Compare 34+ Science & Innovation programs in San Diego — day camps, summer programs, and university pre-college options for kids, teens & high schoolers. Free directory with prices & dates.
Refreshed weekly · Last updated Jul 14, 2026
Campers engage in exciting experiments, intriguing investigations, and hands-on activities across various STEM fields, fostering curiosity and a lifelong interest in science.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone
(619) 238-1233
Children explore underwater worlds, meet ocean creatures, and engage in hands-on activities, games, and crafts to learn about marine science and ocean conservation.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone
(858) 534-7336
K–12 students engage in hands-on STEAM workshops to explore roles like space explorers, coders, and marine biologists, inspiring future careers.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Multiple Locations
Phone
N/A
Students build and program robots, developing coding and programming skills through unique and engaging projects that encourage creativity and problem-solving.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
8280 Mira Mesa Blvd Ste 200, San Diego, CA 92126
Phone
(858) 869-3113
High school students explore materials science, 3D printing, and bioinspired design, gaining hands-on lab experience and contributing to research.
Age Group
High School
Location
15455 Paseo Del Sur, San Diego, CA 9217
Phone
N/A
Kids aged 5-12 explore science through fun, hands-on experiments in various themes like space, rocketry, physics, and chemistry, with many take-home activities.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
St. Columba Catholic School, 3365 Glencolum Dr, San Diego, CA
Phone
(619) 825-2342
Students in grades 6-10 explore drone technology, learning to fly and code indoor drones, film outdoor footage, edit videos, and prepare for drone safety certification.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
2202 Comstock Street, San Diego, CA 92111
Phone
(858) 295-8795
High school students conduct five weeks of intensive research in AI, machine learning, neuroscience, biophysics, and data science with UC San Diego researchers.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC San Diego campus and San Diego Supercomputer Center
Phone
N/A
This overnight camp for middle school girls focuses on STEM, exposing them to various fields and occupations through hands-on experience in classes, workshops, and demonstrations on a university campus.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park Way, San Diego, CA 92110
Phone
(916) 389-0220
Academically talented high school students engage in advanced coursework and research across STEM disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering, utilizing university resources in a four-week residential program.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC San Diego campus
Phone
(858) 534-0400
High school students gain multidisciplinary practical research experience in marine science, collaborating with Scripps Institution of Oceanography graduate students and active marine science researchers.
Age Group
High School
Location
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) Campus, La Jolla, San Diego
Phone
N/A
High school students experience academically enriching college-level coursework across various subjects including science, technology, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC San Diego campus
Phone
(858) 534-3400
High school students from partner schools engage in an eight-week paid biomedical research internship, gaining hands-on lab experience, attending seminars, and participating in career-building workshops.
Age Group
High School
Location
Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
Phone
N/A
Kids in grades 3-8 explore science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on experiments, coding, robotics, and field trips, building projects like Bluetooth electric cars or exploring biotechnology.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
11236 El Camino Real, Ste 100, San Diego, CA 92130
Phone
(858) 351-1588
Students aged 6-14 engage in cutting-edge, hands-on activities in robotics, coding, game design, and AI, preparing them for future STEM careers at the University of San Diego.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
University of San Diego
Phone
N/A
Campers engage in hands-on discovery and exploration of scientific principles, creating take-home projects and experiencing science through touch, sight, sound, and smell.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
Multiple Locations
Phone
(858) 505-4880
An eight-week volunteer program where high school students gain hands-on computational experience, work readiness skills, and mentorship with computational research scientists at the San Diego Supercomputer Center.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC San Diego, San Diego Supercomputer Center
Phone
N/A
A prestigious program where high school students engage in independent research projects, guided by expert mentors, with opportunities for publication.
Age Group
High School
Location
Research Ignited Online Platform
Phone
+1 (919) 213-1821
A paid summer internship at UC San Diego for high school students gaining hands-on experience in stem cell and regenerative medicine research in active labs.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC San Diego
Phone
N/A
An eight-week summer internship hosted at UC San Diego's Moores Cancer Center, introducing underrepresented high school students to cancer research and clinical medicine.
Age Group
High School
Location
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
Phone
N/A
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 San Diego directory lists 200+ local and online programs across the San Diego 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 200+ STEM summer camps in San Diego, 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 San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego-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.
