13 Chemistry Summer Camps for High School Students

If you are a high school student looking for a productive way to spend your school break, a summer camp is worth considering! Unlike regular summer programs, which often run for several weeks or even months and focus more on structured academics, camps are usually shorter and centred around project work. They typically last from a few days to a few weeks and focus on exploration, teamwork, and practical experiences rather than traditional classroom-style learning. 

If you enjoy chemistry as a discipline, a camp in the field can help you explore what working in a real lab feels like. As a participant, you will conduct experiments using professional lab equipment and learn directly from scientists and mentors. You will also meet other students who share your curiosity and work on projects with them, helping you develop connections and build communication skills. 

To make your search easier, we have shortlisted 15 chemistry summer camps for high school students. These camps stand out because they combine challenging and fun activities, offer valuable networking opportunities, and are hosted by universities and research institutions, helping you indulge in experiences that stand out on your college applications.  

If you are looking for summer camps, check out our blog here.

13 Chemistry Summer Camps for High School Students

1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial assistance available 

Dates: Multiple sessions, including summer cohorts, are scheduled each year.

Application deadline: Varies by cohort

Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper. You can choose research topics from various subjects such as chemistry, physics, engineering, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.

2. UT Southwestern's Chemistry Camp 

Location: UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX

Cost: None

Dates: July 10 –18

Application deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Students in grade 9 who will take sophomore-level chemistry next year

The Chemistry Camp at UT Southwestern is an opportunity to explore the field of chemistry through labs and activities. You will refine your understanding of branches like stoichiometry, chemical reactions, mole concepts, complex molecules, ions, compounds, and thermodynamics through practical learning experiences. You will engage in team-building sessions with peers and prepare for upcoming high school chemistry coursework. Additionally, you will visit the university’s biochemistry lab, gaining exposure to the real research environment.

3. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Pathway

Location: Various sites, including London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo

Cost: Varies according to program; financial aid available

Dates: Two weeks during the summer

Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions

Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 18 

Immerse Education’s Career Insights Pathway introduces high school students to professional industries through experiential learning in major global cities. Over the course of the two-week program, you will participate in interactive workshops, company visits, and hands-on projects that simulate real-world workplace settings. Industry mentors and professionals provide feedback and career advice as you explore sectors like business, journalism, medicine, law, or engineering. Weekly one-on-one coaching sessions will help you refine your goals and build confidence in presenting your work. The program concludes with a final presentation where you will share your findings and experiences with peers and professionals. You can find more details about the application here!

4. Florida Atlantic University’s Crystal Summer School Camp

Location: Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Boca Raton, FL

Cost: Free

Dates: June 30 – July 3

Application deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12

FAU’s Crystal Summer School, funded by the National Science Foundation, is a one-week camp open to 10 middle and high schoolers. This free program focuses on the crystallization process across disciplines, including chemistry, physics, engineering, and geology. At camp, you will engage in lectures, games, lab tours, and activities such as growing geodes and exploring crystal gardens to learn about the environmental impact of crystals, the biomineralization process, nanotechnology, and how marine organisms construct skeletal elements. You will also work with advanced microscopes to study leaf structures, corals, and mollusk shells. Additionally, you will have access to STEM career discussions, which will help you explore paths in your field of choice.

5. University of Washington Materials Camp

Location: UW Seattle Campus, Seattle, WA

Cost: Free

Dates: July 6 – 11

Application deadline: March 15; application opens on February 1.

Eligibility: High school sophomores attending high school in the greater Seattle area.

UW offers a materials science-focused summer day camp, allowing you to explore the interdisciplinary science field through lab-based learning experiences. You will participate in a combination of demonstrations, labs, and field trips, exploring the chemistry of materials. You will learn how to work with high-tech equipment, such as the Scanning Electron Microscope, to observe material structures on the nanoscale. You will engage in a team-based problem-solving science experience led by professional engineers and researchers. 

6. Stanford Inspiring Future Scientists Through Shadowing Program

Location: Stanford University Department of Chemistry, Stanford, CA

Cost: Free

Dates: June 16 – 26

Application deadline: April 1 (tentative); applications open in the winter.

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 and live in San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties

Stanford University’s Chemistry Department offers local high schoolers a chance to explore chemistry research through observation. During the program, you will spend two weeks shadowing chemistry researchers and interacting with Stanford graduate students and faculty members. You will get to shadow multiple researchers to explore different types of chemical research, scientific topics, and techniques. The experience can help you observe the lab practices, research techniques, and the daily engagements of chemistry department students.

