CREATE Weekends

Weekend STEM program for high school students

Discover CREATE Weekends, a hands-on weekend 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.

Registration Open

Space is limited, register soon!

DATES

Round 1
Jan. 24, Jan. 31, & Feb. 7, 2026

Round 2
Feb. 28, Mar. 7, & Mar. 14, 2026

WHEN

Saturdays
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Where

U of T's
St. George Campus

Who

Grades
9–12

Course Fees

$450 per round
(3 Saturdays)

Program Highlights

CREATE Weekends is a weekend program for high school students interested in exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) from a design perspective. Led by a team of enthusiastic and experienced university students, you'll explore advanced engineering topics and learn how different disciplines of engineering work together to build a better society.

CREATE Weekends is more than just lectures and theories. Over multiple weekends, you'll gain hands-on experience and practical skills by working collaboratively on a real-world challenge. Using the engineering design process, you'll learn to identify a problem, brainstorm solutions, build and test prototypes, and refine your design. This is your chance to apply what you've learned in the classroom to solve a tangible problem.

CREATE Weekends is designed for motivated high school students who are curious about STEM and eager to connect with like-minded peers. If you're interested in exploring advanced topics, developing your problem-solving skills, and seeing how engineers make a difference, this program is for you. You'll not only expand your knowledge but also build a community with other students who share your passion for innovation and design.

The new iteration of program stems from small wonders in our lived experiences. Each course aims to provide context for 3 or more disciplines within the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and how they collaborate with each other to create an interdisciplinary design project.

Variety of STEM Topics

Exciting and engaging activities that explore various fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

2 Rounds of Courses

Students can register for Round 1, Round 2, or both rounds. Each round is full of a mix of engineering topics to give students a taste of what engineering has to offer.

Mentorship Opportunities

Courses are taught by undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields who are passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Supportive Environment

A collaborative and supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, take risks, and think creatively.

Camaraderie

Students have the opportunity to make friends with other like-minded students while exploring exciting topics in engineering!

Dates & Registration Policies

Dates & Schedule

Eligibility

Registration Steps

Cancellations

Waitlists

Dates & Schedule

Dates

Round 1
Saturdays
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM*
January 24, January 31, & February 7, 2026

Round 2
Saturdays
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM*
February 28, March 7, & March 14, 2026

There are two courses offered per grade, and courses offered in Round 1 are repeated in Round 2. Students may take a course from one round or both rounds as long as they do not take the same course twice. Participation in Round 1 is not required before taking a course in Round 2.

Schedule

9:15 AM–9:30 AM — Arrival
9:30 AM–3:30 PM — Lectures & Activities*
3:30 PM — Dismissal

*A 1 hour lunch break will be scheduled in the middle of the day. Lunch is unsupervised.

Eligibility

This program is offered to students in Grades 9-12 during the 2025/2026 academic year.

Classes are divided into Grade 9/10, and Grade 11/12.

Students who are in Grade 8 this year, going into Grade 9 next fall, will not be eligible for CREATE Weekends this year.

Engineering Experience

This program does not require previous experience with engineering or STEM programs.

Registration Steps

Click on the "Register" button on the top or bottom of this page.
When registration is open, all the available courses will appear on the registration page.
Add the courses to your cart by clicking "ADD TO CART" after each course you are interested in.
If a course is full, it will say "WAITING LIST ONLY." Add it to your cart to add yourself to the waitlist.
After adding all the courses you're interested in to your cart, hit "CONTINUE" at the top of the page.
On the next page, enter your email address to sign in or create an account.
Indicate which child should be registered for each session you have added to your cart.
Answer the registration questions and read and scroll through the waivers.
Complete your online signature and click "CONTINUE TO CART."
Double check all course information is correct, then enter payment information and click "Pay now."

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email - if you do not, please reach out to us.

Cancellations

Cancellation Policy

A refund, less a $90 administration fee, is available for cancellation requests received on or before 11:59 PM the following cancellation dates:

For Round 1 courses (Jan 24-Feb 7): Cancel by Sunday, January 18, 2026
For Round 2 courses (Feb 28-Mar 14): Cancel by Sunday, February 22, 2026

Any cancellations made after this day are not eligible for a refund.

