If you are in high school and want to explore the field of nursing before committing to it as a major, a summer camp is one of the most practical ways to find out whether it’s a good fit. Nursing camps are short, intensive experiences, typically lasting a few days to two weeks, that offer you exposure to key tools, academic pathways, and professional healthcare environments. They can be residential or day-based, and the format is hands-on, prioritizing skills labs, simulation centers, and hospital observations over passive lectures.
What do nursing camps for high schoolers include?
At most nursing camps, you will spend a significant chunk of your time in simulation labs and hands-on exercises that cover key responsibilities of nurses. You may get to work with high-fidelity patient mannequins that can breathe, register a pulse, and respond to interventions. You will learn key practical skills, including taking vital signs, performing wound care, administering medication, maintaining hand hygiene, gloving, and performing CPR. Many camps issue the American Heart Association Basic Life Support certification at the end.
Beyond clinical exposure, camps walk you through medical terminology, patient communication, and how to read a patient chart. Most programs also include specialty overviews covering areas like pediatrics, obstetrics, emergency medicine, public health, and gerontology. Guest speaker panels give you a direct read on what daily nursing work looks like across different hospital units, and some camps add field trips to clinical facilities, ethics workshops, and admissions pathway discussions for students considering nursing school.
To help you find the right opportunity, we have shortlisted 15 nursing camps for high school students.
While this article focuses on nursing camps, we also have another list of camps here that covers the medical profession more broadly.
1. UW Nurse Camp
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free!
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 20 – 24
Application deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Washington state high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 when the camp starts
UW Nurse Camp is a weeklong program that places you in nursing units at UW Medical Center in Montlake or Northwest, where you will shadow nurses working in real clinical environments. Simulation labs at the School of Nursing and the WWAMI Institute for Simulation in Healthcare will help you learn about and build technical skills. A distinctive feature of this camp is the nursing speed rounds: a structured format where you move quickly through conversations with nurses working in areas as varied as forensics, public health, emergency care, and research. CPR and HIPAA training are also part of the camp experience.
2. Seattle Children’s Summer Nurse Camp
Location: Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Puget Sound area students, ages 16 – 18
Seattle Children’s five-day camp offers a focused look specifically at pediatric nursing, which sets it apart from most general nursing camps on this list. Over the course of a week, you will shadow nurses across clinical units at Seattle Children’s Hospital, observing care delivery and nurse-family interactions in a pediatric setting. Skills labs will give you hands-on practice with nursing techniques on models. Additionally, an educational panel featuring working pediatric nurses will allow you to ask direct questions about career paths and day-to-day realities in children’s healthcare.
3. University of Portland Summer Nurse Camp
Location: University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations (UPSONHI), Portland, OR
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 16
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Current high school students, ages 16 and up; graduating seniors are not eligible.
The University of Portland School of Nursing’s four-day camp covers fundamentals like infection control and hand hygiene, blood pressure and vital signs, and nursing school application prep. The schedule consists of clinical, academic, and community service activities. You will spend time at the UPSONHI Learning Resource Center and tour the university campus. You will also meet with current nursing students, faculty, staff, and alumni, getting a realistic view of both the training and the culture of the profession.
4. USF Pepin Family Nursing Pathway Summer Program
Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Up to 50 spots
Dates: June 8 – 12
Application deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th graders, ages 16 and up, enrolled in Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Pasco County high schools with a minimum 2.8 GPA
The Pepin Family USF Nursing Pathway program combines small-group didactic learning with hands-on practice in both the USF simulation lab and the Mo-Bull Nurse Medical Clinic. You will engage in activities with community and hospital partners across the Tampa Bay region. You will connect and work with faculty, current nursing students, and academic advisors. The program is designed to help you evaluate whether nursing is a realistic fit and map out the academic pathways leading to it, covering the range of specializations and degree options within the profession.
5. Huntington University Nursing Camp
Location: Huntington University, Huntington, IN
Cost: $525
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: June 15 – 19
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Huntington University’s five-day nursing camp, led by faculty from the school’s Department of Nursing, gives you hands-on exposure to nursing equipment and core nursing techniques. You will learn how to work with injections, practice techniques using high-fidelity nursing simulation mannequins, tackle wounds and dressings, and offer hygiene care. The camp is designed to give you a realistic picture of what nursing school coursework involves and what working as a nurse looks like in practice. As it is faculty-led and residential on a small university campus, you will get consistent access to instructors throughout the week rather than rotating through a large program with many cohorts.
