15 STEM Camps for High School Students
STEM is a field that requires both thorough academic rigor and relevant practical experience. If you’re a high school student looking to apply for competitive STEM programs at the undergraduate level, participating in STEM camps for high school students is a great boost for your application profile. Participating in these camps demonstrates that you are motivated, in touch with the latest developments in STEM, and driven to gain exposure to practical skills and industry connections. These opportunities, often offered by top colleges and organizations, provide a solid way to explore your interests without being a super expensive option compared to full-term enrollments.
If you want to check out STEM internships instead, here’s a list of some STEM-specific internships!
How are camps different from other programs in high school?
While there are many summer opportunities available, it is important to understand how camps differ from typical pre-college programs at universities. Camps are generally more focused, shorter-duration programs that prioritize intensive skill-building in a specific niche rather than a broad introduction to college life. They provide a concentrated environment for hands-on learning and direct mentorship.
Because they are typically run by independent organizations rather than universities, the environment is less about earning academic credit and more about immersive, hands-on learning. Whether it's a one-week intensive in robotics, creative writing, or outdoor leadership, this standalone structure lets students dive deeply into a specific passion without the heavy academic pressure or long time commitment that usually comes with university-run programs.
In this blog, we’ve specifically narrowed down our list to the top 15 STEM camps for high school students to help you navigate your best options.
Quick Look
15 camps total spanning medicine, public health, cybersecurity, mathematics, AI in healthcare, materials science, and engineering, hosted by institutions including Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, NC State, and the CDC
Camps range from a single week (most programs) to three weeks (Ohio State MD Camp), with CMU's SAMS as the outlier at six weeks, so the time commitment varies significantly.
Stanford appears twice with distinct programs: AIMI covers AI in healthcare and is fully virtual, while SUMaC focuses on advanced pure mathematics in a residential or online format
CMU's Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is among the most intensive, running six weeks with rigorous coursework and research, exclusively for rising seniors
Camps range from a single week (most programs) to three weeks (Ohio State MD Camp and CMU SAMS), so the time commitment varies significantly
1. Stanford University – SAGE Camp
Location: National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 40 students
Dates: June 21–27
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Current 9th, 10th, or 11th-grade students enrolled in a Northern California high school; must be under 18 years of age
SAGE Camp is a week-long residential program designed to introduce you to STEM fields through hands-on laboratory experiences and professional development. You participate in experiments across various disciplines and attend workshops focused on career paths in science and engineering. Mentors guide you through technical projects, allowing you to observe how researchers solve real-world problems. The program emphasizes building a community of peers and professionals to support your future academic choices. It is structured to provide insight into both the technical and social aspects of a career in STEM.
2. The Ohio State University College of Medicine – MD Camp
Location: The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio (on-campus day camp)
Cost: $325; need-based full and partial scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 8–26
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in the health professions, including biomedical research; open only to residents of Ohio, who are responsible for their own housing and transportation
In this camp, you spend three weeks immersed in the academic and clinical rigor of medical school at Ohio State's College of Medicine, guided by faculty, staff, and rising second-year medical students. You attend lectures spanning head-and-neck anatomy to the physiology behind heart attacks, then apply that knowledge in problem-based learning sessions that work through complex clinical cases in small groups. In hands-on clinical workshops, you practice procedures such as phlebotomy, suturing, intubation, patient history-taking, and stethoscope use, and you shadow physicians across specialties at Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital. An introduction-to-research component trains you to analyze experimental design and read academic papers critically.
3. Northwestern University – Center for Talent Development (CTD) Academic Summer Camps
Location: Northwestern University Center for Talent Development, Evanston, IL
Cost: $1,005–$6,105; varies by period and day/residential; increases by $100 for all courses after May 31; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; around 20 students per class
Dates: Various sessions between June 28 and August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12
Northwestern University’s CTD Academic Summer Camps offer intensive, high-level coursework in subjects ranging from computer science to social policy. You enroll in accelerated classes where you cover a semester’s worth of material in a few weeks, guided by experts in the field. The program focuses on academic rigor and provides you with access to university-level resources and laboratory equipment. You also participate in residential activities that help you experience college life while connecting with other academically motivated students. It is designed to challenge your current knowledge and prepare you for advanced university study.
