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Top 10 STEM Summer Programs for High School Students
By
Savannah Dawson
Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Scholarship Services at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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If you are a high school student interested in participating in a STEM summer camp, then you have come to the right place. At Scholarships360, we believe that it is never too early to start working towards your career goals, which is while we have compiled a list of some of the best STEM summer camps for high school students. Let’s dive in!
What is STEM?
STEM is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Different college campuses may have different definitions of what classes fall under the STEM umbrella.
What is a STEM summer program?
Summer programs are a great opportunity for high school students to immerse themselves in their future field of choice. Sometimes, such programs help realize that they want to pursue a different career path. Ultimately, STEM summer camps and programs can be a great experience for students who want to further their education (and, partaking in STEM programs look great on college applications as well!).
Apply to these scholarships due soon
More STEM ScholarshipsWhy we chose these summer programs
The programs that we chose are just a small handful of the STEM summer camps out there. Make sure that you do your own research as there may be other options in your own geographic area that may be perfect for you. We looked for programs that are established and/or affiliated with respected institutions. We also looked for a variety of price ranges and geographic locations.
Note about application deadlines and camp open and close dates
If available, we included the deadlines for applying and the opening and closing dates for the following STEM camps. At present, some applications are not yet open and run dates are not yet available. Make sure to keep checking the links so that you are prepared to apply as soon as that option is available!
STEM summer camps
1. SEASCape: Ocean Studies on Cape Cod
SEASCape: Ocean Studies on Cape Cod is a two-week at Sea Education Association giving high school students the opportunity to explore coastal and offshore marine environments around Cape Cod. The program is divided into two main themes, “Introduction to Oceanography” and “Oceans and Society”. The program is taught through a variety of channels, both lecture style and hands-on learning.
- Eligibility: Must be a high school junior
- Cost: $6,975
- Application deadline:
- First priority deadline: January 16, 2026
- Second priority deadline: March 2, 2026
- Rolling admission until capacity after March 3o, 2026
- Camp dates:
- Session 1:
- June 22 – July 9, 2026
- Session 2:
- July 13 – July 30, 2026
- Session 1:
- Location: Woods Hole, MA
2. Stanford University Mathematics Camp
The Stanford University Mathematics Camp, or SUMaC, is an online mathematics camp made for high school students who have a passion for problem solving. In this three-week course, students will have the opportunity to learn more about math than what is traditionally taught in a high school classroom, and to build a network of fellow math lovers.
- Eligibility: High school rising juniors or seniors
- Cost: $3,750 (online) $8,950 (residential)
- Application deadline: February 2, 2026
- Camp dates:
- Session One: Online
- June 15 – July 3, 2026
- Session One: Residential
- June 21 – July 17, 2026
- Session Two: Online
- July 6 – July 24, 2026
- Session One: Online
- Location: Online and Redwood City, California
3. The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program is a 10-week program created for students interested in learning more about genetics and genomic research. With this program, students will receive a scientific mentor and prepare a research project to present at the end of the summer.
- Eligibility: Recently graduated high school seniors
- Cost: $7,000 plus room, board and travel
- Application deadline: January 26, 2026, 5:00 p.m. EST
- Camp dates:
- Bar Harbor: May 30 – August 7, 2026
- Farmington: May 30 – August 10, 2026
- Location: Bar Harbor, Maine & Farmington, Conn
4. Simons Summer Research Program
The Simmons Summer Research Program is a seven week program located at Stony Brook University. In this program, students will have the opportunity to participate in special workshops, tours and events. They will conclude the program by producing a written research abstract and research poster. There are two separate applications, one for commuter students and one for remote.
- Eligibility: Applicants must be in their junior year of high school
- Cost: Free, transportation and dining not included
- Application deadline: February 5, 2026
- Camp dates: June 29 – August 7, 2026
- Location: Stony Brook, New York
5. RISE Internship / Practicum
The Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) Internship and Practicum program is a two-track program that is conducted at Boston University every summer. At this program, you will spend six weeks conducting lab research and advancing your skills in the field. For the internship, students will be assigned a research project and mentor, and work 40 hours a week. Students on this track will have the opportunity to choose their research topic from a list of many. For the practicum track, students will conduct group research focused on computational neurobiology.
