The Young Engineer Summer Experience

Immersive Engineering Experiences

• ‘Boeing Experience’: gain exclusive access to commercial aircraft alongside aerospace engineers and pilots at an airfield.
• Explore supercar production and design with engineers from leading high-performance automotive brands.
• Dismantle a petrol engine under the guidance of an expert mechanical engineer.
• Design an aerofoil and test it in a wind tunnel with a Rolls-Royce engineer.
• Apply structural engineering principles to build a bridge and test its ability to carry heavy loads.
• Work as a materials engineer by carrying out metallurgical failure analysis and discovering materials science in action.
• Pitch your own innovative engineering start-up in a simulated Dragons’ Den to a panel of experts.

Gain a Qualification and UCAS Points

• Gain practical experience to strengthen your engineering university application and demonstrate passion and commitment to the field.
• Have your work assessed to earn a Level 3 Award in Work Experience and Career Planning, equivalent to 8 UCAS points.
• Complete an online assessment after the programme to receive a personalised certificate and industry reference letter.

Meet Senior Engineers

• Learn directly from engineers working in mechanical, civil, aerospace, materials and other key engineering disciplines.
• Take part in private networking sessions with professionals who may become valuable mentors or career contacts.

Career Coaching

• Receive guidance on how to secure competitive roles in engineering.
• Advice on subject selection, university applications, work experience and extra-curricular activities.

World-Class Universities and People

• Experience student life at University College London (UCL), one of the world’s top universities.
• Meet ambitious students from around the globe and build an international network of future engineers.

Design Your Own Summer Experience

• Choose from the following programme formats:
  • First Week Only (taster experience)
  • Two-Week Experience (full programme)
  • Two-Week Premium Experience (both weeks with enhanced benefits)
• Accommodation options include residential or non-residential.
• Residential students stay at UCL halls in central London, with meals, pastoral support and evening/weekend activities.
• Optional airport transfers are available at checkout.

Week 1

Civil and Structural Engineering

• Apply core engineering concepts to design a structural solution within realistic constraints
• Build a weight-bearing structure in a competitive group task
• Compete to impress judges and become the top-performing engineer

Aeronautical and Aerospace

• Understand flight physics and design high-performing aerofoils with a Rolls-Royce engineer
• Test designs in a wind tunnel and discuss results with aerospace specialists
• Participate in a Mars mission challenge to design transportation architecture

The Boeing Experience

• Visit an airfield and explore commercial aircraft with pilots and aerospace engineers
• Rig and derig a glass fibre glider as a team
• Work with engineers to programme a fly-by-wire control system

Materials Engineering

• Isolate graphene and apply it to create functional electrical circuits
• Conduct metallurgic failure analysis and produce a professional report
• Receive expert feedback on your engineering analysis

How to Become a Successful Engineer

• Learn key academic and career decisions from school to university and beyond
• Build impactful applications: work experience, CVs and interviews
• Receive coaching from professional engineers on standing out in the industry

Week 2

Enter the Supercar Studio

• Access a major collection of classic cars and explore vehicle evolution
• Disassemble a petrol engine with guidance from a mechanical engineer
• Examine the shift from petrol to electric vehicle engineering

Engineering and the Environment

• Explore sustainable design and its functional applications
• Respond to a simulated climate emergency and design a group solution
• Present to a sustainability expert and receive live feedback

Biomedical Engineering

• Discover how biomedical engineers innovate in healthcare and technology
• Conduct a patient case study and design adaptive biomedical solutions
• Explore motion capture technology and prosthetic design with expert guidance

Electrical Engineering

• Learn core electrical engineering principles and hardware–software integration
• Design and code a robot buggy using Arduino
• Understand and interpret electrical schematics

Networking Event with Engineers

• Engage in a private networking session with engineering professionals
• Ask questions and apply your newly gained knowledge
• Receive tailored advice from experts in the field

Graduation & Certification

• Celebrate your achievements over the programme
• Receive an industry reference letter signed by professionals

2-Week Premium

Overview

• Includes all Week 1 and Week 2 experiences plus 15 additional hours with professionals
• Build a professional development portfolio and gain career insights
• Assessment for Level 3 Work Experience Award and UCAS points included

Highlights

• Attend masterclasses on CVs, LinkedIn, personal branding and Oxbridge/Ivy League applications
• Complete psychometric and personality profiling to understand strengths and motivations
• Compete in a strategy simulation and attend a private Gala dinner in London

Dates
This summer school has three intakes: 6th July, 27th July or 17th August 2026.

Venues
The programme is based at UCL and the surrounding University of London campus. Certain days take place in other key industry locations in London.

Accommodation
Students live on university campus in central London and are allocated to halls of residence used by University of London students, including those from UCL and LSE. We typically occupy a range of halls, including Garden Halls, College Hall, International Hall and Frances Gardner House.

All rooms are single and en-suite.