Pre-College Summer Programs at Lehigh University
Connect your curiosity to real-world impact this summer at Lehigh University. Lehigh's Pre-College Programs are one-week residential summer camps for rising 9th through 12th graders, held on Lehigh's campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Students live in University residence halls, eat at campus dining halls, immerse themselves in non-credit courses taught by Lehigh faculty in one of four subjects, and experience life on a research university campus. The 2026 program runs Sunday, July 12 through Friday, July 17.
Choose Your Program
Each program is a hands-on, week-long deep dive in a single subject, taught by Lehigh faculty. Students attend one program.
Blockchain In Business
How distributed ledger technology is changing finance, supply chain, and business operations.
Engineering: Race Cars & Sensors
Build, test, and analyze sensor-equipped race cars in Lehigh's engineering labs.
Journalism
Reporting, fact-checking, and storytelling with award-winning Lehigh journalism faculty.
Sustainability
Climate, energy, and environmental challenges through hands-on field and lab work.
What to Expect
Connect your curiosity to real-world impact this summer at Lehigh. Spend a week living on Lehigh's campus in South Side Bethlehem, and immerse yourself in one of four specialized programs. Your experience extends beyond the classroom: campus tours, admissions workshops, and social events designed to connect you with our community and your peers.
Program Details:
- Sunday, July 12 - Friday, July 17, 2026
- One-week residential camp
- Open to rising 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
- $1,750 (includes instruction, supplies, housing, meals, and activities)
- All academic programs taught by Lehigh University faculty
Why Lehigh Summer Programs
Lehigh is a private research university in the Lehigh Valley, about 90 minutes from both New York City and Philadelphia. Pre-College students get the same things that draw undergraduates here: faculty who teach their own courses, small cohorts, and a residential campus designed for engagement rather than commuting.
Program Details:
- Faculty-taught, not graduate-student-taught
- Small cohorts, not lecture halls
- Residential, not commuter; you experience real college life
- Four subjects, including emerging fields you won't find at most pre-college programs
- On-campus, not virtual
Lehigh Pre-College Programs FAQs
Registration is now open! Click here to get started.
Note: Space is limited and registration will close on April 30 for all four programs.
All programs are $1,750. Fee includes instruction, supplies, housing, meals and activities.
Rising 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th graders can attend. All participants should be in good academic standing with their school and be ready to engage with challenging ideas.
Sure! Let us know before April 30 for a full refund. After April 30 we can refund 50% of the registration fee.
You will stay in one of our residence halls. During your stay, you will experience campus life just like a Lehigh student! You will dine at Lehigh's dining halls for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some meals may come from local restaurants.
All academic programs are delivered by Lehigh faculty. Check out their bios in the program descriptions.
Lehigh student-staff will be with the cohorts at all times leading participants through the daily agenda.
We will send you a complete packing list in the summer. Here are some things you can think about bringing in the meantime:
- Twin Bedding
- Shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirt, pajamas
- Comfy shoes (Lehigh is built on a mountain!)
- Shower kit (soap, towel, shampoo, etc.)
- Fan
Jill Forrest, Director of Academic Outreach
610-758-4802 or jsf212@lehigh.edu