10 Pre-College Engineering Programs for High School Students in 2024-2025
Engineering is a highly sought-after career field. If you are interested in the subject, you might consider pursuing a pre-college course to enhance your knowledge and develop the skills needed to succeed in the engineering profession. Pre-college programs are a good way to get ahead in your field of interest while getting a taste of college life. They also add to your admissions profile and demonstrate a commitment to the subject when applying to colleges.
Many engineering pre-college courses have components of theory, practice, and research. You can choose the kind that fits your aspirations. Guided by academics and experts in the field, you can also start building a network that might be useful for future academic opportunities or internships.
If you’re looking to participate in a pre-college engineering program, we have compiled a list of 10 programs for high school students running in 2024-2025 to get you started.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: None
Deadline: February 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: June 16 – August 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Eligibility: High school students who will be at least 17 years old by the start of the program and will graduate in 2025 or 2026. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
A highly selective and prestigious program, the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program selects only 12 excellent students to participate in 7 weeks of intense research with guidance from experienced faculty. Some of the subjects covered by the program are computer science, mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering. Apart from research, you will participate in weekly seminars, discussions, and field trips. Because it is a fully-funded program, it covers on-campus meals, accommodation, and weekend activities. In addition, you will receive a $750 stipend when you submit the research project report. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
Location: Remote for 4 weeks and then on-campus for 6 weeks at New York University, New York, NY
Cost: None
Deadline: March 6, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: June 3 – August 4, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Eligibility: High school students living in New York City and completing 10th or 11th grade in June 2025
ARISE is a 10-week, fully-funded summer program for high school students interested in science and engineering. The interdisciplinary topics covered in the program include bio- and molecular engineering, chemical engineering, robotics, computer science, AI, and machine learning via hands-on work in research labs. During the application, if invited, you will attend mandatory lab tours and group interviews.
In the first 4 weeks, you will attend after-school workshops online that will train you in conducting research, and in the remaining 6 weeks, you will attend the program in person. During the in-person segment, you will participate in workshops and conduct lab-based research work according to the lab you have been assigned to. The program also provides mentorship from a graduate or postdoctoral student and college advice. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a stipend of at least $750. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
Location: Remote or on-campus at Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: Varies depending on the course, mode of teaching, and duration, but ranges from $2,816 – $9,870. Need-based scholarships are available
Deadline: May 10, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: 1–6 weeks, depending on the course
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9–12 and aged 14–18 by June 16, 2025
The flexibility and range of options offered by Brown’s Precollege Programs may be of interest to students looking to explore engineering through short courses. Whether online or in person, you can participate in a program in artificial intelligence, alternative energy, biomedical engineering, materials engineering, and much more. Some courses are conceptual, whereas others have a practical element to apply what you learn in class. In addition to academics, you can attend workshops and activities in the in-person option to get the full college experience.
Location: Remote or in-person at Johns Hopkins Univeristy, Baltimore, MD or Hood College, Frederick, MD
Cost: Varies depending on location and duration
Deadline: May 17, 2025 for engineering innovation and August 5, 2025 for biomedical engineering innovation (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: 4–5 weeks
Eligibility: Eligibility requirements vary slightly depending on the course, but generally, current high school students or recent graduates may apply. See detailed eligibility criteria here
Johns Hopkins offers three pre-college courses in engineering: engineering innovation (remote or in-person), sustainable energy engineering (in-person), and biomedical engineering (remote). The engineering innovation program has activities in civil, chemical, electrical/computer, and mechanical engineering, and materials science. You will work in teams to complete various projects, such as testing the material properties of spaghetti, designing and constructing a bridge, applying concepts of heat transfer and chemical reactions to a small bioreactor, creating an electronic device to improve a user’s well-being, and pitching your idea to others in your class.
The sustainable energy engineering track will teach you about engineering in terms of energy production and distribution. Similarly, the biomedical engineering track asks you to solve biological, physiological, and/or medical design problems. You will develop a biosensor and model the human arm and circulatory system. Your independent project will involve a literature review, designing an experiment or prototyping a biomedical device, and presenting your results in an online poster.
