If you like chemistry and want to see how it’s used to create real-world products, a chemical engineering camp in high school is worth trying. These camps let you explore how chemistry, physics, and math come together to create useful products like fuels, medicines, and materials. You’ll get the chance to work on small projects, learn basic lab skills, and see how chemical processes are used in real industries.
Camps are different from longer programs because they’re shorter and usually focus on one subject, giving you more time to practice and understand key ideas within a few weeks. They offer a structured setting where you can ask questions, experiment, and understand how chemical engineers think and solve problems. A chemical engineering camp can help you decide if this field interests you, prepare you for future college courses, and connect you with other students who enjoy science and engineering.
With that, here are 13 Chemical Engineering Camps for High School Students!
13 Chemical Engineering Camps for High School Students
1. University of Buffalo’s Chem-E Camp
Location: University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (camp on UB campus)
Cost: $400. Need-based scholarships are available
Program dates: August 11–15
Application deadline: May 30
Eligibility: High school students who will be juniors or seniors (grades 11/12), interested in chemistry, physics, or mathematics
The University of Buffalo’s Chem-E Camp gives high school students a chance to explore chemical engineering through hands-on learning in a university setting. You take part in lab activities, use digital simulations, meet industry professionals, and tour university labs. The camp also includes field trips to companies like Thermofisher Scientific and SAMCO, where you see how chemical engineering works in real-world settings. Throughout the program, you learn what a career in chemical engineering might involve and build practical skills in science and technology. At the end, you receive a certificate of completion that recognizes your participation and growth.
2. University of Illinois’ Chemical Engineering Camp
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Cost: $1,025 for residential campers; $625 for commuters; scholarships available
Dates: July 27 – August 2
Application Deadline: Typically late March
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 with an interest in chemical engineering or STEM
The University of Illinois’s CURIE Chemical Engineering Camp introduces high school students to the world of chemical engineering through hands-on learning and real-world applications. The program explores how chemical engineering blends science and math to create everyday products like food, clothing, and medicine. As a participant, you study topics such as protein function, fluid mechanics, and how chemicals are adapted for practical use. You also take part in lab activities, operate equipment like an extruder machine to make plastic, and visit local chemical plants to see engineering in action.
3. NC State University’s Residential Camp – Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Location: NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost: $1,500; limited financial aid available
Dates: July 13–18
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th-graders with an interest in chemical and biomolecular engineering
NC State University’s Residential Camp in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering gives you a five-day introduction to chemical engineering while living on campus. Each day focuses on a different topic, including biotechnology, sustainability, advanced materials, and entrepreneurship. You learn through classes, hands-on experiments, and research activities. You also tour facilities like the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center, where you see how chemical processes are used to produce materials at scale. The camp shows you how chemical engineering combines chemistry, physics, and math to create products such as fuels, plastics, medicines, and food.
4. University of Arkansas’s Engineering Summer Academy
Location: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Cost: $675; scholarships available
Dates: June 22–28
Application Deadline: Not specified; apply early in spring
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 with an interest in engineering
The University of Arkansas’s Engineering Summer Academy is a one-week residential program for high school students interested in exploring different branches of engineering. If you choose the ChemE track, you focus on how chemical engineering addresses global challenges like sustainability, food production, alternative energy, medical treatments, clean water, and biodegradable materials. Through hands-on activities and design projects, you build practical skills and learn how chemical engineering combines chemistry, physics, and math to solve real-world problems.
5. South Dakota Mines’ Chemical Engineering Summer Institute
Location: South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD
Cost: $300; scholarships available
Dates: Typically held in June or July
Application Deadline: Not specified; registration opens in spring
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8–12 with an interest in chemical engineering
South Dakota Mines’ Chemical Engineering Summer Institute offers a comprehensive look at chemical engineering. The program dives into the process of the large-scale creation of products like food, clothing, fuel, medicines, and plastics. You will get significant practical experience through this program, such as creating plastics and polymers, generating electricity with sustainable resources, and creating biofuels from biomass. By the end of the program, you will have learned about topics like molecular sciences, physical chemistry, and computer programming, as well as techniques like chemical separation, liquefaction, and distillation.
6. Lamar University’s ChemE Summer Camp
Location: Lamar University, Beaumont, TX
Cost: Free (corporate-sponsored)
Dates: June 9–13
Application Deadline: Applications open February 1; early submission recommended
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who have completed chemistry and Algebra II
Lamar University’s ChemE Summer Camp is a free day program for high school students interested in chemical engineering. You’ll explore the field through hands-on exercises, use common lab equipment, and tour university laboratories and industry plants. The camp introduces you to the different roles chemical engineers play in sectors like petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food manufacturing. You’ll work in teams throughout the program, building collaboration skills while learning how chemical engineering applies science and math to real-world challenges.
