Women in STEM Programs & Competitions for High School Students
These programs — Kode with Klossy, Girls Who Code SIP, NCWIT Aspirations, Smith SSEP — exist to close the gender gap in STEM, which means funded seats, built-in mentorship, and award tracks reserved for young women.
An NCWIT award or a selective women-in-STEM summer program signals both technical ability and community — two things engineering and CS departments actively recruit for.
16 verified programs match this page; 13 of the featured listings are completely free; 6 can be done online.
Featured programs
Browse 16+ curated programs for high school students:
- Women's Technology Program at MIT — MIT: Empower your STEM journey with a free four-week summer program for high school women at MIT. Gain hands-on engineering skills and boost your college a
- Mathematical Olympiad for Girls — Mathematical Olympiad Foundation: Elite math competition for high school girls to tackle USAMO-level problems. Boosts problem-solving skills, stands out on college applications, and in
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation Scholarship — Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Educational Advancement Foundation: AKA Educational Advancement Foundation awards scholarships to academically excellent Black students from high school through graduate school. One of t
- MIT Women in Stem Research Program Pre-College Summer Program — MIT Women in Stem Research Program: Pre-college program at MIT Women in Stem Research Program for high school students focusing on stem.
- NYU Courant GSTEM — NYU Courant Institute: Free program for girls in math and computer science at NYU. Hands-on workshops with NYU Courant faculty.
- EMERGE Fellowship — EMERGE: Leadership program for young women interested in politics and public service.
- Amazon Women in Innovation Scholarship — Amazon: $10,000 scholarship for women pursuing computer science.
- WTS (Women's Transportation Seminar) Foundation Scholarship — WTS Foundation: Empower your future with a scholarship for women in transportation and engineering. Perfect for high school seniors aiming to boost college applicatio
- Google Women Techmakers Scholars Program — Google: Empowering high school women in STEM, this virtual scholarship program builds computer science skills and boosts college applications. Open to 12th-gr
- Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship — Palantir Technologies: Empower your future in computer science with this free scholarship and mentorship opportunity for high school women. Boost skills, gain experience, an
- Smith College Summer Science and Engineering Program — Smith College: Immerse yourself in a free, hands-on summer program for high school women to explore engineering and STEM research. Build skills and strengthen your c
- Distinguished Young Women — Distinguished Young Women: Empower your leadership skills and compete for scholarships in this hybrid program for high school junior girls. Build confidence and enhance your col
- National Women in Engineering Camps — Various Universities: Empower your future with hands-on engineering experience at top university summer programs for high school girls. Boost STEM skills and strengthen col
- ALA Girls Nation — American Legion Auxiliary: Top Girls State delegates travel to DC to run a mock Senate and connect with policymakers.
- Argonne National Laboratory Science Careers in Search of Women — Argonne National Laboratory: One-day STEM conference for young women at DOE's Argonne Lab. Tours, demos, and scientist talks.
- American Legion Auxiliary Girls State — American Legion Auxiliary: Immerse in a premier summer program for young women to develop leadership, civics, and policy skills through hands-on state government simulations. Bo
Frequently asked questions
How many women in stem programs are listed for high school students?
ExtracurricularHub currently lists 16 verified women in stem opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.
Are any of these women in stem programs free?
Yes — 13 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early.
Which deadlines are coming up soonest?
The next deadlines: Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (September 1, 2026); WTS (Women's Transportation Seminar) Foundation Scholarship (October 10, 2026); Argonne National Laboratory Science Careers in Search of Women (November 15, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.
Do women in stem extracurriculars help with college admissions?
Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in women in stem (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep.