Aerospace Engineering Summer Internships for High School Students (2026)

You love rockets. Maybe you build model planes in your garage. Maybe you’ve watched every SpaceX launch on YouTube. You want real aerospace experience before college.

That’s a great instinct. So let’s be honest about aerospace engineering summer internships for high school students, and what really exists.

Big aerospace companies like SpaceX, Boeing, Lockheed, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman don’t run dedicated summer internships for high schoolers. Their internship programs start in college.

Here’s the good news. Real aerospace programs for high school students DO exist. They come from NASA, the Air Force, MIT-affiliated institutes, and a bunch of strong university pre-college programs.

This guide covers the real ones for 2026. We’ll walk through who can apply, when to apply, and what each one costs.

The Real Aerospace Programs for High School Students in 2026

Six programs stand out. Here’s a quick look before we dig into each one:

NASA Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS)

If you live in Texas, this is THE program. NASA HAS is a year-long experience for Texas juniors.

It starts in the fall with five months of online learning. Top students earn a trip to NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston for the summer piece.

You’ll learn coding, CAD (computer-aided design), and real engineering. It’s free. Applications usually open in August.

The catch: Texas residents only. Not in Texas? Don’t worry, SEES is your national option.

NASA SEES: The National Option

NASA SEES (STEM Enhancement in Earth Science) is open to students nationwide. It runs through UT Austin’s Center for Space Research.

You need to be at least 16 by July 5, 2026 and a US citizen. The 2026 deadline is February 22, 2026 at 8 PM Pacific. Recommendations due March 1.

SEES is free. The program starts online, then includes a 2-week in-person summer piece at UT Austin.

Heads up: SEES is more research-heavy than build-heavy. You’ll analyze NASA data, not design rockets. Still one of the best free options in the country.

How to Apply to NASA SEES (Step by Step)

SEES is the most accessible real aerospace program nationwide, so let’s walk the exact application.

Your application has four parts. Miss one, and the whole thing gets rejected. Here’s what you submit:

• 1. Transcript. Upload your high school transcript. Ask your counselor to send it if you can’t download one yourself.

• 2. Three short essays (250 words max each). Questions cover your STEM experiences, skills from extracurriculars, and STEM access in your area.

• 3. Introduction video. A short clip where you introduce yourself, say where you’re from, and explain why you want to be a NASA intern.

• 4. Recommendation form. A teacher, counselor, youth leader, or principal sends it. Give their email in your application. NOT yours.

The 2026 student deadline is February 22 at 8 PM Pacific. The recommendation deadline is March 1 at 11:59 PM Pacific. Applications submit at spacegrant.net/apps/sees.

One tip that makes a big difference: SEES values students who lack STEM access at their school as much as students with fancy opportunities. If your high school doesn’t offer AP or IB, say so directly. They see that as a strength.

NASA OSTEM Summer Internships

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement runs paid summer internships at NASA centers. The 2026 session runs June 1 through August 7.

Requirements: US citizen, full-time student, 3.0+ GPA. For high schoolers, seniors only (and these spots are tough to get).

Real talk: college applicants have a way easier time getting placed. If you’re a junior now, your best play is HAS or SEES first. Apply to OSTEM as a senior.

AFRL Scholars Program

The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) runs a paid summer program for upper-level high schoolers. You work on real Air Force projects.

Research areas include radar, electromagnetic structures, blast simulations, and propulsion. You get matched with AFRL scientists as mentors.

It’s small and selective. Your odds are better if you live near an AFRL base (Wright-Patterson in Ohio, Kirtland in New Mexico, Edwards in California, and others).

Beaver Works Summer Institute (MIT)

Beaver Works is a 4-week program run with MIT. You work in teams to design, prototype, test, and fly a complex aerospace vehicle. It’s free for accepted students.

Fair warning: it’s extremely competitive. They want rising seniors with strong math, coding, and engineering skills.

Already in AP Calc and AP Physics? Know Python? Done robotics? You’re in the pool. Not yet? Build toward it in sophomore and junior year.

University Pre-College Programs

A bunch of universities run aerospace or engineering summer programs for high schoolers. These are usually 1-4 weeks on a college campus.

They cost $2,000-6,000 for tuition plus room and board. Not free, but way easier to get into than the top free programs.

• Camp SOAR at Texas A&M: 6-day camp for rising juniors and seniors in July. Lectures, design projects, facility tours.