Cancellations can be done through your online account, or by emailing us at outreach@engineering.utoronto.ca.

Waitlists

If a course you are interested in is listed as waitlisted on the registration page, it means all spots are currently full. If the course is full, add it to your cart and go through all the registration steps to 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.

Questions about CREATE Weekends?

Fees

Course Fees

$450 per round (3 Saturdays).

Please note it is not possible to register for single days.

Bursaries and Financial Aid

We are able to offer bursaries towards our CREATE Weekends courses. Please note we have a limited number of bursaries available, so not all applications will be approved. Bursaries may cover 10-75% of the course fees.

To apply for this bursary, please fill out an application here:

Winter 2026 Bursary Application

Course Offerings

Classes are divided by grade. Please read the course descriptions carefully to see which courses are offered to which grade group.

Round 1: January 24, January 31, & February 7, 2026
Round 2: February 28, March 7, & March 14, 2026

Grade 9/10 Courses

Engineering Sampler - Intelligent Systems

Course offered in Round 1 and Round 2

Have you ever wondered how your favorite apps know exactly what you want to see? Or how robots can learn to navigate the world? This course will pull back the curtain on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and show you how it's shaping our world, from fighting climate change to designing the businesses of tomorrow. Join our course and explore current applications of AI in areas like sustainability, modern business, and robotics. You'll learn what makes an intelligent system truly "smart." Working in teams, you'll take on the ultimate challenge: designing and programming an AI model that can learn to make smart decisions in a field you choose! You'll master the foundational tools of AI development, including key concepts used by top engineers, such as neural networks, deep learning, and how AI "learns" from its mistakes (backpropagation). Get ready to not just use AI, but to build it and become a future leader in technology!

Disciplines: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering

Engineering Sampler - Mechanics of Games

Course offered in Round 1 and Round 2

Have you ever wondered why some games are addictively fun while others fall flat? This course looks behind the scenes of game design, not for coding, but to understand the core principles of fun, fairness, and functional design. In this course, we will break down successful games to analyze their fundamental concepts, including rules, balance, risk/reward systems, and player motivation. You will discover the essential elements that make any system (a game, a business, or a traffic network) work effectively. You will apply math, logic, and engineering principles to solve practical, day-to-day problems. Problems such as resource management, optimal strategy, system balancing. This course will help you master skills in math, logic, engineering, and manufacturing design that are essential for any future career.

Disciplines: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Grade 11/12 Courses

Engineering Sampler - Design to Heal

Course offered in Round 1 and Round 2

Have you ever wondered how biology and engineering intersect? Are you interested in how engineers help in the medical field? Over three weekends, this course invites you to learn about biomedical engineering, a field where engineering, medicine, and biology come together to solve real-world health challenges. We’ll explore topics such as biology, human anatomy, robotics, and biomaterials. Together, you and other students will work together to learn about how the human body moves and how engineers simulate these movements using simple biomedical devices. Get ready to go beyond the basics and build the technologies that will shape the world of tomorrow.

Disciplines: Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering

Engineering Sampler - Nature's Blueprint

Course offered in Round 1 and Round 2

Have you ever stopped to think about the incredible engineering found in the natural world? What powerful secrets could we unlock by studying the flexibility of an elephant's trunk or the color-changing magic of a chameleon? This exciting course is all about biomimicry, the intersection of nature and technology. You will step into the shoes of innovative engineers who look to wildlife and the natural world for the ultimate inspiration in design. In this course, you will explore examples of nature's best inventions and learn how engineers are using these biological mechanisms to solve modern-day problems. Through hands-on projects and workshops, you will develop skills in the complete engineering design process: from ideation (getting amazing ideas) and prototyping (creating early models) to fabrication (building the final device). You'll create devices that use mechanisms copied directly from nature for applications in our modern world—like sustainable materials, agile robotics, or energy-efficient structures. You will not want to miss this opportunity to explore how life on Earth is the greatest inventor of all!

Disciplines: Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering

Registration Open

Space is limited, register soon!

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