7. Ohio State University’s Summer STEM Camp for High School Students
Location: Ohio State University, Marion, OH
Cost: $150; includes lunch and lab materials
Dates: June 9–13
Application Deadline: May 31, or until spaces are filled
Eligibility: Rising freshmen through seniors in any high school
The Ohio State University’s Summer STEM Camp for High School Students introduces you to a wide range of science and engineering topics. You’ll study chemistry and engineering alongside subjects like molecular genetics, mathematics, biology, robotics, and programming. The camp includes multidisciplinary projects where you build an Arduino-compatible robot, isolate proteins from cells, and take part in other hands-on activities. You also go on field trips to places such as the Orton Geological Museum and nearby manufacturing facilities.
8. Boston Leadership Institute’s Chemistry Research Program
Location: Gann Academy or Bentley University, Waltham, MA
Cost: $2,500 tuition; $2,097 optional residential fee
Dates: June 30 – July 18
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; early application recommended
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8–12 with strong science and math backgrounds
The Boston Leadership Institute’s Chemistry Research Program is a three-week opportunity for high school students to explore green chemistry, a field closely connected to chemical engineering. You learn how chemicals and products can be redesigned to reduce their impact on human health and the environment. Through hands-on lab work, toxicology studies, and full experiment design, you build practical skills and deepen your understanding of chemical processes. Activities include transforming plastic into glass cleaner, generating heat from diesel, and using titration for chemical analysis.
9. University of Illinois Chicago’s Engineering Summer Camp
Location: UIC College of Engineering, Chicago, IL
Cost: $500; includes lunch and materials
Dates: July 21–25
Application Deadline: Not specified; registration opens in January and closes when full
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12
The University of Illinois Chicago’s Engineering Summer Camp introduces high school students to key areas of engineering through daily hands-on projects and lab experiences. One of the five focus areas is chemical engineering, where you learn how raw materials are converted into useful products while addressing global challenges. In the chemical engineering track, you work on projects related to sustainability, reaction design, and materials engineering. You also engage with university research labs and complete more than 15 engineering activities throughout the week. This camp helps you understand how chemical engineering applies science and math to solve real-world problems.
10. Stanford University’s Inspiring Future Scientists through Shadowing
Location: Stanford University, Department of Chemistry
Cost: Free; students must cover transportation and meals
Dates: June 16–27; weekdays from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and live and attend school in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Francisco, or San Mateo Counties
Stanford University’s Inspiring Future Scientists through Shadowing program gives high school students a two-week introduction to chemical research through direct observation and mentorship. Instead of focusing on a single project, you shadow multiple researchers, which helps you explore a variety of topics and techniques used in chemical science. This approach allows you to gain a broad understanding of the field and see how different researchers approach problems and experiments. Along the way, you build professional connections and learn how research is conducted in a university setting.
11. University of Michigan’s Summer Engineering Exploration Camp
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $700; includes housing, meals, and materials
Dates: July 6–12
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–11 with an interest in engineering
The University of Michigan’s Summer Engineering Exploration Camp is a one-week residential program for high school students that introduces multiple engineering disciplines. Chemical engineering is one of the featured topics, alongside electrical, civil, computer, environmental, and marine engineering. You’ll take part in hands-on activities for each field and collaborate with your team on a weeklong design challenge. This project teaches you the engineering design process, from identifying a problem to developing and presenting a solution.
12. UCI x GATI’s BEAM Program
Location: University of California, Irvine
Cost: Ranges from $4,495 – $9,495, depending on program type. A few scholarships are available.
Program dates: Online sessions from June 9 – July 7, on campus program from July 6-19, online sessions from July 20 – August 31
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: All high school students can apply
The BEAM STEM program, offered through a collaboration between the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the Gifted and Talented Institute (GATI), allows high school students to conduct research in fields such as biology, engineering, AI, and medicine. As a participant, you learn advanced research methods in UCI’s labs, attend innovation workshops, and complete a capstone project. The curriculum covers a wide range of disciplines, including chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, astronomy, physics, and neurology. Within chemical engineering, sample topics include micro-manufacturing applications and simulation of cell separation. At the end of the program, you present your research findings to a panel of experts.
13. Manhattan University’s Chemical Engineering Summer Program
Location: Manhattan University, Riverdale, NY
Cost: $2,500; includes tuition, housing, meals, and activities
Dates: August 3–9
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Manhattan University’s Chemical Engineering Summer Program is a pre-college experience designed to introduce high school students to the fundamentals of chemical engineering. You’ll learn how chemical engineering contributes to the production of everyday items, from cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to food and semiconductor materials. The program covers key topics such as biotechnology, biochemical production, sustainable engineering, and materials processing. You’ll engage in hands-on activities, attend faculty-led presentations, participate in team competitions, and tour university labs and engineering facilities.
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 –