10 Biology Summer Camps for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in biology, consider joining a summer camp or program in the field. Many high school summer camps cover topics like marine biology, molecular medicine, environmental science, neuroscience, and more. You’ll get to study ocean life, explore ecosystems, analyze genes, or even create your research project with help from mentors.
Biology high school summer camps allow you to use lab tools, collect data, study living systems, and learn how diseases affect the body at the molecular level. Many programs will also help you practice academic research, improve your writing, and present your findings like a scientist. These high school summer camps offer a fun and hands-on way to learn biology.
Here are 10 biology summer camps for high school students that you can check out!
1. University of Illinois’s Springfield Academic Summer Camps: Exploring the Emiquon Preserve
Location: University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, Illinois
Cost: $149
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Program Dates: June 16–18
Eligibility: High school students; specific requirements may vary by program
The University of Illinois Springfield runs short high school summer camps where you can explore different subjects. In the "Exploring the Emiquon Preserve" camp, you’ll spend time outdoors doing science activities and guided hikes. You’ll learn how ecosystems work and how people try to protect them. You’ll collect samples like water or soil and study them under a microscope. You’ll also build skills in observation, data collection, and environmental science. This camp gives you a hands-on way to learn how scientists study nature.
2. Veritas AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 onwards; Need-based financial aid is available; You can apply here
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Program Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, students learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. Students get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
3. Marine Biology Adventure Camp
Location: Sea Turtle Camp, North Carolina
Cost: $2,820
Application Deadline: Depends on the session
Program Dates: Multiple sessions available
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen to recent high school graduates
As one of the top high school summer camps, the Marine Biology Adventure Camp is a one-week program that gives you the chance to observe and help sea turtles at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehab Center. As a participant, you’ll care for sea turtles, whether it’s preparing food or cleaning their tanks, go on turtle patrols, and work alongside other volunteers and interns. You’ll also learn about marine biology by doing things like kayaking through salt marshes, visiting the North Carolina Aquarium, and cleaning up beaches.
Each day, you’ll explore tide pools, do dissections, and study how ocean life works. You will get to build skills in observation, teamwork, and conservation. The week ends with a campfire party. You can also earn 15 community service hours while learning more about the ocean.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Starting $2,990; Financial aid is available
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: High-achieving high school students; No previous experience needed
Lumiere’s Research Scholar Program is a 12-week (or more) program where you get to work closely with a Ph.D. mentor. You’ll choose a topic you care about and do your research from start to finish while under the guidance of your mentor. By the end, you will write a research paper based on what you learned. Your research can be centered on subjects like biology, data science, engineering, international relations, chemistry, or psychology. During this program, you’ll also get to build skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.
5. Marine Biology Camp for High School Students
Location: Seacoast Science Center, Rye, New Hampshire
Cost: $450 (Member); $500 (Non-member)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until full; Registration opens January 5
Program Dates: Session A: July 14–July 18 | Session B: July 28–August 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12
Another one of the top high school summer camps, the Seacoast Science Center’s Marine Biology Camp is a one-week program for high school students interested in ocean science. As a participant, you’ll join a small group of 12 students and spend the week doing research. You’ll collect and study fish, test water quality, and learn about animals like crabs and sea stars. You’ll also look at how plastic pollution affects the ocean and do your own investigation. Other activities include tide pool research, kayaking, or snorkeling. A special part of the camp is visiting the UNH Marine Lab or taking a boat trip into the Gulf of Maine. You’ll build skills in observation, data analysis, and marine science.
6. Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research Camp
Location: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, Columbia University, Imperial College London; Virtual options available
Cost: Intro to Cellular and Molecular Medicine: $510; Medicinal Chemistry: $670; Medical Bioinformatics: $1,070
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Medicine: June 9–20; Medicinal Chemistry: July 7–18; Medical Bioinformatics: June 2 – 13
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18 interested in biomedical science
The Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research Camps offers summer and winter workshops in molecular medicine for high school and middle school students interested in careers like medicine, research, pharmacy, or nursing. You’ll learn from PhD instructors through lectures and hands-on labs that teach how healthy cells work and how diseases change them. You’ll also build skills in experimental design, drug development, and personalized medicine. At the end, you’ll use what you’ve learned to create your research project on a gene or process you choose. These workshops help you grow your science knowledge, explore careers, and boost your college applications.
7. High School Bioinformatics Summer Camp
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,100–$1,200; Financial aid available
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: July 7–August 1
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18; Must have a GPA above 3.0 and at least one year of high school biology credit
Through this four-week online camp, you will learn how to analyze real RNA sequencing data using tools like R programming and command-line computing. The camp focuses on research related to brain diseases and helps you understand how scientists study genes and data to gain a deeper understanding of these conditions. You will attend live classes, work in small groups, and complete your research project. By the end, you will share your findings with others and receive a certificate. This camp also helps you build research and coding skills that are useful for college and future science careers.
8. Biotech Summer Experience – Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
Location: Edward Teller Education Center
Cost: No cost
Application Deadline: February 3–March 14
Program Dates: July 15–26
Eligibility: Students who are 16 years or older by the start of the workshop; Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher
The Biotech Summer Experience is a two-week program for high school students who want to learn molecular biology and bioinformatics. As a participant, you will study the genetics of a small water plant called duckweed. In the lab, you will practice skills such as isolating and purifying plasmid DNA, running PCR, performing restriction digests, and using gel electrophoresis. You will also learn to utilize bioinformatics tools to analyze gene sequences and compare your findings with global data. By the end of the program, you will get the chance to submit your DNA findings to GenBank, a worldwide database that shares genetic information. This gives you the chance to make a real contribution to science.
9. Summer STEM Camp for High School Students
Location: Ohio State Marion, Science and Engineering Building
Cost: $150
Application Deadline: May 31
Program Dates: June 9 – 13
Eligibility: High school rising freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors
The Summer STEM Camp is a week-long program where you explore different science and engineering topics through interesting activities. You will work on real projects with college professors in subjects like robotics, chemistry, biology, math, and programming. You will build and code your very own robot, work with genetic material in a lab, and even build a boat to test in a pool. The program also includes visits to a geology museum, a walk through nature to study rock layers, and a tour of a local factory to learn about engineering. At the end, you will receive a certificate for finishing the camp. This camp helps you build skills in problem-solving, coding, teamwork, and scientific thinking.
10. Keller BLOOM Program
Location: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 14
Program Dates: May 18 – 23
Eligibility: Home-schooled, public, and private high school juniors
The Keller BLOOM Program gives you the chance to explore ocean science by working closely with scientists. You will get to collect samples on a research boat, study marine life like plankton and bacteria, and be able to use lab tools to test water and analyze data. You will also interact with scientists about topics like science careers, ethics, and public policy. By the end of the program, you will create and share a presentation about what you learned. This program helps you build skills in data analysis, teamwork, public speaking, and scientific thinking.
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