24 Best Aerospace Engineering High School Internships – 2025

The benefits of pursuing an internship during high school cannot be overstated, especially in increasingly sought-after fields like aerospace engineering. Many students might be under the impression that internships in aerospace engineering aren’t available until college, but there are currently excellent, competitive programs for high schoolers offered throughout the country.

If you’ve come this far, you’re eager to further explore your role in astronautics, whether that’s understanding the intricacies of aerodynamics or working directly with propulsion systems. The aerospace engineering high school internships listed below are sure to provide you with the practical tools and professional exposure to shape your future studies and career. These aerospace engineering internships for high school students are offered by institutions like NASA and the country’s–if not the world’s–leading universities in aerospace engineering today.

Follow along for the top 24 aerospace engineering high school internships in 2025:

Best Aerospace Engineering High School Internships — 2025

1) Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program

• Location: Depending on the program, several different locations across the United States offer AFRL Scholar internship opportunities
• Dates: The dates will vary by each program
• Application Deadline: Every year, applications are usually due by January
• Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 16 by the application deadline and have a valid government ID; must be enrolled in or accepted by an educational institution where they’re taking at least a half-time course during the semester right before the internship begins; must have a GPA of at least 3.0; must be available for 40 hours a week and show up to the offices; must be U.S. citizens
• Stipend: Weekly stipends provided based on applicant’s education level; no cost

2) NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program

• Location: University of Texas, Austin, TX; the internship is partly online and partly in-person
• Dates: For 10th graders, July 27–August 4; for 11th graders, July 7–July 20
• Application Deadline: February is usually when applications are due each year
• Eligibility: Must currently be sophomores or juniors in high school; must not have worked previously as a SEES intern; must be 16 years old by July 1; must be U.S. citizens
• Stipend: This is an unpaid internship, although students will receive a NASA certificate of completion; no cost

3) NASA Johnson Space Center’s Texas High School Aerospace Scholars

• Location: Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; online
• Dates: Online course, November-March; 4-Day Onsite Residential, July 28–August 1
• Application Deadline: October is usually when applications are due each year
• Eligibility: Must be juniors in high school; must be U.S. citizens residing in Texas
• Stipend: This is an unpaid internship, although students who successfully complete the program will be given a 0.5 science elective credit; no cost

4) Cornell Engineering High School Outreach Program’s CURIE Academy

• Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Dates: July 14–July 20
• Application Deadline: February is usually when applications close
• Eligibility: Must be a sophomore or junior in high school by the time of applying; must have a GPA of at least 3.0 and strong math and science scores
• Stipend: There is no stipend, and the total cost is $1,850, which covers room, board/meals, and research supplies; scholarships are available to students

5) Boston University’s Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) Internship Track

• Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
• Dates: Residential, June 30–August 9; Commuter, July 1–August 9
• Application Deadline: February is when applications are typically due
• Eligibility: Must be rising high school seniors; must be U.S. citizens
• Stipend: There is no stipend; the internship costs $8,940 – $9246, including a $50 application fee; financial aid is available for students

6) MIT Lincoln Laboratory High School Internship Program

• Location: Lexington, MA
• Dates: July 10–August 15
• Application Deadline: March is usually when applications are due
• Eligibility: Must be rising high school seniors; must be 16 years old by the internship start date; must be U.S. citizens
• Stipend: There is a stipend provided; no cost

7) NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship Programs

• Location: NASA OSTEM internships take place across various NASA facilities; interns will be at one of the 10 NASA field centers and work remotely or in-person
• Dates: Summer, starting from late May or early June until August; the dates will vary by the internship opportunity
• Application Deadline: April or May is usually when the application window closes
• Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old by the time of applying; must be a full-time student (high school to graduate studies; part-time college student with a minimum of six semester hours); must have a GPA of at least 3.0; must be a U.S. citizen
• Stipend: Depending on the internship program, interns may be able to receive a stipend; no cost

8) MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute

• Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA; online
• Dates: July 8–August 4
• Application Deadline: March is usually when applications are due
• Eligibility: Must be a junior in high school in the U.S.
• Stipend: Not available

9) NSLC – High School Summer Aerospace Program

• Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
• Dates: The internship programs offered in Baltimore, MD and Blacksburg, VA each offer various dates
• Application Deadline: Varies; if there is available space in an NSLC internship program, they will continue to accept applicants or place you on the waitlist
• Eligibility: Must be 14-18 years old; must have finished at least one year of high school; students are eligible to attend an NSLC internship the summer after they graduate from high school
• Stipend: Residential program cost of $3,895

10) USC Viterbi’s Summer High School Intensive in Next-Generation Engineering (SHINE)

• Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
• Dates: June 10–July 26
• Application Deadline: February
• Eligibility: Must be freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in high school; must at least have a GPA of 3.4
• Stipend: There is a cost of $6,330, plus a $50 application fee; scholarships, both full and partial, are available

11) UIUC Illinois Aerospace Institute (IAI) Summer Camp

• Location: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL; online option available
• Dates: On-campus sessions, June 9–June 15 and July 14–July 20; Online session, July 21–July 27
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Eligibility: Must be a student in grades 9-12
• Stipend: There is a $1,000 on-campus fee and $150 virtual camp fee; each camp offers scholarships

12) Sally Ride Science Academy

• Location: UC San Diego Extended Studies; in-person or online
• Dates: July 7-July 25, 2025
• Application Deadline: May 31, 2025
• Eligibility: Must be a student in grades 3-12
• Stipend: To join, there’s a cost of $450.

