If you’re a high school student looking to gain some experience in chemical engineering, consider a summer program!

You should consider applying to a summer program for chemical engineering because they offer the opportunity to address vital global issues such as renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials, leading to a rewarding and high-demand career. 

These programs equip you with interdisciplinary analytical thinking and innovation skills, fostering personal growth and technical expertise. 

Summer programs, in particular, are ideal for busy students as they provide an intensive, hands-on learning experience during the extended break, allowing you to gain practical knowledge, network with peers and professionals, and enhance their college applications effectively. This article covers ten chemical engineering programs that high school students can apply to for the summer.

1. Chem-E Summer Camp by Lamar University

Location: Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

Cost: No cost

Application Deadline: Currently not accepting applications for the 2024 camp. TBD for 2025. 

Program Dates: Jun 24– Jun 28, 2024. TBD for 2025. 

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply provided they have completed chemistry and algebra II!

Lamar University’s Chem-E Camp invites rising high school junior and senior students to a week-long day camp focused on chemical engineering in a collaborative setting. The camp introduces participants to various roles within petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and food manufacturing industries, showcasing common equipment and processes through hands-on activities and industry plant tours. 

Limited to students who have completed chemistry and algebra II, the camp emphasizes safety with requirements for long pants and closed-toe shoes throughout laboratory and industry visits, with additional personal protective equipment provided as necessary. Space is limited, ensuring a personalized and engaging experience for all attendees.

2. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program

Location: Kirtland/AMOS, Eglin/Hurlbert air force bases

Cost/Stipend: Fully funded, stipend provided.

Application Deadline: This may vary based on the AFRL sites and/or projects you are applying to.

Program Dates: Varies from project to project, but you can expect it to be during the summer months for 9 weeks.

Eligibility: High schoolers with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, who are US citizens and have a valid driver’s license. You must also be eligible to work 40 hours a week for summer internship positions.

For ambitious upper-level high school students with a keen interest in chemical and aerospace engineering, the AFRL program offers an enriching summer opportunity before college. Selected participants will benefit from mentorship provided by seasoned AFRL scientists and engineers, guiding them through immersive experiences, including laboratory tours and hands-on involvement in groundbreaking research and technology. Students may delve into aerospace and mechanical design, exploring propulsion systems and materials science. 

Chemical engineering topics might include researching novel composite materials for lightweight aircraft structures, optimizing fuel formulations for efficiency and environmental impact, and developing coatings to enhance aerospace component durability. These opportunities extend beyond the undergraduate and graduate levels, welcoming high school students to participate. Make sure you filter for specific opportunities tailored to high school students.

3. Chemical Engineering Summer Institute by South Dakota Mines

Location: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Rapid City, SD

Cost: $300

Application Deadline: Currently not accepting applications for the 2024 camp. 

Program Dates: Jul 8 — Jul 11, 2024. TBD for 2025. 

Eligibility: High school students — grades 8 to 12 — are eligible to apply!

South Dakota Mines University’s summer camp in chemical engineering offers an exciting journey into the discipline, blending science and mathematics to create valuable materials that shape everyday life. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, such as creating plastics and polymers, mastering chemical separation techniques, and exploring sustainable electricity generation. 

They will also navigate the Unit Operation Lab and learn about biofuel production from biomass. This camp provides an immersive experience for high school students, combining education and hands-on activities, and highlights the profound impact of chemical engineering on daily life.

4. Chem-E Camp by the University of Buffalo

Location: University of Buffalo’s North Campus, NY

Cost: $400

Application Deadline: Currently not accepting applications for 2024. TBD for 2025

Program Dates: Jul 15- Jul 19, 2024. TBD for 2025. 

Eligibility: Students entering 11th and 12th grade in the fall of the current year are eligible to apply provided they have already completed regents chemistry (or enrolled in regents chemistry in the fall).

