If you’re a high school student interested in engineering, summer camps can be a practical way to explore the field and develop hands-on skills. These camps let you focus on a specific area of engineering, like robotics, aerospace, civil, or biomedical, and work on real projects that show how engineering ideas are applied.
Engineering camps are different from regular programs because they are shorter, usually lasting a few weeks, and tightly focused on one subject or field. Instead of a broad curriculum, you spend concentrated time learning the processes, tools, and methods used in engineering, giving you a deeper understanding in a short period. Attending an engineering camp also adds value to your college applications and resume.
To help you explore these opportunities, here’s a list of 15 engineering camps for high school students!
15 Engineering Camps for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP) – Engineering Tracks
Location: Virtual
Cost: $6,450 (financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 26% | Up to 200 students each year
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary based on cohorts
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum GPA of 3.67/4.0 | Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites; see here.
Horizon Academic Research Program is a trimester-long experience for high school students who want to pursue independent research in fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, environmental engineering, and cybersecurity. Once you choose a subject track, you’re matched with a professor or PhD scholar who guides you through the research process. Over the course of the program, you will gain experience in various research methodologies and develop a 20-page research paper that you can submit to academic journals. You can also request a letter of recommendation along with your project feedback from your mentor to support future academic goals. Apply here!
2. Summer Engineering Exploration Camp (SEE Camp) at the University of Michigan
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $700 (need-based financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate: 6.7% acceptance rate (600 applications, 40 acceptances)
Program Dates: July 6 – July 12
Application Deadline: January 8 – March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores and juniors of all genders, especially those with limited access to engineering resources (check out the FAQ page for more details)
At SEE Camp, you will spend one week exploring various engineering disciplines through hands-on projects, team challenges, and campus activities. Over the course of the program, you will apply the engineering design process to tackle design challenges while exploring subject areas like chemical engineering, marine engineering, and electrical and computer engineering. You’ll analyze how these fields address real-world problems and compare different approaches to design and innovation. Apart from technical learning, you’ll also develop teamwork skills through the Adventure Leadership Challenge, kayaking, and campus tours that highlight student life at the University of Michigan.
3. ASM International Materials Camp
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 23 – 27
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors with a strong interest in applied science and basic knowledge of algebra, chemistry, and physics
The ASM International Materials Camp is a one-week commuter program at Drexel University for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in materials science and engineering. The camp facilitates the study of metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and nanomaterials through short lectures and hands-on lab sessions. You’ll examine how atomic and molecular structures influence the properties and applications of these materials in fields like construction, automotive, manufacturing, electronics, and the aerospace industry.
You will also gain hands-on experience in electron microscopy, tensile testing of metals, heat treating, and synthesizing polymers such as slime and foam. Over the course of the week, you’ll work in a team to design and build a project that is tested and evaluated at the program’s conclusion. The camp also includes an industry tour and opportunities to learn about college pathways and careers in materials engineering.
4. High School Summer Engineering Camp at Purdue University Northwest
Location: Purdue University Northwest’s Hammond Campus, IN
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 7 – 11
Application Deadline: Accepts students until 3 weeks before camp start
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–17
In the High School Summer Engineering Camp at Purdue University Northwest, you’ll explore core areas of mechanical and civil engineering through interactive lab and classroom sessions. You’ll work on projects such as building a balsa wood bridge, testing a cardboard wind tunnel, and assembling an electric go-cart. The program introduces you to practical applications of engineering, including 3D printing, renewable energy systems, virtual reality, and bridge or road design. Each day highlights a different focus area, providing you with broad exposure to the tools and methods used in real-world engineering. It concludes with a closing ceremony where you’ll receive a camp certificate.
5. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Engineering Track
Location: Virtual—you can participate from anywhere in the world
Cost: Varies by the program. (full financial aid available)
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs high school students with PhD mentors from top universities to work one-on-one on an independent research project. Over the course of the program, you will meet regularly with your mentor to learn different research methods, explore your chosen field, and develop a full-length research paper. You can choose from a wide range of topics, including civil and environmental engineering, chemical engineering, or bioengineering. For students interested in publishing their research, Lumiere also offers sessions with a publication specialist through the Premium Research & Publication Program. You can browse examples of past student projects to see the kinds of work produced through the program.
6. UIC Engineering Summer Camp (Track 3)
Location: University of Illinois Chicago
Cost: $500/week
Cohort Size: Five subgroups of up to 30 students each
Program Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
UIC Engineering Summer Camp is a five-day program where you explore five branches of engineering through hands-on projects and lab activities. Each day focuses on one area: biomedical, chemical, software, environmental sustainability planning, and mechanical engineering. You design medical devices, work on sustainability and reaction projects, build apps and games, model sustainable communities, and prototype robots. Faculty, graduate students, and counselors guide you in small teams as you take on more than 15 engineering challenges. You also get exposure to topics like nanotechnology, autonomous vehicles, and organ transplantation.
