Discover CREATE, a hands-on summer engineering program designed for high school students. Experience immersive engineering design challenges inspired by the diverse disciplines within the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. This program offers a unique opportunity to explore real-world problem-solving, develop technical skills, and gain insight into university-level engineering pathways.
Applications Open in 2026
We are currently planning our 2026 programming.
Details will be updated by late February.
Please join our mailing list for updates on future programs and registration times.
In the meantime, check out our
Fall & Winter High School Programs.
Program Highlights
Calling all science and engineering enthusiasts! At CREATE, students will explore the exciting fields of science and engineering through a unique opportunity to learn from current undergraduate and graduate students while exploring real engineering problems.
Students who are accepted into the program can choose to register for a variety of week-long engineering courses. In each course, the practical activities, laboratory experiments, and site visits will lead students through the engineering design cycle to find solutions.
Join us this summer for an unforgettable learning experience that will inspire and equip you to pursue your passions in science and engineering!
Looking for more programs for high school students?
Check out our DEEP Summer Academy program.
A discount on application fees is offered for students who apply to both DEEP and CREATE.
Dates & Registration Policies
Please note this is an application-based program, and students need to be accepted to the program in order to register for courses.
Course DatesSession A: July 6 – 10, 2026 |
ScheduleMonday–Friday Each course is one week long. Students accepted to the program are welcome to register for as many courses as they like, as long as the courses have space when they go to register. |
Eligibility
CREATE 2026 is open to students in Grades 9–12 (2025/2026 academic year). Applicants must have completed at least one year of high school.
Students applying to the Grade 9/10 program need to have completed Grade 9 math and Grade 9 science courses by June of this year in order to be eligible.
Students applying to the Grade 11/12 program need to have completed Grade 11 math and Grade 11 science courses (i.e. chemistry and physics) by June of this year in order to be eligible.
Cancellation Policy
The CREATE application fee is non-refundable.
For students accepted into the program and registered for a course, a refund of the course fees, less a $135 administrative fee, is available for cancellation requests received by 11:59 PM ET on the Sunday the week before (7 days before) the session start date. No refunds or credits will be issued after this point. Please note that this charge is to cover administrative processing fees. Thank you for your understanding!
For more details regarding cancellation deadlines, please refer to your confirmation email once you have completed the registration process.
Waitlists
If you are accepted to the program and a course you are interested in is full, you can join the waitlist.
If a spot opens up in the course and you are the next person on the waitlist, the system will automatically send you an email asking if you would like to register for the spot. At that point you can decide if you would like to register or be removed from the waitlist.
Please note that waitlist offers have a deadline. If your waitlist offer deadline passes and you have not responded to the offer, your waitlist offer will expire and the spot will be offered to the next person on the waitlist.
Residence
Students registered in our high school courses have the option to register for our Summer Residence Program and stay on campus while they are taking their courses.
You can read more about our residence option on our Summer Residence Program page.
Questions about CREATE?
Contact us at:
outreach@engineering.utoronto.ca
Fees
Application Fees
Please note students must apply and be accepted into the program in order to register for courses.
Dates for 2026 have not yet been determined. Round 1 usually opens in late February. Application dates will be announced in January or February.
| Application Rounds | Dates | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| *Round 1 (Early-Bird) | TBD 2026 | $50 |
| Round 2 | TBD 2026 | $60 |
| Round 3 | TBD 2026 | $60 |
| **Round 4 (Rolling) | TBD 2026 | $60 |
*Please note: in the Early-Bird round details about the courses offered this year (including course titles and descriptions) will not yet be available.
Applying to both DEEP and CREATE? You’ll get a discount on the second application:
- Round 1: first application $50, second application $10
- Rounds 2: first application $60, second application $15
Course Fees
Students who are accepted to the program have the opportunity to register for up to 6 CREATE courses (each course is one week long).
$725/week for domestic students
$1100/week for international students
Discounts:
- 4 Week Discount - Register for 4 weeks (any combination of DEEP and CREATE courses) and receive a $100 rebate.
- 6 Week Discount - Register for 6 weeks (any combination of DEEP and CREATE courses) and receive a $150 rebate.
Please note: Students accepted into the program during Round 1 will register for courses first, those accepted in Round 2 register second, and so on. For this reason some courses may fill in early rounds. We recommend applying early to increase chances of getting into the program and desired courses.
Bursaries and Financial Aid
Our bursary program is currently on hold. If you are interested in hearing if bursaries become available in the future, please add your email to our Bursary Mailing List here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Course Offerings
Please note:
- Course descriptions for 2026 will be confirmed in early 2026, but you can view examples of previously offered courses.
- CREATE: Engineering Design Challenges is an application-based program so students will need to apply and be accepted in order to register for courses.
Applications
Application dates have not yet been announced. Details will be updated by late February.
Please join our mailing list for updates on future programs and registration times.
In the meantime, you can read through the application instructions using the link below.
