If you are a high school student looking for a focused way to engage in a subject, summer camps can be a good way to spend part of your break learning something new in depth. These camps are set up to give you focused training over a short time, usually just a few days or weeks, and often let you try subjects or activities that don’t fit into your school year.
How are camps different from programs or classes?
What makes camps different from regular classes or long programs is their structure. Camps are shorter, very organized, and designed to concentrate on one subject. Instead of learning a wide range of topics, you focus on building a smaller set of skills or completing projects in a single area. Because of that, the learning feels more direct and hands-on. If you’re based in the Bay Area, you’re in luck!
The Bay Area has many universities, community groups, and organizations that run camps every summer. These cover areas like science, technology, arts, and leadership. Joining a local camp also saves you money on travel and housing, while still giving you access to good resources, instructors, and programs right in your own community.
With that, here are 15 Bay Area summer camps for high school students!
15 Bay Area Summer Camps for High School Students
1. Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)
Location: Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Cost/Stipend: No cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: SES Introduction (Year-One): Session One: July 13 – July 17, Session Two: July 20 – July 24 | SES Advanced (Year-Two) Returning Participants: July 27 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th graders, but priority is given to sophomores who have limited prior exposure to engineering
The Summer Engineering Seminar (SES) at Santa Clara University is a five-day immersion summer experience for high school sophomores and juniors eager to explore engineering. You stay on campus and attend workshops led by engineering faculty. Topics include bioengineering, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. You work on group projects, go to lectures, learn about different types of engineering, and also take part in campus activities and meet other students. There are two sessions for new students and one session for returning students.
2. Stanford Jazz Institute
Location: Braun Music Center on the Stanford University campus
Cost: Tuition: $1,725 | Housing for adults 18 and over, shared room only: $795 | Housing and meals for minors: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 27 – August 1
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served
Eligibility: Vocalists and instrumentalists of all ages, from 14 up
Stanford Jazz Institute is a six-day summer program for advanced high school musicians aged 14 and up. Once accepted, you choose classes like jazz theory, improvisation, arranging, and more, and rehearse daily in small combos and perform at the end of the week. You also join jam sessions in the evening and attend concerts at the Stanford Jazz Festival. You can stay on campus or commute. The program helps you improve your playing, meet other musicians, and learn from professional jazz artists.
3. B-BAY High School Entrepreneurship
Location: Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Cost: California Resident $6,292 | Out of State Resident $7,332 (based on previous year program)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 high school students
Dates: Session I: July 5 –19 | Session II: July 19–August 2 (tentative)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Open to high school students
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) is a two-week summer program for high school students interested in business and entrepreneurship. Each year, 50 students from different countries join the program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. You attend lectures from Haas professors, hear from guest speakers, and work in teams to create a business idea. You go through every step of building a business, brainstorming, doing market research, writing a business plan, and pitching your idea to judges. You also take part in campus tours, social events, and sessions with Berkeley undergrads and admissions advisors. At the end, you present your final project and receive a Certificate of Completion.
4. Roughing It Day Camp
Location: Lafayette Reservoir, Lafayette, CA, in the San Francisco Bay Area
Cost: 2-Week Session: $3,490; 4-Week Session: $6,545; 6-Week Session: $8,940; 8-Week Session: $9,895. There is also a $75 non-refundable registration fee per camper.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Exact acceptance rates are not publicly listed, but the camp size is designed for a close-knit environment.
Dates: Multiple sessions are available through June and August. Check details here
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Teen camps are open for students in grades 5-8
Roughing It Day Camp is a summer program for students entering grades 5–10. You can sign up for 2, 4, or 8-week sessions. The camp takes place outdoors at Lafayette Reservoir in California and includes activities like hiking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and team sports. You also do arts and crafts, environmental lessons, and group challenges. Campers are placed in age-based groups and take part in activities designed for their level. Lifeguards and certified staff supervise all water activities. You spend time outside, learn new skills, and take part in camp traditions like singing and skits.
5. Stanford Athletic Camps
Location: Stanford University campus
Cost: Varies depending on the camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No formal rate; open registration until full
Dates: Multiple sessions between June and August; varies by sport
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students aged 7-18 years
Stanford Athletic Camps offer sport-specific training for youth ages 7–18 on the Stanford University campus. You can choose from over 20 sports, including soccer, golf, swimming, tennis, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, track and field, and more. Camps are led by Stanford coaches, trainers, and sometimes elite athletes. Programs are open to all skill levels. Some camps focus on basic skills, while others prepare you for competitive play. You’ll get hands-on practice, play games, and train with others who share your interest in sports. Camp formats include day camps, overnight camps, and specialized sessions.
