15 Camps for High School Students in Texas
If you are a high school student in Texas, camps are a great way to explore your academic and extracurricular interests beyond the classroom. Structured camps balance learning and fun, giving you the chance to work on team exercises, real projects, and connect with mentors and students who share your interests. Unlike regular full-length programs that last several weeks, camps are usually shorter and more focused learning experiences. These programs can help you try something new or dive deeper into a subject you already like.
Why should you attend a camp in Texas?
Texas is home to universities and organizations that run a wide range of camps for high school students in marine biology, robotics, engineering, and tech. These camps pack a lot of learning into a few days or weeks through workshops, activities, experiments, debates, and design challenges. Whether you live in Texas or are visiting it on your school break, camps in the state can offer you access to advanced research facilities and university campuses, along with opportunities to experience the region’s academic and recreational culture.
To help you get started, we have put together a list of 15 camps for high school students in Texas.
If you are looking for internships in Texas, check out our blog here.
1. Summer Tech Camps @ St. Mary’s University
Location: St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: Weekly sessions between June and July; dates vary by camp
Application deadline: Rolling; first-come, first-served
Eligibility: Rising 9th to 12th graders who will be at least 14 years old by June 1; preference is given to students from underrepresented groups in tech.
St. Mary’s University runs a series of week-long camps that introduce high school students to various areas of computer science and engineering. Depending on the camps you choose, you will learn about Python for data analytics, mobile app development, cybersecurity, AI for social media safety, robotics, or 3D printing. You engage in hands-on lab sessions led by St. Mary’s faculty and work on a final project that you will present to family and friends. A few sessions are designed specifically for female students to promote diversity in tech. You will also get to tour St. Mary’s tech labs and campus facilities at camp.
2. Veritas AI’s AI Scholars & AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: Program cohorts run all year, including in the summer; duration ranges from 10 to 15 weeks, based on the program you choose.
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students; the AI Fellowship program is open to previous AI Scholar participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with 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 get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance 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.
3. Engineering and 3D Printing Summer Camp @ St. Mary’s University
Location: St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Cost: Free (includes all supplies and lunch)
Dates: July 29 – August 1
Application deadline: June 30
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 – 18; no prior experience required
This four-day camp introduces high school students to the basics of mechanical and electrical engineering. You will engage in activities like CAD modeling, 3D printing, and hands-on design challenges. Additionally, you will explore topics like structural analysis, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and electronics while working on building real prototypes. The camp ends with student presentations and friendly competitions, where you will get to share your engineering projects and ideas with peers. The camp is limited to 15 students.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial assistance offered
Dates: Multiple sessions/year, including summer, spring, fall, and winter cohorts
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort—January deadline for Spring cohort, May deadlines for Summer cohorts, September deadlines for Fall cohorts, and November deadline for Winter cohorts.
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 that you can explore as a high schooler. 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. Drone Piloting Summer Camp @ St. Mary’s University
Location: St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Cost: Free (includes lunch)
Dates: July 22 – 25
Application deadline: June 30
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 – 18; basic computer skills are preferred, but no prior drone piloting experience is required.
This four-day camp introduces high school students to drone flying, operations, and safety regulations at St. Mary’s University. The camp curriculum is designed to prepare you for the FAA TRUST certification, combining classroom lessons with practical flight exercises in a college setting. You will learn how to pilot drones and gain hands-on experience controlling them safely and accurately. The camp also covers FAA rules and real-world safety procedures, including evaluating weather, understanding airspace, and performing pre-flight checks. Experienced faculty provide guidance and feedback throughout the sessions, helping you build skills and confidence to operate drones responsibly.
6. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps
Location: Virtual and in-person camps available (sites vary by year but have included Dallas, TX in the past)
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Multiple two-week sessions between June and August
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Girls and gender-expansive teens between the ages of 13 and 18
Kode With Klossy runs fully funded two-week summer camps, allowing you to develop coding, computer science, software engineering, and web design skills. You will learn through a focused track, with options including mobile app development, machine learning, web development, and data science, each offering a hands-on experience. Depending on the track, you will build a website, train a chatbot, analyze information using Python and SQL, or design and develop an iOS app with Swift. Apart from technical instruction, the camps cover topics like algorithmic bias and inclusivity in tech.
7. UTSA’s Rocketry & Aerospace Camp
Location: UTSA, San Antonio, TX
Cost: Day: $550 (or $250 with financial aid) | Overnight: $750 (or $450 with financial aid)
Dates: July 14 – 18
Application deadline: Rolling admissions until full
Eligibility: High school students
The week-long residential and day camp at the University of Texas at San Antonio introduces high school students to aerospace and rocketry. You will work closely with engineering faculty and student mentors as you design, build, and test rockets. You will take part in hands-on workshops, lab sessions, and field experiments that cover aerodynamics, propulsion, and aerospace systems. You will also work in teams to solve engineering challenges and take part in activities that reflect real aerospace projects.
