Your Future in Action
The TryEngineering Summer Institute offers an incredible opportunity for high school students to discover the exciting world of engineering. Throughout our engineering summer program, students will explore four diverse engineering disciplines: mechanical, civil, electrical, and aerospace. Students will learn the fundamentals of each field, work in teams engaging in hands-on engineering challenges, and go on exciting field trips to see and meet real engineers in action.
Past off-campus field trips included:
- NASA's Johnson Space Center - Insider tour with NASA Engineers and behind-the-scenes sneak peek (for students at our Rice University location)
- Qualcomm - This high tech company provides a tour of the manufacturing facilities, meet and greet with working engineers, a Q&A session, and a chance to see the history of their products (for students at the University of San Diego)
Past engineering challenges included:
- Flying Drone Challenge - Design and build operational drones to carry payloads to designated targets.
- Hydraulic Robot Arm Challenge - Design and build a hydraulic robot for lifting objects, then they compete in two unique team challenges.
- Bridge Engineering Challenge - Learn the fundamentals of bridge engineering and then design and build their own bridges. The bridge that is able to hold the most weight wins a pizza party!
- Glider & Wing Design Challenge - Design and construct a glider capable of carrying a shoebox payload. The goal of this hands on challenge is to maximize flight distance and learn the fundamentals of aerospace engineering.
Who is Our Engineering Summer Program For?
The TryEngineering Summer Institute gives students ages 13-17 the opportunity to explore a variety of engineering disciplines in a fun, hands-on way. The program is ideal for students who are considering a degree or career in engineering, as well as those who are looking for an engineering summer program! Whether your teen is brand new to engineering or has taken a few classes in school, every student will have fun tackling a variety of engineering design challenges while developing skills in engineering, communication, and consensus-building.
The program is designed by IEEE STEM specialists specifically for our engineering summer program. Students participate in team-based, hands-on design challenges, hear from and interact with working engineers, and experience exciting off-campus field trips to local engineering sites.
The program is perfect for those who want to:
- Find out how engineering is applied in the real world, and how it’s shaping our future.
- Participate in multi-disciplinary projects in electrical, civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering disciplines.
- Learn to think like engineers while building critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Experience how engineers work in teams to solve local and global challenges.
- Gain insight into what it’s like to study engineering at the university level.
- Engage with real-life engineers working in the field.
- See real-world engineering projects while learning about future academic and career possibilities through exciting trips and tours.
- Build awesome projects that teach engineering skills, including soldering and breadboarding, to create AM radios, lighted signs, and more.
Learn more about the TryEngineering Summer Institute campus locations:
Why Choose the TryEngineering Summer Institute?
Choosing the TryEngineering Summer Institute for your engineering summer program comes with many advantages, and not all of them are inside the classroom. This summer your teen can have the opportunity to learn from staff at IEEE, one of the world's largest professional technical organizations. The IEEE STEM team has created a hands-on curriculum that is more than just lectures in the classroom Students will learn about the fundamentals of different engineering disciplines through challenges and projects.
Our engineering summer program is specifically designed to ignite your teen's passion to start a career in engineering, but that is not all! We hope to provide a summer experience that not only helps your teen grow into their future but also gives them a taste of college life.
TryEngineering Summer Institute uniquely offers:
- Real world exposure to professionals actively working in the field.
- Insight into STEM career paths where your teen can see exactly where their interests lie and learn how they can work towards achieving their career goals.
- Networking opportunities where students can connect with like-minded peers and professionals working in engineering.
- College life experience where your teen will live and interact with other teens who share similar interests.
- Spend a week at a prestigious university that will inspire your teen to reach their academic goals.
- An engaging summer learning experience where your teen can explore engineering, make friends, and have fun.
- Create long lasting memories and connect with a cohort of future engineers.
Meet a Graduate of Our Engineering Summer Program
His confidence grew and he matured. He realized that if he continued to work hard that could get into a great engineering program.
Student: Carl C., TESI Graduate from 2018
Carl's mom answered the following questions.
Why did you choose to register your child at the TryEngineering Summer Institute?
The engineering summer program had good reviews but most importantly I wanted our son to experience life away at a university campus with exposure to various engineering disciplines. Our hope was for him to see what he liked and disliked about going away and to reconfirm his interest in studying engineering. The overnight dorm style life with a roommate, field trips, group projects and lectures was a way for him to get a taste of college life with like-minded high school students. The program was geared to not only an academic approach to engineering but to give real world applications and solutions to everyday issues. It tested problem solving skills from understanding the problem, drafting an approach and managing the solution.
After camp, did you observe any academic, social, or other breakthroughs in your child as a result of our program?
I think he realized that he could survive living away from home. His confidence grew and he matured. He realized that if he continued to work hard that could get into a great engineering program. I think it also helped him during his college visits to look for specific course programs, facilities and teaching approaches.
What is your child doing now, and how does it connect to their experience in our program?
Carl graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Last summer, he interned at Urenco USA, a nuclear energy company in Hobbs, New Mexico. When he's not working, Carl is busy restoring a 30-year-old vehicle.
2025 Engineering Summer Program Dates & Locations
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Session 1 - Sold Out!
June 29th - July 7th
Session 2
July 11th - July 19th
Tuition Pricing
$4,095
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Session 1 - Sold Out!
June 11th - June 19th
Session 2- Sold Out!
June 24th - July 2nd
Tuition Pricing
$4,095
Rice University
Houston, TX
Session 1- Sold Out!
June 29th - July 7th
Session 2 - Sold Out!
July 11th - July 19th
Tuition Pricing
$4,095
Columbia University
New York, NY
Session 1
July 12th - July 20th
Session 2
July 24th - August 1st
Tuition Pricing
$4,295
Take the Next Steps: Enroll in our Engineering Summer Program
The TryEngineering Summer Institute is the perfect opportunity to introduce your teen to the exciting world of engineering. If you are looking for a summer engineering program for high school students, look no further. Our summer engineering program features hands-on learning, where students will have the opportunity to build and learn rather than exclusively listening to lectures. We also educate students on more than just engineering, our summer program features four disciplines within the engineering industry. Each module features challenges, professional guest speakers, and experienced instructors.
We are more than an engineering summer program for high school students. At the TryEngineering Summer Institute our goal is larger than just teaching the fundamentals of engineering. Our summer program is about sparking curiosity, building self confidence, and laying the groundwork for lifelong success. Please contact us today if you need any additional information, and if you are ready to enroll then click the button below!