These programs are presented by departments at Colorado State, as well as organizations providing summer camps through CSU Conference Services.

Many programs fall into more than one category and include common elements such as leadership and creativity. Programs are placed in the category that best describes the primary focus.

Age groups vary by program; please contact the unit presenting the camp for additional information. 

Summer 2024
The lottery for Summer 2024 programs closed January 31

Primarily for ages 7-12.

These camps focus on immersing participants in nature. Though each camp has a theme, all camps will include walking our trails, exploring our ecosystems off trail, playing near and in the river, building forts, and playing games.

The ELC is an extension of the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University.

Registration opens February 15, 2024

The two camps are available for Summer 2024:

• June 3-8
• June 9-14

Offered annually, the Youth Summer Horsemanship Camps are geared toward equine enthusiasts who are 10-15 years of age. Campers stay in the residence halls on main campus, eat in the dining halls and receive classroom/riding instruction from both equine faculty and current students.

Students who are 16-17 can join us as day campers!

Campers have the option to bring their own horse or lease a school horse, ride english, western, or both and spend the duration of camp as an overnight camper or a day camper.

June 24-28, 2024 (20th Annual!)
Writing programs for youth in grades 4-12
Early-bird registration open through February 5, 2024. Registration is open through June 3, 2024.

• Elementary Workshop (for students entering 4th-5th grades):
  • ready.set.write (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
• Middle School Workshop (for students entering 6th-8th grades):
  • WriteOn! (12:30-3:30 p.m.)
• High School Workshop (for students entering 9th-12th grades):
  • VOICES (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)

​In these immersive workshops, students will experiment with writing techniques in various genres, work in writing groups, learn from published writers, and more! Snacks will be provided daily, and students will receive a free t-shirt at the end of the workshop.

A limited number of scholarships are available based on financial need.

Registration opens January 3, 2024
June 3-7, June 10-14, June 17-21, and June 24-28

Monday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m. – Noon

These camps feature fun cooking activities for children ages 8-12. Select a camp and then choose which week your camper would like to attend.  Register for one, two or all four weeks! Each camp runs every week!

Summer 2024 camp topics are:

• Baking Extravaganza
• Edible Science

Summer Music, Theatre, and Dance: Camps and Programs

Visit the home page for Summer Camps, Institutes and Seminars or the sections below.

Experience a variety of music events designed for youth, middle/high school students, and adults. Camps and institutes offer students and adults specialized training, while master classes feature the world’s finest performers providing hands-on instruction in an open, informal setting.

Five-day workshops from June through July 2024

Kids Do It All is one of the most innovative theatre programs in the country. Offered for youth who are entering grades 2nd-3rd, 4th-5th, and 6th-8th. Camp participants write, design, and compose musical plays entirely of their own, experiencing a practical application of all aspects of theatre from acting, movement, voice, props and scene design, and songwriting. Camp ends with a free performance for friends and family Friday afternoon. Seven one-week camps are available on the CSU campus.

July 28-August 10, 2024
Registration Deadline: June 14, 2024

Beginner through pre-preprofessional level dancers ages 14+ are invited to register for our two-week in-person intensive. CSU Dance Lab is a college preparatory summer program offering immersive study in classical and contemporary dance forms, repertory, theory, and composition. In addition to dance classes and rehearsals, students will attend lectures, develop artist statements, choreograph solos, and present a public performance. Mentored by CSU Dance faculty, renowned guest artists, and current dance majors, attendees expand skills and knowledge while contributing to a collaborative creative process.

Dance Lab is designed to increase understanding of:

• Classical and Contemporary Dance Forms
• Choreography
• Writing
• Lectures
• Repertory and Performance
• Individualized mentorship by CSU Dance faculty, current majors, and renowned guest artists

This program offers up to 2 performing arts credits for Poudre School District students.

Please see Dance Lab website for additional registration packages, housing information and details for students entering CSU in Fall 2024.

Not offered in Summer 2024

Between blogs, vlogs, videos and infographics, there are more ways to communicate than ever before. The Journalism and Media Jump-Start experience offers students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 in Fall 2023 a glimpse into Colorado State University’s Department of Journalism and Media Communication. You will interview, create podcasts, take photos, learn social media strategies and more, all while interacting with college student mentors and faculty. Expect to learn about storytelling and visit CSU’s award-winning Rocky Mountain Student Media newsrooms. You will also get to sample life as a college student while you stay in a residence hall, dine at CSU’s delicious dining halls, and enjoy Fort Collins in the summer.

Not offered in Summer 2024

This Summer 2023 institute will teach basic social justice concepts through arts-based practices. Participants will integrate all they have learned by working with the featured artist to create an art piece from a social justice framework.