4. Stanford University – AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,000 + $45 application fee; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; ~50 students per session
Dates: Session A: June 15–26 and Session B: July 6–17
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: Students who reside in the United States for the full duration of the program; enrolled in a U.S. high school entering grades 9–12 in Fall; at least 14 years old by the program start date
The Stanford AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp is a two-week virtual program that introduces you to the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare. You learn how machine learning models are developed and applied to medical imaging and clinical data to improve patient outcomes. The curriculum involves technical training in coding and data analysis, which you use to work on real-world healthcare datasets. You also attend lectures from faculty and industry experts, gaining a broad perspective on the ethical and practical challenges of AI in medicine. The bootcamp is intended to provide you with the technical skills and domain knowledge necessary for health-tech research.
5. David J. Sencer CDC Museum – Disease Detective Camp
Location: CDC headquarters, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 (in-person day camp)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 27 slots per session
Dates: June 22–26 and July 20–24
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Students who will be high-school juniors or seniors during the school year who are at least 16 years old by the program start date
In this camp, you spend five days at CDC headquarters in Atlanta exploring public health and epidemiology, the science of studying disease in populations. You investigate re-created disease outbreaks, take part in a hands-on laboratory session, and analyze real-world data to trace how illnesses spread and how interventions work. You also practice scientific communication through mock press conferences and study chronic disease surveillance, environmental and global health, and public health law. Short lectures from CDC scientists connect each activity to current, newsworthy health challenges. You build data analysis, investigative reasoning, teamwork, and science communication skills while moving through an active, academically demanding schedule. The experience mirrors the actual workflow of CDC disease detectives.
6. Campbell University STEM Camps — High School Day Camp
Location: Buies Creek, North Carolina
Cost: $180 non-refundable registration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-come, first-served basis; 50 seats per day camp
Dates: July 14–16
Application Deadline: July 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th grade students
In this camp, you spend three days on Campbell University's Buies Creek campus exploring science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on activities led by faculty and staff from the School of Engineering and the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. You work through practical exercises such as 3D printing, building and testing solar cars, and touring the medical school's simulation (SIM) lab. The 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. schedule blends engineering design with health science exploration, letting you apply prototyping, problem-solving, and teamwork to real STEM tools and labs. You strengthen critical thinking and creativity while previewing college-level facilities. An optional campus tour closes out the experience.
7. University of Minnesota – IMA-MathCEP Math Modeling Camp
Location: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 30–40 students
Dates: June 22–26
Application Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: High school students who have completed one year of single-variable calculus
The IMA-MathCEP Math Modeling Camp is a week-long program where you apply mathematical techniques to solve contemporary problems in science and industry. You work in small teams to develop models for complex systems, using data to test your hypotheses and refine your results. The curriculum focuses on how math functions as a tool for prediction and analysis in the real world. You receive guidance from university faculty and graduate students, who help you navigate advanced mathematical software and presentation techniques. The program is designed to show you how academic mathematics is used to address practical, multi-disciplinary challenges.
8. Stanford University – Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA, and Virtual
Cost: Online: $3,750; Residential: $8,950; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 40 students for Residential; 64 students per Online session
Dates: Session 1 online: June 15 – July 3; Session 2 online: July 6– 24; Session 1 residential: June 21–July 17
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Students in 10th or 11th grade at the time of application, with strong preparation in proof-based math; applicants must be at least 15 during the program, and students who are 18 or older during the program are not eligible for the residential option but may apply for online
The Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) is a residential program focused on advanced mathematical topics like number theory or algebraic topology. You spend your days in intensive lectures and problem-solving seminars, diving into areas of mathematics that are typically not covered in high school. The program emphasizes deep conceptual understanding and rigorous proof-writing, requiring you to think critically about abstract structures. You live and study with a small group of students from around the world, fostering a collaborative environment for intellectual exchange. It is designed to challenge your mathematical reasoning and prepare you for university-level research in math.