8. Rice University’s Elite Tech Camp
Location: Rice University Campus, Houston, TX
Cost: $3,899 (Residential) | $1,799 (Commuter)
Dates: Residential: June 21 – 27; July 5 – 11; July 12 – 18; July 19 – 25 | Commuter: June 22 – 26; July 6 – 10; July 13 – 17; July 20 – 24
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students
Rice University runs week-long camps for high school students interested in STEM. At camp, you will gain hands-on exposure to different areas within engineering and computer science, including robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D modeling and printing, bioengineering, and aerospace programming. You will design and print 3D prototypes, write Python code, experiment with basic machine learning tools, and explore how engineering solutions can be used in areas like smart cities and energy systems. Along with technical skill-building, you will develop leadership and communication skills by working with peers in teams and learning to present your ideas clearly.
9. Texas A&M University TAG: Marine Biology Research Camp
Location: Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX
Cost: $1,075
Dates: June 7 – 13 | June 14 – 20 | June 21 – 27
Application deadline: Rolling until sessions are full
Eligibility: Students, ages 14–18
A part of Texas A&M University’s TAG (Talented and Gifted Programs), the Marine Biology Research Camp allows you to spend a week engaging in field- and lab-based marine science. You will explore Galveston Bay’s salt marshes, collect samples while aboard a research vessel, and study marine organisms in a lab. You will also work on a research project on a topic of your interest, gaining experience in data collection and presentation in the process. The camp includes lab tours, during which you will learn about various species, including marine mammals, fish, and sea turtles. Additionally, you will connect with instructors and marine science professionals at the camp.
10. University of Texas at Dallas’ Robotic Art STEM Camp
Location: University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX
Cost: Not specified
Dates: August 4 – 8; August 11 – 15
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
The Robotic Art STEM Camp at the University of Texas at Dallas is designed for high school students interested in robotics, design, and creativity. At camp, you will learn how to create and program robotic art using sensors, motors, and microcontrollers. You will work in a team to design, build, and program robots that perform interactive tasks and explore how engineering and creative design work together. You will have access to the guidance of UT Dallas faculty as you explore robotics basics, coding, and engineering design.
11. Rice University’s Tapia STEM Camps
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $2,500 (or $2,200 if applying before February 1)
Dates: Session 1: July 5 – 10 | Session 2: July 12 – 17 | Session 3: July 19 – 24
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 8th to 12th graders
Tapia STEM Camps are week-long programs conducted at Rice University designed for high schoolers. Here, you will explore various STEM subjects and work on an independent project that you will present at the end of the program to professors and peers. The program also runs a Carbon Capture and Storage activity, in which you will simulate underground carbon storage to minimize the impact of carbon emissions, along with a challenge to build a device that removes heat from electronics. Also part of the program is a STEM Fair, where you will visit booths featuring demonstrations and mini-projects in math, physics, geology, and other STEM fields. You will build technical skills, gain exposure to how STEM connects to social equality and real-world issues, and hear directly from professionals and academics about their career paths and experiences.
12. Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice Summer Camp (CJ Summer Camp)
Location: College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Cost: $725
Dates: Session 1: June 14 – 18 | Session 2: June 5 – 9
Application deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 17
CJ Summer Camp offers high school students a hands-on introduction to the criminal justice system. Over the course of four days, you will take part in mock crime scene investigations and forensic activities that help you explore firsthand how cases are solved. You will interact with professionals from agencies such as the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Military Police, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and learn directly from experts in policing, forensics, and law enforcement. The camp also offers opportunities to connect with current SHSU students and faculty.
13. Sam Houston State University College of Health Sciences Summer Camp (COHS Summer Camp)
Location: Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Cost: Not publicly shared; details shared solely with accepted students
Dates: June 29 – July 1
Application deadline: April 3
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who have a minimum GPA of 3.0
This three-day residential summer camp is designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in exploring careers in health. You will take part in hands-on workshops and academic sessions to explore various health-related careers. You will learn from SHSU’s nursing, kinesiology, human sciences, and public health faculty. You will also experience college life while staying in residence halls, eating on campus, and joining recreational activities. A key highlight of the camp is a field trip to The Woodlands Center that houses SHSU’s School of Nursing, which will offer you a closer look at real healthcare learning environments.
14. Youth Summer Camp @ Palo Alto College
Location: Palo Alto College (PAC), San Antonio, TX
Cost: TBA
Dates: June 2 – August 1 (various camps within the specified window)
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 – 12 and PAC freshmen
PAC runs summer camps of varying lengths that offer high schoolers an in-depth introduction to various fields within biology, chemistry, and engineering through hands-on lab projects and collaborative teamwork. You will run a variety of experiments, explore fundamental scientific concepts, and engage in real-world problem-solving. The camp emphasizes working together in teams, allowing you to share ideas, troubleshoot experiments, and develop strong communication and collaboration skills. You may engage in lab work and participate in field trips to a local science or technology organization, gaining exposure to real-world STEM careers and professional environments.
15. UT Austin Marine Science Institute Summer Science
Location: UT Austin Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, TX
Cost: $150
Dates: June 2 – 6 | June 9 – 13 | June 23 – 27
Application deadline: May 29, June 5, or June 19 (based on the selected session)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 5 – 11, ages 10 and up
This week-long camp offers middle and high school students lab- and field-based exposure to marine science. You will join a small cohort of 20 students and engage in five days of field activities, lab work, and STEAM activities conducted by UT scientists and educators. You will also participate in a trip aboard the research vessel Katy, where you will explore estuarine ecosystems and practice scientific sampling techniques. Additionally, you will run experiments and engage in team-based projects at camp. Throughout the camp, you will explore local environments and learn about natural science fields.
Image source - RICE University