15 Chemistry Camps for High School Students
If you are considering studying chemistry in the future or are curious about the field, an academic camp can be worth exploring. Chemistry camps give you early exposure to real lab environments, research tools, and advanced STEM coursework. Instead of just reading about reactions and equations in a textbook, you will step into a lab and see how chemical principles actually work in practice. These camps can also introduce you to related areas such as materials science, toxicology, chemical engineering, and marine chemistry, helping broaden your academic interests. As a participant, you will also have direct access to researchers and professionals who can share genuine insights into their work and career paths, something that regular school classes don’t always provide.
How are camps different from other programs in high school?
Camps are usually shorter and more focused than long-term internships or research programs, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in a single topic over a few days to a couple of weeks. Due to this structure, you will often spend several hours a day in labs, workshops, or field settings without disrupting your schoolwork or other commitments. At a chemistry camp, you will engage in activities like synthesizing compounds, analyzing environmental samples, using microscopy or chromatography tools, modeling proteins, or observing researchers in active laboratories.
To help you compare your options, we have narrowed down 15 chemistry camps for high school students.
If you’re looking for free online programs, check out our blog here.
1. Stanford Inspiring Future Scientists Through Shadowing (IFSS) Program
Location: Stanford University Department of Chemistry, Stanford, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 15 – 26
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 and live in San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties
Stanford’s IFSS is a two-week camp-like program that allows you to observe real-world chemistry research in Stanford’s departmental laboratories. You will spend two weeks observing graduate students and faculty conduct experiments. As you rotate through different labs, you will be exposed to a range of research topics, techniques, and scientific questions. This format can help you understand how professional researchers engage in experimental design and troubleshooting. You will also get to interact with Stanford students and researchers during the program.
2. Veritas AI: AI Scholars & AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 10 – 15-week cohorts run several times each year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students passionate about AI with a supportive environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI Scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. The AI Fellowship program will allow students to pursue independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. You can find examples of previous projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. UT Southwestern’s Chemistry Camp
Location: UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 students/camp
Dates: July 10 – 18 (tentative)
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Students in 9th grade who will take sophomore-level chemistry next year
This weeklong camp is designed to help 9th graders build a foundation before beginning formal high school chemistry coursework. Through guided laboratory activities, you will explore topics such as ions, compounds, complex molecules, stoichiometry, mole concepts, thermodynamics, and chemical reactions. The hands-on approach allows you to connect formulas with observable outcomes. You will also participate in team-building exercises that reinforce collaboration in scientific settings. A visit to the university’s biochemistry lab will provide additional context about research environments.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Chemistry Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial assistance offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions, including summer, spring, fall, and winter cohorts, are scheduled each year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
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.
5. University of Washington Materials Camp
Location: UW Seattle Campus, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 11
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school sophomores attending high school in the greater Seattle area
This week-long camp allows you to explore how chemistry influences the structure and behavior of everyday materials. Through demonstrations and lab-based learning, you will examine how different substances respond under varying conditions. You may observe structures at the nanoscale to obtain a detailed view of material composition. You will also participate in team-based problem-solving activities led by engineers and researchers, exploring how chemistry integrates with engineering and physics.
6. Ohio State University Summer STEM Camp
Location: Ohio State University, Marion, OH
Cost: $185
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26 (multiple camp options available)
Application deadline: May 31
Eligibility: Students, grades 5 – 12; grade-wise requirements vary by camp.
The Ohio State University runs interdisciplinary STEM camps, including options with biochemistry-focused laboratory activities within a broader science framework. Depending on the camp you choose, you may purify proteins using column chromatography or explore molecular genetics concepts. The camps also include engineering and robotics projects, encouraging you to develop cross-disciplinary thinking. You will have access to faculty guidance throughout the program. Visits to science and technology facilities will expand your understanding of applied research environments.
7. Bucknell University Chemistry Camp
Location: Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Cost: $250; need-based financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specific
Dates: June 13 and 14
Application deadline: May 3 (rolling admissions)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10, 11, and 12
Bucknell’s two-day chemistry camp is designed to introduce high schoolers to several branches of chemistry through concentrated lab sessions. You will rotate through activities in organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry. The opportunity to work alongside faculty and college students will allow you to experience a university laboratory setting firsthand. The program culminates in a demo project presentation, where students learn to communicate scientific ideas clearly. You will also attend sessions with an admissions counselor and a STEM career coach to prepare for future academics and professional opportunities.
8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s CURIE Camp: Catalyzing UR Interest in Chemical Engineering
Location: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering, Urbana, IL
Cost: $1,500 (residential) | $750 (commuter) + $25 deposit; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 26 – August 1
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; priority deadlines typically in March.
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 – 12
This week-long residential camp at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign introduces you to chemical engineering with a focus on how scientific discoveries turn into large-scale, affordable products like food, medicine, clothing, and plastics. You will take part in hands-on activities such as making plastic using an extruder, playing with Silly Putty to explore fluid physics, and using computer games to understand how proteins work in the body. The camp includes field trips to local chemical plants, where you can see how engineers apply these concepts in real workplaces. You will also have the chance to connect with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students who will share insights into chemical engineering as a field and career.
