15 Overnight Summer Camps for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you are a high school student looking to explore your interests and gain new experiences beyond the regular school year, you should consider overnight summer camps. These camps can offer exposure to college-level academics, skills in specific industries, and opportunities to network with peers and mentors.
How are camps different from other programs in high school?
Unlike pre-college programs hosted by universities that provide a longer-term academic experience, summer camps tend to be more focused and often shorter experiences. Camps are typically run by independent organizations or specialized university departments. They focus on a specific skill set, discipline (like math, arts, or engineering), or leadership development. Their shorter duration often makes them an easier and more affordable commitment.
In today’s blog, we’ve compiled a list of 15 of the top overnight summer camps available to high schoolers.
1. Camp Rising Sun (Louis F. Jonas Foundation)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 28 – July 25 for girls, July 31 – August 27 for boys
Application Deadline: Varies by region, usually between December and March
Eligibility: Students aged 15-16 at the time of the camp
Location: Rhinebeck, NY
Cost: Free
Camp Rising Sun (CRS) is a prestigious and completely free seven-week international leadership camp for teenagers. Run by the Louis F. Jonas Foundation, the program brings together a diverse group of students from around the world to live and work together. The focus is on developing leadership skills, cross-cultural understanding, and intellectual curiosity through camper-led projects, workshops, discussions on global issues, and manual labor contributing to the camp community. It is known for its intense, immersive experience.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Exclusive
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program. Financial aid available
The Career Insights Program offers high school students an introduction to professional environments across multiple industries. As a participant, you can expect to engage in hands-on projects with established companies and connect with industry experts through interactive workshops. You'll also visit operational sites, including offices, factories, and headquarters. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work to industry professionals. You can explore career paths in subjects such as medicine, engineering, law, business, journalism, fashion, and more. The program also includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions where you will receive personalized feedback. You can find more details about the application here!
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Only 65 new students are accepted per year, along with 55 returning alumni
Dates: June 29 – August 3
Application Deadline: February 26
Eligibility: Open to mathematically talented students ages 13-18
Location: Rotates annually among US universities
Cost: Between $0 and $6,600, evaluated individually on a case-by-case basis, factoring in family circumstances.
Despite the name, Mathcamp is held at rotating US university campuses each summer. It's a five-week immersive camp for high school students passionate about math from around the world. It exposes students to advanced mathematical ideas beyond the standard curriculum through courses taught by graduate students and researchers. You get to choose your own classes, set and pursue your own educational goals, and learn undergraduate and even graduate-level math. If you’re interested in a future in mathematics, this camp is a suitable option.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, 40 residential students
Dates: June 22 - July 18
Application Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Open to current 10th and 11th-grade students
Location: Stanford University in Stanford, CA
Cost: $8,250 (residential); financial aid is available
SUMaC is a four-week residential camp at Stanford for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in advanced mathematics. The camp centers around two intensive courses: Program I (Abstract Algebra & Number Theory) and Program II (Algebraic Topology). The curriculum involves rigorous lectures, guided research, and collaborative problem-solving sessions led by Stanford faculty and graduate students. It is a rigorous, structured experience that focuses on advanced topics such as mathematical proofs and involves a final research project.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, with approximately 50 students accepted.
Dates: One week, typically in July or August
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Location: Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA
Cost: To be announced
Hosted by Drexel's LeBow College of Business, Camp Business is a one-week residential camp introducing high school students to core business concepts and potential careers. Participants engage in workshops on topics like accounting, marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship, work on team projects, hear from business professionals, and experience life on a city university campus. It’s a solid introduction to both collegiate and corporate business education, ensuring that you also learn soft skills like leadership, professional image, etiquette, team building, and strategy.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by camp
Dates: Various one-week sessions throughout the summer
Application Deadline: Applications open February 1st and close on a rolling basis per camp
Eligibility: Varies by camp, but generally students entering grades 9-12, while some camps target specific grades.
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in Urbana, IL
Cost: In-person residential camps cost $1,000, and a $25 deposit. Limited financial aid is available.
The University of Illinois offers various week-long residential engineering camps for high school students. Camp types include various options, from the generalist "Exploring Your Options" camp that samples 10+ engineering fields via labs, activities, and faculty interactions, to highly specialized camps that deep dive into complex subjects like Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, or Cybersecurity. These camps provide a taste of collegiate engineering study and life on a major university campus. Regardless of which camp you choose, you will benefit from demonstrations, lab tours, classroom presentations, and various hands-on activities to facilitate your learning experience. UIUC allows you to attend up to two camps a year.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 21 – June 26
Application Deadline: Rolling admission starting January 2, until full.
Eligibility: Students who will have completed grades 7-11 by summer.
Location: Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA
Cost: $1,500; need-based financial aid is available.
This week-long residential camp introduces various engineering disciplines to high school students. Campers engage in hands-on projects and design activities led by Bucknell faculty, exploring fields like chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering in university labs. The camp aims to provide a realistic view of engineering studies while experiencing life on a college campus.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions, from late June to July
Application Deadline: Rolling admission until full.
