About

Quantum, Computing, Mathematics, & Physics Summer Camp (QCaMP) is a summer STEM program for high school students organized by the Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA), a U.S. Department of Energy-funded National Quantum Information Science Research Center led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with partners including Sandia National Laboratories. QCaMP is designed to introduce high school students to foundational concepts in quantum information science, quantum computing, mathematics, and physics through immersive classroom and hands-on activities that connect fundamental ideas to practical problem-solving in computing and quantum science.

The camp runs June 29 – July 24, 2026, and is free for students; participants receive a learning stipend of $500 per week to support their time in the program. Applications for the 2026 session are open from February 2 to April 3, 2026. QCaMP is structured as an in-person day camp held at sites including Berkeley, California (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) and Albuquerque, New Mexico (Sandia National Laboratories/University of New Mexico), with some travel support available for eligible students. During the program, students engage in modules covering classical computing fundamentals, probability and statistics, quantum phenomena (such as superposition and entanglement), and introductory work with real-world quantum computing circuits and experiments under guidance from active researchers and specialists from national labs and partner institutions. The only prerequisites are basic algebra and an interest in learning more about quantum science.

QCaMP is open to high school students who are at least 16 years old by the start of the camp (June 29, 2026). The program selects students through a competitive application process, with priority given to students from Title I schools and groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. Participants may attend only once, ensuring broad access across cohorts. QCaMP’s curriculum blends conceptual learning with practical exposure to emerging technologies, making it a meaningful introductory experience for students seeking early engagement with the rapidly evolving field of quantum information science.