10 Engineering Summer Camps for High School Students in Florida
If you are a high school student in Florida interested in engineering, summer camps can help you explore these interests in a fun, hands-on way. Engineering summer camps are brief programs that offer skill development and networking opportunities without the high costs associated with traditional pre-college programs. At camp, you will engage in activities like designing and building infrastructure prototypes, creating robots, or working with circuits that help you learn about different engineering fields like mechanical, electrical, aerospace, and software engineering.
Florida is home to many universities and organizations that offer engineering-based high school summer camps to students. These camps allow you to work on projects and learn from experts, as well as build a foundation for your future academic pursuits. By participating in high school summer camps, you also get to boost your college applications and discover potential career paths in STEM fields.
To help you get started, here is a list of 10 engineering summer camps for high school students in Florida.
1. University of Central Florida’s Camp Connect I
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: University of Central Florida (UCF) Main Campus, Orlando, FL
Cost: $200; need-based scholarships are available
Dates: June 23 – 27
Application deadline: May 9
Eligibility: Rising 8th through 11th graders who are 13 or older by the camp start date
Camp Connect I is a week-long day camp introducing high schoolers to engineering and technology. Hosted at the University of Central Florida, the camp covers a wide range of engineering disciplines, including electrical, computer, mechanical, industrial, civil, aerospace, environmental, construction, and computer science. Throughout the week, you will dive into hands-on workshops, design-based challenges, and collaborative projects that bring core engineering principles to life. Activities could include programming a robot, tackling environmental design issues, or exploring how infrastructure is built. You'll also get to work with UCF faculty and connect with professionals in the field, and learn about careers in engineering and technology.
2. Veritas AI Programs
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: AI Scholars: $2,290 | AI Fellowship: $5,400 | Both programs: $6,900; need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars
Dates: Offered year-round in multiple 12–15 week cohorts, including summer sessions
Application deadline: Multiple deadlines in May and June for summer cohorts
Eligibility: High school students | To be eligible for the AI Fellowship program, you need to have been an AI Scholars participant or have prior experience with Python/AI
Veritas AI, an initiative developed by Harvard graduate students, offers various programs to help students explore AI, machine learning, and data science through structured, hands-on experiences. If you are just getting started, the AI Scholars Program is a great entry point. Over the course of this 10-session bootcamp, you will learn about core principles of AI and data science and gain practical exposure through real-world projects. Alternatively, for those with some experience with AI, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase can offer a more personalized experience. Here, you will work one-on-one with mentors from leading universities on a research project and get support from Veritas AI’s editorial team to publish your work in high school research journals. You can explore the past student projects to know what to expect.
3. University of South Florida’s Biomedical Engineering Camp
Cohort size: 22/session
Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: $,1350
Dates: First cohort: June 23 – 27 | Second cohort: July 14 – 18
Application deadline: Open till full; applications open on February 1
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 – 12
The Biomedical Engineering Summer Camp at the University of South Florida offers high school students a hands-on introduction to the intersection of engineering and medicine. At camp, you will explore topics like medical device design, tissue engineering, and bioimaging while applying core engineering concepts to real-world healthcare challenges. You will work in a team under the mentorship of university faculty and professionals from the biomedical field. The program also offers access to state-of-the-art lab spaces and insights into how innovative technologies are reshaping modern medicine. Throughout the program, you will gain experience using high-tech tools that cardiologists, neurosurgeons, and other medical professionals utilize.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,990; financial assistance is available
Dates: Offered in multiple cohorts year-round, including summer sessions that run from June to August
Application deadline: Varies by cohort; the upcoming summer session’s deadline is June 23
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance; most accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is an intensive, one-on-one research experience designed for high school students who want to explore academic topics at a deeper level. You can choose a research topic in any engineering subfield. Over the course of 12 weeks or more, you will work closely with a Ph.D. mentor to plan, design, and complete an independent research project. You will also work with a writing coach to understand the process of writing an academic paper. You can learn more about the available program formats and research areas here.