Eligibility: Rising 4th through 12th graders
Location: SUNY Purchase College, Purchase, NY
Cost: $1,650/week + $650/week for overnight stay
SummerTech offers week-long coding camps with overnight options on a university campus. This camp provides an immersive environment focused on computer science, coding, animation, and digital arts. With a very low 2:1 camper-to-staff ratio, the camp offers personalized instruction in Python, Java, C++, web development, game design (Unity), etc. The program emphasizes project-based learning within a supportive community of peers who share your passions, hobbies, and interests.
9. AstroCamp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrolment
Dates: Multiple one- and two-week sessions between June 6 and August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Various camps open to students aged 8 – 17
Location: Idyllwild, CA
Cost: $2,800 (1-week), $4,400 (2-week)
Located in the San Jacinto Mountains of California, AstroCamp is a residential science camp offering one and two-week sessions focused on astronomy, physical science, and mountain adventure. You will get the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities like telescope observation, rocketry, physics experiments, robotics, and outdoor experiences like rock climbing and zip-lining. It blends traditional camp life featuring cabins and campfires with focused STEM exploration, making it an engaging and active learning experience.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly exclusive, requiring either a portfolio or an audition
Dates: Multiple 1- through 6-week sessions across late June to early August
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 through 12.
Location: Interlochen, MI
Cost: Varies by program, but 1- to 2-week programs cost $2,050 while 3-week and 6-week programs cost $7,265 and $10,350, respectively. Financial aid is available.
Interlochen is a premier arts camp offering intensive 1- to 6-week programs for high school students in music, theatre, visual arts, creative writing, film, and dance. Students live in cabins and immerse themselves in rigorous instruction, rehearsals, and master classes with professional artists. The camp has a low faculty: student ratio of 1:2, bringing together a vibrant creative community of over 3400 students each summer from 49 countries. Most of their camps culminate in performances and exhibitions set up by participating students. It is a highly immersive, exclusive, and intensive program for high school students serious about music and the arts.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Multiple two-week sessions stretching from late June to mid-August
Application Deadline: Rolling admission
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 9-12.
Location: Twin Lake, MI
Cost: ~$1,875 - $1,975 (depending on major)
Blue Lake offers intensive two-week arts camp sessions focused on music (band, orchestra, choir, jazz, piano, harp), art, dance, and theatre. High schoolers live in cabins in Michigan's Manistee National Forest, following a structured schedule of rehearsals, classes, and sectionals, culminating in final performances or exhibitions. Students benefit from professional instruction, a supportive environment, and deep immersion into their instrument or subject of choice. While not highly exclusive, Blue Lake’s moderate cost and short duration make it a suitable option for any high schooler passionate about the arts.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; aims for small classes.
Dates: July 7–10
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9-12
Location: Drake University in Des Moines, IA
Cost: $465 for early bird, $575 regular
Media Now is a four-day, intensive overnight journalism camp at Drake University for high school students. Students choose a track from writing, photo, video, design, and social media, and focus on hands-on skill development through workshops, field reporting, and production sessions led by journalism educators and professionals. It's a short, intense, fast-paced environment aimed at improving media creation skills. It also features field trips and ensures that you leave with a portfolio-ready project to add to your resume.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 12 | July 13 – 19
Application Deadline: Registrations open January 2 and close once batches are full
Eligibility: High school students completing sophomore or junior year.
Location: Rutgers University, Livingston Campus, Piscataway, NJ
Cost: $2,500
This week-long residential camp on Rutgers' Livingston Campus offers high school students experiential learning in various business fields like Marketing, Management, Accounting, Finance, and Supply Chain Management. The program includes faculty-led introductions to business areas, company site visits, a business plan competition, and activities designed to simulate college life. It is a great foundational camp for any high schooler serious about business education, providing exposure to business plans, case studies, and corporate visits.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions from late May to early August
Application Deadline: Rolling admission until full.
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9-12.
Location: Topsail Beach / Wilmington area, NC
Cost: $2,980
This week-long residential camp in North Carolina is for high school students interested in marine biology and sea turtle conservation. Campers engage in field activities like kayaking in coastal ecosystems, studying marine invertebrates, visiting a sea turtle hospital, and participating in conservation service. The camp blends adventure activities like snorkeling and surfing with educational sessions from marine science educators, offering an engaging introduction to coastal ecology.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective (enrollment-based). Large camp.
Dates: Multiple 3- to 12-week sessions from mid-June to late August
Application Deadline: Rolling admission until full.
Eligibility: Students aged 7–17
Location: Hancock, NY
Cost: Tuition starts at $6,350
French Woods is a large, individual-choice performing arts camp in the Catskills. High schoolers design their own schedules from programs in theater, music, dance, circus, visual arts, magic, filmmaking, and more. The camps are quite intensive, and the minimum duration is 3 weeks. While not a very selective option and definitely on the higher end in terms of cost, it is a highly immersive experience in a unique location, with each camp having you participate in plenty of training activities as well as participate in performances.
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.
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