14 College Camps for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 8 min read
As a high school student, summer break can be a valuable opportunity to explore new interests and build academic or creative skills. These camps expose you to college-level academics, help you develop practical skills, offer insights into various industries, and facilitate valuable connections with peers and professionals. Many universities and organizations host short academic programs that let you study a subject you’re curious about, such as engineering, writing, medicine, or business.Â
How are camps different from other high school programs?
Unlike broader pre-college university programs that might span several weeks and cover a wide range of subjects, camps are typically more specialized, focusing on a particular discipline or skill set in a short amount of time. They give you a closer look at what studying that subject in college might be like and help you decide if it’s something you want to pursue further. In the process, you’ll also build your profile and be better prepared for future opportunities.
To help you navigate the options available, we've curated a list of 14 college camps for high school students. These programs are selected for their quality, unique offerings, and ability to provide a valuable experience.
If you are interested in summer camps, check out our blog here.
Location:Â Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Cost:Â Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Open enrollment, but limited spots
Dates: June 16 – 20
Application Deadline:Â February 1 (Priority deadline) | April 1 (Final deadline)
Eligibility:Â Current high school students
Purdue University Northwest offers a free, 1-week camp to help current high schoolers understand the fundamentals of cybersecurity. You will engage with advanced coursework in subjects like cybersecurity awareness, robot game design, security practices in wireless networks, cryptography, and ethical hacking. Students will live on Purdue's campus and engage in hands-on activities, including hacking labs, cyber forensics cases, and cybersecurity games. Taught by Purdue faculty, this camp is designed to provide a competitive edge in a high-tech field and challenge participants.
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Boston
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Selective
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions.
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school
The Academic Insights Program provides school students with an opportunity to take undergraduate-level classes at universities around the world. Participants work with academics from universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard in classes of 4-10 students. They attend university-style lectures and 1:1 weekly sessions with their tutor. The program includes practical experiences such as dissections in medicine, robotic arm building in engineering, or moot courts for law. Students can choose from over 20 subjects, including architecture, artificial intelligence, business management, computer science, economics, medicine, philosophy, and more. By the end of the program, they complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
Location:Â ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus, Phoenix, AZ
Cost:Â $699 (tentative); need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Selective
Dates:Â 1-week residential session in the summer
Application Deadline:Â April 1 (tentative)
Eligibility:Â Current high school students
Hosted by the renowned Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Camp Cronkite is a one-week college camp for high schoolers. Students dive into the world of digital and broadcast journalism, learning from Cronkite faculty and media professionals. The camp is hands-on, focusing on skills like reporting, video editing, photography, and multimedia storytelling. Participants get to use ASU's state-of-the-art facilities and reside in the university's downtown Phoenix residential hall, getting a true taste of college life and a career in media.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Popular camps sell out, as registration is first-come, first-served
Dates:Â Multiple 1-week sessions in June
Application Deadline:Â Rolling until full
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 – 12
Location:Â Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Cost:Â Varies by format and session
The Aggie STEM Camps at Texas A&M University offer one-week residential and day college camps designed to promote exploration in STEM fields. These camps are project-based, allowing students to work collaboratively on real-world problems under the guidance of university faculty and students. The program is geared toward high-achieving students with a strong interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. Participants can experience life on a major research university campus and gain valuable hands-on skills.
Location:Â Penn State University, University Park, PA
Cost:Â $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Cohort size is typically small to ensure individual attention
Dates: July 19 – 23
Application Deadline:Â June 16
Eligibility:Â High school students interested in design
This college camp at Penn State offers high school students a comprehensive introduction to the design professions. At this camp, you'll immerse yourself and adopt the mindset and techniques of a professional designer. Led by faculty from the Penn State Stuckeman School, the program centers on fundamental skills like hand-drawing and physical model-making, alongside introductory design exercises. Students will gain practical design experience, create a valuable portfolio piece, and understand the requirements for success in a university-level professional design program.
Location:Â Embry-Riddle campuses in Daytona Beach, FL, and Prescott, AZ
Cost:Â Varies by specific camp, and whether choosing a Day Camp or an Overnight Camp.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Varies by specific camp
Dates:Â Multiple 1-week sessions in June and July
Application Deadline:Â Rolling admissions
Eligibility:Â Students aged 7-18
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a top-tier institution for aviation and aerospace, offers a variety of day and overnight camps for students. These one-week sessions are discipline-specific, with options like Aerospace Engineering, Aviation, or Robotics. Campers get hands-on experience, often using advanced simulators and labs, and learn directly from university faculty. This program is designed for any high school student seriously considering a career in aviation, engineering, or a related NASA field, providing highly focused exposure to current technologies in the field.