6. Camp Integem
Location: Multiple locations across the Bay Area. Check details here
Cost: Ranges from $699 to $1,299 per week, depending on program type, location, and age group. Discounts and scholarships may be available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6–8 students per instructor
Dates: Multiple one and two-week sessions running between July 14 and August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to kids and teens ages 5 through 18 (K-12)
Camp Integem is a STEM summer camp for students ages 5–18, with locations across the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. You can choose from over 40 courses in fields like AI, robotics, Holographic Augmented Reality (AR), coding, drones, 3D design, animation, game design, and space tech. Using Holographic AR, you step into your own creations, like flying virtual spaceships, meeting dinosaurs, or exploring game worlds you’ve built. The camp focuses on project-based learning, so you build real skills while working on creative tech projects.
7. ACT 1 Week Musical Theater Intensive
Location: 30 Grant Avenue Studios in San Francisco
Cost: $490
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: August 4 – August 8
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served registration
Eligibility: High school students
ACT 1 Week Musical Theater Intensive is a one-week training program for high school students who want to improve their audition and performance skills. You’ll work on cold reads, singing, and group dance auditions to build technique and confidence. Each morning, you take theater classes. In the afternoon, you rehearse a performance project with live music. You’ll get a personalized audition song to add to your repertoire and may have homework like memorizing lines or lyrics. On the final day, you perform your work in an open class for guests.
8. Stanford Jazz Camp
Location: Braun Music Center on the Stanford University campus
Cost: Tuition: $1,650 | Housing and meals: $1,100 (Financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Session 1: July 13 – July 18 | July 20 – July 25
Application Deadline: The registration deadline is typically two weeks before the start of the program
Eligibility: High school vocalists and instrumentalists ages 17 and under
Stanford Jazz Camp is a six-day summer program for instrumentalists and vocalists ages 12–17. You’ll join small ensembles and learn from professional jazz musicians through masterclasses, theory lessons, and improvisation workshops. Each day includes combo rehearsals, musicianship training, and time to explore jazz as both music and culture. You’ll also take part in jam sessions and hear live performances from faculty artists. The camp ends with a final concert where you perform with your group.
9. ACT 1 Week Acting Intensive
Location: 30 Grant Avenue Studios in San Francisco
Cost: $525
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: August 4 – August 8
Application Deadline: No specific deadlines
Eligibility: High school students
ACT 1 Week Acting Intensive: Swords, Scenes, and Shakespeare is a five-day program for high school students who want to train in acting and stage combat. You’ll study famous fight scenes from plays like Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, learning how to break down Shakespeare’s language, build strong characters, and perform realistic fights safely. Each morning, you take theater classes focused on text and character work. In the afternoon, you rehearse a performance project with guidance from a professional fight director. You’ll learn how to move with precision, tell a story through combat, and work as a team on stage. The week ends with an open class where you perform scenes and showcase what you’ve learned.
10. South Beach Yacht Club Camp
Location: South Beach Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA
Cost: Varies by session. Check details here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 campers per session, with a 1:6 instructor-to-camper ratio
Dates: Multiple sessions from June to August
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Basic/Intermediate Sailing Camp is open to students aged 8-17 years, and Advanced/Lasers & Double-handed is open to students aged 10-17
South Beach Yacht Club Youth Sailing Camp runs weekly summer sessions for ages 8–17, offering both Basic/Intermediate and Advanced programs. In the Basic/Intermediate camp, you learn boat handling, safety, wind principles, knot tying, and teamwork. You spend time both on land and sailing on the water. The Advanced camp is for experienced sailors and focuses on Laser and double-handed sailing, skill-building, and optional intro-level racing. All campers must be able to swim 50 yards wearing a US Coast Guard–approved life jacket. Camp sizes are small (20 max), with a 6:1 student-to-instructor ratio. Scholarships are available through the SBYC Community Sailing Foundation.
11. Creative IQ Summer Art Camp
Location: Creative IQ Art Studio, San Francisco, CA
Cost: Most camps cost $620
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Less selective
Dates: Multiple camps from June to August
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students ages 7-17
Creative IQ Summer Art Camp is a weekly fine art camp for ages 7–17, held at Creative IQ Art Studio in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond District. Each session runs Monday to Friday, 9 AM–3 PM, and includes indoor studio time and outdoor activities in the studio’s backyard. You will work with professional teaching artists on painting, drawing, sculpture, and craft projects. Every week includes an original oil painting, with students choosing their own subject. You’ll also learn art concepts like color theory, composition, value, and perspective.
12. Blue Bear School of Music Summer Camps
Location: Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
Cost: Most camps cost $610 per week, with financial aid and sliding scale tuition available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Varies based on the camp
Application Deadline: There is no single fixed deadline
Eligibility: Camps are available to students in grades 1 through 12
Blue Bear School of Music Summer Camps are week-long programs for students in grades 1 through 12, held in San Francisco. You choose a camp based on your age and musical interests. If you’re into performing, Rock Camp lets you form a band, rehearse with coaching, and play in a final show. If you’re younger, MusicArtDrama (MAD) Camp mixes music, art, and theater in a creative group setting. If you want to make your own music, the Producer’s Workshop teaches recording and arranging. DJ Camp shows you how to mix tracks, match beats, and perform live. All camps are taught by professional musicians, and you need to be vaccinated to attend.
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 – Blue Bear School of Music