10 Free College Summer Camps for High School Students

If you’re a high school student, summer can be a good time to explore your academic interests more deeply. Free summer camps offer access to structured programs without the cost typically associated with pre-college opportunities.

These camps are often hosted by universities or nonprofits and cover a range of subjects—from STEM and business to the arts and public service. Many include hands-on activities, academic instruction, or mentorship. Some also give you the chance to experience aspects of college life while working on a specific project or topic.

How do summer camps differ from other high school programs?

Unlike traditional high school programs or university-led pre-college courses, summer camps are short, intensive experiences. Camps also focus on hands-on learning, mentorship, and direct interactions with professionals in the field. This approach makes camps worthwhile if you are looking for accessible ways to gain practical experience and a deeper understanding of a specific discipline.

If you are eager to explore a niche area, free summer camps are a great way to do so. To help you in your search, we have compiled a list of 10 free college summer camps for high school students.

1. Notre Dame Leadership Seminars

Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: About 150 students are selected annually

Dates: July 19 – 30

Application deadline: January 22

Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with strong leadership skills and academic records

This intensive 10-day program is an opportunity for you to discuss global issues, including environmental sustainability, economics, and social justice. It offers you access to thought-provoking seminars led by Notre Dame faculty, collaboration with your peers on capstone projects, and activities to develop critical thinking and leadership skills. You can choose a leadership seminar on business, inequality in America, investing, the environment, and more. You will engage in coursework and assignments to come up with solutions or recommendations addressing a real-world problem.

2. Santa Clara University Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)

Location: Santa Clara University School of Engineering, Santa Clara, CA

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: About 60 students per session.

Dates: Session 1: July 13 - 17; Session 2: July 20 – 24; Advanced session/Session 3: July 27 – 31 | Two sessions are open to first-time attendees, while a separate advanced session is meant for returning students.

Application deadline: Early March

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors

The SES is a five-day program designed to introduce high school juniors to various engineering disciplines. You will get to engage in hands-on workshops, interact with faculty and industry professionals, and develop problem-solving and teamwork skills. There is also an advanced SES session for returning students who want to further their engineering knowledge. This is also an opportunity to experience university academics and life at a college campus. The fields covered during the program include bioengineering, computer science and engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and civil, sustainable, and environmental engineering.

3. MIT’s LLRISE

Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA, and Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified

Dates: July 13 – 26

Application deadline: March 12

Eligibility: High school juniors in the U.S.

The Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers, or LLRISE, is a camp-like residential summer program hosted by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Designed for high schoolers interested in exploring science, math, and engineering, LLRISE offers hands-on experiences in radar technology. Here, you will engage in projects like building Doppler and range radar systems under the supervision of experienced scientists and engineers. The program is structured like a workshop in which you can learn how to build small radar systems and develop problem-solving skills.

4. SAGE Summer Camp @ Berkeley Lab

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Extremely selective admissions process; small cohorts

Dates: June 9 – 13

Application deadline: March 21

Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11 in a Northern California School

SAGE camps are offered by multiple national laboratories of the Department of Energy. At Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, the SAGE Summer Camp is a week-long opportunity to interact with STEM professionals. Here, you will get a glimpse into the daily life of a scientist or engineer by shadowing them in their work and learning directly from them. During the program, you will also work on a small project, which you will present on the last day of camp. Sessions on professional development are also part of the experience. This can be an opportunity to understand the multiple stages of a STEM career, explore your interests, and better prepare yourself for your academic future. 

5. Ohio University’s Summer Law and Trial Institute

Location: Hybrid—virtual + in-person activities at Ohio University campus, Athens, OH

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified

Program dates: July 7 – 18

Application deadline: May 31

Eligibility: High school students | High-achieving, rising high school juniors and seniors from Appalachian Ohio are given priority admission

Ohio University’s Summer Law and Trial Institute is a two-week program that covers the basics of law, advocacy, public service, and pathways in legal education and careers. In the first week of the program, you will participate in virtual sessions covering key legal skills like case analysis, negotiation, legal reasoning, and public speaking. In the second week, you get to live on campus at Ohio University and work in a team to prepare and present a mock trial. You will also get to witness a Supreme Court of Ohio oral argument, interact with Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, and visit non-governmental organizations and the Athens County Court of Common Pleas. During this program, you will gain insights into the real-world practice of law.

