25+ university-hosted pre-college STEM programs for high schoolers near Orange County — AI, research, engineering, and science tracks. Compare admissions, prices, and dates.
Refreshed weekly · Last updated Aug 30, 2026
High school students master AI/ML fundamentals including Python, computer vision, NLP, and generative AI through hands-on projects, building a portfolio for college applications.
Age Group
High School
Location
Virtual
Phone
(919) 213-1821
High school students explore AI & Machine Learning through hands-on coursework, collaborate on real-world projects with faculty, and experience college life.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of California, Irvine
Phone
N/A
High school juniors explore real careers, build professional skills, and gain insights into Orange County's innovative industries through hybrid projects, mentorship, and career readiness workshops.
Age Group
High School
Location
Hybrid (virtual and in-person)
Phone
N/A
High school rising juniors and seniors gain hands-on materials science research experience, engage in interactive lab activities, and receive mentorship at a university.
Age Group
High School
Location
Calit2 3100, Irvine, CA 92697
Phone
(949) 824-6286
High school and community college students explore materials research through hands-on, project-based experiences, learning techniques in materials design, synthesis, and characterization.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of California, Irvine
Phone
N/A
High school students explore interdisciplinary engineering, combining biology, chemistry, and micro-scale chip systems through foundational concepts and a structured, project-based capstone.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of California, Irvine
Phone
N/A
Students learn data science and machine learning principles, including data modeling, cleaning, wrangling, visualization, and basic Python programming, culminating in a capstone project.
Age Group
High School
Location
UCI Campus, ISEB Building
Phone
N/A
High school students work with UCI faculty and staff on hands-on research projects in STEM education, culminating in a research poster symposium.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
Phone
(949) 824-6014
Students deploy AI agents in financial markets, build a trading bot, and analyze real market data to understand AI applications in finance.
Age Group
High School
Location
Online
Phone
N/A
High school students explore core cybersecurity concepts, including ethical hacking, risk assessment, and securing systems, with real-world applications in this online course.
Age Group
High School
Location
Virtual
Phone
(213) 740-4444
High school students are matched with fisheries professionals for an 8-week paid summer internship, gaining hands-on experience in marine and freshwater settings, and learning about conservation.
Age Group
High School
Location
Multiple Locations
Phone
(301) 897-8616
A one-week program for community college students to design, build, and launch a rocketry prototype, learning aerodynamics, propulsion, and AI applications, culminating in NAR certification.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
300 Rockwell Engineering Center, Irvine, CA 92697-2750
Phone
(949) 824-2871
High school students build and program an autonomous driving robot, covering software development, circuit building, and robot framework construction.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC Irvine Campus
Phone
N/A
High school students gain hands-on experience in AI, machine learning, cybersecurity, data analytics, and game development, working on real-world projects with UCI faculty.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of California, Irvine
Phone
N/A
Talented high school students engage in advanced STEM topics through specific 'clusters' taught by esteemed UC faculty, covering engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, and computer science.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of California, Irvine
Phone
N/A
High school students immerse themselves in laboratory-based cancer research, working with UCI scientists on active research projects and presenting their findings in a final symposium.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC Irvine Campus
Phone
N/A
High school students gain intensive real-life exposure to surgery and medicine, learning surgical skills, observing live cases, and becoming proficient in CPR.
Age Group
High School
Location
3800 W Chapman Ave Ste 7200, Orange, CA 92868
Phone
N/A
High school students learn fundamental principles of data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, including data modeling, cleaning, and visualization, culminating in a capstone project.
Age Group
High School
Location
UCI Campus, ISEB Building
Phone
N/A
Rising high school juniors and seniors conduct intensive research projects with physicians and scientists in various biomedical fields, culminating in a presentation of their findings.
Age Group
High School
Location
The Lundquist Institute, Torrance, CA
Phone
N/A
This free six-day program offers career exploration in aerospace, aviation, advanced manufacturing, engineering, robotics, and mission operations through interactive learning, expert engagement, and exclusive tours.
Age Group
High School
Location
Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network (LBWIN) Youth Career Services Center 508 W. Willow St. Long Beach, CA 90806
Phone
(562) 570-4700
Summer camps are great, but the real portfolio comes from competing. See every FIRST Robotics team in CA — plus pathways, deadlines, and pick lists for math, coding, science, and research competitions.
Looking for a STEM summer camp near you? This free Orange County directory lists 250+ local and online programs across the Orange County metro area — including AI, coding, robotics, science, and math camps for kids, middle schoolers, and high school students. Compare prices, dates, age groups, and formats, then filter by focus area above to find the closest match for Summer 2026.
We list 250+ STEM summer camps in Orange County, CA across AI & machine learning, coding, robotics, science, math, space, and cybersecurity. Top picks vary by your child's age and interests — use the category filters above to compare programs by price, duration, and format.
Prices in our Orange County directory range from free community programs to $3,000+ for university-hosted pre-college tracks. Most full-day weekly camps run $400–$900 per week; specialized AI and research programs typically run $1,000–$2,500 for the full program. Click any camp for current pricing.
Camps in our Orange County listings cover elementary (typically ages 6–10), middle school (11–13), high school (14–18), and selective pre-college research programs for rising seniors. Filter by age group to see only programs that match your child.
Yes — many of our listed programs offer fully online or hybrid formats, especially in AI, coding, and research. Online options are open to students nationwide, including Orange County-area kids who can't travel to an in-person camp. Look for the “Virtual Camp” filter or any program tagged Online / Hybrid in the details.
Yes. Several listings are pre-college programs hosted by universities — including residential and commuter options. These are competitive admissions with applications often closing in March/April for summer cohorts. Use the Pre-College filter at the top to see only these programs.
