Are you representing a school looking for an opportunity to bring a group of students to camp? Contact us at syp@mtu.edu to learn more about the special programs we can set up to accommodate international groups.
Participants should apply for the B-2 tourist visa (citizens of some countries may not need visa stamps but will need pre-approval through the ESTA system), which allows for brief stays—usually less than six months—that may include participation in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree. According to the visa guidelines, international students participating in the pre-college program do not qualify for F-1 student visas as this is a non-degree program. Review additional Visitor Visa Information.
Please visit and consult the US Embassy website if you have any questions about visas or the necessary documentation for your visit as there are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary depending on the US Embassy or Consulate where you apply.
If you will be applying for a visa and would like an invitation letter from Michigan Tech SYP to include in your application to the embassy, please contact us at syp@mtu.edu and we will be happy to provide an official letter.
As Michigan’s northernmost airport, Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX), is located in Houghton County nine miles from campus. (Flights into CMX are only offered through United Airlines.) If a student will be 15 years old or younger at time of travel, please see United’s unaccompanied minor policy. These students must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, school chaperone, or someone who is 18 years of age or older. We provide airport pickup to and from CMX for participants for an additional fee of $10 each way.
That's up to you! Most parents do not fly with their child, but you know your child best. The airlines will not release unaccompanied minors until the proper staff member with identification picks up your child. Again, if flying, please visit United’s unaccompanied minor policy. If students are flying into CMX, we will have easily identifiable staff (wearing our SYP shirts) waiting for their arrival. They will then be transported to campus by our staff in a university vehicle.
The weather in Upper Michigan can change quickly and may be very different for some students. Temperatures at night in June could get as low as 5°C, while a nice day in mid-July could be 27°C at mid-day. It is best to pack for a range of weather and temperatures. There are also certain items that should not be brought to camp. A detailed packing list explaining what to pack and not pack will be sent to students in their CampDoc profile once they have applied and we have processed their enrollment. For more information, visit the what to pack page.
Some people have a more difficult time adjusting to different time zones. One way to help is to arrive a night early. Please visit our Cost of Attendance page for more details on early arrivals. It can also help to encourage your students to sleep on the plane. The first couple days at camp will be an adjustment, but the excitement of it all will keep them awake!
Our program has a set on-floor time of 10 p.m. and students must be in their room for the night from 10:45 p.m. until 7 a.m. We want participants to be well-rested, and sleep is important after a day filled with excitement.
Yes, please make sure your child is covered! Our staff are trained in basic first aid and we have first responders on location and close by, but in the case of an emergency, it is necessary to have medical insurance coverage. If your current policy does not cover international travel, you may obtain a low-price policy for child while they are at camp. Here is one plan to consider.
Roommate requests are honored whenever possible. However, both friends must request each other. If you request to room with a friend, but your friend does not request you, you will not be placed together, and it will not be possible to switch rooms when you arrive. We do our best to create the rooming list based off these requests, and to pair roommates of similar age groups. You will have a chance to request your roommate in your CampDoc profile.
Yes! Any student is eligible to apply for most of our Pathway Programs that are privately funded. These programs are a great option for international students, as attendees receive a scholarship valued at over $1,000 to attend. The only Pathway Programs that do not accept international participants are the Tracks to the Future: Railroad Transportation and Engineering program and National Summer Transportation Institute.
Pathway Program* options that are available for international students include:
- Women in Engineering
- Engineering Scholars Program
- Women in Computer Science
- Junior Women in Engineering
- NEXT Scholars: Geospatial Engineering
(*These programs do have a nonrefundable registration fee of $425)
Upon completion of a program, students will be awarded a certificate. We recommend this be included in their high school portfolio. You may wish to refer to it when applying for jobs, colleges, or honors programs.
Additionally, following graduation from high school, past participants who enroll at Michigan Tech are eligible to apply for the Summer Youth Scholars Award, exclusively available to SYP alumni who are new incoming first-year undergraduate students. Visit the Summer Youth Scholars page for more details.