10 Online Engineering Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student considering a future in engineering, applying for online engineering programs can give you a good introduction to the field. These programs offer flexible learning options and access to new technologies, allowing you to dive into engineering concepts from anywhere in the world.
By engaging with complex subjects and hands-on projects early on, you not only gain valuable skills but also demonstrate your commitment to the field. This early academic exposure can enhance your college application by showing your proactive approach to learning and your dedication to engineering. Let’s take a look at the 10 best online engineering programs for high schoolers.
1. Veritas AI’s Engineering Track
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program. Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High School students
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: December 16, 2024 onwards for the winter cohort
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs tailored for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. The fellowship encourages students to explore interdisciplinary approaches, enabling them to merge AI with various fields such as finance, medicine, sports, environmental science, and more! You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
2. Stanford University’s Pre-College Summer Institute’s Introduction to Engineering
Cost: $3,050. Financial aid is available
Eligibility: Grades 8th-10th at the time of application
Application Deadline: March 29, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025. The 2024 dates were:
June 17 – June 28, 2024
July 08 – July 19, 2024
Stanford’s Introduction to Engineering, one of the courses offered to high school students through Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute, is designed to provide you with a comprehensive and immersive introduction to engineering. You will explore the various fields within engineering, including environmental engineering, computer engineering, civil engineering, and biomedical engineering.
You will work in teams to learn design principles and the obstacles engineers face. The course aims to help you decide which engineering specialization you would want to explore further in college. Outside of class, you’ll be expected to complete readings, group tasks, and pre-recorded lectures. For holistic development, the program offers workshops on topics like health and wellness, career planning, and leadership.
3. iD Tech’s VR Interaction Design in Unity with NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Cost: $1,499
Eligibility: Ages 13-19
Application Deadline: Applications for summer 2025 open in November
Program Dates: TBA for 2025; 2-week program, with a 2-hour lesson per day.
iD Tech's VR Interaction Design course, offered in collaboration with the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, provides an in-depth exploration of virtual reality designing and engineering. The curriculum is designed by NYU’s engineers and professors to be a collaborative learning experience.
This course starts with foundational computer engineering concepts like UX/UI principles and tools like Figma and Adobe XD. You will work on multiple projects that involve designing and prototyping user interactions for VR, AR, and XR applications. You will also get to create your own portfolio—extremely valuable to have when applying to college or internships. This program includes a final project presentation, where you will demonstrate your portfolio and designs for feedback from your instructor and peers.
4. MIT’s “Beaverworks” Summer Institute (BWSI)
Cost: Free for families earning less than $150,000 annually; $1,750 for everyone else
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who attend school in the U.S.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025; In 2024, online courses began on February 1, and students had till June 16 to finish
The Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) is a great opportunity for highly motivated high school students who are interested in all things engineering: robotics, autonomous systems, and mechanics. At BWSI, the curriculum explores advanced technologies, engineering methodologies, and computer science techniques to best prepare you for a future in engineering.
You will first take an online prerequisite course in the fall, after which you will be allowed to apply for the summer program, which has both virtual and in-person options. In-person courses take place at MIT’s campus in Cambridge, MA. If you’re interested in engineering, you may want to enroll in the online courses on Quantum Software, Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence, and Cyber Operations.
5. Ladder Internship’s Engineering Track
Cost: $2,490. Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can contribute 5-15 hours per week for 8-16 weeks
Application Deadline: November 12, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: December 16, 2024 onwards for the winter cohort
Ladder Internships is a highly competitive program that selects approximately 100 high school students each year and connects them with startups and nonprofits from around the world. The program is structured around 8 sessions between you and the host company, with options for extended research internships available as well. You will have the flexibility of choosing your desired field and industry, including tech, machine learning, AI, health tech, and in this case, engineering.
You will get to collaborate closely with your startup managers, as well as receive guidance from a dedicated Ladder coach throughout your entire internship. You will also get to contribute to a large project for your connected startup and present your work at the conclusion of the internship.
6. Horizon Academic’s Environmental Health and Engineering
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Application Deadline: September 25, 2024 for the fall cohort; February 9, 2025 for the spring cohort
Program Dates: October 23, 2024 – February 19, 2025 for the Fall Seminar; March 3, 2025 onwards for the Spring Seminar
Horizon Academic offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in a diverse array of fields including data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. Notably, it stands out as one of the few high school research programs that offers both quantitative and qualitative research options.
Part of what makes Horizon unique is that after selecting your preferred subject area and research type, you will be matched with a professor or Ph.D. scholar from a leading university to guide you throughout the research process and as you write a comprehensive 20-page research paper. You will be given a valuable opportunity to engage in advanced research under the mentorship of esteemed scholars, as well as a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback on your project, which will prove to be beneficial for future research endeavors and college applications.
7. Excel High School’s Mechanical Engineering Course
Cost: $325
Eligibility: High school students over 14 years old
Application Deadline: Rolling, you may apply year-round
Program Dates: Year-round
Excel High School's introductory Mechanical Engineering course provides a thorough exploration of the field, blending science and engineering principles. You will get the opportunity to learn about fundamental concepts such as two- and three-dimensional forces, the crucial role of mathematics in engineering, and key mechanical elements. You will use a specially designed course textbook to learn about the Pappus-Guldinus Theorems and various types of loads. This course aims to help you understand how these subjects apply to real-world scenarios and learn about career paths in mechanical engineering.
8. Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers’ Virtual STEM Labs
Cost: No information is available
Eligibility: K-12 students of Hispanic origin
Application Deadline: N/A
Program Dates: Multiple events throughout the year
The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers’ Virtual STEM Lab programs offer a range of engaging opportunities designed to ignite students’ interests in science, technology, engineering, and math. By providing Hispanic students early exposure to STEM, SHPE aims to influence their academic and career choices positively.
SHPE emphasizes bringing practical STEM experiences directly to students’ homes, schools, and communities to make these opportunities accessible regardless of location. They offer various resources throughout the year, such as workshops, STEM activity ideas, information for parents. You can check out their current offerings here.
Your confidence in your STEM abilities will be boosted while you gain support for future college success, access to certifications, and a welcoming community through the SHPE Junior Familia.
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Girls and gender expansive students between the ages of 13-18
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025. Applications typically close in March
Program Dates: There are five different sessions held between June and August, see here.
Kode With Klossy, founded by model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss, offers a two-week summer camp aimed at empowering high school students, primarily young women and non-binary individuals, through coding and technology. As a participant, you can choose from four main tracks: web development, mobile app development, machine learning, and data science.
The web development and mobile app development tracks are ideal if you are interested in software engineering, as they cover key areas like front-end design, UI/UX improvements, and programming languages such as JavaScript and HTML. You will also get hands-on experience with tools like Xcode and Apple’s SwiftUI framework.
10. Lumiere Education’s Engineering Track
Cost: $2,990 for the Individual Research Program. 100% aid is offered for this program.
Eligibility: High School students
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: December 16, 2024 onwards; 12 weeks for the Individual Research Program
The Lumiere research program, created by PhDs from Harvard and Oxford, provides a distinctive opportunity for students passionate about computer engineering. This program pairs each student with a PhD mentor for personalized guidance on independent research projects.
Lumiere focuses on interdisciplinary research, blending computer science, mathematics, and engineering to tackle practical problems. Students can select from various specializations, including hardware design, software development, embedded systems, or artificial intelligence. The program also offers financial assistance to support participants from varied backgrounds.
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