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $8,500 + $85 application fee (approximate cost based on the previous year)
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Duration: July 6 – 26, 2025
Eligibility:
You must have completed your freshman year and be at least 15 years old by the start of the program
Current seniors are not eligible
A minimum 3.0 GPA or equivalent with a preference for strong performance in math and science subjects as well as honors and advanced coursework are required
If you want a blend of theory and hands-on practice, ESAP may be the program for you. In this 3-week course, you will be introduced to AI, biotechnology, complex networks, computer graphics, computer science, nanotechnolog, or robotics, all while earning college credit. Some of the academies have course-specific prerequisites to ensure you can keep up with the coursework. You can expect a teacher-to-student ratio of about 1:19. A typical day during the course will include lectures and labs. In addition, there may be specific program-wide lectures and even industry visits. Like many other pre-college programs, you will also get to socialize, enjoy fun activities, and explore the college experience.
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Cost: $1,900 + $75 non-refundable deposit. Need-based financial aid is available
Deadline: February 15, 2025
Duration: July 13 – 19, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 and strong performance in math and science; see detailed eligibility requirements here
CURIE Academy is a one-week residential program for high school students. It aims to introduce you to engineering at the college level, present career options in the field, and explain the college admissions process. During your week at Cornell, you will attend classes in one area of engineering taught by a Cornell Engineering faculty member. Supervised by faculty and graduate and undergraduate students, you will complete and present a research project. Throughout the program, you will also participate in field sessions across engineering majors and one session that will delve into the college admissions process.
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $650. Need-based financial aid is available
Deadline: March 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: July 6 – 12, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–11
SEE is a co-ed summer camp designed for those with limited access to engineering resources. At the camp, you will familiarize yourself with a range of engineering fields and industries. To learn more about the University of Michigan, you will get the chance to attend campus tours and a tour of the Big House while speaking with students and the Office of Admissions at the school. Working in small teams, you will work to solve a design challenge using the engineering design process. In addition to practical engineering activities, like a typical camp, you will also enjoy social activities.
Location: Remote or in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $1,750 for families with an income greater than $150,000. For students with a family income of less than $150,000, the program is free
Deadline: March 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: July 7 – August 3, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Eligibility: Students attending high school in the U.S. and enrolled in a grade no greater than junior year
If you’re looking for a project- and workshop-based course, the BWSI may be a good choice for you. Some courses are available online and some in-person. Online courses require independent study, and the July program is more team-based. The courses cover a diverse range of STEM topics, such as autonomous RACECAR, embedded security and hardware hacking, medlytics, game development with AI, quantum software, and remote sensing for disaster response. You may be required to complete online prerequisite courses before you begin your preferred course. To learn more about BWSI, check out our full guide here.
Location: A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Cost: None
Deadline: April 26, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Duration: July 8 – August 2, 2025 (tentative, based on the previous year)
Eligibility: High school seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and no Cs in math and science courses. You must have completed 11th grade before the program begins and have completed chemistry with a grade B or better
This 4-week program introduces you to engineering concepts and teaches you the skills needed to conduct research in the field. As part of the program, you will develop a research proposal, conduct a literature review, and review the research project. Besides conducting research, you will learn about college admissions and career pathways and speak to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Maryland.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school students
Application Deadline: March 26, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025. Two 3-week sessions were offered in 2024:
July 8 – 26, 2024
July 29 – August 16, 2024
Cost:
$5,500 (this includes tuition, lab and materials fee, and activities fee)
Students have to arrange their own transportation, and housing is not provided
Need-based scholarships are available
Columbia University’s Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers offers high school students college-level courses taught by Columbia’s faculty. Course options include biomedical engineering, competitive programming, sustainable engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, and civil engineering. SHAPE also offers workshops, electives, college preparation, and chances to interact with Columbia students.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, you could also consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.