- Eligibility: High school juniors
- Cost:
- Application fee: $75
- Tuition: $5,930
- Service fees: $485
- Housing and meals: TBD
- Application deadline: February 4, 2026
- Camp dates:
- Residential: June 28 – August 7, 2026
- Commuter: June 29 – August 7, 2026
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
6. Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists
The Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists, or PROMYS, is a six-week intensive mathematics program designed for students across the globe. The program is held on Boston University’s campus. There are daily “Number Theory” lectures, and a great deal of independence for students to choose their own schedules and decide what they would like to study. In addition to the extensive learning opportunities, there is also “mandatory fun time” built into the weekly schedule so that students are able to have non-math related activities.
- Eligibility: Students must have completed the 9th grade but not yet be enrolled in college
- Cost: Up to $7,000 depending on financial aid (Free for families who make under $80,000 a year)
- Application deadline: Early March 2026
- Camp dates: June 28 – August 8, 2026
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
7. INSPIRIT AI Scholars Program
The INSPIRIT AI Scholars Program is a series of live, online sessions dedicated to teaching high school students about the importance of AI for social good. They utilize social collaboration, personalized instruction, and a learning portal for instruction. This is beneficial for a variety of career paths, from healthcare to technology.
- Eligibility:
- Cost: $1,400
- Application deadline: February 1, 2026
- Camp dates:
- Weekday Date Options (Monday to Fridays):
- June 1- June 12
- June 15 – June 26
- June 29 – July 10
- July 13 – July 24
- July 27 – August 7
- August 10 – August 21
- Weekend Date Options (Every Saturday & Sunday):
- June 6 – July 5
- July 11 – August 9
- Weekday Date Options (Monday to Fridays):
- Location: Online
Don’t miss: Top STEM Scholarships
8. Science Camps of America Overnight Summer Camp
Science Camps of America is an organization that offers various science camp programs to students ages 13-17. The most popular option is the Overnight Summer Science Camp. There are two options for campers– Land and Sea, or Air and Space. In these hands-on summer camps, students explore all the beauty that Hawai’i has to offer while learning more about the field that they want to go into.
For students who are too young for some of our other options for STEM summer camps, this is a great possibility!
- Eligibility: Students entering 8th – 12th grades
- Cost: $2,895
- Application deadline: Not listed, but applications are now open
- Camp dates: Land, Sea, Air & Space camp runs from July 1-10, 2026, and Science of the Sea camp runs from July 11-20, 2026
- Location: Pahala Plantation Cottages located on the Big Island of Hawai’i in Ka’u
Also see: Top free summer programs for high school students
9. U.S Naval Academy Summer STEM Program
The Summer STEM Program at the U.S Naval Academy is a great opportunity for students who not only want to go into a STEM field, but also students with an interest in pursuing a career in the Navy. This one-week program focuses on enhancing skills such as problem solving, creativity, and collaboration. The price is all inclusive, including tuition, learning materials, lodging, food, USNA apparel, transportation, and extra treats.
- Eligibility: Rising 9th, 10th, and 11th graders
- Cost: $450 per session
- Application deadline: March 31, 2026
- Camp dates:
- Rising 9th graders: June 1-6, 2026
- Rising 10th graders: June 8-13, 2026
- Rising 11th graders: June 15-19, 2026
- Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Related: What is ROTC?
10. NC State Agricultural Robotics System Workshop
NC State offers workshops of various topics for students to participate in throughout the summer. One notable STEM workshop offered is the agricultural robotics system- biological and agricultural engineering program. This program provides students the opportunities to develop skills in robotic systems by simulating a fully autonomous robotic solution to a common agricultural problem. Students will participate in hands-on projects.
- Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th grade students
- Cost: $1,550
- Application deadline: April 8, 2026
- Camp dates:
- Week 1: June 14 – June 19, 2026
- Week 2: June 21 – June 26, 2026
- Week 3: July 5 – July 10, 2026
- Week 4: July 12 – July 17, 2026
- Location: NC State campus