Top MIT Summer Programs
MITES (MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science) is a high school program sponsored by MIT. The program is dedicated to providing underrepresented students an opportunity to explore their potential in STEM, while connecting with other like-minded students and world-renowned professors from MIT. MITES has three programs: MITES Summer, MITES Saturdays, and MIT Semester. We will go into more detail about each program in a bit.
Why should students apply to the MITES Summer?
Participating in the program, students can develop the necessary soft and hard skills to succeed in the STEM field through classes and group activities. In addition, at the end of the program, students will receive written evaluations from their instructors, outlining strengths and growth areas and highlighting the student’s contributions to the class. This written evaluation is very important and can be used as supplemental material with your college application, so pay close attention to your studies, as well as your relationship with fellow students and your instructors.
The MITES summer program is one of the three programs offered by MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science. During six weeks studying on campus, students will take five rigorous STEM courses, participate in lab tours and social events, and receive advice from college admissions counseling. The program is designed to bolster confidence, create a lifelong community, and establish a solid foundation in STEM.
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are high school juniors. The program strongly encourages the following students to apply (not a requirement): Students who are passionate about STEM, have strong academic records, and come from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds, including first-generation college students, students from low-income families, and students from schools with limited access to top-tier college opportunities.
Courses: Students will take one math course, one life science course, one physics course, a humanities course, and one project-based elective course. Elective courses have included subjects in Architecture, Engineering Design, Machine Learning, Genomics, and Electronics.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027
Program Fee: Free. Students will also receive room and board free of charge.
MITES Saturday is a 16-week program where students meet every Saturday to take an Academic Mentoring Seminar (AMS) course that focuses on nontechnical skill and a hands-on STEM project course. In the past, students have explored a range of STEM courses, including but not limited to Engineering, Computer Science, Data Visualization, Robotics, etc.
Eligibility: 7th–10th graders at Boston, Cambridge, or Lawrence public schools. U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Application Opens: November 2026
Program Fee: Free, including lunch; Lawrence students receive free transportation through Lawrence Public Schools
MITES Semester is another option for students who prefer a longer program. MITES Semester is a six-month national STEM and college preparation program. Students will participate in two online courses, one project-based course and one supplemental core course, and weekly virtual webinars, social events, workshops, and meetings with peers in the fall.
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027
Cost: Free
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a prestigious summer program held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for 100 select high school students. Participants engage in the entire research process, including reviewing current literature, developing research plans, and presenting their findings through written and oral reports. RSI includes a week of intensive STEM classes with professors, followed by a five-week research internship where students work on individual projects under the guidance of experienced mentors. The program culminates in research presentations on the findings and process of their projects.
Eligibility: High school juniors (typically students apply in the middle of junior year). High school seniors are not eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: December 11, 2026, at 11:59pm.
We also have a detailed article discussing the Research Science Institute and a general guide to the program. Please refer to the Complete Guide to the Research Science Institute for more information.
The MIT Women’s Technology Program (WTP) is a rigorous four-week summer program for high school students who have little to no exposure to engineering, but have demonstrated their ability to excel at math and science in their high school classes.
The program at WTP is very selective. In 2023, the program received 188 applications for the 20 WTP-ME spots, making the selection rate about 10%.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who have a permanent address in the US (or US territories)
Deadline: December 21 each year
36 ambitious high school students will participate in the Summer Science Program, in collaboration with faculty members, to complete real research projects in Astrophysics, Biochemistry or Genomics. MIT doesn’t host the program, but they have been the host campus for students (in addition to California Institute of Technology and Harvey Mudd College). 10-20% of SSP alumni each fall choose to enroll at MIT for their undergraduate, and MIT has been the most frequent undergraduate destination of SSP alumni. The research projects for each field are as follows: Asteroid Orbit Determination (Astrophysics), Fungal Inhibitor Design (Biochemistry), and Antibiotic Resistance and Directed Evolution (Genomics).
Eligibility: High school juniors
Application Timeline: December 2026 – February 2027
Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) is an intensive four-week program in July where high school juniors can get a taste of the MIT experience, while working on college-level curriculum with other students from around the country. BWSI is free to students, especially those who may be the first person in their family to attend college. They offer a range of courses—from Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, to Quantum Software and Serious Game Design with AI—with concentrations in programming autonomous systems and more! While this program is only open to high school juniors, online programs are offered for younger high school students.
LaunchX brings together top aspiring high school entrepreneurs from around the world each summer, supporting you through the process of launching an actual startup. MIT doesn’t organize LaunchX, but LaunchX organizers collaborate with top-ranking schools like MIT, Northwestern University, and the University of Pennsylvania for hosting locations. Students who are interested in LaunchX can apply for in-person (Ann Arbor Entrepreneurship and Bay Area Entrepreneurship) or online programs (Online Entrepreneurship, Online Innovation).
LLRISE is a two-week radar workshop offered by the Lincoln Laboratory. It is a summer program designed to teach students how to build small radar systems. The workshop is a project-based enrichment program for outstanding students currently in their junior year of high school. Participants have the opportunity to work with highly talented scientists and engineers. The workshop takes place at both the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA, and the Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA. LLRISE is a free program, and participants only need to cover their transportation costs to and from MIT.
Deadline: March 11, 2026 10:00 PM EST
iD Tech Summer Camp is a STEM-enrichment camp for high school students to meet like-minded peers and mentors who share their interests while in a college atmosphere, and participate in hands-on activities in state-of-the-art labs. MIT is one of the campus hosts for iD Tech Summer Camp. The camp offers an exclusive curriculum and covers in-demand topics such as Python, Java, etc. The instructors at iD Tech are not only recruited from top universities, but also serve as mentors. Course information is available on the iD Tech Website.
Deadline: Varies depending on the program.
Fundamentals of Engineering at MIT is a course that provides students with hands-on learning experiences in engineering on the MIT campus, along with visiting MIT Engineering Labs and having an off-campus excursion to an engineering firm. The program begins with an introduction to MATLAB, a widely used computational programming language in science and technology. Students have the opportunity to learn from MIT professors, who share insights into the latest advancements in engineering and technology.
Program Timeline:
- Session 1: June 21 – July 3, 2026
- Session 2: July 5 – July 17, 2026
- Session 3: July 19 – July 31, 2026
PRIMES-USA is a prestigious and free year-long research program in mathematics that is open to high school juniors and sophomores (including home-schooled students of the same age) from across the United States. The program is designed to provide talented students with opportunities to engage in advanced mathematical research projects under the mentorship of graduate students and faculty from MIT and other universities. There are a total of four phases of the program, starting from January to December 31. Students will start working on a brief 5-page reading report approved by their mentor. Then students will work on their research projects until the end of the year to present them in the PRIMES conference and potentially submit to national science competitions or professional research journals.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors. Preferably students who are USAMO or USAJMO qualifiers; OR have grade A for a college-level proof-based math course (online courses included; OR participate in summer math programs; OR receive a recommendation letter from a college professor of mathematics
Deadline: November 2, 2026
A great alternative or preparation course for MIT Summer Programs is Aralia Research Program! Aralia’s instructors are experts in both scientific research and competition preparation. The program offers a comprehensive curriculum that not only focuses on developing research skills, but also emphasizes the necessary training for academic competitions. By participating in the Aralia Research Program, students can enhance their scientific knowledge, sharpen their research abilities, and receive specialized training to excel in competitive academic environments. This program serves as an ideal stepping stone for students aspiring to participate in prestigious summer programs like those offered by MIT.
