If you want to explore neuroscience while still in high school, summer camps give you a direct way to build advanced skills and hands-on experience in the field. Unlike regular programs that often stretch over months with broader coursework, camps are shorter and more structured. They usually focus on one subject, so you spend your time fully immersed in neuroscience through labs, lectures, or research projects.
The setup is designed to be intensive, which means you can make real progress in a few weeks. You might learn how the brain processes information, explore neurological disorders, or practice data analysis on brain imaging. Camps also give you the chance to meet faculty and peers who share the same interests, which helps you see how neuroscience connects to careers in medicine, psychology, and research.
To help you find the right fit, we’ve put together a list of 13 neuroscience summer camps for high school students!
13 Neuroscience Summer Camps for High School Students
1. UCLA’s NeuroCamp
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free
Program dates: Week 1: June 16 – 18; Week 2: June 23 – 24, 26 – 27
Application deadline: April 27
Eligibility: All high school students
NeuroCamp is a free neuroscience summer program hosted by UCLA’s Brain Research Institute. Each year, only 15–20 high school students are selected to participate in this hands-on research experience. You’ll learn core neuroscience concepts and lab techniques in molecular neurobiology, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy. The program includes lectures, lab activities, and collaborative sessions designed to introduce you to college-level neuroscience. You’ll also gain experience in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication.
2. UCSF’s Brain Camp
Location: UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, CA
Cost: Free
Program dates: July 28 – August 2
Application deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Current high school students, particularly sophomores and juniors
UCSF’s Brain Camp is a free summer camp that allows students from underserved backgrounds to learn about the anatomy of the brain, neuroscience, and the connection between mind and behaviour. The curriculum covers topics like neurology, neurosurgery, neurodegeneration, and CPR training. You will also engage in hands-on activities like suturing, using a reflex hammer, and dissecting a brain! Additionally, you will attend college prep sessions and networking events with professionals in the field.
3. Rice Neuroscience Society’s NeuroCamp
Location: Rice University, Houston, Texas
Cost: Free
Program dates: August 9-10 for the in-person camp, July 19-20 for the online version
Application deadline: Applications generally open in March and close in May
Eligibility: All high school students (the in-person camp accepts students living in the greater Houston area)
Rice University’s Rice Neuroscience Society hosts this neuroscience summer camp, which aims to provide high school students with academic enrichment, mentoring, and research opportunities. As a participant, you will learn about neurons, neurotransmissions, neurological diseases, computational neuroscience, and more. The curriculum also includes independent experiments through which you will gain basic lab and research skills. You will also receive support for your college applications and professional development.
4. LINC Camp
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 18 – August 8
Application deadline: March 5
Eligibility: All high school students who have completed Algebra I
LINC Camp is a prestigious neuroscience and coding summer program run by a multi-institutional consortium including Harvard, MIT, and MGH, funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative. It’s designed for high school students curious about brain imaging and computational neuroscience. You’ll start with a 6-week self-paced Python coding course (Joy of Coding, developed by the University of Michigan), paired with weekly neuroscience seminars. In the final week, you’ll apply your coding skills to analyze real brain imaging data in a hands-on neuroimaging project.
5. Drexel University’s Neuroscience Camp
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $2,500
Program dates: July 21 – August 1
Application deadline: April 4
Eligibility: Open to rising juniors and seniors with a background in biology, chemistry, or research
Drexel University’s Neuroscience Camp allows high school students to learn about neuroscience through lectures, hands-on activities, and a lab project that combines lab techniques and data analysis. As a participant, you will dive into topics like brain and spinal cord anatomy, electrophysiology, cellular neuroscience, neuropharmacology, brain-machine interfacing, and sensory processing. Previous students have had the chance to culture neurons grown from stem cells, observe surgical procedures to repair neural tissue, and experience live brain activity recording.
6. UCI’s Brain Camp
Location: University of California, Irvine, CA
Cost: $2,195
Program dates: July 14-25
Application deadline: Registration opens December 1 and generally closes by April 15
Eligibility: Middle and high school students
UCI’s Brain Camp offers an immersive summer program for high school and middle school students interested in neuroscience. This is a 2-week, commuter program that will explore brain and spinal cord anatomy, sensation and perception, comparative neuroanatomy, neuropathology, memory, and more. You can expect plenty of lab experience, learning different methodologies, and working with brain imaging, electrophysiology, and optogenetics. During the latter half of the program, you will also design experiments, analyze data, and present your findings.