7. UTSA’s Klesse College Summer Camps for High School Students
Location: University of Texas at San Antonio, TX
Cost: $550 (Day Camp) and $750 (Overnight Camp) | With tuition assistance, Day Camp is $250 and Overnight Camp is $450.
Program Dates: Engineering Overview Camps: June 9 – 13 & June 30 – July 4; Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Summer Workshop: June 16 – 20; Biomedical Engineering Camp: June 23 – 27; Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Camp: July 7 – 11; Rocketry and Aerospace Engineering Camp: July 14 – 18
Application Deadline: Rolling admission until seats fill
Eligibility: High school students
At UTSA’s Klesse College Summer Camps, you get to explore different areas of engineering through projects, lab tours, and faculty-led workshops. In the Engineering Overview Camp, you learn the basics of mechanical, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, and computer engineering. The Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Workshop introduces you to topics like piezoelectric energy harvesting, electronics fabrication, and additive manufacturing.
In the Biomedical Engineering Camp, you build lab skills and take part in a make-a-thon where you design solutions for health challenges. The Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Camp teaches you coding, circuitry, and how to build and test a robot for competition. If you’re interested in space, the Rocketry and Aerospace Engineering Camp lets you design and launch rockets while studying propulsion and aerodynamics.
8. Grainger Engineering Summer Camps
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL (some camps also offer a virtual option, like the Illinois Aerospace Institute (IAI))
Cost: Residential Camps: $1,000 + $25 deposit | Commuter Camps: $600 + $25 deposit | Day Camps: $550 + $25 deposit | Virtual Camps: $150 + $25 deposit (the price structure might differ for some camps, so visit individual camp pages for program-specific information) (scholarships available)
Acceptance Rate: Typically 25% – 40%, but can vary by camp
Program Dates: Varies by camp (check here)
Application Deadline: Applications open in February, and the priority deadline is usually towards the end of March each year
Eligibility: High school students (Grade level requirements vary by camp. Click here for more information)
Grainger Engineering Summer Camps are one-week programs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for high school students interested in engineering. You can choose to attend Exploring Your Options (EYO) camp, where you sample over ten engineering majors, including aerospace, civil, chemical, bioengineering, and agricultural engineering. Alternatively, you can select a focused camp that offers in-depth exploration of a single field, such as mechanical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, or nuclear, plasma, and radiological engineering. Each camp combines lectures, lab tours, demonstrations, and hands-on projects led by faculty, engineering students, and staff.
9. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps
Location: Virtual or in-person at locations like Chicago, Dallas, London, New York, etc. (exact locations not specified)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 2 weeks in June – August (exact dates vary according to location)
Application Deadline: March 31 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Young women and gender expansive teens aged 13–18
Kode With Klossy Summer Camps are free two-week programs where high school students of underrepresented genders in STEM learn coding through project-based tracks. You’ll be placed in one of four tracks: web development, machine learning, mobile app development, or data science. In web development, you’ll build interactive websites with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS while learning about accessibility and responsive design. In machine learning, you’ll use Python to study algorithms, analyze datasets, and train a chatbot with natural language processing. In mobile app development, you’ll learn to code in Swift with SwiftUI and create fully functioning iOS mobile apps via Xcode. In data science, you’ll work with SQL, Python, and visualization tools to analyze datasets and present findings through graphics.
10. STEM/Engineering & Construction Camps by Society of American Military Engineers (SAME)
Location: Vicksburg, MS (Army Camp) | Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL or Port Hueneme, CA (Navy Camp) | Colorado Springs, CO (Air Force Academy Camp) | Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, NC (Marine Corps Camp)
Cost: $800 for all the camps except the Army Camp. (SAME/U.S. Army Camp costs $100)
Cohort Size: The SAME / U.S. Army Camp accepts 40 qualified high school students, and The SAME / U.S. Navy Camp accepts 50 (cohort size for the other camps is not specified)
Program Dates: June 8 – 14 (Army Camp) | June 22 – 28 (Navy Camp at Jacksonville; Air Force Academy Camp; Marine Corps Camp) | July 20 – 26 (Navy Camp at Port Hueneme)
Application Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are on track to attend an accredited engineering college or university | 15 years or older | Recommended minimum GPA of 3.2 | U.S. Citizen | Physically fit and demonstrated leadership characteristics through participation in extracurricular activities, sports, and/or community activities.
The STEM/Engineering & Construction Camps run by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) are week-long programs where you explore engineering and construction through hands-on projects. Military personnel, professional engineers, STEM professionals, and college engineering students guide the sessions. Depending on the camp, you might design and test concrete beams, operate drones and underwater vehicles, or build and race cardboard boats. You’ll work in squads, with a focus on teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Camps are hosted at U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force Academy bases, giving you a chance to see engineering in action and learn about STEM and service career paths.