6. NorthBay Health Nurse Camp
Location: NorthBay Health campuses in Vacaville and Fairfield, CA
Cost: $150
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open enrolment
Dates: June 16 – 18 | July 28 – 30
Application deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Local high school students
NorthBay Health’s three-day camp allows you to explore nursing within hospital facilities and active clinical environments rather than a university simulation lab. Nurses from various hospitals and outpatient units will lead the sessions, offering on-site demonstrations, hands-on skills labs, and opportunities to observe nurse-patient interactions. You will also get to connect with the nursing staff and ask questions about the field. The program structure provides exposure to nurses’ daily routines over a short period across clinical environments, from inpatient care to outpatient settings.
7. UT Austin Longhorn Nursing Immersion Summer Camp
Location: UT Austin School of Nursing, Austin, TX
Cost: $650; limited number of scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open enrolment
Dates: June 1 – 5 | June 8 – 12
Application deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, ages 15 – 17
The UT Austin School of Nursing’s week-long camp offers practical exposure to nursing through simulations focused on patient assessments, vital signs, electronic health records navigation, medication administration, and maternity and newborn care. You will also participate in a nursing skills escape room, which uses clinical scenarios as the challenge format and tests what you have learned in an interactive setting. You will also visit a local hospital and clinic. UT faculty and current nursing students lead all activities, giving you a ground-level view of what nursing school actually involves day to day. You will leave with American Heart Association Basic Life Support and First Aid certification.
8. Clemson University Summer Nursing Academic Program (SNAP)
Location: Clemson, South Carolina
Cost: $1,400; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified; applicants with a 3.3 GPA or higher are automatically accepted.
Dates: June 7 – 12 | June 14 – 19 | June 21 – 26 | July 5 – 10
Application deadline: Rolling; open from January 12
Eligibility: Rising 9th – 12th grade students
Clemson’s SNAP, led by university nursing faculty, covers basic clinical nursing skills, including vital signs, handwashing and glove use, and CPR through computer simulations and clinical skills sessions. The learning environment includes virtual reality simulators and high-fidelity human patient simulators representing different age groups, letting you practice critical thinking across lifespan scenarios. You will explore the historical and contemporary role of registered nurses across different settings. The program also covers what it takes to get into a BSN program and how to approach college-level academic work in a health sciences context.
9. UTHealth Houston IGNITE Nursing Camp (Cizik School of Nursing)
Location: UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing, Houston, TX
Cost: $1,100
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – 12 | June 22 – 26 | July 6 – 10
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Students with a minimum 2.75 GPA entering grades 9 – 12
IGNITE is a five-day camp that covers healthcare and nursing fundamentals based on the Five E instructional model: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. The curriculum is college-level, covering topics in nursing through skills labs, high-tech simulations, and structured classroom learning. You will leave with up to five healthcare certifications covering Basic Life Support, Stop the Bleed, HIPAA, Bloodborne Pathogens, and Medical Ethics. The program offers exposure to professional nursing across the continuum of care and walks you through the academic requirements and application process for nursing degree programs. You will also receive an individualized action plan and career roadmap.
10. Fairfield University’s Pre-College Immersion Program: Nursing Track
Location: Online + an optional on-campus visit at Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Cost: $1,300
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 10
Application deadline: Not specified; full refunds available up to the program start date of July 6.
Eligibility: Rising sophomore, junior, and senior high school students, ages 15 and up, with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher and no record of suspensions
This one-week nursing program, offered by Fairfield University’s Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, provides hands-on exposure to the field of nursing. You will explore the basics of first aid and CPR, and participate in virtual sessions to use Fairfield’s simulation lab. The program is led by nursing faculty, who will offer insights into post-secondary nursing academics. You will also have access to an optional one-day on-campus visit to explore the university campus and simulation lab in person.
11. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Explore Cru Nursing Summer Camp
Location: University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Scott and White School of Nursing, Belton, TX
Cost: Not specified; keep an eye on the program website for details
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: May 31 – June 5
Application deadline: April 10
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
UMHB’s six-day Explore Cru camp introduces core nursing concepts through classroom sessions and simulation lab work, and continues that learning through small group discussions and projects. The program focuses on four tracks, running in parallel: academics, the spirit and traditions of UMHB, faith and learning, and campus life. You will spend the week living in UMHB’s residence halls, eating in the dining hall, and engaging in on-campus social activities. The program is designed for students who are seriously considering nursing as a career path, rather than those in the early stages of exploration.
12. UC Irvine Summer Nursing Academy
Location: UC Irvine, Irvine, CA
Cost: $2,000/session; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 17 | July 27 – 31
Application deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Held at UCI’s Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing and Nursing Simulation Center, this five-day camp gives you direct access to credentialed nurses from UCI’s school and medical center. You will practice handwashing, injections, vital signs, and CPR, and work through nursing simulations using both task trainers and full patient simulators. The program offers the opportunity to earn American Heart Association Basic Life Support certification and an American College of Surgeons Stop the Bleed certification. The camp may also offer opportunities to connect with nursing students, helping you see what it is like to study the field at the collegiate level.
13. Georgetown University Nursing Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: $4,120 residential fee | $3,490 commuter fee + application fee (non-refundable): $50; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: July 19 – 25
Application deadline: Early bird deadline: January 31 (application fee waivers available before this deadline); Final deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 12, ages 15 and up, who have a GPA of 2.0 or higher
Georgetown’s week-long Nursing Academy places you inside the O’Neill Family Foundation Clinical Simulation Center, where you will work with a lifelike patient simulator to practice fundamental nursing skills. The curriculum covers nursing fundamentals alongside biological, physical, and social sciences, as well as healthcare ethics and cultural competency. Specializations you will explore include adult-gerontology, acute care, family practice, anesthesia, and women’s health. Daily programming combines faculty-led lectures, small group discussions, and hands-on clinical labs. Off-site visits will take you to nursing ethics and policy organizations across Washington, D.C. Evening student panels will give you direct access to nurses and nursing students, who can share insights into the realities of the profession.
14. NSLC High School Summer Programs: Nursing Track
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $4,395 for Duke University | $4,195 for University of Michigan; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Duke University: June 11 – 19 or June 23 – July 1 | University of Michigan: July 8 – 16 or July 21 – 29
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 – 18, in grades 9 – 12
This nine-day program moves you through patient care simulations, pediatric care training, hematology and venipuncture technique, and emergency medicine scenarios, and you will leave with CPR certification. You will participate in visits to clinical simulation labs, museums, and patient care centers, gaining exposure to real clinical training environments. You will also hear from guest speakers; in past sessions, speakers have included chief nursing officers and nursing faculty from institutions like Georgetown and the University of Maryland. A leadership curriculum runs alongside the clinical content, with workshops on communication, empathy, and decision-making woven throughout the nine days.
15. Quinnipiac University’s Pre-College Summer Programs — Nursing: Explore Your Future
Location: Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT
Cost: $3,700 residential fee | $2,700 commuter fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Up to 30 students
Dates: July 20 – 31
Application deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Current high school students
Quinnipiac’s two-week camp offers insights into registered nurse and advanced practice registered nurse roles through high-fidelity simulations set in contexts ranging from the emergency department to the operating room and post-anesthesia care unit. Clinical skills covered include IV therapy, wound care, airway suctioning, and medication administration, alongside Certified Nurse Aide training and exposure to specific CNA skills. You will build familiarity with anatomy, medical terminology, and care-across-the-continuum frameworks as part of the classroom component. The program ends with training sessions on Narcan administration, EpiPen use, Stop the Bleed, and CPR, and awards certificates for some of these measures. The camp also offers alternative, holistic health sessions on yoga, mindfulness, and Reiki to provide broader exposure.
One more option—Horizon Academic Research Program
If you are looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like nursing or healthcare, you can consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! It is a selective virtual research program that allows you to engage in advanced research and come up with a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1,000+ high school students so far, offering 600+ research specializations to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source: Georgetown University