15 Summer Camps in Houston for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 21 hours ago
- 12 min read
If you're looking to make the most of your summer, attending a camp can be a great way to explore new subjects and build skills beyond the classroom. Summer camps for high school students cover a wide range of interests, from STEM and healthcare to architecture, public policy, and the arts, while offering opportunities to learn in structured, engaging environments. They also allow you to interact with instructors, professionals, and peers who share similar academic interests.
What summer camps are available for high school students in Houston?
Houston offers camps across a wide range of disciplines, allowing you to explore different academic and career interests through structured learning experiences. Depending on the program, you might conduct research, build engineering projects, participate in debate workshops, create architectural designs, analyze case studies, or attend laboratory and museum-based activities while learning from faculty, researchers, and industry professionals. Whether you're a Houston resident or traveling from another area, these camps offer opportunities to develop new skills, discover your interests, and experience learning beyond the classroom.
To help you get started, here are 15 summer camps in Houston for high school students.
If you’re looking for STEM programs in Houston, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 15 camps span biomedical research, AI, architecture, geophysics, astronomy, competition math, debate, digital animation, biotechnology, and leadership, so students with a wide range of academic and creative interests can find a relevant option in Houston or online.
Several programs are free or low-cost, including Moran Ecoteen Summer Volunteer Program (free), Camp Invention Leaders-in-Training ($185), iTECH-STEM camps ($425 each), and Digital Art and Animation Camp ($425), while programs such as From the Ground Up and Rules of the Game offer financial aid up to full tuition.
Many programs are hosted at Houston universities, including University of Houston (iTECH-STEM, Geophysics Field Camp, Honors Debate Workshop, From the Ground Up) and Rice University (Tapia STEM Camps, Rules of the Game, Techniques of a Pro Mathematician), giving students direct exposure to university campuses and faculty.
Programs vary significantly in length and focus, from one-week intensive camps, such as iTECH-STEM Molecular Engineering and Space Center U, to month-long programs, such as From the Ground Up and Rules of the Game, so students can choose based on their availability and depth of interest.
Several programs, such as From the Ground Up, Rules of the Game, and UH Geophysics Field Camp, recommend applying early as admissions are rolling and cohort sizes are limited, so students should begin researching options in January when applications open.
Location: Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: Multiple summer sessions | Dates vary by year
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 9th-11th-grade students.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science Summer Camps offer a unique opportunity for high school students to serve as volunteer counselors through the Moran Ecoteen Summer Volunteer Program. You’ll support Museum educators in leading kids aged 6-12 through hands-on STEM activities in camps such as Junior Paleontologist, Kitchen Chemistry, LEGO Robotics, or Full Tilt Physics. You’ll gain professional experience and skills in education, presentations, mentorship, and more. Based on your interests and skills, you may be able to take on more advanced opportunities, such as leading presentations and educational sessions using Museum specimens and artifacts. You’ll gain networking experience through working alongside the Museum’s team of scientific professionals.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12)
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. 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 subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Location: Multiple locations, including Sugarland, TX, in Greater Houston | Also offered in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington | Remote options available
Cost: Tuition for each Summer Camp is $865
Dates: 2-week sessions offered over the summer | Exact dates vary by location
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students
In the AoPS Academy Summer Camp, you’ll participate in intensive training focused on math competitions such as the AMC 10 and 12. In this camp, you’ll connect your high school math coursework with the structure of competitive math problem structures, participating in a combination of lessons and hands-on work. You’ll cover areas such as Sequences and Series, Modular Arithmetic, 3D Geometry, and more. You’ll also participate in friendly competitions, both individually and in small teams of classmates. AoPS programs are commonly attended by students who compete in math tournaments at the national and international level, making for a challenging but rewarding camp experience.
4. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type | Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12)
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: $425
Dates: June 15–19
Application Deadline: June 12
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th-grade students
iTECH-STEM’s Molecular Engineering Academy Summer Camp is a one-week opportunity for high school students to learn advanced skills in biology, computer science, and engineering. Taught by University of Houston undergraduates and professors, you’ll study concepts in molecular engineering, computational chemistry, and materials science. You’ll focus on topics such as 3D molecular visualization, computer simulations, and molecular motion and diffusion. You’ll explore industry and medical applications of molecular engineering, such as drug design, DNA research, and plastics. You’ll finish the camp by completing an independent mini computational research project, for which you’ll develop data visualizations and core conclusions to present to your peers.