9. Nova Southeastern University – Achieve in Medicine (AIM-High) Day Camp
Location: NSU Main Campus at Fort Lauderdale and NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus, Clearwater, FL
Cost: $1,800 + $50 application fee; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 50 students per session
Dates: Fort Lauderdale Campus - Session I - July 6–10 and Session II - July 13–17. NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus -Session I - June 22–26
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until filled
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a minimum 3.2 GPA
Achieve in Medicine (AIM-High) is a five-day intensive camp that provides you with a broad look at medical careers and clinical practice. You use high-fidelity patient simulators and laboratory equipment to practice medical procedures and diagnostic techniques. The program includes workshops on various specialties, such as emergency medicine and pediatrics, allowing you to see the diversity of roles within healthcare. You also receive mentorship from medical students and faculty, who guide you through the academic requirements for becoming a healthcare professional. The camp is designed to give you a realistic view of the medical profession and the training involved.
10. University of Kansas School of Engineering – Summer Camp: Re-Engineer the World
Location: University of Kansas School of Engineering, Lawrence, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: ~$750 per session; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; small residential cohort
Dates: Rising 9th & 10th graders – July 12–17; Rising 11th & 12th graders – July 19–24
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th grade high school students
In this camp, you spend a residential week on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence exploring engineering through hands-on activities and creative problem-solving built around the theme of how you would re-engineer the world. Days follow a full academic schedule, with morning and afternoon class sessions that introduce KU's engineering disciplines, faculties, and laboratories alongside KU faculty and staff. You work through guided, project-based challenges, then live in a campus residence hall, take meals at Mrs. E's Dining Center, and join planned evening activities. Camps are split by grade, with one session for rising 9th and 10th graders and a separate session for rising 11th and 12th graders.
11. Drexel University Department of Materials Science and Engineering – ASM International Materials Camp
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (commuter day camp located next to 30th Street Station)
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; limited cohort
Dates: June 22–26
Application Deadline: April 5
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; math and science aptitude with a strong interest in applied science; basic knowledge of algebra, chemistry, and physics
In this camp, you attend a free, week-long commuter day camp at Drexel University exploring materials science and engineering through short lectures, interactive laboratory sessions, and demonstrations led almost entirely by MSE graduate students. You study how metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and nanomaterials are processed and how their atomic structure shapes their properties. Hands-on work includes electron microscopy, heat treating, tensile testing of metals, and synthesizing slime and foam polymers, composites, and liquid crystal thermometers. You also complete a week-long team engineering design-and-build project and tour a regional industry site, such as the Boeing Helicopter plant in Ridley Park.
12. NC State University College of Engineering – Summer Residential Camps for High School Students
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, on the NC State University campus
Cost: $1,550 program fee; limited need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Week 1: June 14–19; Week 2: June 21–26; Week 3: July 5–10; Week 4: July 12–17
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Students entering 11th or 12th grade in Fall
In this camp, you spend a week living in NC State residence halls in Raleigh while exploring a chosen field of engineering through hands-on workshops led by faculty and engineering students. Depending on your track, you dive into areas such as civil, construction, and environmental engineering, industrial and systems engineering, or biomedical engineering. In the biomedical track, for example, you work through real challenges by developing need statements, brainstorming, prototyping, and delivering an investor pitch for a proof-of-concept solution. You apply core engineering and problem-solving methods while collaborating in teams and using campus labs and equipment. Residence counselors supervise evening activities, and meals are provided in campus dining facilities.
13. Idaho National Laboratory — CyberCore Camp
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly stated
Dates: June 15–18; June 22–25
Application Deadline: April 10
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12
As a high school camper in Idaho National Laboratory's CyberCore Camp, you spend a hands-on week building foundational skills in computer programming, networking, and cybersecurity. You practice computing basics across Windows and Linux, write code in Python, and explore circuit design and cyber-physical systems, often working with a Raspberry Pi. You learn from INL cybersecurity researchers through demonstrations and lectures, tour the laboratory's facilities, and test your skills on a Capture the Flag challenge. Guided by industry mentors, you develop practical, defense-minded technical abilities alongside an emphasis on ethical online conduct. The camp connects classroom STEM concepts to the real-world systems professionals work to protect, encouraging interest in cybersecurity careers.
