For many high school students, summer is a chance to step away from routines and experience something entirely new. Summer camps abroad offer the opportunity to travel, learn, and grow in environments that feel both exciting and unfamiliar. These programs go beyond traditional camps by combining skill-building with cultural immersion in global destinations.

Imagine spending your days learning a new subject, developing creative or leadership skills, or taking part in outdoor activities, all while living in another country. Whether set in historic cities, coastal towns, or university campuses, summer camps abroad allow students to experience daily life in a global setting while exploring their interests.

Even if you’ve never traveled internationally on your own before, a structured summer camp provides support while encouraging independence. You’ll navigate new cultures, adapt to new routines, and gain confidence as you connect with peers from diverse backgrounds.

What kinds of summer camps abroad for high school students are available?

We know that some programs focus heavily on travel with limited learning opportunities, while others may feel overly rigid or superficial. That’s why thoughtful research is essential. The most rewarding summer camps abroad balance meaningful activities, cultural exposure, and personal development.

Across the globe, summer camps abroad offer programs in areas such as language learning, STEM, arts, sports, leadership, and community service. Whether you’re trying something new or deepening an existing interest, these camps create space for growth both inside and outside the classroom.

You’ll learn from experienced instructors and counselors, take part in group activities and projects, and build friendships with students from around the world. Along the way, you’ll develop global awareness, independence, and memories that shape your perspective long after summer ends.

To help you get started, we’ve curated a list of 15 Summer Camps Abroad for High School Students. They’ve been selected for their engaging experiences, cultural immersion, and ability to turn your summer into something truly unforgettable.

15 Summer Camps Abroad for High School Students

1. CERN-Solvay Student Camp

Location: European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Genève, Switzerland
Cost/Stipend: The program, accommodations, and meals are free; participants need to pay for their travel
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 students
Dates: April 19-25
Application Deadline: Spots typically fill by January
Eligibility: High school students worldwide who are at least 16 years old; students should obtain the digital certificate of completion of the online physics course of the CERN-Solvay Education Programme to be eligible for the camp

The CERN-Solvay Student Camp is one of the most competitive summer camps abroad for high school students interested in physics. It offers the opportunity to conduct experiments in a world-renowned particle physics laboratory while taking part in lectures and Q&A sessions led by CERN and Solvay scientists.

Students also visit research facilities across the CERN campus, gaining direct exposure to professional scientific environments. The camp is a well-suited setting for networking with professionals and students who share a similar passion for physics while enhancing your interest in the subject.

Why it stands out: Students are divided into small groups, ensuring that each student gets high-level attention and training while conducting experiments at the world-leading lab. 

2. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Summer Camp

Location: Boston, Cambridge, London, Oxford, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Toronto
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admission
Eligibility: Students worldwide aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school

The Academic Insights Program is one of the most structured summer camps abroad for high school students seeking an authentic university experience. You will live on campus, study in small groups of 7 to 10, and learn from tutors affiliated with leading universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. With more than 20 subjects available, including Architecture, AI, Business Management, Medicine, and Philosophy, the programme allows students to explore academic interests in depth.

The courses are experiential and focus on hands-on learning. You may find yourself conducting dissections in medicine, designing a robotic arm in engineering, participating in a moot court for law, or building creative writing portfolios and business case studies. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and receive a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.

Why it stands out: You will be given personalised feedback that clearly highlights your strengths and topics or academic books that you should consider exploring more. 

3. GeoX Summer Camp

Location: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Cost/Stipend: CA$700 plus taxes
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 students
Dates: August 9-15
Application Deadline: April 24th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders from all around the world

In this one-week camp, you will have the opportunity to cover university-level topics in earth and environmental sciences. Students also dive further into the concepts by participating in hands-on activities. These will include going to different areas and examining rock outcrops for fossils, minerals, and structures; gathering and testing water and soil samples; and visiting active mine sites.

You will also gain insight into studying earth and environmental sciences at the University of Waterloo by interacting with students and professors and exploring the different disciplines available within the field.

Why it stands out: The camp takes you into the university’s lab and allows you to use the advanced technology and exploration tools that are typically used by industry experts.

4. IE Pre-Tracks

Location: IE University, Segovia, Spain
Cost/Stipend: €5,900
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 5-17; a second track for the pre-business track alone on July 19-31
Application Deadline: November to Mid-June
Eligibility: Students around the world entering 12th grade and under 18 at the start of the program

With the option to pick one of the three available tracks, pre-law, pre-business, or pre-design, this two-week program helps you determine if a career in one of these fields is the right pick for you. Based on the track you choose, you will participate in lectures that give you a deeper understanding of the discipline.

For instance, in the pre-law track, you will learn the principles of law and policymaking. You will get a sneak peek at pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the field of your choice. Moreover, you will also discover the different career possibilities when you earn a degree in law, business, or design.  

Why it stands out: Offered by IE University, the program is generally valued highly by the admission committee in most colleges. 