13) Lockheed Martin High School Internship Program

• Location: Depends on the Lockheed Martin high school internship program, typically offered in the following cities: Denver, CO; Sunnyvale, CA; Cape Canaveral, FL; King of Prussia/Valley Forge, PA; Huntsville, AL; Herndon, VA
• Dates: Dates will also depend on which program students apply to
• Application Deadline: Deadline is typically in January each year
• Eligibility: Must be currently enrolled in high school; must be at least 16 years old; must demonstrate strong interest in STEM; must reside within commutable distance to a Lockheed Martin space facility
• Stipend: Internship stipends will vary by each program, but the average hourly rate is $25.42

14) Boeing High School Internship Program

• Location: Offered throughout various Boeing facilities across the country
• Dates: Summer
• Application Deadline: Applications are usually due in the winter
• Eligibility: Must be high school students with a strong demonstrated interest in aerospace and mechanical engineering
• Stipend: There is a competitive stipend offered

15) SpaceX Internships

• Location: Various locations include: Hawthorne (Los Angeles), CA; Bastrop, TX; Brownsville, TX; Cape Canaveral, FL; Irvine, CA; McGregor (Waco), TX; Redmond, WA; and Vandenberg, CA
• Dates: Internships usually last a minimum of 12 weeks; January-April (Spring); May-August (Summer); September-December (Fall)
• Application Deadline: Flexible deadline
• Eligibility: Must be a junior or senior in high school
• Stipend: Stipends are available

16) Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium

• Location: University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
• Dates: June 15-June 22
• Application Deadline: April 18
• Eligibility: Rising 9th, 10th and 11th graders
• Stipend: Please check their website for latest details

17) Aviation Academy

• Location: Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS), Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Dates: Throughout the year
• Application Deadline: June 6
• Eligibility: Must be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school and student at a Broward County Public School; must be willing to work 25 hours a month
• Stipend: Yearlong stipend available

18) Summer Engineering Seminar (SES) at Santa Clara University

• Location: Santa Clara University
• Dates: For SES Introduction (Year One) applicants, Session One, July 13-17 and Session Two, July 20-24; For SES Advanced (Year Two) returning applicants, Session Three, July 27-31
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Eligibility: Must have completed sophomore or junior year in high school by July 1, 2025; must not have been exposed to engineering profession during high school
• Stipend: No cost for accepted applicants

19) Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) at the Department of Navy (DoN)

• Location: SEAP offers various lab locations across the country
• Dates: The eight-week internship takes place during the summer; interns have the option to extend up to two additional weeks
• Application Deadline: August 1st-November 1st
• Eligibility: Must be a high school student who completed at least their freshman year; can be a graduating senior; must be at least 16 years old by the internship start date; must be a U.S. citizen
• Stipend: There is no cost and a stipend is provided to new participants ($4,000) and returning participants ($4,500)

20) Textron Aviation High School Internships

• Location: The internship location varies by opportunity
• Dates: Fall semester, spring semester, and for six weeks during the summer
• Application Deadline: Applications are available to submit throughout the year; summer applications open in January; fall applications open in July; spring applications open in October
• Eligibility: Must be 16-19 years old; must be a high school student
• Stipend: There is no cost and a stipend is available

21) Spirit AeroSystems High School Internship Program

• Location: Wichita, Kansas
• Dates: June-July for 5-6 weeks
• Application Deadline: April is typically when applications are due
• Eligibility: Must be a junior or senior in high school; must be at least 16 years old by the internship start date; must be U.S. citizens
• Stipend: There is no cost and a stipend is provided at $14 per hour

22) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) Internship Program

• Location: Princeton, New Jersey
• Dates: Exact dates are contingent upon each student’s individual school schedule; internship lasts 8-10 weeks (Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week) during the summer
• Application Deadline: March
• Eligibility: Must be a graduating senior in high school; must be at least 16 years old; must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Stipend: A stipend is available

23) Northrop Grumman’s HIP – High School Involvement Partnership Mentoring Program

• Location: Various Northrop Grumman facilities
• Dates: Junior year, November-May; senior year, November-April; each location will have slightly different dates
• Application Deadline: HIP application deadlines vary depending on location and the designated partner schools
• Eligibility: Must be a public high school student within the Northrop Grumman community; must have at least a 3.0 GPA; must be a U.S. citizen
• Stipend: None available

24) Ladder Internships – Engineering Track

• Location: Entirely online
• Dates: Spring, summer, fall, and winter cohorts lasting 8 weeks
• Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines offered throughout the year
• Eligibility: Must be a high school student; must work 10-20 hours per week for 8-12 weeks; Ladder internships are also made available to college and gap-year students
• Stipend: Stipends start at $2,490; financial assistance also available

Aerospace Engineering Internships for High School Students – Final Thoughts

The best aerospace engineering high school internships will be immersive, hands-on, and intellectually challenging. Moreover, exposure to one of today’s most in-demand fields has the power to change the course of your next academic chapter. Although some of the aerospace engineering internships listed above require a fee, many of them also provide generous stipends and financial aid, making them financially feasible for a wide variety of students.

Aerospace Engineering Internships for High School Students – Additional Resources

• When to Apply for Summer Internships
• 2025 Best Colleges for Aerospace Engineering
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