Civil engineering camps give you the chance to work on projects while gaining an introduction to one of engineering’s most practical fields. From understanding how bridges hold their load to exploring water systems, transportation networks, or environmental design, these camps show you how major infrastructure comes together.
Many of these camps include fieldwork, lab simulations, or exposure to tools like AutoCAD, GIS, or structural modeling software. They help you quickly get a feel for what civil engineering actually looks like in practice.
Why choose a camp over a program?
Camps are typically faster-paced and more immersive than longer academic programs, which you can find here. Instead of semester-long coursework or broad pre-college classes, camps tend to focus on one theme like structural design, environmental systems, or transportation engineering, and build activities directly around it. This format is great if you want to explore one field and a shorter commitment that still gives you tangible skills and exposure.
Below, we have listed 13 civil engineering camps for high school students.
13 Civil Engineering Camps for High School Students
1. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Introduction to Engineering
Location: Online
Cost: $3,080 + up to $100 materials cost; financial aid is available
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8 to 10 at the time of application
This program introduces foundational engineering principles across multiple disciplines, including civil engineering. The course covers topics such as structural design, materials science, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure development within civil engineering, alongside other engineering fields, to give a well-rounded experience. You engage in activities like virtual design projects, simulations, problem-solving challenges, and collaborative teamwork to apply engineering concepts practically. Unique features include live interactive classes led by Stanford instructors, access to cutting-edge engineering software, and a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning for flexibility. Throughout the program, you develop critical thinking, creativity, communication, and technical skills.
2. Build the Future: Civil Engineering Module
Location: University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA); University of San Diego (San Diego, CA); Rice University (Houston, TX); Columbia University (New York, NY)
Cost: $4,095 – $4,295, depending on campus; need-based scholarships are available
Dates: University of Pennsylvania: June 29 – July 7, July 11 – 19; University of San Diego: June 11 – 19, June 24 – July 2; Rice University: June 29 – July 7, July 11 – 19; Columbia University: July 12 – 20, July 24 – August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions fill
Eligibility: High school students interested in engineering disciplines
This module introduces you to civil engineering through design challenges, lab-based problem-solving, and campus-based field trips. Core topics include structural integrity, load-bearing design, and sustainable infrastructure. Projects like the Bridge Engineering Challenge and Design Thinking sessions require you to apply physics, materials science, and systems-level analysis. You also gain exposure to CAD modeling and collaborative prototyping. Guest lectures and site visits connect classroom concepts to real-world applications, emphasizing how civil engineers address traffic systems, water resources, and environmental constraints. The program emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills by engaging students with real-world challenges and mentorship from engineering professionals.
3. Summer Engineering Exploration (SEE) Camp
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $700; need-based financial aid is available
Dates: July 6 – 12
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising 10th–11th grade high school students, especially those with limited access to engineering opportunities
This residential camp introduces you to multiple branches of engineering through labs, design activities, and industry-focused workshops. A central feature is the weeklong team design challenge, where you apply the engineering design process to develop and test solutions to real-world problems. Civil engineering concepts such as infrastructure planning, load distribution, and sustainability are integrated into activities. The program also incorporates campus tours and student panels, allowing you to experience academic and professional pathways in engineering.
4. Summer Residential Engineering Camps – Building the World We Live in – Civil and Construction Engineering
Location: NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost: $1,500; limited financial assistance is available
Dates: July 6 – 11
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising 11th–12th grade students
NC State’s residential engineering camp offers multiple technical tracks, including a civil, construction, and environmental engineering workshop. In this session, you will study how societies design transportation systems, buildings, and water infrastructure to withstand both daily use and extreme events. Modules cover flood resilience, traffic flow optimization, and sustainable water management. Hands-on labs include structural modeling, hydrological analysis, and load testing, supported by faculty mentorship. The week concludes with a student project showcase, highlighting applied problem-solving and systems-level thinking in civil engineering. The camp-to-counselor ratio for this camp is 1:10.
5. City Designers and Builders Camp (CEE)
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Cost: $1,000 residential (+$25 deposit) | $600 commuter (+$25 deposit); scholarships are available
Dates: July 20 – 26
Application Deadline: Typically May
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th grade students
This camp introduces you to civil and environmental engineering through hands-on projects, lab demonstrations, and field trips. Topics include sustainable construction methods, structural safety, and environmental quality, with applications to climate resilience and infrastructure planning. You will investigate real-world problems in areas like water systems and air quality while learning the fundamentals of structural mechanics and materials testing. The program is designed to highlight diverse pathways in civil engineering while fostering collaboration and critical thinking. Both commuter and residential formats are offered, with structured activities led by faculty and engineering mentors.
6. Purdue University – High School Summer Engineering Camp
Location: Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN
Cost: None
Dates: July 7 – 11
Application Deadline: Typically early April
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–17
This free, weeklong camp introduces you to both civil and mechanical engineering through lab-based experiments and design challenges. Civil engineering sessions focus on infrastructure design and structural analysis, including hands-on work building balsa wood bridges and testing load capacity. Other modules incorporate renewable energy systems, transportation design, and emerging technologies such as virtual reality applications in engineering. The program emphasizes practical engineering methods, rotating daily across subfields to expose you to multiple technical domains. A closing ceremony includes the presentation of camp certificates, reflecting both skill development and project outcomes.