6. Grainger Engineering Summer Camps

Location: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified

Program dates: June – August | Exact start and end dates vary as per the program

Application deadline: Varies based on the program, but applications typically close in April or May

Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 12

Note: You will have to pay $1,000 (in-person residential camps), $600 (in-person commuter), or $550 (in-person day camps) to attend the camp. However, partial and full scholarships are available.

Grainger Engineering Summer Camps are meant for students interested in exploring STEM fields. At the camp of your choice, you will get the chance to work on real-world projects, engage with top instructors, and experience college life at an engineering school. You will also explore various engineering disciplines through lectures, lab tours, demos, hands-on projects, and interactions with Grainger students, faculty, and staff. The camps are broad introductions to engineering fields. For instance, to learn about mechanical engineering, you can opt for the Exploring Mechanical Science and Engineering Camp. Or, you can register for the CURIE: Catalyzing UR Interest in Chemical Engineering camp to learn how engineers utilize chemicals to make products like plastic, food, medicines, and clothes on a large scale. You can also find various other STEM-based opportunities here.

7. Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)

Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and the University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Around 56 students across two locations

Dates: June 22 – July 26

Application deadline: December 3

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors

Although a six-week program, TASS is a camp-like academic experience hosted at Cornell University and the University of Maryland. It focuses on Black and ethnic studies. During the program, you will engage in college-level classes, intensive reading, discussions, and analytical writing exercises. Outside the classroom, you will work with other program participants and plan group activities, outings, and community service projects. The program can help you critically assess societal structures and historical narratives, develop leadership and collaboration skills, and explore your interests.

8. University of Minnesota’s IMA-MathCEP Math Modeling Camp

Location: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: June 23 – 27

Application deadline: May 31

Eligibility: High school students (preferably in Minnesota) who have completed a one-year course in single variable calculus

The IMA-MathCEP camp is a one-week program that focuses on the use of mathematical models to analyze and solve real-world problems. The camp sessions may cover the role of math in foretelling the trends in population and disease, the impact of climate on resources, and the effects of traffic on bridges. In past sessions, the project work has involved analysis of potential routes for a light rail system. This experience can help you explore the applications of math and assess it as a career path.

9. University of Illinois Springfield Academic Summer Camps

Location: University of Illinois Springfield, IL

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by camp; limited spots available

Dates: Camps run between June 16 and July 10.

Application deadline: Rolling deadlines

Eligibility: High school students; specific requirements vary by camp.

Note: While the camps are not free, the costs are quite nominal, varying from $99 to $249.

The University of Illinois Springfield offers free academic summer camps covering topics such as public policy, environmental science, reading strategies, and artificial intelligence. At each of these camps, you get opportunities to engage in hands-on learning experiences, guided tours, hikes, experiments, and programming exercises. For instance, at the two-day Public Policy in Action camp, you will learn about public policy and civic action and learn how to create real change. The camps can help you to enhance your knowledge in specific subject areas and develop key skills like leadership and collaboration.

10. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)

Location: Stanford University campus, Stanford, CA

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Only 24 students are selected annually

Dates: June 23 – July 25

Application deadline: March 17

Eligibility: High school juniors from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds in Northern and Central California

SMYSP is a five-week residential program in medical science conducted at Stanford University. It is specifically targeted at high school juniors from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds. The fully-funded SMYSP program is an opportunity to engage in lectures, workshops, and hands-on learning activities while being mentored by medical professionals, faculty, and college graduates. The program also allows you to become part of a rich network of peers and alumni. You will also get a hospital internship experience at Stanford Hospital and opportunities to interact with patients, shadow and observe staff, and engage in hands-on laboratory and departmental activities. 

Bonus - Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Online

Dates: The start dates and program lengths vary depending on the cohort and the format. The summer cohort typically runs from June to August.

Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort

Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a research experience designed for high school students. Here, you will get 1-on-1 mentorship and research opportunities across a broad range of subjects, like public health, neuroscience, history, math, and more. You can find more details about the program and application here.

The program will offer you a chance to work with a Ph.D. mentor on a 1-on-1 basis and sessions with a writing coach to complete an independent research project. At the end of the session, you would have developed an independent research paper! As a participant, you will also be able to seek support to continue with your research beyond the program. 

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

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