Pre-Collegiate Initiatives
If you're a student or parent of a student looking to find out more about engineering, you're in the right place! The PDCI office provides immersive STEM activities for those ages 10 and up. Expand the sections below to learn more.
Don't see quite what you're looking for? Please contact us at ceas_iece@ucmail.uc.edu to see if we are able to take your special request and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
Looking to find out more about what CEAS has to offer? Come to our place... or invite us over to yours! Our outreach professionals have availability for on-site or traveling visits that include an in-person or virtual tour, a hands-on engineering design challenge, and a Q&A panel with current UC students. On-site visitors are also welcome to bring lunch and eat during the visit. All at no cost to you!
On-site visits take place between 10:00a.m. and 1:00p.m. on Thursdays. Traveling visits take place between 10:00a.m. and 12:00p.m. (timing is adjustable) on Mondays. If you are interested in booking, please fill out this information form.
Please note: visits are scheduled a minimum of 4 weeks in advance and spots are limited. At this time, we can only accomodate students 5th grade and above.
June 2-6: General Engineering, free
June 9-13: Electrical Engineering, free
July 14-18 at UCBA: Aerospace Engineering, free
GE Next Engineers Summer Camps are week-long day camp experiences for students entering 9th or 10th grade in the Fall from the greater Cincinnati area (nine closest counties in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana surrounding Cincinnati). These camps are a great way to get students interested in engineering and the engineering design process. Students will participate in hands-on design challenges, get small group Q&A sessions with GE Engineers, participate in college and career readiness activities, and display their work on Friday afternoon’s Capstone Showcase.
Students can choose a preferred week based on date or type of engineering field: June 2-6 covers multiple forms of engineering (sampler-platter style), June 9-13 delves into electrical engineering, or July 14-18 investigates aerospace engineering. Please note that all camps are held 9am-4pm at the UC Clifton campus, except GE Next Engineers Week 3 (July 14-18) which takes place at the UC Blue Ash campus.
Please note: Students may only attend one week of GE Next Engineers camp.
Get ready to learn, play, explore, and innovate! Join us for 2025 Summer Engineering Camps at the University of Cincinnati.
All camps take place 9am-4pm on the Clifton Campus* and are organized by age and interest level. Some camps have the option for overnight stays for a cost of $450 for room and board (including meals). Scholarships may be available for those who require financial assistance, applicable to the day camp portion only.
Applications open February 1, 2025 and close March 31, 2025. All applicants will be notified of their acceptance status on April 15. Acceptance is not based on ability to pay, and filling out an application does not guarantee admission. Submissions will be thoroughly reviewed by a team of employees using a rubric measuring a variety of factors.
All payments and required medical forms must be submitted by May 20, 2025. Campers will not be able to participate without completed forms on file.
Please note: We do not currently offer programming for middle school students, and middle schoolers are not eligible to attend.
- June 9-14: Young Engineers, day camp only $125
- July 7-11: ENG2YOU, day camp $200, or overnight $650
- July 7-11: CEAS Camp: Biomedical/Chemical OR Electrical/Computer, day camp $250, or overnight $700
- July 14-18: Rising Engineers, day camp $125, or overnight $575
- July 21-25: CEAS Camp: Mechanical/Aerospace OR Civil/Architectural/Construction Management, day camp $250, or overnight $700
- July 21-25 Make Your Own Putt Putt Course, day camp $200, or overnight $650
UC Summer Camps are weeklong experiences for students wanting to explore their engineering journey or those putting the final touches on their college resumes. Camps combine hands-on design challenges, campus tours, small group instruction from faculty/graduate students, and unique mentorship and exploration from industry professionals. All camps include a Friday showcase for family members, UC staff/faculty, and industry partners involved.
IMPORTANT: While students may apply to multiple UC camps, in order to serve as many students as possible, students can only enroll in one camp. Students that are eligible for GE Next Engineers camp may be accepted into both a GE Camp and a UC camp as they are separate programs.
