Financial Aid and Scholarships for Science-U Camps

Science-U strives to make our unique summer science camps affordable and accessible! Thanks to our partnerships with faculty, corporations, and organizations, we offer financial aid to families in need and award merit-based STEM scholarships to youth. 

Like previous years, financial aid applications will be available for Summer 2025 when camp registration opens. Please follow our Facebook page and subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when Summer 2025 camp registration opens!

• Financial aid for Science-U camps is awarded based on available funds and the total number of applications.
• Scholarships for Science-U are merit-based and require applications by students as well as teacher recommendations.

Financial Aid

Financial aid awards are made on a first-come, first-serve basis after registration. Our financial aid committee will meet regularly to make awards and will continue to make awards until funds are exhausted. Because of limited funds, a child can receive financial aid for only one camp each summer. However, more than one child in a family may receive a financial aid award each summer. Extended Care options cannot be covered with financial aid. If you are applying for financial aid, you are not required to submit payment at the time of registration.   

The application process is as follows:

1. Once registration opens go to www.sciencecamps.psu.edu and click on the “Register Now” icon.  
2. Register your child online for his/her chosen camp and answer "yes" to the registration question Would you like to apply for financial aid? 
3. Upon checkout, select the following option: No payment now - financial aid or scholarship. 
4. Once your registration for a camp is complete, an email will be sent to you with an electronic* financial aid application. The application will request the following information and needs to be completed WITHIN TWO BUSINESS WEEKS:
   • Total household annual income before taxes
   • Total number of family members in household
   • Whether the child qualifies for free or reduced school lunches
   • Any additional circumstances you wish to be considered (such as medical expenses, job loss, etc.)
   • Optional: Parents may attach a drawing or essay from the child explaining why they want to attend a Penn State Science-U camp. 
   • Note: We are not collecting tax returns or paycheck stubs, so parents/guardians are expected to supply information that is true and accurate.

*We can mail you a paper copy of the application upon request. 

Scholarships

For the 2024 Science-U camps, we will have scholarships available for the high school camp, Make It Matter.  Please click The Make It Matter Scholarship link for more information.

Also for 2024, the AAUW-State College Branch will provide scholarships for Science-U day camps to girls and young women in Centre County who will be entering grades 6 to 12. Please click the AAUW-State College Merit-Based STEM Scholarship link for more information. 

For both of these scholarship opportunities, applications and STEM teacher/mentor recommendations are due in January 2024. Forms for these scholarships will be available in mid-November.