During this JHU three-credit course, you will complete activities in civil, chemical, electrical/computer, and mechanical engineering, and materials science. Your confidence will grow as you attend college-level lectures, solve problems, test theories, and ultimately learn to think like an engineer.

Dates

June 30 – July 25, 2025 (no class on July 4)

June 29, 2025, is move-in day for residential locations.

Costs

Please visit the Cost & Aid page for details.

Projects

Working in small teams, you will test the material properties of spaghetti, design and construct a structurally stable bridge, link concepts of heat transfer and chemical reactions to a small bioreactor, create an electronic device to improve the well-being of the user, and prepare a short presentation to pitch your idea to others in your class.

Eligibility

Grade and age requirements

You must be a current high school student or recent high school graduate.  Our typical student is a rising junior (~35%) or senior (~65%) in high school. Talented ninth-graders (rising sophomores) may be considered; however, when space is limited, priority will be given to older students. Graduated seniors are also eligible to participate during the summer before they begin their college career.

For 2025, students participating in a residential program must have been born between July 26, 2007, and June 29, 2010.; they must be at least 15 years of age on move-in day and no older than 17 years of age on the last day of the program. We cannot accept students who turn 18 before the final day of the course to a residential program. You must be under 18 years of age to live in the residence hall. 

Academic Prerequisites

  • As and Bs in your high school math and science classes
  • Completed Algebra II
  • Completed a course where the trigonometric functions are taught. You must be able to use sine, cosine, tangent, and the Pythagorean Theorem to determine angles and side lengths for right angle triangles.
  • Completed a full year of high school chemistry and/or physics, including a lab. Many students feel that knowledge of physics is particularly helpful for the course.

Time Commitment

The EEI in-person (both residential or commuter) course is a college-level program that requires you to commit approximately 38 hours per week. It is designed for first-year engineering students at Johns Hopkins University over their 16-week fall semester, while pre-college high school students complete the same material in just 4 weeks. We strongly discourage you from taking additional courses while enrolled in EEI. If you choose the commuter version of the course, you will have more flexibility with your schedule, but you should still carefully consider any other commitments you have (such as jobs, internships, other courses, sports, etc.) when deciding whether to enroll.

Homework

You should expect up to two hours of homework each evening after class.

Health Requirements

Health Insurance

All in-person students at commuter and residential locations must have health insurance. Please see the Policies and Services page for details.

Locations

Meet in-person with peers who are as interested in STEM as you are!

Residential Opportunities

Experience campus life for four weeks at one of our residential locations in Maryland:
- Johns Hopkins University: Homewood Campus – Baltimore, MD
- Hood College – Frederick, MD

Commuter Opportunities

Stay at home and spend your days learning new skills with friends at one of our host locations in CA, DC, or MD:
- Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus, Baltimore, MD
- Hood College, Frederick, MD
- JHU Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
- Ohlone College, Fremont, CA
- University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC

EEI is not only an opportunity to grow as a person and grow as an engineer, mathematician or a physicist, but also an opportunity to expand your horizons. It really pushes the boundaries of what you thought was possible. There’s so much more out there, and people have achieved it. You can do it too, and I think that’s the most inspiring aspect of it.

Trinidad An Explore Engineering Innovation Alum

JOIN US!

Learn about each program or start your application today.