We offer a variety of UC Engineering camps. Details are as follows:
- Young/Rising Engineers: Interested in engineering but not sure exactly where your interests lie? This sampler-platter style camp will cover multiple fields of engineering, including mechanical, chemical, biomedical, civil, and more. This camp includes tours of local engineering businesses, college and career advice from current UC students, and opportunities to make lifelong friends while also gaining STEM experience.
- Young Engineers: Open to students entering 9th or 10th grade, available as a day camp only.
- Rising Engineers: Open to students entering 11th or 12th grade, with both day camp and overnight options available. Preference is given to students who have not attended camp at UC before.
- Apply for Young/Rising Engineers
- CEAS Camp: This camp is for students everywhere entering 10th-12th grade. Students participating in this camp are fairly confident in their choice as to which engineering major they would like to explore/pursue. This camp consists of 4 tracks: Biomedical/Chemical, Civil/Architectural/Construction Management, Mechanical/Aerospace, and Computer/Electrical Engineering. At this camp, students will go in-depth with faculty, graduate students, and industry professionals and gain insight into research and projects exclusive to UC. These weeklong experiences are available for day camp or overnight enrollment. Preference is given to students who have attended Young/Rising Engineers in years prior. Apply for CEAS Camp
- ENG2YOU: Wanting to get hands-on with research? Join PhD candidates and faculty in designing a project, collecting data, and analyzing your findings in order to make roadways safer via autonomous vehicles. Open to all students going into 10th-12th grade, overnight and day camp options available. Apply for ENG2YOU
- Make Your Own Putt Putt Course Camp: Looking for a hands-on way to learn about physics, math, and the engineering design process? Do it all in a fun way with Make Your Own Putt Putt Course Camp! Campers will work in small groups with current UC students to design and build complex putt putt holes for their own mini-golf course. On Friday, families are welcome to attend the showcase and play the course, along with talk to students about their work. This camp is open to students entering 9th-12th grade with day camp and overnight availability. Apply for Make Your Own Putt Putt Course Camp
What time does camp run?
All camps run 9am-4pm. Rising Engineers and CEAS have a paid option for overnight accommodation if desired.
How much does camp cost?
Camp costs vary depending on the week desired. GE Camps are free. Young or Rising Engineers Camps are $125. CEAS Camp is $250. Rising Engineers and CEAS campers can stay on campus for $400 (Sunday night-Friday afternoon), including all meals and evening entertainment. Students wishing to park can pay the daily rate of $10 (subject to change) or $35 for a weeklong parking pass. Students will get an opportunity to visit local businesses and the gift shop, so personal spending funds are at your discretion.
Are there scholarships?
The camp was subsidized to keep it as affordable as possible. We only have scholarship funds for students in the Cincinnati area. However, we encourage all to apply regardless of ability to pay. Any student wishing to stay in the dorms is responsible for the full cost of their stay.
What does a typical day look like?
Camp is a living, breathing thing! We work with hundreds of people to create multiple weeks of learning for campers. All parents will receive a full itinerary prior to the start of camp; however, it is not ready for sharing at this time. However, a typical day will consist of an engineering design challenge or hands-on activity, a lecture, a tour, and a College/Career Readiness game. Students will meet with professors, staff members, industry partners, and current students to get a full scope of both the engineering field as well as what life is like as an engineering student at UC.
Will my child be allowed to check out the campus on his/her own?
Your children’s safety is of our utmost concern. While we understand that at home, they may have more independence and freedom, they are still minors in our care. Students may be taken to a general area and given freedom to wander around, however, they will have a counselor available to them and always supervising with frequent check-ins. Students are not allowed to leave unsupervised until dismissal, and any student that is not at morning attendance will receive a parent call to ensure safety. Additionally, all camp staff are fingerprinted and have multiple hours of training in minor care and abuse prevention.
Can I still apply if I am not sure I want to study engineering/can’t code/came in years past/don’t have a 4.0?
Whatever your question is, the answer is YES! These camps are scaffolded to provide a beneficial experience no matter what your skill level. We focus on more than just hard skills and will also discuss current research, communication skills, conflict resolution, creativity, and self-advocacy. The curriculum is ever-changing, and the experience will change from year to year. However, this is still a CAMP and not a college course. While we dive into academic learning, please know that we will not be covering the same level of assessment-based learning typically seen in the classroom.