The University of Buffalo’s Chem-E camp offers a dynamic and immersive experience designed to ignite a passion for chemical engineering among high school students exploring future college majors. Participants engage in hands-on activities and digital simulations, interact with university faculty, students, and industry professionals, and enjoy lunch with UB experts and practicing professionals. 

The camp includes exclusive tours and activities at Linde (formerly Praxair), as well as visits to Dupont Corian® and Rich Products. Campers also gain firsthand experience in laboratories within UB’s chemical and biological engineering department on the Amherst campus.

5. CURIE: Catalyzing UR Interest in Chemical Engineering by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Location: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Cost: The residential camp costs $1000, while the commuter camp is $600.

Application Deadline: Currently not accepting applications for the 2024 camp. As per this year’s schedule, next year’s camp’s deadline should be in the last week of March 2025. 

Program Dates: Jul 21– Jul 27, 2024. TBD for 2025. 

Eligibility: High school students from grades 10–12 are welcome to apply. 

The week-long CURIE: Catalyzing UR Interest in Chemical Engineering summer camp offers an engaging exploration of the discipline, focusing on the large-scale production of useful materials by combining science and mathematics. Campers will participate in virtual interactive sessions with chemical engineers, create plastics using an extruder machine, and take video tours of chemical plants. 

Campers will meet with faculty and students to explore chemical engineering research. Activities include experimenting with Silly Putty to learn fluid physics, playing computer games to understand protein functions, and discovering how everyday chemicals are produced. The 2023 camp organized field trips to local chemical plants like LyondellBasell in Tuscola and Abbott Power Plant in Champaign to provide real-world insights.

6. Stanford Pre-College Summer Institute in Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Location: Online

Cost: $3,050. Financial aid is available.

Application Deadline: The 2024 Summer Institute deadline was March 29th, 2024. TBD for 2025.

Program Dates:

• Session 1: June 17 — June 28, 2024

• Session 2: July 08 — July 19, 2024

Eligibility: Students should be in grades 9–12 by the time of application.

Stanford University’s non-credit course on chemical and environmental engineering offers an in-depth and interactive exploration of advanced topics without the pressure of grades. It covers fundamental engineering principles for analyzing chemical processes, with a focus on energy and innovative chemical solutions. Meeting for two hours daily online, the course emphasizes skill-building and fosters a collaborative environment where students learn from both instructors and peers.

Students will diagram processes, convert variables, and set up material and energy balances to find steady-state solutions, applying these concepts to real-world challenges such as renewable energy, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and advanced materials development. The course culminates in interactive assignments and a collaborative, student-led group project, providing a comprehensive and practical learning experience.

7. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Yale University’s Summer Session

Location: Online

Cost: $5070 (tuition fee) + $85 (technology fee)

Application Deadline: Applications for Summer 2024 courses and programs are closed. The 2025 application will open in mid-January 2025.

Program Dates: May 27 — Jun 28 and Jul 1 — Aug 2, 2024

Eligibility: 

• Must be entering their senior year of high school (summer after junior year) or freshman year of college (summer after senior year). Current sophomores are not eligible to apply!

• Must be 16 years of age or older by their program start date.

Yale University offers a rigorous online introductory course in thermodynamics open to qualifying high school students. The course covers essential topics such as the first and second laws of thermodynamics, cyclic processes, chemical reactions, and phase equilibria, and introduces statistical thermodynamics. 

Designed to equip students with qualitative knowledge and quantitative skills for solving engineering science problems, the course’s prerequisites include multivariable calculus. Enrollment in this course is limited to 25 students to ensure personalized instruction and effective learning.

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 in 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

Bonus — Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are interested in doing university-level research in chemical engineering, then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students co-founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.

Trisha Malhotra, an Ashoka University alumna, has 5 years of experience being a freelance writer and currently writes for Lumiere Education. She is passionate about music, reading, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as well as a devoted cat parent.

Image Source: Lamar University logo