9. South Dakota Mines Chemistry Summer Camp—Colorful Concoctions: Summer of Spectra & Science
Location: South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD
Cost: $350 (lunch included); scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – 18
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering 8th grade through 12th grade, as well as recent high school graduates
This four-day camp at South Dakota Mines introduces high schoolers to color chemistry and how color connects to biology, forensic science, and everyday technology. As a participant, you will work on hands-on lab projects, including running enzyme reaction experiments that change color based on temperature and pH, and performing flame tests to see how different metals produce the colors used in fireworks. You will also use thin-layer chromatography to analyze mystery ink samples, as a forensic investigator would. At the end of the week, you will leave with a Color Chemistry Demonstration Kit and the materials and skills to show what you learned.
10. Oregon State University’s Toxicology Camp
Location: OSU Campus, Corvallis, OR
Cost: $140; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – 9
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 – 12
At OSU’s Toxicology Camp, you will spend three days exploring how chemicals interact within biological systems and ecosystems. You will conduct experiments such as testing substances on daphnia and observing molecular mechanisms through glowing zebrafish models. These activities help you understand how toxicity is measured and interpreted. The camp also allows you to engage in fieldwork focusing on environmental sampling. As you analyze collected data, you will gain exposure to scientific reasoning, hypothesis testing, and the applied side of chemistry in environmental health.
11. Illinois Tech Elevate College Prep’s Summer Programs: From Lab to Life: A Chemistry Career Exploration
Location: Illinois Tech, Chicago, IL
Cost: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application deadline: May 8
Eligibility: High school students who are rising freshmen through rising seniors, ages 14 – 17
This daytime program offered by Illinois Tech is designed to help high school students explore the field of chemical sciences through hands-on lab experience and guidance on career pathways. You will spend two weeks engaging in activities like conducting chemical reactions, applying scientific methods, working with chemoinformatics, and using analytical devices and computational tools. You will also get exposure to how chemistry connects with biology, physics, and medicine while studying environmental and biological chemicals.
12. Hillsdale College’s Summer Science Camps: Chemistry and Biochemistry
Location: Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI
Cost: $150 registration fee (tuition, materials, lodging, and meals are covered by grant funding)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 21 – 26
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Hillsdale College runs science-focused week-long residential camps, including the Chemistry and Biochemistry camp, which offers you a hands-on introduction to both fields at a college level. You will explore nanotechnology, organic synthesis, chemical dyes, polymers, chromatography, and chemical identification using lab instruments. Additionally, you will produce and purify proteins in cells and study how mutations affect protein folding and function, using techniques like PCR, recombinant protein expression, SDS-PAGE, and fluorescence spectroscopy. A typical day includes a morning lecture, lunch, an afternoon lecture, free time, and an evening lecture or a review period. You will stay on campus in the dorms, eat in the campus dining room, and have access to various college facilities. You may also get to take some of your completed lab projects home at the end of the week.
13. Belmont University’s Science Summer Camps—Chem-mystery: Introduction to Forensic Chemistry Camp
Location: Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Cost: $425/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Typically, 24 students/camp
Dates: June 8 – 12
Application deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 and up, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0
At this weeklong camp, you will explore forensic chemistry by using laboratory techniques to solve investigative puzzles. Throughout the week, you will collect and analyze mock samples using methods such as paper chromatography, flame analysis, and chemical separations. You will work through structured “chem-mystery investigations” that simulate how forensic chemists analyze evidence. The program also emphasizes lab safety and proper data collection, foundational skills for future laboratory work. Outside of formal lab sessions, you will explore the role of forensic chemists and gain exposure to Belmont’s campus environment.
14. Texas A&M University at Galveston’s Sea Camp: Oceanography
Location: Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX
Cost: $1,075
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 12–18
Application deadline: Not specified; registration opens on November 10.
Eligibility: Students, ages 12 – 15
This week-long multidisciplinary camp at Texas A&M University at Galveston gives you a hands-on look at how chemistry, geology, biology, and physics all work together to shape the ocean. You will explore different ocean environments, from plankton at the surface to deep-sea habitats, and learn about the animals that live in each layer. Fieldwork includes collecting sediment and water samples from the Gulf and nearby bays, offering you real experience with how scientists study ocean health. You will also run experiments on salinity, temperature, and ocean currents to build practical lab skills. Throughout the week, you will work in small groups with marine scientists and instructors who will guide your learning.
15. University of the Pacific’s Chemistry Summer Camp: Design and Synthesis of Anticancer Drugs
Location: University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
Cost: $3,800 (includes housing, meals, and evening activities)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – 11
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
This two-week residential program at the University of the Pacific focuses on the chemistry behind the development of new cancer-fighting medicines. You will work in a real chemistry lab using professional glassware, instruments, and software to design and synthesize both organic and inorganic anticancer compounds. After creating the compounds, you will use advanced analytical equipment to purify and study them, then analyze your data to understand how each drug targets cancer cells. You will also use quantum-chemical modeling and read scientific literature to learn how cancer develops and how different chemotherapy approaches work. You will wrap up the session by preparing and delivering a formal research presentation to an audience.
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