7. Engineering Exploration High School Summer Camps
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: None for local high school students
Dates: June 9 – 13
Application Deadline: Not specified, but early application is recommended
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th grade students from the local area
This day camp provides a broad introduction to engineering through faculty-led workshops and hands-on activities guided by Notre Dame faculty and staff, designed to ignite creativity and interest in engineering careers. Civil engineering concepts are included within the curriculum, particularly through modules on structural design and applied problem-solving. You will work in teams to complete design challenges, applying physics and mathematics to real-world engineering systems. The program emphasizes technical creativity and critical thinking while exposing you to campus facilities and university-level resources. As a free program, it expands access to students who may not otherwise have engineering opportunities.
8. WIE Change the World
Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Cost: $1,500; scholarships are available
Dates: July 12 – 17
Application Deadline: Typically early February
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th grade students
This residential program exposes you to multiple engineering fields, with civil engineering included among the department-led workshops and team challenges. You will participate in lab tours, interactive demos, and structured design projects that emphasize interdisciplinary thinking across engineering domains. You also engage in lab tours and evening social activities. A central feature is the weeklong team design project, which requires applying physics, materials science, and systems concepts in a collaborative environment. The program also introduces you to campus resources and allows interaction with UMD engineering students, building early mentoring connections.
9. Engineering Overview Camps
Location: University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Cost: $550 (day camp); $750 (overnight camp); reduced rates with tuition assistance ($250 and $450 respectively for both camps); financial assistance is available
Dates: June 9 – 13; June 30 – July 4
Application Deadline: Rolling until sessions fill
Eligibility: High school students interested in engineering
This camp introduces you to multiple engineering fields, including civil engineering, through faculty-led sessions, lab tours, and design challenges. Civil engineering modules emphasize infrastructure design, materials testing, and sustainable building practices. You will rotate across disciplines, applying math and physics concepts to hands-on challenges while gaining exposure to university-level facilities. The program balances technical skill development with collaborative teamwork and provides insight into UTSA’s engineering programs. An overnight option allows for additional immersion in campus life.
10. Summer Springboard – Fundamentals of Engineering
Location: UC San Diego, San Diego, CA
Cost: $5,898 (residential); $3,298 (commuter); need-based scholarships and discounts are available
Dates: June 28 – July 10; July 12 – 24; July 26 – August 7
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: High school students interested in engineering disciplines
This two-week program introduces you to engineering fundamentals through mechanical, biomedical, and civil design projects. It includes civil engineering challenges such as designing and building scale model structures that comply with zoning, budget, and code requirements. You also prototype functional devices, like artificial limbs, applying structural mechanics and design constraints. The program features industry site visits and professional networking sessions that connect classroom concepts to real-world applications. It culminates in a capstone project where you specialize in a chosen discipline, allowing deeper exploration of civil or related engineering fields.
11. Lyle School of Engineering Advanced Engineering Camp
Location: Southern Methodist University (SMU), Lyle School of Engineering, Dallas, Texas
Cost: $600
Dates: Girls Only Camp: July 7 – 11; Boys Only Camp: July 14 – 18; Co-ed Camp: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: Typically in May – June
Eligibility: Rising 9th and 10th grade students with prior experience or introduction to engineering or STEM programs
This immersive summer program is designed for rising 9th and 10th-graders interested in exploring various branches of engineering, including civil engineering. You engage in hands-on projects that simulate real-world engineering challenges, such as designing and constructing small-scale infrastructure models and solving environmental engineering problems. Activities include building bridges or structural models, conducting stress tests, analyzing water flow or environmental impact, and using engineering design software. Unique features of the camp include small class sizes, mentorship from SMU engineering students, and access to state-of-the-art university facilities. You develop critical skills in problem-solving, teamwork, engineering design, and technical communication.
12. Transportation & Civil Engineering Summer Camp
Location: University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Cost: None
Dates: July 7 – 11; July 14 – 18
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: All high school students
This camp immerses you in transportation, structural, geotechnical, construction, and environmental engineering through daily labs, simulations, and site visits. Civil engineering modules include load testing of concrete cubes, structural material analysis, and transportation planning with driving simulators. Field trips to the Connecticut Department of Transportation and active construction sites connect classroom theory to infrastructure in practice. Sessions are led by university faculty and industry professionals, emphasizing both technical analysis and applied teamwork. By the end of the week, you will have gained a broad overview of civil engineering disciplines along with practical skills in project evaluation and systems design.
13. Imagine Engineering Camp
Location: NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost: $500; limited financial assistance is available
Dates: June 23 – 27
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising 9th – 10th grade students
This weeklong day camp introduces rising 9th to 10th-grade high school students to engineering through introductory labs and a team-based design challenge. Civil engineering concepts are woven into activities that cover problem-solving in infrastructure, water systems, and materials design. You will collaborate with peers to complete a weeklong project, applying principles of structural stability and environmental planning. Sessions are guided by teachers and engineering students, with opportunities to interact with NC State faculty. The camp emphasizes early exposure to multiple engineering pathways while building teamwork and analytical reasoning skills. The staff-to-student ratio for this camp is approximately 1:8.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like civil engineering, environmental engineering, structural analysis, transportation systems, or urban infrastructure, 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 topic 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 – Stanford University