Engineering Possibilities in College (EPIC)

Engineering Possibilities in College (EPIC) is a one-week summer camp where participants take part in hands-on labs taught by university professors and industry professionals. Campers design, build, and test their own engineering projects, join live virtual and in-person engineering labs, and see Cal Poly students’ satellites, prosthetic hands, race cars, concrete canoes, and other products they have developed. Outside of lab time, campers make new friends, go hiking, swim, participate in field games, attend social events such as pool time, movie night, bowling, and hikes, and take part in Speaker Series sessions on Cal Poly Admissions, industry speakers, college life, engineering majors, and engineering student panels, as well as tours of Cal Poly, the College of Engineering, and housing.

• Ages: 11–16 years old
• Schedule: One-week summer camp sessions, with four sessions offered between June 28 and July 24, 2026
• Price: 2026 Registration Fee ranges from $1,900 to $2,100 per one-week session, including a $300 non-refundable deposit and a $200 non-refundable materials fee

EPIC-Engineering Possibilities in College summer camp began in 2007 with 20 middle and high school female students as a Cal Poly student half-day camp project. It is one of Cal Poly’s College of Engineering outreach programs and shares the College of Engineering mission “to educate students for careers of service, leadership, and distinction in engineering or other fields by using a Learn by Doing, hands-on approach.” EPIC aims to facilitate a participant’s exploration of engineering fields and build a community of like-minded individuals, and it introduces campers to varied fields of engineering through hands-on labs taught by university professors and industry professionals.

EPIC offers sessions for students currently in grades 6–11, with specific sessions for middle school and high school students. Sessions have been offered both residential and virtual, and students who graduate high school in spring 2026 are not eligible to apply. Acceptance is based on the required essay, interest in learning about engineering, and indication that the student has applied themselves to their studies based on GPA, classes taken, and extracurricular activities. The application has no fee, requires an essay of no longer than 250 words explaining why the applicant would like to attend EPIC, and does not require letters of recommendation or transcripts. Partial scholarships are available based on financial need.

The registration fee covers housing, all meals and snacks, engineering classes, all activities, the engineering week group project, the Speaker Series, social events, tours, and EPIC items including a camp t-shirt, cinch bag, and lanyard. Transportation to and from the program must be arranged by parents or guardians, and participants from outside San Luis Obispo County may choose to fly into the San Luis Obispo airport or use the Amtrak train. All payments must be made online using a credit card, and the refund policy includes a $300 non-refundable deposit and a $200 non-refundable materials fee, with specific cancellation and refund conditions.

For 2026, the online application opens January 5, 2026. Early admission applications close February 6, 2026, early admission decision notifications and the online application close March 31, 2026, early admission offer acceptance or decline is due April 10, 2026, regular admission decision notifications go out April 17, 2026, regular admission offer acceptance or decline is due May 1, 2026, waitlist status notifications go out May 8, 2026, and all required material must be electronically signed and submitted by May 15, 2026. EPIC sessions run as follows: Session 1 (June 28–July 2) for 6th–8th grade at $1,900, and Sessions 2, 3, and 4 (July 5–10, July 12–17, and July 19–24) for 9th–11th grade at $2,100 each.

Last updated March 13, 2026.