5. Summer Camp at Constructor University

Location: Constructor University, Bremen, Germany
Cost/Stipend: €4,600 and €4,200 for students who apply before December 31st
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Over 60 students
Dates: July 24th – August 4th
Application Deadline: May 1st
Eligibility: High school students from all over the world, aged between 16 and 18

When participating in this summer program, you get to attend university-level classes in subjects that span chemistry, computer science, physics, economics, and more. You can choose two of the nine courses available. The 12-day program gives you a holistic experience combining education with extracurricular and social activities.

You will get a clear picture of what studying at a private university in Germany entails. On the last day of the program, you can confidently say that you have gained a couple of skills that would improve your chances of succeeding in your college or career in the future

Why it stands out: The program goes beyond Constructor University’s Bremen Campus and takes you on a site visit to an organization like Mercedes-Benz, Airbus Planes & Space, or Botanic Bremen. 

6. UQ Stradbroke Island Science Camp 

Location: The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Cost/Stipend: Prices are customized based on camp length
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No cohort size
Dates: Camps can be scheduled any time throughout the year
Application Deadline: Open all year round
Eligibility: 12th graders and pre-university students from around the world

The Moreton Bay Research Station at UQ organizes group camps for students around the world. It provides an insider look into a research facility in Australia, helping you understand the daily responsibilities of scientists and researchers who work there.

You will participate in hands-on learning across various disciplines, including environmental weeds, fire ecology, marine debris impact, and more. The program prepares you for careers in some diverse fields, like biology, earth and environmental science, geography, and marine science.

Why it stands out: You participate in activities that take advantage of North Stradbroke Island’s rich biodiversity, which is only a short drive from the campus.

7. Science Unlimited Summer Camp

Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: CA$300; financial aid available in the form of bursaries and scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 students
Dates: August 18-22
Application Deadline: April 15th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders from all over the world

This camp is aimed at high school students who want to explore concepts across various fields. For this, you will be participating in workshops organized by the university’s different departments, including astronomy & astrophysics, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, math, physics, and environment.

Each department will offer a specialized workshop that focuses on a specific area of study. In the astronomy workshop, you will study Einstein’s theory of General Relativity; in computer science, you will learn to program and code; the chemistry department will teach you nanoscience; and so on. 

Why it stands out: Students gain authentic university-level science experience through access to labs, faculty, and various STEM fields in one immersive week. 

8. Leysin Summer Leadership Camp

Location: Leysin, Switzerland
Cost/Stipend: CHF 7,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots
Dates: July 4-17
Application Deadline: Currently open, and admissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until full
Eligibility: Domestic and international students aged 13 to 17

Spend your summer learning and participating in adventurous activities that equip you with interpersonal skills in this camp. In the two-week time frame of the program, you will participate in different workshops. Outside of the classroom, you will participate in activities such as via ferrata, rock climbing, zip lining, canoeing, and even embark on a 300-meter glacier expedition.

Through your participation, both indoor and outdoor, the program ensures that you develop leadership skills. Moreover, you will get help to build a personal action plan for yourself that you can continue to implement even after you leave the camp.

Why it stands out: The camp helps you gain practical leadership skills by engaging you in activities that encourage you to leave your comfort zone.

9. Gaia Changemakers Program 

Location: Zurich, Switzerland; Prague, Czech Republic; and The Alps, Switzerland
Cost/Stipend: CHF 5,700 for semi-residential students and CHF 7,200 for fully residential students; CHF 4,700 for semi-residential students and CHF 6,200 for fully residential students if registered before February 28th
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 participants
Dates: July 6-24
Application Deadline: Currently accepting applications
Eligibility: 10th to 12th graders and recent graduates around the globe who are between the ages of 15 and 19

The Gaia Changemakers Program is a summer camp where you will travel from Zurich to Prague and then back to the Swiss Alps. Throughout your trip, you will be involved in engaging activities that teach you leadership, resilience, creativity, and adaptability.

In other words, the program ensures that it equips you with skills that are considered essential by colleges and companies. Moreover, you will also dive into some global issues, such as climate change and the challenges of providing sustainable energy to urban places or implementing a circular economy. 

Why it stands out: The summer camp has a holistic curriculum that combines self-development with research-based and contextual learning 

10. Pre-University Summer School by King’s College London

Location: King’s College London, London, England
Cost/Stipend: An application fee of £65; program fee varies by course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by course
Dates: Session 1: July 6-10; Session 2: July 13-17; Session 3: July 20-24; and Session 4: 27-31
Application Deadline: April 10th
Eligibility: Rising 10th graders and 10th to 12th graders around the world who are 16 or 17 years old

If you are keen to explore different subject areas across different disciplines, this pre-university program gives you the opportunity to do so. The program offers a list of courses in each of the four sessions, allowing you to choose a course per session and attend as many as four courses through this program.

Options include law, medical science, business management, computer science, politics, and more. If you’re unsure which courses to take, email summer@kcl.ac.uk for help. Regardless of the courses you choose, your classes will include lectures and seminars. group discussions, role plays, simulations, and more.

Why it stands out: You can take a university-style assessment and get feedback on your strengths and weaknesses.

