Camp Tiger - Scholarships and Free Camps

**Click here to complete the Camper Scholarship Application**

IMPORTANT: Camper Scholarships Applications Process for 2025:

Families seeking financial assistance must complete the camp scholarship application prior to registering their child(ren) for camp. This is a change from 2024 but will help to streamline the process for this coming season.

Thanks to generous funders and foundation support, with the intent to minimize barriers for youth participation, Camp Tiger is able to offer scholarships for campers in need. Free bus transportation between the City of Rochester (40 Franklin St.) or Greece Olympia High School (1139 Maiden Lane), and RIT is available for scholarship recipients.

To be considered for a camper scholarship, families need to complete and submit the online camper scholarship application prior to enrolling their child in camp programs. If families have multiple children, they will need to submit separate scholarship applications for each child. After the application is submitted, families will receive an email notification that their application is under review.  Camp Tiger administrative staff reviews the applications and notify families if they qualify to receive a scholarship for camp this coming season. If they have been approved to receive a scholarship, directions on the next steps for camper registration will be provided in the notification.  Please understand funds are limited and not all financial assistance requests will be granted. 

Active RIT Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) students, RIT Science Technology Entry Program (STEP) students, and Rochester Preparatory High School students need to complete the scholarship application prior to enrolling their children in Camp Tiger in order to be considered for camper scholarships. 

NEW OPPORTUNITY: Attend Camp Tiger for the Full Season! (7/7-8/1) 

When completing the Camper Scholarship Application, families in financial need can let Camp Tiger staff know they would like to be considered for a full-season campership for the next three years. This unique opportunity allows youth to choose the weekly STEAM camp programs they would like to attend for the four weeks this summer, and for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. By committing to this in-depth, three-year initiative, youth build caring relationships, gain a sense of belonging on the RIT campus, achieve mastery of skills in STEAM disciplines, and explore educational and career pathways.

Special thanks to the following organizations for their generous support of Camp Tiger 2025:

• AT&T
• Bosch Community Fund
• Landsman Development Corporation
• Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation

FREE CAMPS FOR 2025 

Camp Tiger is fortunate to partner with RIT faculty, staff and students to offer free high-quality camp experiences. Funding comes from grants and organizations with specific criteria, providing support for families in financial need. The free camps have a separate registration process from Camp Tiger registration. See the free camps listed below.

Title: AT&T Jr. Game Development Camp -- FULL

Week 4: July 28 - August 1, 2025.  Grades: 5, 6 and 7 (fall term 2025)

Summary: Youth with financial need, Rochester City School District, City of Rochester Charter Schools, Rush Henrietta CSD, Greece CSD, RIT STEP and RIT LPP, in this camp, youth use current game development technology to customize their own 2D video game level.  Using the Godot Game Engine and other applications they will create their own character, enemies, and environments.  They will then use the Godot interface and C# to integrate their customizations into the game level.  This will be a one-week camp focused on the process of game development.  Through this, students will learn about digital art and animation, level design, and simple code. All applications used in this camp are free and open-source, giving the students the knowledge and resources to continue making games in the future. At the end of this camp, students will:

• Have a cursory understanding of the game development process
• Have practice ideation, planning, and process
• Gain some proficiency with digital creation tools
• Learned some basics of programming C#
• Will have a basic understanding of several, open-source art and game development applications
• Have a fully customized and personalized 2D video level to share with family and friends

Registration for the AT&T Jr. Game Development Camp is separate from Camp Tiger, Register Here 

Title: Data Security & Electronic Waste 

Week 3: July 21 - 27, 2025.  Grades: 9 through 12 (fall term 2025)

Summary: Youth with financial need, RIT STEP and RIT LPP, what's the best thing to do with a smart phone or other device when you’re done with it? Sell it? Recycle it? Throw it in the trash? This program goes over the environmental, security and money aspects of this choice that people often face. The hands-on program includes taking apart an electronic device, and a tour of a modern electronics recycling facility.

Registration for Data Security & Electronic Waste is separate from Camp Tiger. Register Here

Title: Game Design Summer Program--MAGIC Spells Studios 

Weeks: 1 - 3: July 7 - 25, 2025 (3-week program). Grades: 10, 11 and 12 (fall term 2025) Only for students enrolled at Rochester Preparatory, Vertus or University Preparatory High School.

Summary: Students learn the fundamentals of game design, programming logic, art, and animation through a combination of lessons and lab time. Participants design their own games utilizing the Construct 3 game engine, a free, open and accessible web-based resource.

Registration for the Game Design Summer Program is separate from Camp Tiger. Register Here

If you are interested in this camp, and have questions, please contact Jenn Hinton at jenn@magic.rit.edu  | 585.475.2539