11. Summer Springboard’s Biotechnology Summer Camp at UC Berkeley
Location: UC Berkeley, CA
Cost: $5,998 (Residential tuition) or $3,298 (Commuter tuition) + minimum $99 for the mandatory application fee + $250 for the mandatory course tuition supplement (there might also be additional transportation charges) (Need-based scholarships available. Check here for more details)
Program Dates: June 22 – July 4 (Session 2) | July 6 – 18 (Session 4) | July 20 – August 1 (Session 6)
Application Deadline: May 16 is the final general admission deadline. (Applying earlier can result in reduced application fee or other discounts. Click here for details.)
Eligibility: Students who have completed grade 8 and have a minimum 3.0 GPA
At UC Berkeley’s Biotechnology Summer Camp, you take university-level courses in microbiology, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology. Researchers and biotech professionals guide you, and you get hands-on experience with professional lab equipment. You design experiments to isolate soil microbes for antibiotic discovery, analyze proteins, and explore how artificial intelligence supports biotechnology research. A key part of the camp is CRISPR engineering, where you learn about gene editing, DNA manipulation, and work with fluorescent proteins. You also visit biotech sites like Thermo Fisher Scientific and the Innovative Genomics Institute to see research in action.
12. Engineering Summer Camps @ Lyle School of Engineering, SMU: Advanced Engineering
Location: SMU (Southern Methodist University), Dallas, TX
Cost: $600
Cohort Size: 20 students per camp
Program Dates: Girls Only Camp: July 7 – 11 | Boys Only Camp: July 14 – 18 | Co-ed Camp: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: Application opens on February 17
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen and sophomores who have prior experience with engineering, design, or integrated STEM programs
The Advanced Engineering Summer Camp at SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering is a week-long program for rising 9th and 10th-graders with some STEM or engineering experience. You explore electrical, mechanical, civil, environmental, and computer engineering through hands-on design, build, and testing activities using the engineering design process. SMU faculty and staff create the curriculum and projects to reflect real-world engineering challenges, and college engineering students serve as mentors throughout the camp.
13. Engineering Summer Camps @ Lyle School of Engineering, SMU: Engineering Design Experience
Location: SMU (Southern Methodist University), Dallas, TX
Cost: $1,400
Cohort Size: 20 students per camp
Program Dates: June 2 – 6 or June 16 – 20 (Female Camp) | June 9 – 13 or June 23 – 27 (Male Camp)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
As part of the Engineering Design Experience at SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering, you’ll spend five days exploring majors in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Operations Research and Engineering Management, and Mechanical Engineering. You’ll spend time in the Deason Innovation Gym, a 1,200-square-foot makerspace equipped with 3D printers, a laser cutter, a vinyl cutter, and power tools, where you’ll prototype solutions to real-world challenges. Through project-based workshops, you’ll gain experience in core engineering, mathematical, and scientific practices while applying conceptual frameworks to hands-on design. You’ll also sharpen analytical and presentation skills as you develop and showcase your final prototype.
14. Arizona Summer Engineering Academy (SEA)
Location: College of Engineering at the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Cost: $750 (Residential camps) and $350 (Commuter camps) (need-based scholarships are available)
Program Dates: 4 days in June and July (exact dates vary by camp. Click here for the schedule)
Application Deadline: February 23 – June 1, or until the camps are full (enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis)
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, as well as graduating seniors, can apply (the residential program is not open to rising juniors through senior year high school students)
SEA is a series of four-day-long commuter and residential camps at the University of Arizona. You can choose from camps focused on renewable energy and water systems, semiconductor design and fabrication, optics and electronics, or broader introductions to engineering disciplines. Depending on your track, you might design circuits, test energy-efficient technologies, or prototype an infinity mirror while learning about reflection and refraction. These camps will give you firsthand insight into multiple engineering fields through collaborative design challenges and access to cutting-edge university facilities. You can also attend the Women in Engineering camps that pair you with mentors and professionals who highlight pathways for women in STEM.
15. TryEngineering Summer Institute
Location: University of Pennsylvania, University of San Diego, Rice University, or Columbia University
Cost: $4,095 – $4,295 (depending on the university) (need-based scholarships available)
Program Dates: 9 days in June – August (exact dates vary based on session and university)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Enrollment closes 30 days before each session begins.
Eligibility: Rising high school students aged 13–17 (TryEngineering Summer Institute at Columbia University only accepts students aged 14–17)
TryEngineering Summer Institute gives high school students the chance to explore multiple branches of engineering through design challenges and lab-based learning. You can study fields like mechanical, civil, electrical, and aerospace engineering while working on projects that range from building hydraulic robot arms to testing glider designs. Throughout the program, you’ll analyze designs, iterate solutions, and collaborate with peers to approach engineering problems the way practicing engineers do. You might also get to participate in field trips to space stations or manufacturing facilities, connect with professional engineers, and gain insight into how large-scale projects are developed.
Image source – TRYEngineering Summer Institute