11 Robotics Programs for High School Students
Robotics programs offer high school students an excellent opportunity to combine creativity with technical expertise, preparing them for careers in engineering, computer science, or interdisciplinary fields. By participating, you can explore concepts like artificial intelligence, automation, and mechanical design in hands-on environments. These experiences deepen STEM knowledge and build essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and project management.
For college applicants, involvement in robotics highlights a commitment to academic growth and practical skills, enhancing your applications. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, these programs clarify career goals and encourage innovative thinking.
1. PennX Robotics: Dynamics and Control
Location: Virtual.
Cost: Free to audit, with a certificate for a fee of $349.
Application Deadline: Open enrollment.
Program Length: The program runs for 12 weeks, with students typically spending an estimated 8-10 hours of work per week.
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.
Dynamics and Control, a 12-week online course by the University of Pennsylvania, focuses on designing and controlling robotic systems. In this program, you will study the dynamics of robot arms, mobile robots, and quadrotors and explore trajectory planning, system stability, and control law design.
Through project-based learning, you’ll model robotic arms, control mobile robot trajectories, and plan and manage quadrotor systems. The syllabus includes rigid body dynamics, state-space modeling, and linear and nonlinear control strategies, combining theoretical knowledge with practical applications to build expertise in robotics.
2. Northeastern Young Scholar’s Program (YSP)
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 20, 2025
Program Dates: June 23 – July 31, 2025
Eligibility:
Applicants must be permanent residents of Massachusetts and attend school in the state year-round.
Students must live within commuting distance of Northeastern University.
The program is open exclusively to rising 12th graders (current juniors) from all types of schools, including public, private, and homeschooling.
U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required due to the program’s government grant funding.
Participants are expected to maintain full attendance, with exceptions made only for documented emergencies.
This program offers practical research opportunities for Massachusetts high school students entering their senior year. You’ll collaborate with Northeastern University faculty in research labs across the Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences. Research areas include bioengineering and artificial intelligence, though specific projects for the year are not yet finalized.
In addition to lab work, the program provides career and educational guidance, including seminars, field trips, and career exploration sessions. These activities aim to familiarize you with university-level research processes and academic environments.
3. Worcester Polytechnic Institute Frontiers
Location: WPI, Worcester, MA
Cost: $4,495 per session (includes housing, meals, field trips, workshops, and activities)
Application Deadline: April 30, 2025
Program Dates:
Frontiers I: July 6 – 18, 2025
Frontiers II: July 20 – August 1, 2025
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
WPI's residential program offers two weeks of STEM exploration, combining a primary STEM focus with a complementary humanities minor, such as psychology, painting, or business. If you choose Robotics Engineering, you’ll study key concepts like force, torque, material properties, microcontrollers, sensors, programming, and pneumatics. You will apply this knowledge to design a machine that addresses a robotics challenge, which will be tested in an end-of-session competition.
4. Playto Labs Summer Robotics Camp
Location: Virtual
Cost: $800–$1,000 for live 1:1 classes over 7–8 months, including a robotics kit
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Program Dates: Throughout the summer
Eligibility: Students aged 8-16
The Playto Labs Robotics Summer Camp offers an online program for students aged 8-16, focusing on robotics and STEM. Over 7-8 months, you'll engage in live, one-on-one sessions with instructors and receive personalized guidance. The camp includes a robotics kit, allowing you to work on practical projects that integrate coding, electronics, and mechanical design. Through hands-on learning, you'll build, program, and test robots as you develop key skills in robotics like critical thinking, problem-solving, and building confidence in applying STEM principles to create functional models. This program blends technical education with an engaging experience.
5. Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University Robotics & Autonomous Systems Camp
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Cost: $1,000 (with a $25 early discount if registered by April 3, 2025)
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Program Dates: July 20 - 25, 2025
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18
This summer program at Embry-Riddle focuses on robotics and autonomous systems. You’ll work with faculty and undergraduate teams to design and test autonomous robots, gaining hands-on experience. The program integrates mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering concepts, offering valuable skills for those pursuing careers in robotics and engineering.