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX | Includes field trips to other Texas cities
Cost: $1,500 | Financial aid up to full-tuition is offered
Dates: June 15–July 17
Application Deadline: June 10 | Students are recommended to apply early | Applications open January 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th-grade students and graduating seniors | Minimum 3.0 GPA | Strong standardized test scores are expected
From the Ground Up is a selective, month-long architecture summer camp for high schoolers hosted at the University of Houston’s College of Architecture and Design. You’ll build foundational knowledge of architecture through daily lectures on architectural history, theory, or practice, led by professional architects and historians. You’ll spend most of your time each day working on architecture projects, designing small buildings like bookstores, galleries, or learning centers. You’ll learn skills such as study modeling, computer-aided drafting, and more. Over the course of the camp, you’ll complete two independent projects, and if interested, you’ll receive targeted guidance on developing an official portfolio for architecture school applications. You’ll additionally take field trips across Houston and other cities in Texas to learn about architecturally-significant structures while seeing the buildings first-hand.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: Early Bird (before March 1): $2,200 | Regular: $2,500
Dates: July 5–10 | July 12–17 | July 19–24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Rising 8th-12th-grade students
Rice University’s Tapia STEM Camps offer one week of hands-on STEM training and an on-campus college experience for high schoolers. You’ll take on project-based work across STEM disciplines, including energy and environmental science, physics, computer science, and more. You’ll cover a variety of specialized topics, such as the energy and water demands of data centers, which you’ll apply to research projects and assignments, such as designing renewable technologies to minimize the environmental impacts of data centers. To learn more about STEM fields at Rice and beyond, you’ll attend a STEM fair, where Rice students will provide interactive demonstrations and mini projects drawing from disciplines from geology to mathematics. You’ll also take a STEM-focused field trip in the Houston area, with potential locations including the NASA Johnson Space Center.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $1,000 | Need-based scholarships available
Dates: June 15–July 17
Application Deadline: June 10 | Students are recommended to apply early | Applications open January 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th-grade students and graduating seniors | Minimum 3.0 GPA | Strong standardized test scores are expected
Hosted on campus at Rice University, the Rules of the Game is a humanities and social science summer camp for high school students focused on a multidisciplinary exploration of democracy. You’ll study the concept of democracy through the lens of history, political science, philosophy, law, classics, and policy under the instruction of Rice faculty. You’ll start off your days with a faculty lecture, then participate in a combination of group seminar discussions, viewing and analyzing a film or documentary, examining case studies, and other interactive assignments. You’ll also network and learn from professionals across law, government, and journalism through guest lectures and field trips to sites such as The Texas Tribune, the University of Texas School of Law, and Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: $425
Dates: June 8-12
Application Deadline: June 5
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th-grade students
Led by University of Houston students and professors, the iTECH-STEM Summer Camp in Biotechnology is a one-week academy focused on the intersections of molecular biology, computer science, and physics. You’ll learn about the role of biotechnology in medicine, studying concepts such as drug discovery, binding drug molecules, protein docking, and chemical biology. You’ll also study computational methods used in biotechnology research, including molecular structure visualization, coding, and algorithms. You’ll participate in hands-on computational biology projects, such as analyzing protein binding in COVID or visualizing biophysical components in proteins.
Location: Space Center Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: Varies by program | Costs range from $379.95 to $779.95
Dates: Multiple 3- and 5-day programs offered from late May to mid-October
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Camps are offered for students aged 11-18 | High schoolers will typically be in the 15-18 cohort
Space Center Houston offers summer camps for high school students through its Space Center U program. You’ll choose from options including Planetary Discovery, Journey to Space, Martian Expedition, and Lunar Expedition. In each camp, you’ll learn core skills in astronomy and rocket science, applying them to model and design an expedition to a different space setting. You’ll cover technical skills in rocketry and launch systems, programming skills for robot missions, designing space habitats, and thermal protection systems for space travel. Along the way, you’ll gain industry exposure to aeronautics and space research through visiting the NASA Johnson Space Center. You’ll also get the chance to work in a simulated microgravity environment and use SCUBA gear to build an underwater model airlock, learning how astronauts tackle engineering challenges in extreme conditions. You’ll also get to meet a real NASA astronaut, learn about their experience in space and their pathway into the field, and have the opportunity to ask your own questions.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: Early Bird (before February 1): $2,200 | Regular: $2,500
Dates: July 5–10 | July 12–17 | July 19–24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions ending May 1 | Application process requires making revisions to your problem set based on professor feedback, so applying early is strongly encouraged
Eligibility: Must have completed a geometry course and have familiarity with defining, using, and plotting sine, cosine, and tangents | Requires successful completion of a problem set
Techniques of a Pro Mathematician is a one-week summer camp offered at Rice University that provides training in advanced mathematical skills. You’ll learn the analytical techniques used by professional mathematicians and researchers, focusing on effective organization and intentional problem-solving. You’ll complete hands-on work each day, with an emphasis on implementing feedback and collaborating with your peers. The camp is particularly geared towards students hoping to study mathematics at the college level, so you’ll also learn how these techniques can prepare you for undergraduate coursework. Your experience will also emphasize academic communication skills, which you’ll apply to a final presentation covering a technical topic in mathematics.