Students collaborate alongside CSU faculty, students, and community educators through team building, intercultural dialogue, and collaboration across differences, nurturing individual and collective voices, and fostering community dialog by emphasizing skills that promote social justice advocacy. In the process they not only learn what a career in the arts through a social justice lens looks and feels like but also how the art fits into their lives and communities by addressing issues of equity, belonging, access, justice, and how the creative process is a part of all of our stories.

The experience will also include expert advice on applying to college, admission requirements, financial aid, housing, and careers.

July 21 – July 26, 2025

This FREE program is open to students who have successfully completed 9th through 12th grades, from those starting their sophomore year to recent high school graduates.

If you’re the first in your family to go to college and interested in business, this summit is for you! Whether you want to be a CEO, own a business or are still figuring out your path, this week-long experience will help you learn about what business means, connect with our CSU community, and make a few friends along the way.

Stay overnight in an air-conditioned CSU residence hall on campus and eat in our dining centers as you learn the skills that will transform how business is done. Work alongside other first-generation students and College of Business faculty as you get valuable experience.

Attendees sharpen business knowledge in the classroom and at area businesses, develop the skills to successfully present to large groups, learn about career paths possible within the College of Business, and how to capitalize on the resources available for first-generation students to succeed at CSU.

July 14- July 24, 2024

The Global Business Academy is a summer business program for high school students (15-18 years old) who are enrolled in high school for Fall 2024.

You’ll create great summer memories in this 10-day, action-packed experience and meet students from around the globe while learning how to use business to create a better world. The program includes a visit to CSU’s beautiful Mountain Campus in the Rockies, whitewater rafting down the Poudre River, fireside chats with knowledgeable local leaders, and will give you a taste of college life, staying in the University dorms in Fort Collins.

You’ll gain lifelong skills in international business and leadership, greater confidence, new passions and interests to explore, global friendships, and discover new ways to apply your business knowledge to what you care about most. No matter where your future career path leads, it’s invaluable to have an understanding of what makes the business world turn.

June 16-23, 2024

The Lorenzo de Zavala (LDZ) Youth Legislative Session is the most recognized National Hispanic Institute (NHI) program. The intense, eight-day, model government session gives high-achieving, rising high school junior and senior students the opportunity to understand organizational culture, protocol, and procedures in order to become more effective community leaders, meet and collaborate with new friends, reflect on the issues of the day and practice leadership.

Students who participate in the Lorenzo De Zavala (LDZ) Youth Legislative Session and are admitted as freshmen to Colorado State University may be eligible to receive the Partnership Award. Funds for this award are awarded for up to five years or 10 semesters of enrollment at Colorado State University.

July 22-26 and July 29-August 2, 2024

True Color Effects is a new local summer youth leadership program co-designed in Summer 2023 by thirteen local high school students and teachers and a CSU teacher educator, all of whom identify as Indigenous or people of color.

This two-week program will utilize a tiered mentorship model for BIPOC youth and educators. Rising grades 4-8 students will build interdisciplinary literacy, math, business, and leadership skills through the shared development of new businesses; high school and college students will learn strategies for mentoring youth and be supported in considering teaching as a lifelong career; and teachers and CSU faculty will guide the program. Profits from youth businesses will be used to fund future implementations of the program.

June 10-14, 2024
One week of half-day sessions, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom OR in-person at the Fort Collins CSU Campus or SPUR Denver Campus

The Venture Validator Youth Summer Camp is hosted by the CSU College of Business Institute for Entrepreneurship designed for incoming 7th-12th grade students to explore what it takes to become an entrepreneur in a safe, engaging, and fun space.

Students will combine problems they want to solve with their ideas to fix them and then start the journey of launching a business to do just that.

Students will also learn basic business principles and gain an understanding of different career opportunities in a wide range of fields from marketing to supply chain management, international business, organization and innovation management, and more.

June 4-8, 2024 on the CSU Campus.
High School Summer Institute

Construction Managers work in dynamic teams to take the designer’s vision and make it a reality.

With one of the highest job placement rates and starting salaries of any major, a degree in Construction Management is a great choice for those who enjoy teamwork, solving tangible problems, critical thinking, and creating the world around them.

This five-day four-night on-campus program is for up to 25 high school students age 15-18 who are interested in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). Each day participants will engage with professional women representing AEC industries as well as college mentors to work on building their confidence and developing an understanding of construction management and related careers while having fun exploring construction related topics and activities!

June 3-7, 2024
9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This is a FREE cybersecurity summer camp students entering grades 10-12.

Have you ever wanted to learn about modern technologies and topics such as Network Security, Data Encryption and Protection, and Careers in Cybersecurity from CSU professors, students, and industry experts? Join our free camp for a week of fun activities as we show you how to use cybersecurity for fun and protection. You will work with and learn from CSU professors, students, and industry representatives who are experts in these areas.