5. UCF's Laser & Photonics Summer Camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: The College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Orlando, FL
Cost: Early bird registration (before April 30): $550 | Regular Registration (May 1 – June 15): $650; need-based scholarships available
Dates: July 7 – 11 | July 14 – 18 | July 21 – 25
Application deadline: June 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 – 12
The University of Central Florida’s Laser & Photonics camp introduces high schoolers to the field of optics and photonics through hands-on activities. During the program, you will work in a lab learning about and working with lasers, prisms, and equations to understand the properties of light and light-based technology. Professor-led lectures are also part of the experience. You may also get to engage in activities like making a circuit board, soldering, and aligning lasers. Throughout the program, you will learn about careers in photonics engineering and optics.
6. University of South Florida’s High School Robotics Camp
Cohort size: ~30
Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: $999.99
Dates: First cohort: June 23 – 27 | Second cohort: July 14 – 18
Application deadline: Open till full; applications open on February 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12
The USF High School Robotics Camp offers students a hands-on introduction to the world of robotics, programming, and automation. Over the course of a week, you will design and build your own Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) using tools like Raspberry Pi, 3D printing, and advanced coding platforms. You will work in the University of South Florida’s engineering labs and gain practical experience with sensors, actuators, and custom robotic components. Alongside technical skill development, you will explore how robotics is shaping industries today and get some insights into robotics engineering. You will walk away with your fully assembled robot, programming files, and project documentation, which will allow you to keep building robots even after the program ends.
7. Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition's Robotics Camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students selected per session
Location: Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), Okala, FL
Cost: $225; financial assistance available
Dates: July 7 – 10
Application deadline: Applications accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Rising 9th and 10th graders; priority given to first-time camp participants
IHMC’s Robotics camp is meant for students interested in computer programming and robotics engineering. At camp, you will engage in hands-on robotics activities using LEGO Mindstorms kits and learn the basics of the Python programming language. You will also learn about ongoing IHMC research and engage with IHMC research scientists and/or Lockheed Martin engineers over lunch at camp. Group-based activities are also part of the experience, helping you build teamwork, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. The program can offer you insights into STEM career paths and help you add programming and robotics to your engineering skill set.
8. Florida Atlantic University’s Ocean Engineering Summer Workshop
Cohort size: 30–40 students
Location: Florida Atlantic University's SeaTech Campus, Dania Beach, FL
Cost: Free
Dates: June 9 – 12
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students who are 14 to 17 years old
The Ocean Engineering Summer Program is a four-day experience that allows students to explore the fields of engineering and marine science through activities and exposure to research. You will explore underwater robotics and sustainable ocean technologies through hands-on projects, building creative problem-solving skills in the process. You will learn programming basics and use them to assemble and program small robotic carts and drones that can perform simple autonomous tasks. The curriculum also covers the principles of naval architecture to help you design and engineer miniature boats that you can use to compete in a team-based race during the program.
9. SAME/Navy STEM Engineering & Construction Camp
Cohort size: 40–50 students
Location: Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL
Cost: $800; sponsorships to cover part of the costs are available
Dates: June 22 – 28
Application deadline: March 12
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 15 and have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and demonstrated leadership abilities
The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) offers various STEM camps to high school students in the country. The SAME/Navy STEM Camp is a week-long overnight program conducted at a military base that allows you to explore engineering and construction while being a part of a squad. At camp, you will engage in hands-on engineering activities, like operating drones and remote-controlled underwater vehicles, using survey equipment, and constructing and testing cardboard boats. Throughout the program, you will have access to the guidance and supervision of base commands, SAME professionals, and volunteers from the local engineering community.
10. TallyRobotics Summer Camp: Tech Challenge
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Tallahassee, FL
Cost: $250
Dates: July 7 – 12
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–12
The Tech Challenge Robotics Camp is designed for students looking for a hands-on robotics challenge. During the week-long camp, you will build your own FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robot and learn how to program it using Java, an exciting step up from block-based coding. Through hands-on design and programming experiences, the camp can help you build teamwork and problem-solving skills. You will also get an inside look at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and attend guest lectures from STEM faculty. You will end the week by presenting your robot's design and demonstrating its functionality at the camp’s robot showcase.
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