD) scientist on exciting research projects. As an intern, you'll gain hands-on experience with advanced equipment and techniques in modern labs, guided by professional scientists and engineers. You'll also learn from other STEM professionals throughout the internship.
The Army-sponsored research you’ll participate in tackles some of the USA’s most pressing challenges. The program helps you build critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, preparing you for a career in STEM.
Location: Remote
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year. The spring cohort starts on March 3
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. February 9 for the spring cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective virtual internship program for ambitious high school students. For around eight weeks, you’ll be able to work with a high-growth start-up that raises over a million dollars on average. These start-ups offer internships across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. During the program, you will work closely with your managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects, eventually presenting your work to the company. Here is the application form.
5. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute – CogWorks
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free!
Application Deadline: Applications for online courses open in December and close in January. Applications for Summer Institute open on March 3 and close on March 31.
Dates: This program consists of two components:
Online Course: February 3 – June 20
Four-week Virtual Summer Institute: July 7 – August 3
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their sophomore or junior year. Completion of online courses is mandatory to participate in the Summer Institute.
The CogWorks program at MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute gives high school students hands-on experience in building cognitive assistants using state-of-the-art machine learning tools. After completing an online preparatory course covering Python, Git, natural language processing, and machine learning, you’ll join a four-week summer program focused on developing AI-driven systems.
Working in teams, you’ll use professional cognition tools like Amazon Alexa and open-source resources to design and test algorithms in natural language processing and machine cognition. The four-week program includes daily lectures, milestone projects, and a final competition where your team’s cognitive assistant is put to the test.
6. Young Scholars Program (YSP) at Northeastern University
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 20
Dates: June 23 – July 31
Eligibility: Massachusetts residents (within commuting distance of Northeastern University) who are rising high school seniors. More info here.
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) at Northeastern University is one of those engineering programs for high school students in Massachusetts that provides an immersive summer experience for rising high school seniors, with a strong emphasis on engineering. Designed to spark curiosity and innovation, the program offers hands-on opportunities to engage in advanced research under the guidance of faculty from Northeastern’s College of Engineering.
As a participant, you will get to explore diverse engineering disciplines through cutting-edge research projects, including areas like agent-based modeling, model compression algorithms, battery chemistries, and cancer therapies. The program also features specialized seminars and workshops on topics like radar systems, environmental engineering, superconductivity, robotics, and laser technology.
Beyond research, you will visit corporate and government facilities, gaining firsthand insight into the real-world applications of engineering. Students from previous years have been able to visit places like Biogen, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, Akamai, and the MIT Chemical Engineering Labs. Career counseling and educational guidance are also integral components of the program, focusing on helping you map out your future in engineering and STEM.
7. Summer High School Internship Program at MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Location: Onsite at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Stipend: Paid (amount unspecified)
Application Deadline: February 10 – April 30
Dates: July 9 – August 15
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are rising high school seniors in the Lexington, MA area and are at least 16 years old by the program's start date. See details here.
The Summer High School Internship Program at MIT Lincoln Laboratory gives rising high school seniors in New England a chance to explore STEM fields through hands-on experience. This paid program will pair you with mentors who will guide you through projects, problem-solving, and skill-building activities. As an intern, you will use the Laboratory’s advanced resources to learn about real-world STEM applications and explore careers in engineering and science. The program wraps up with a presentation of your project work, showcasing your achievements and new skills.
8. Brown University – AI, Data Science, and Machine Learning
Location: Virtual
Cost: $5,108. Some need-based financial aid is available
Application Deadline: May 9
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Eligibility: High school students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18
Brown University’s summer course introduces high students to the exciting fields of AI, data science, and machine learning. Through hands-on projects, you will explore real-world applications and learn how data is shaping modern industries. This four-week program follows a flexible, blended model with asynchronous learning, allowing you to work at your own pace while accessing expert resources and insights. Designed for both beginners and those looking to deepen their knowledge, the course offers a practical and engaging way to explore these transformative technologies.
9. MITES SUMMER
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: Late June to early August (six-week duration); exact time varies
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are high school juniors
The MITES Summer program condenses a semester of college into one summer. It’s one of those engineering programs for high school students in Massachusetts that includes advanced math and science, along with electives on real-world STEM topics like machine learning, architecture, and genomics. As a participant, you’ll get to explore the impact of STEM on society and learn how to use your knowledge to make a difference. The program also gives you a taste of college life at MIT and provides valuable insights into the college application process, all while preparing you for a future in STEM careers.
10. Stanford School of Engineering’s Advanced Cybersecurity Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: $545 per course or $2,725 for All-Access Plan (full access for 365 days)
Application Deadline: None
Dates: Each course requires 10 – 12 hours to complete; the certificate program totals over 60 hours
Eligibility: Anyone interested in cybersecurity
The Advanced Cybersecurity Program at Stanford is an online certificate course that equips you with the skills to protect systems, applications, and networks from cyber threats. The program covers core topics like secure coding, cryptography, network security, and executive cybersecurity strategy. It includes courses like "Foundations of Information Security," where you will learn to design secure systems, "Exploiting and Protecting Web Applications," which focuses on detecting and fixing web vulnerabilities, and "Cybersecurity and Executive Strategy," which aligns cybersecurity with business goals.
Industry professionals from leading companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Symantec provide valuable real-world insights, making the program ideal for those interested in a career in cybersecurity. The course is available in flexible formats, including self-paced individual courses or a one-year All-Access Plan. Graduates receive a Stanford Certificate of Achievement in Advanced Cybersecurity.
11. TUFTS’ Engineering of Music Program
Location: Tufts University, Medford / Somerville Campus, MA
Cost:
Commuter: $4,225
Residential: $5,750
Materials fee: $200
Program Dates: July 6 – 18
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10 – 12 or a 2025 high school graduate
TUFTS’ Engineering of Music program explores the role of engineering in music. The program includes group discussions on relevant math and physics concepts, cultural and environmental impacts, and artistic context. As a participant, you will engage in hands-on engineering projects, such as building acoustic and electronic instruments, constructing loudspeakers, and investigating the acoustical response of music rooms on campus. You will also have on-campus field trips, where you will get to apply theory in real-world settings and hear from guest experts from both industry and academia.
The program covers fundamentals of acoustics, sound recording and visualization, and the creation of simple instruments. You will select your favorite topic or activity to develop into a final project, which you will present in a public showcase and document in personal digital portfolios.
12. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Starts from $2,990 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year. The spring cohort starts on March 3
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. February 9 for the spring cohort
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4 at least; no previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program that offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas, including psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. During the program, you will be paired with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project, and at the end of your 12 weeks, you’ll have developed a research paper! You can find more details about the application here.
Are you looking to start a project or research paper in the field of AI and ML? Consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI is an AI program designed for high schoolers and founded and run by Harvard graduate students. The program aims to allow students to create unique projects in the field of AI. Participants will get to learn more about AI from researchers and experts and work 1-on-1 with mentors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and more. In just the past year, we’ve had over a thousand students learn with us! You too can apply!
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