Students will learn about various cyber security concepts such as symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, trap door functions, digital certificates, blockchains and distributed trust and also staying safe online. They will have opportunities of engaging in hand-on activities on blockchains such as NaiveCoin. There will also be Capture the Flag/Treasure Hunt Sessions.

NO PRIOR PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY.

Have fun this summer, making new connections, and learning! There will be prizes, free lunch, and fun activities!

June 10-14, 2024

The CSU Drone Flight School is designed to teach all material needed to pass the initial FAA Part 107 exam, including flight safety, FAA regulations, airspace, aviation weather, airport operations, and more.

Curriculum includes engaging classroom instruction, actual hands-on flight time, and real-world mission-planning scenarios. Learn to fly and operate in a safe environment utilizing our fleet of modern aircraft.

Materials include study and reference guides, checklists, flight logging and maintenance templates, policy examples and more!

Sunday, June 2 through Thursday, June 6, 2024
Registration opens January 15, 2024 and closes May 3, 2024
A five-day overnight residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors across the country.

The ENvision Engineering Summer Program is a collaboration with Campos Engineering, Procurement, and Construction, LLC (Campos EPC, LLC) and hosted in-person at Colorado State University (CSU). Participants partake in hands-on engineering learning sessions led by current students and faculty of the Walter Scott Jr. College of Engineering while also exploring life as an engineering student at Colorado State University. There is no cost for attending this program. Students must complete all sessions to finish the program. Priority is given to applicants from historically excluded populations. Students who participate in the EPC ENvision Program become eligible for a scholarship toward an engineering degree at CSU.

Questions? Please contact [email protected] or the Program Coordinator, Sara Pharazyn

June 10-21, 2024
No classes June 19 for Juneteenth and University holiday

Our STEM program is open to middle school students entering 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in the fall following the summer program.

Fashion FUNdamentals is a two-week summer program designed to enhance young people’s interests and self-esteem in science, technology, engineering, and math by leveraging their interest in and passion for fashion.

Social programming focus areas include media literacy, body image, internet safety and anti-bullying, and highlights the importance of balanced nutrition and physical activity.

June 10-14, 2024

GirlsGetMath@CSU is a free five-day non-residential mathematics camp at Colorado State University that is open to students entering grades 9-12 in Fall 2024, regardless of gender. Students will explore a variety of topics in mathematics (such as cryptography, data science, image processing, geometry, fractals, and graph theory) in a collaborative and inclusive learning environment where they engage with hands-on activities and computer labs.

During the camp, students will also take a campus tour, eat lunch in dining halls, and hear from successful women in STEM careers. New this year, GirlsGetMath@CSU will devote time at the end of each day for fun, social activities (such as visiting the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery) to build community and develop students’ confidence by focusing on team-building abilities and leadership skills.

There is no cost to attend the summer camp and all materials, daily snacks, lunch, and a camp t-shirt will be provided.

June 17-21, 2024

In this five-day non-residential camp, high school students will explore current technologies (e.g., VR, AR, AI, Robots, Mobile Apps) through hands-on activities and games and learn about their use and impact on business. The program is free of charge and includes daily lunch and snacks. This program is offered by the Computer Information Systems (CIS) department at CSU. Information Technology (IT) not only touches every aspect of everyday life but is also the primary driver of business today.

Engineering Your World:

• Ages 12-14
• June 17-21, 2024, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Creating Your World:

• Ages 12-14
• June 24-28, 2024, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Designing Your World:

• Ages 14-16
• July 8-12, 2024, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

June 17-21, 2024
The 2024 SciVet Summer Program application is open
Open to high school students who are at least 15 years of age.

Want to feel what it is like to be a scientist? Join the Natural Sciences Education and Outreach Center in exploring scientific practices first hand. We will be carrying out investigations, using real tools, and collecting data both in the lab and the field.

All activities involve current topics from a variety of fields, including tree coring, the wonder of wolves, the key role of native bees, the secrets of hibernators, water quality and quantity, and much more!

code.earth: Exploring Computer Science and Planet Earth
June 10-14, 2024

SWiFT 2024’s code.earth program is an activity-based summer intensive STEM program for students currently in 7th and 8th grade who are interested in exploring Computer Science and STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) majors. The SWiFT 2024 program is free and lunch will be provided. No prior programming experience is required.

SWiFT provides an active learning environment using the Python programming language to introduce Computer Science topics to students in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. This summer, students will learn about the basics of computer programming and meet computer scientists and earth scientists.

In addition to the lectures on the Python programming, we host special lectures from the scientists, experts, and industrial leaders on various topics in computer science and earth sciences that leverage computing and programming.