7. Oregon State University’s Toxicology Camp

Location: OSU Campus, Corvallis, OR

Cost: $120; need-based scholarships available

Dates: June 23 – 25

Application deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12

The Toxicology Camp at Oregon State University is a three-day opportunity to explore how chemicals and substances affect humans, animals, and the environment. You will investigate what makes a substance toxic or safe and explore methods to protect people and ecosystems. You will run experiments, such as testing chemical effects on daphnia, sampling the environment in the field, and studying molecular mechanisms using glowing zebrafish. Through data collection and analysis, you will tackle real challenges that environmental chemists and toxicologists encounter. The camp is designed to help you apply scientific thinking and laboratory techniques to meaningful questions in toxicology.

8. Bucknell University Chemistry Camp

Location: Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Cost: $250, which includes lab materials and meals; need-based financial assistance available

Dates: June 13 and 14

Application deadline: May 3; rolling admission

Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10, 11, and 12 by the summer of the camp

Bucknell University’s two-day camp offers an opportunity to explore various branches of chemistry, including organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry, through hands-on laboratory experiences. You will work with faculty and chemistry students in a university setting and create a demo project, culminating in a presentation and dinner with faculty and your peers. You will connect with Bucknell students who will share insights into their lives as aspiring scientists and college students. The camp also offers professional development opportunities, including sessions with an admissions counselor and a STEM career coach. 

9. Ohio State University's Summer STEM Camp 

Location: Ohio State University, Marion, OH

Cost: $150

Dates: June 9 – 13

Application deadline: May 31

Eligibility: Rising freshmen through seniors in high school

The Summer STEM Camp is a week-long opportunity designed for students interested in exploring science and engineering topics. You will work on multidisciplinary projects in molecular genetics, chemistry, biology, math, computer science, and engineering under the guidance of Ohio State Marion faculty. You will build critical thinking skills while engaging in problem-solving sessions involving building functioning boats, programming robots, and examining cell proteins and purifying them using column chromatography. Visits to science and tech facilities are also part of the experience.

10. University of the Pacific Chemistry Summer Camp

Location: University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA

Cost: $3,800; discounts available for children of alumni, staff, and current students of Pacific

Dates: June 1 – 11

Application deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12

The Chemistry Summer Camp held at the University of the Pacific is an opportunity to explore drug chemistry through practical learning experiences. You will dive into real lab work, designing and synthesizing molecules that might treat cancer while using advanced instruments and software in an organized chemistry lab. You will explore quantum-chemical modelling and learn how chemical structures relate to drug function. You will also assess the mechanisms through which drugs destroy cancer cells and present your findings. Additionally, you will live on campus, interact with professors and college students, and get a taste of college life. 

11. Eckerd College Marine Science Program

Location: Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL

Cost: $2,250; scholarships available

Dates: Session I: June 14 – 19 | Session II: June 21 – 26

Application deadline: Not specified; applications open in January

Eligibility: High school students entering grades 11 and 12 in the fall; selected candidates must pass a pool swim test

This program is designed to help high schoolers explore marine chemistry, geology, and biology through hands-on sessions conducted in local marine environments. You will run experiments both in college laboratories and in the field, analyzing seawater composition and exploring human-environment ocean chemistry interactions. You will spend the week engaging in experiences such as observing wild dolphins to understand their ecology and behavior, identifying seashells on local beaches, observing foraging shorebirds, and studying live plankton organisms under a microscope. You will learn from marine science faculty and live on Eckerd College’s waterfront campus, gaining exposure to life on a university campus.

12. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s CURIE Camp

Location: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Grainger College of Engineering, Urbana, IL

Cost: $25 deposit + Residential fee: $1,000 | Commuter fee: $600; scholarships available

Dates: July 27 – August 2

Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; priority deadlines in March

Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 – 12 

At the CURIE (Catalyzing UR Interest in Chemical Engineering) camp, you will explore chemical engineering by studying how scientists and engineers scale up processes to manufacture products. You will engage in activities like assessing fluid behavior using Silly Putty and modeling proteins via computer simulations. You will learn how large-scale production of chemicals works and how engineers solve manufacturing problems. The program includes tours of chemical plants to see engineering in action. During the program, you will also get to connect with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates to discuss research and career paths.

13. University of Pennsylvania Chemistry Research Academy

Location: University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Philadelphia, PA

Cost: $100 application fee + $10,050 program fee; full scholarships available for School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school students

Dates: July 11 – August 1

Application deadline: No deadline/rolling admissions; applications open on December 1.

Eligibility: High school students who have completed a year of chemistry

UPenn’s Chemistry Research Academy is a three-week program focused on lab-based chemistry and research exploration. At this camp, you will split time between classroom instruction and laboratory work, learning how to use lab instruments and engage in open-ended investigations. You will learn about chemical bonding principles, analytical techniques, and materials science fundamentals and applications alongside exploding research methods, peer review, and data analysis within a university setting. The environment puts you side by side with professors and peers, offering exposure to what real chemical research looks like. You will also learn how to find and use research articles and work on a project, for which you will come up with logical steps that will help you conduct an independent research project later.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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