11. The University of Sydney’s International Science School

Location: The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
Cost/Stipend: Not publicly available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 110 students; About 70 seats are reserved for Australian students studying in Australia
Dates: July 6-19
Application Deadline: Opens early that year
Eligibility: 11th and 12th graders around the globe

Designed specifically for students with a strong interest in science, this programme is one of the more research-focused summer camps abroad for high school students. You will take part in hands-on workshops and experiments that extend beyond the high school syllabus, helping you engage with scientific concepts at a deeper academic level.

Some of the standout events at the ISS include the  University of Newcastle’s Science & Engineering Challenge, the Ethics and Leadership Workshops, the opportunity to get an inside look at maintaining The University of Sydney’s museum collection, and more.

Why it stands out: ISS participants have the chance to meet famous scientists and tour some advanced research premises. 

12. Collège du Léman Summer Camp 

Location: Collège du Léman International School, Versoix, Switzerland
Cost/Stipend: Varies by course length and whether you require accommodation on the campus or not
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No more than 15 students in a class
Dates: Session 1: June 28th – July 11th, Session 2: July 12th – July 25th, and Session 3: July 26th – August 8th; participants can attend as many sessions as they want
Application Deadline: Currently open, but there is no mention of an application deadline
Eligibility: Open to all students aged 8 to 18

The CDL Summer Camp allows you to choose from a wide range of activities that cater to your interests in academics, sports, art, leadership, and more. The camp offers more than 25 activities that include arts, computer programming, French classes, robot mash-up, drama, AI robotics, science lab, and more.

While some are scheduled in the morning, others are scheduled in the afternoon. You can sign up for four activities per session, participating in two of them in week 1 and two in week 2. On Wednesday afternoons alone, there will be no sessions, as there will be a pool party. 

Why it stands out: The camp is highly customizable, ensuring that your summer experience only consists of activities that you personally enjoy doing. 

13. TUJ High School Summer Program 

Location: Temple University, Tokyo, Japan
Cost/Stipend: A registration fee of 20,000 JPY, and a program fee of 340,000 JPY
Acceptance rate/cohort size:
Dates: July 29th – August 6th
Application Deadline: Application window is not specified; applications are reviewed from December
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th graders from all nationalities

If you want to experience the authentic Japanese culture, then you could consider signing up for this program. The HSSP gives you the chance to stay at Temple University-arranged accommodation for eight nights and learn about the Japanese culture and language.

Once you are accepted into the program, you will be given a quiz to test your Japanese level so that you can be placed in the right class level. There are also classes for students who have never studied Japanese. In addition to the Japanese language classes, you are also required to enroll in an elective class that will consist of options similar to TUJ’s undergraduate courses. 

Why it stands out: The program can also be a fun way to explore the country through an overnight trip to Nikko and a visit to the DisneySea

14. SMU Young Leaders Summer Programme

Location: Singapore Management University, Singapore
Cost/Stipend: SG$3,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots
Dates: July 13-18
Application Deadline: December 1st – April 30th
Eligibility: Graduating 12th graders all over the world who will be at least 16 years old but not turn 19 by July 31st

The SMU Young Leaders Summer Programme focuses on enhancing your leadership qualities. It also aims to develop skills that were recognized as essential to succeed in the 21st century, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Future of Jobs report 2023. These include, but are not limited to, analytical skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, and creative thinking.

Given the intensive nature of the program, it is well-suited for students with a strong academic record. Through this program, students also experience what it is like to live in Singapore and study in the interactive classes of the university.

Why it stands out: Students are equipped with the essential skills that help them thrive in today’s challenging society by the end of the program. 

15. Young Leaders and Changemakers Summer Camp

Location:  Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore
Cost/Stipend: SG$3,625; SG$2,900 for students who pay before May 4th; if four students from the same organization apply, only three students need to pay for the program. (Students can either get the early bird discount or the 4th person discount, not both.)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots
Dates: June 29th – July 3rd
Application Deadline: June 1st
Eligibility: High school and university students worldwide who are at least 16 years old

Organized by the National University of Singapore, YLCSC is for students who want to be leaders or changemakers who impact their communities. If you are such a person, you will highly benefit from this program that is scheduled with various enriching activities. These will include interactive workshops, hands-on activities, experiential learning journeys, expert-led discussions, and more.

During these sessions, you will dive into topics such as the power of public policy, leadership, and innovation in shaping communities. You are required to work on a project where you demonstrate your skills in coming up with a solution for a particular problem.

Why it stands out: The program prepares you for the outside world by addressing real-world issues and encouraging you to do your projects related to them. 

Living And Learning Beyond Home

Stepping into unfamiliar places pushes you to adapt quickly, communicate clearly, and take responsibility for your daily choices.

Experiences shaped through these summer camps abroad for high school students place learning inside real cultural settings, where independence grows through routine, challenge, and reflection rather than instruction alone.

As you balance shared living, academic sessions, and daily exploration, you begin to understand how the environment shapes confidence, resilience, and decision-making.

To plan future international study with clarity, explore our Study Abroad blogs for expert guidance on destinations, subject choices, and applications to leading universities worldwide.