6. University of Wisconsin Madison Engineering Summer Program
Location: UW-Madison’s campus
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Information not released yet
Program Dates:
VESP: June 24–27, 2025 (tentative)
ESP: July 13–August 2, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility:
VESP:
Interested in STEM
U.S. citizen or permanent resident
8th grade or freshman in high school
ESP:
Passionate about STEM
U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Current sophomore or junior in high school
Completed at least one year of algebra, geometry, and chemistry
Minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
The Virtual Engineering Summer Program is designed for rising 9th and 10th graders, offering a one-week experience where students can explore different engineering majors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During this program, you will receive engineering kits in the mail and engage in hands-on projects focused on robotics design.
For rising 11th and 12th graders, the residential Engineering Summer Program spans three weeks. This program provides a comprehensive STEM curriculum that includes interactive workshops, field trips, visits to industry sites, and mentoring opportunities with faculty. You will have the chance to work in teams, learning about design processes and gaining valuable insights from industry professionals.
7. Saint Louis University Robotics Summer Academy
Location: SLU Campus, St. Louis, MO
Cost: $650. Full and partial scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: April 30, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: June 12 - 16, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 through 12. Space is limited to 25 students.
At Saint Louis University's Robotics Summer Academy, you'll work in teams to design and build robots using custom hardware, applying concepts from mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. By the end of the camp, you'll have a fully functional robot to compete with in friendly challenges. Additionally, you’ll meet current SLU engineering students and faculty, tour engineering labs, and explore the campus.
8. Tufts Engineering Design Lab
Location: Tufts University/Somerville Campus, Medford, MA
Cost:
Commuter: $4,225
Residential: $5,750
Materials fee: $200
Limited need based scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Program Dates:
Session 1: July 6 - 18, 2025
Session 2: July 20 - August 1, 2025
Eligibility:
Applicants must be in grades 10-12 or graduating from high school in the spring of 2022.
Residential students must be at least 15 years old at the start of the program and no older than 17 at the program's end.
Both domestic and international students are welcome to apply. However, if English is not the applicant's first language, proof of English language proficiency is required.
This program focuses on using engineering, fabrication, robotics, and computation to tackle real-world challenges. You’ll work on engineering design projects in Tufts University's Nolop Makerspace, which is equipped with tools for laser cutting, 3D printing, robotics, and computational work. In addition to hands-on experience, guest speakers from engineering careers will provide insights to inspire and inform your project ideas.
9. MIT Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers
Location: MIT campus in Cambridge, MA
Cost: None.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Program Dates: July 14 - 27, 2025 (tentative based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility:
U.S. citizenship (foreign citizens who are permanent residents are not eligible).
A strong passion for science, math, and engineering.
Completion of your junior year in high school.
MIT's LLRISE program offers rising seniors the chance to learn radar system construction, including Doppler and range radar, with guidance from experienced scientists and engineers. The program takes place at MIT's main campus in Cambridge and the Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA. You'll gain hands-on experience with radar technology while working alongside experts in the field. For more detailed information, visit MIT's official site.
10. MIT Summer: Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES)
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None.
Application Deadline:
Student deadline: February 1, 2025
Recommender deadline: February 15, 2025
Program Dates: The program runs through late June to early August.
Eligibility:
U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Be a current high school junior
Over six weeks, high school students will participate in a structured program with seven-hour workdays, featuring courses in STEM and humanities, workshops, guest speakers, and campus tours. A key component is an elective class, focused on a specific project, such as engineering design or machine learning. At the end of the program, you'll present your final project at a symposium, sharing your work with the broader MIT community.
11. UT Austin Academy for Robotics
Location: UT Austin Campus, Austin, TX
Cost: $2,100
Application Deadline: This information is yet to be released.
Program Dates: This information is not yet released.
Eligibility: Current 9th - 12th grade students in Fall of 2025.
The UT Computer Science Summer Academies offer high school students the chance to explore robotics at the University of Texas. You will learn topics like programming, Arduino, sensors, and robot control, with hands-on activities such as assembling and programming robots and participating in a robot race. In addition to technical skills, you'll explore the UT campus and interact with current students. For more details, check the official UT website closer to the application date.
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Tyler Moulton is Head of Academics and Veritas AI Partnerships with 6 years of experience in education consulting, teaching, and astronomy research at Harvard and the University of Cambridge, where they developed a passion for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Tyler is passionate about connecting high-achieving students to advanced AI techniques and helping them build independent, real-world projects in the field of AI!
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