7. Ohio State University’s Explorations in Neuroscience Summer Camp
Location: Ohio State University,
Cost: $750. Financial hardship scholarships are available on request
Program dates: June 9-13
Application deadline: March 14
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors
The Ohio State University’s neuroscience summer camp for high school students involves a combination of classes, lab sessions, faculty presentations, debates, and networking opportunities with clinicians from the neuroscience and neurosurgery departments. In the process, you will examine topics such as brain anatomy, nervous system disorders, behavioural paradigms, and the use of marijuana. There will also be small group rotations through research labs, allowing you to observe and take part in ongoing neuroscience research. The camp concludes with a session on the different career pathways available in this field.
8. University of Toledo’s Rocket Neuroscience Laboratory Summer Camp
Location: University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
Cost: $200 per week
Program dates: Week 1 from July 7-11, Week 2 from July 14-18
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10, 11, and 12
The University of Toledo’s Rocket Neuroscience Laboratory Summer Camp offers a two-part experience for high school students interested in neuroscience, although you can choose to attend only one week. Week 1 focuses on introductory concepts like biochemistry, neuroanatomy, brain imaging, and basic lab techniques. Week 2 studies how neurons signal and communicate within neural circuits to drive animal behaviour. During this period, you will get first-hand experience recording the electrical activity of neurons, manipulating signaling, and analyzing the results.
9. West Virginia University’s Brain Camp
Location: West Virginia University,
Cost: $800. Financial aid is available on request
Program dates: July 6-12
Application deadline:
Eligibility: High school students entering the 11th and 12th grades
West Virginia University’s Brain Camp is a residential neuroscience summer camp that involves a combination of lectures, activities, lab demonstrations, and computer simulations of the human body. As a participant, you will learn about neuroanatomy, neurophysiological assessments, human neuro-psych testing, and behaviour models. You will also get familiar with the scientific research process and study related subjects like addiction, impacts of stroke, brain plasticity, and traumatic brain injuries.
10. Auburn University’s Brain Camp
Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Cost: $705
Program dates: July 14-18
Application deadline: March 19
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 11 and 12, or about to enter college freshman year
Auburn University’s Brain Camp is a residential summer camp for high school students interested in neuroscience. The program focuses on interactive experiences during which you will learn how to work with techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). You will even have a chance to have your brain scanned and then map your brain’s neural tracks. This is a solid program if you are interested in learning about neuroscience techniques and working with advanced technology.
11. University of Colorado’s Brain Camp
Location: University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 16-19
Application deadline: Open until spots are filled
Eligibility: All high school students residing in the Denver Metro area
University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus offers two medical summer camps for high school students. One of these is the Brain Camp, a one-week program on the basic concepts of neuroscience. Through the program, you will study the structure and function of the human nervous system and how it relates to the way humans think, feel, move, and learn. You can expect a combination of university-level academic material and hands-on activities during the program.
12. Belmont University’s Summer Camp – From Brain to Behaviour
Location: Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Cost: $425 per week
Program dates: July 21-25
Application deadline: May 9
Eligibility: Open to students age 14 and older with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
From Brain to Behavior is a hands-on neuroscience and psychology summer camp hosted by Belmont University’s College of Sciences and Mathematics. You’ll explore the relationship between brain function and behavior through lab activities, coding, and design challenges. You’ll dissect a sheep brain, build a neuron model, and design a human-computer interaction game to study the intersection of psychology and AI. The program also includes a capstone project and scientific poster presentation at the end of the week.
13. University of Illinois’ Summer Program in Vascular Neurology
Location: University of Illinois
Cost: Not specified
Program dates: The program runs for 7 consecutive days, typically in late July or early August
Application deadline: Applications typically open in early May and are accepted on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10-12 and recent graduates
The University of Illinois’ Summer Program in Vascular Neurology focuses on neuroscience, but its larger aim is to encourage students to pursue careers in medicine. As a participant, you will get a look at how different areas of a medical institute work, from inpatient and outpatient services to the emergency department. You will learn about neuroscience topics like stroke prevention, approaches to acute neurovascular emergencies, and brain imaging. You will also join the service team in assessing stroke patients and later see patients in the outpatient clinic.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – University of Illinois