What if you didn’t answer my question?
Reach out to us! You can email Camp Manager Blaire Bartish at CEASSummerCamps@ucmail.uc.edu or call 513-556-7650
What time does camp run?
All camps run 9am-4pm. Rising Engineers and CEAS have a paid option for overnight accommodation if desired.
How much does camp cost?
Camp costs vary depending on the week desired. GE Camps are free. Young or Rising Engineers Camps are $125. CEAS Camp is $250. Rising Engineers and CEAS campers can stay on campus for $400 (Sunday night-Friday afternoon), including all meals and evening entertainment. Students wishing to park can pay the daily rate of $10 (subject to change) or $35 for a weeklong parking pass. Students will get an opportunity to visit local businesses and the gift shop, so personal spending funds are at your discretion.
Are there scholarships?
The camp was subsidized to keep it as affordable as possible. We only have scholarship funds for students in the Cincinnati area. However, we encourage all to apply regardless of ability to pay. PLEASE NOTE WE NO LONGER HAVE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING FOR OVERNIGHT STAYS. Any student wishing to stay in the dorms is responsible for the full cost of their stay.
What does a typical day look like?
Camp is a living, breathing thing! We work with hundreds of people to create multiple weeks of learning for campers. All parents will receive a full itinerary before the start of camp; however, it is not ready for sharing now. However, a typical day will consist of an engineering design challenge or hands-on activity, a lecture, a tour, and a College/Career Readiness game. Students will meet with professors, staff members, industry partners, and current students to get a full scope of both the engineering field as well as what life is like as an engineering student at UC.
Will my child be allowed to check out the campus on his/her own?
Your children’s safety is of our utmost concern. While we understand that at home, they may have more independence and freedom, they are still minors in our care. Students may be taken to a general area and given freedom to wander around, however, they will have a counselor available to them and always supervising with frequent check-ins. Students are not allowed to leave unsupervised until dismissal, and any student that is not at morning attendance will receive a parent call to ensure safety. Additionally, all camp staff are fingerprinted and have multiple hours of training in minor care and abuse prevention.
Can I still apply if I am not sure I want to study engineering/can’t code/came in years past/don’t have a 4.0?
Whatever your question is, the answer is YES! These camps are scaffolded to provide a beneficial experience no matter what your skill level. We focus on more than just hard skills and will also discuss current research, communication skills, conflict resolution, creativity, and self-advocacy. The curriculum is ever-changing, and the experience will change from year to year. However, this is still a CAMP and not a college course. While we dive into academic learning, please know that we will not be covering the same level of assessment-based learning typically seen in the classroom.
What if you didn’t answer my question?
Reach out to us! You can email Camp Manager Blaire Bartish at CEAS_IECE@ucmail.uc.edu or call 513-556-1283
GE Next Engineers Academy Program
Over the course of three years, high school students from 10th to 12th grade learn to think and act like engineers and prepare to advance to post-secondary education. Next Engineers [G(1] [T(2] [G(3] Academy includes a series of immersive design challenges, career coaching, and college-readiness workshops to equip youth with the skills they need to build an engineering identity and career. Students who complete the program and enroll in a post-secondary engineering degree program will receive a partial scholarship from the GE Foundation.
GE Next Engineers Discovery Program
Through Engineering Discovery, GE volunteers and Next Engineers community partners bring engineering demonstrations and hands-on activities into the classroom and community for educational sessions running between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Students may learn about a scientific concept, such as buoyancy or atmospheric pressure, and learn how engineers apply these concepts to design new inventions. GE volunteers also share their stories and answer questions about their jobs and experiences as engineers.
Engineering Discovery aims to reach +500 students in each Next Engineers location every year. We partner with local schools to visit classrooms. Occasionally, Engineering Discovery also hosts public events, such as Engineer Days or Parent Nights. Visit your Location page to find out when and where Discovery events may happen near you.
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