Location:Â University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Cost:Â $1,255 (Residential) | $530 for (Commuter)
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Small cohort sizes
Dates:Â Multiple 1-week sessions in June and July
Application Deadline:Â Varies by camp
Eligibility:Â Ages 13-17
The University of Georgia offers nearly 60 week-long camps across seven pathways, covering a huge variety of subjects across science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The camps are intensive, allowing high school students to explore fields like Animation, Acting, Broadcast Journalism, Public Relations, and more. Participants learn from UGA faculty and create real projects, such as producing a broadcast show, writing for a news website, or designing a campaign for a non-profit. The camp offers both commuter and residential options, giving students a choice in their experience.
Location:Â University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost:Â $3,799 (Residential) | $2,999 (Commuter)
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Open enrollment
Dates: June 28 – July 9
Application Deadline:Â Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 10 – 17
Also known as the Capitol Debate Camp, this is an independent program hosted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It is an intensive, two-week residential camp designed to empower students with public speaking and debate skills. The program is suitable for students of all levels, from novice to advanced. Participants live in UCLA residence halls, learn from experienced debate coaches, and engage in numerous practice rounds and drills. It’s a comprehensive experience that combines rigorous academic training with the social experience of living on a world-class university campus.
Location:Â University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost:Â $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Highly competitive
Dates: June 8 – 13 | June 22 – 27
Application Deadline:Â March 3
Eligibility:Â Rising 10th through 12th graders who are Florida residents
Hosted by the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, Gator Vet Camp provides a unique window into the veterinary profession. High school students accepted into this program get a comprehensive overview of the field, including insights into different specialties like large and small animal medicine. The camp includes practical learning activities, lectures from faculty, and tours of UF's veterinary facilities. UF specifically offers it to Florida residents, particularly those who are first-generation, low-income, or have limited previous exposure to veterinary medicine but possess some animal experience.
Location:Â Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Cost:Â Varies by camp, most are either $280 or $150
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 – 20 students per camp
Dates:Â Multiple sessions in June
Application Deadline:Â Varies by camp
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 – 12
The Spartan Writing Camp, run by MSU's Red Cedar Writing Project, contains a variety of camps for students who love to write. High school-specific camps include themes such as role-playing writing, protest poetry, a dedicated writing retreat, and memoir writing. These camps are not for remediation but for exposure to new genres and inspiration. Experienced teacher-instructors leverage the MSU campus itself as a muse, encouraging creativity by visiting university landmarks such as gardens and museums.
Location:Â Camp Hannon (near Clemson University), Sunset, SC
Cost:Â $450 (2 nights)
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Highly selective; only top 10% of students selected
Dates:Â Various weekend retreats
Application Deadline:Â Varies by session
Eligibility:Â Top high school students from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia
Clemson's Challenge for Academically Talented Students (C-CATS) is a unique weekend camp held at Camp Hannon near the university. This program challenges students academically, physically, and socially, offering workshops on test-taking skills, learning styles, and personal branding. The camp also includes adventure-based activities like a ropes course and climbing wall. It is designed to be a short, high-impact program led by top Clemson students to build leadership and academic skills.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 – 25 students
Dates: July 7 – 10
Application Deadline:Â June 30
Eligibility:Â Students entering grades 9-12.
Location:Â GVSU Pew/Downtown Campus, Grand Rapids, MI
Cost:Â $150
This four-day writing program, hosted by the Lake Michigan Writing Project, allows high school students to explore different styles and genres of writing in a workshop environment with other young writers. Held on GVSU's downtown campus, the camp offers a college environment for creative development. A separate camp is also offered for rising seniors, focused specifically on mastering the "Write Your College Essay" process. This is a very accessible and focused camp for building practical writing skills.
Location:Â University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Cost:Â $695
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Highly selective; previous camp hosted 44 students
Dates: June 23 – 26
Application Deadline:Â June 1
Eligibility:Â High school students aged 15-18
Hosted by the Moody College of Communication at UT Austin, this is a highly focused camp for aspiring sports journalists. The program is an intensive, hands-on weekend that gives students real-world experience in sports media. Participants learn from decorated professionals and university faculty, engaging in activities like mock press conferences with Longhorn coaches and athletes. A major highlight includes exclusive tours of iconic university athletic facilities, such as the DKR Stadium.
Location:Â University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost:Â $2,299
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Highly selective
Dates: June 22 – 26 | July 20 – 24
Application Deadline:Â January 28
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 9–12 with strong math skills and an interest in sports
The Wharton Global Youth Program at the University of Pennsylvania offers a one-week intensive camp providing high school students with a focused introduction to the fields of sports statistics and analytics. This is a non-residential day camp designed to give students a taste of how data science is applied to the sports business. Participants study sports statistics and learn from Wharton faculty and industry experts, making it a strong choice for students interested in the intersection of data, business, and sports without a long summer commitment.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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.
Image Source - UCLA logo