14. Carnegie Mellon University – Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 90–100 students
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (11th grade) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) at Carnegie Mellon is a multi-week residential program that prepares you for high-level STEM degrees through rigorous coursework and research projects. You take classes in subjects like calculus and physics while also working on a collaborative project led by university faculty. The program focuses on developing your analytical and problem-solving skills in a supportive, cohort-based environment. You also participate in workshops that help you navigate the college application process and understand the expectations of a top-tier research university. It is designed to provide you with the academic and social foundation needed to succeed in competitive STEM fields.
15. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Learning Electronics, AI, and Programming (LEAP) Camp
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
Cost/Stipend: $1,500 residential; $750 commuter, each plus a $25 deposit; scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not individually published
Dates: July 19–25
Application Deadline: End of March
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders, determined by the grade entering the fall after camp ends
In this camp, you spend one week at the Grainger College of Engineering exploring the intersection of electrical engineering and computer science by building your portable weather station. You learn introductory programming concepts such as loops, conditionals, and variables, then move into hands-on hardware work including soldering, assembling printed circuit boards, and wiring sensors into simple circuits. You connect your embedded microcontroller system to cloud computers, process the atmospheric data it collects, and apply foundational artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze it. By the closing ceremony, you leave with a working device you can deploy outside your home.
Looking for an immersive internship experience? Check out Ladder Internships!
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 10%; cohorts of 70–100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
When you join the Ladder Internships program, you dive into an eight-week virtual experience focused on STEM fields like software engineering, artificial intelligence, health tech, and environmental science. Throughout your placement, you will actively collaborate with a startup manager to code technical prototypes and analyze real-world data. You will also attend weekly coaching sessions before delivering a comprehensive final presentation that showcases your project deliverables. This initiative uniquely pairs you directly with high-growth global startups and provides a dedicated Ladder coach to guide your journey. By completing these meaningful tasks, you will build robust technical expertise alongside essential workplace skills like professional communication and time management. Apply now!
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. How are these STEM camps different from summer internships or research programs for high school students?
Camps are generally shorter, more structured, and focused on introducing you to a specific field rather than placing you inside an ongoing research project. Most of these programs run one to three weeks and involve a mix of workshops, hands-on activities, and lectures designed to give you a broad picture of a subject area. Research programs and internships, by contrast, typically run eight to ten weeks and expect you to contribute to a real project with a mentor. If you're earlier in high school and still figuring out what area of STEM interests you most, camps are a low-commitment starting point; once you have more direction, a research internship will generally carry more weight on a college application.
2. I'm not sure which field of STEM I want to focus on. How do I pick a camp?
Think about what subjects you already enjoy in school and what kind of hands-on work sounds most interesting. If you're drawn to biology and healthcare, the Ohio State MD Camp, CDC Disease Detective Camp, NSU AIM-High, or Stanford AIMI are all strong options. If you prefer mathematics or computing, SUMaC, IMA-MathCEP, or INL CyberCore are more appropriate. For students who want a broad engineering experience before choosing a specialty, NC State's Summer Residential Camps and the University of Kansas's Re-Engineer the World both introduce multiple engineering disciplines in one week, making them a good fit if you're still deciding.
3. Several of these programs are completely free. How competitive are they compared to the paid ones?
Free programs are not necessarily less rigorous or less competitive than paid ones. CMU SAMS, CDC Disease Detective Camp, Stanford SAGE Camp, and Drexel ASM International are all free and highly selective or competitive, requiring strong applications and in some cases specific academic prerequisites. The free programs tend to be more restricted in who can apply, whether by grade level, location, or GPA, while paid programs like Northwestern CTD or NC State tend to be more broadly accessible if you can cover the cost. Financial aid is available at most paid programs on this list, so it's worth checking scholarship eligibility before ruling any program out based on cost alone.