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: $1,845 (Texas Residents) | $2,775 (Texas Non-Residents)
Dates: June 1–July 5
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: High school students and undergraduates
Hosted by the University of Houston’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the Geophysics Field Camp is an intensive experiential learning opportunity for high school students and undergraduates interested in geophysics, geology, and environmental science. You’ll work at a variety of indoor and outdoor research sites across Houston, learning skills across conducting environmental and geophysical surveys, managing natural and acquisition hazards in field work, quantitative geophysical data analysis, and more. Your experiences may include collecting data with unmanned aerial vehicles, using Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to study coastal sand dunes, or operating geophysical balloons at the La Marque Geophysical Observatory. The camp serves as a credit-bearing geoscience course at UH, Environmental Science & Geophysics Field Experience, so you may be eligible to earn college credits through participating.
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: Varies by program | Cost ranges from $1,250 to $3,800
Dates: Multiple one-, two-, and three-week camps in June and July
Application Deadline: June 5
Eligibility: High school students
The UH Honors Debate Workshop is an intensive speech and debate summer camp for high schoolers, offering one-, two-, and three-week sessions in events including Lincoln-Douglas, Policy, Congress, Public Forum, and more. You’ll work within a small “lab” of students at your event, all with similar skill and experience levels. You’ll be led by a group of two or three instructors to strengthen your skills in argumentation, writing, public speaking, rhetoric, and more. While the curriculum features lectures and discussions, you’ll spend most of your time on debate activities, including delivering speeches, practice rounds, writing cases, and drills. You, your instructor, and your peers will give active feedback to one another, allowing you to test out and improve your skills in real time. You’ll also have access to one-on-one mentorship from professional debate coaches and former award-winning high school debaters.
Location: Houston Club SciKidz, Houston, TX
Cost: $425
Dates: June 22–26 | July 6–10
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Ages 13–15 | Limited to 15 students per camp cohort
Geared towards older middle schoolers and high school underclassmen with an interest in art and technology, the Digital Art & Animation Summer Camp offers 5 days of hands-on training and design experience. You’ll learn to use professional-level tools for digital art, incorporating elements such as layers, lighting, and advanced animation techniques. You’ll also learn about the animation design life cycle, from developing preliminary concepts to artistic development to the technical execution of a fluid animated video. You’ll finish the camp by completing a polished animated short video of your own design, which you can add to an art or film portfolio for applications to college or advanced animation programs.
Location: Multiple locations in Houston and the Greater Houston area (Sugarland, Spring, Kingwood, League City, Katy, Missouri City, Humble, Webster, Huffman)
Cost: $185
Dates: Varies by location
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 8th-10th grade students (Current 7th-9th graders).
Camp Invention Leaders-in-Training offers middle and high school students interested in leadership the opportunity to develop their skills through real-world experience. You’ll serve as a counselor to camp participants in grades K-6, leading hands-on STEM activities focused on educational, creative, and entertaining experiences. Your work might include developing themed scientific challenges, guiding kids through hands-on projects, or providing encouraging feedback. You'll be trained by National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees, experienced program leaders, and the Camp Director. During the course of the camp, you’ll learn skills in goal-setting, confidence, serving as a role model, and mentoring children.
Frequently asked questions
What summer camps are available for high school students in Houston?
Options include STEM and research camps, such as iTECH-STEM Molecular Engineering and Biotechnology, Rice Tapia STEM Camps, and Space Center U, AI and data science programs, such as Veritas AI and Lumiere, competition math camps, such as AoPS Academy and Techniques of a Pro Mathematician at Rice, architecture and design camps, such as From the Ground Up at UH, humanities and debate programs, such as Rules of the Game and UH Honors Debate Workshop, environmental science programs, such as UH Geophysics Field Camp, and leadership programs, such as Moran Ecoteen and Camp Invention Leaders-in-Training.
Are there free summer camps for high school students in Houston?
Yes, the Moran Ecoteen Summer Volunteer Program at the Houston Museum of Natural Science is free. Lumiere Research Scholar Program and Veritas AI offer full financial aid for qualifying students, and From the Ground Up at the University of Houston offers financial aid up to full tuition for eligible applicants.
Which Houston camps are best for students interested in STEM and science?
Students interested in STEM might consider iTECH-STEM Molecular Engineering or Biotechnology Academy for computational biology and molecular science at the University of Houston, Rice University Tapia STEM Camps for interdisciplinary project-based work with a NASA field trip, Space Center U for rocketry and astronautics at the Johnson Space Center, and UH Geophysics Field Camp for environmental and geophysical fieldwork with potential college credit.
Do any Houston summer camps offer college credit?
Yes, UH Geophysics Field Camp is structured as a credit-bearing geoscience course at the University of Houston, and participants may earn college credits upon completion. Students in the Lumiere Research Scholar Program also produce a full research paper that can support college applications and future academic work.
When should I apply to summer camps for high school students in Houston?
UH Geophysics Field Camp closes February 20, and From the Ground Up and Rules of the Game open January 1, and recommend applying early. Rice University camps close rolling admissions for the Techniques of a Pro Mathematician camp by May 1. Programs such as Moran Ecoteen, Space Center U, Veritas AI, and Lumiere accept rolling applications year-round, so students should apply as soon as they are ready.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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.