• Summer@RPI at Rensselaer: aerospace track with wind tunnel testing and RC airplane builds.

• Syracuse University Aerospace: hands-on flight principles, model airplane and rocket projects.

• NSLC Aerospace: design unmanned aerial vehicles and simulate Mars missions. Multiple locations.

• CURIE Academy at Cornell: coursework plus mentorship from Cornell engineering faculty.

• UCLA and University of Washington: summer aerospace tracks through Summer Springboard.

The Truth About the Big Aerospace Companies

You’ve probably seen "SpaceX high school internships" on blogs. Here’s the reality: those programs start in college, not high school.

SpaceX, Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic formally hire interns starting with college sophomores and juniors.

A few of them occasionally host a tour day or local mentorship for employees’ kids. But these aren’t structured summer internships you can apply to.

Want to intern at SpaceX one day? Use high school to build the resume that gets you in at age 19-20.

That resume looks like: NASA HAS or SEES, strong AP Physics and Calculus grades, a robotics or aerospace club.

Add coding skill, a couple of solid independent projects, and you’re in the pool colleges and aerospace internships recruit from.

Free Alternative Aerospace Experience

Didn’t get into the big programs? No worries. You can build real aerospace experience for free:

• Civil Air Patrol (CAP): Air Force Auxiliary youth program. Cadets 12-18 train in aviation and aerospace. Free. Available in every state.

• Young Eagles: free intro flights with volunteer pilots. Run by the Experimental Aircraft Association.

• High-power rocketry clubs: Tripoli Rocketry Association and National Association of Rocketry have youth programs in most metros.

• FIRST Robotics Competition: teams build real robots. Many have aerospace subteams focused on drones.

• Aviation Explorers posts: Boy Scouts of America run these at local airports.

For a wider view of remote STEM research programs (Johns Hopkins BSI, Stanford AIMI, ASSIP, and more), our online summer internships for high school students guide walks them by subject area with direct application links.

What to Do Each Year of High School

No need for a perfect plan. Here’s what helps at each stage:

How to Stand Out in Your Applications

Competitive programs get way more applicants than they can accept. What makes your application pop:

• A specific reason you want aerospace. Not "I love space." Try: a story about the rocket you built that failed, and what you fixed.

• Strong grades in physics, calc, and chem. AP or IB if your school offers them. A B in these hurts more than an A in electives helps.

• One coding or CAD project you can explain. Arduino rocket telemetry, a Python flight sim, a SolidWorks aircraft model.

• A STEM teacher recommendation. Someone who’s seen you work hard problems, not give up, and ask good questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply to NASA HAS if I don’t live in Texas?

No, HAS is Texas-only. For a national option, apply to SEES. Its deadline closes late February.

Do I need a 4.0 GPA?

No. NASA OSTEM asks for 3.0 minimum. HAS and SEES care more about your science grades and essays than overall GPA. A 3.5 with strong physics works.

Is AFRL Scholars okay if I’m not into defense work?

AFRL is Air Force research. If defense work bothers you, NASA programs fit better.

What if I don’t get into any program this year?

Build experience locally. Join Civil Air Patrol. Build a rocket. Take a physics course at community college. Apply again next year with more to show.

Do I need perfect interview skills?

No. Panels want curious students who explain their work clearly. Honest and thoughtful beats rehearsed. Practice with a teacher, you’ll be fine.

Final Word

Aerospace engineering is a demanding path, but high school is where it starts.

Applying to NASA SEES, HAS, AFRL Scholars, or Beaver Works is strong if you qualify. University pre-college works if your family can pay tuition. Civil Air Patrol and Young Eagles are free.

If you’re still figuring out whether aerospace is right for you, our engineering degree guide walks what aerospace engineers do after college.

And if you’re still deciding on your major, a wider look at the options helps too.

The honest truth about aerospace engineering internships for high school students? The best path isn’t always the most famous program.

When it comes to aerospace engineering summer internships for high school students, the strong moves are not always the famous ones.

For broader paid tech programs at MIT, Stanford, NASA, Meta, and Microsoft, our tech internships guide covers the wider research track. For computational and CS-track programs (USACO, MIT BWSI, Code in Place), see our best coding internships guide.

A real SEES application, a rocket project you built at home, and a physics teacher who believes in you will take you further than any brochure.