Summer@IMSA Program Information

Camper Expectations

Summer@IMSA encourages the highest standards of conduct, civility, and a sense of fair play, consistent with the student standards of behavior at IMSA. Students enrolled in Summer@IMSA are expected to be polite to their fellow campers, counselors, and other camp or school personnel, to follow all safety rules, and to respect the property of others and the school. Campers are not to leave the building alone and are expected to be with their assigned pod at all times. All students participating in Summer@IMSA must be able to use the restroom independently. Summer@IMSA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to deny any camper the opportunity to participate in camp if the student’s conduct or behavior is deemed unsatisfactory by the camp administration.

We work within the State of Illinois, CDC, and American Camp Association recommendations to provide a COVID-careful camp experience. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our participants, guests, and staff.

For in-person programs, all materials and equipment are provided.

Lunch is not provided for our 1/2-day programs.

Our device policy is similar to many schools—they are not allowed during the program day unless a specific activity calls for their use. Program staff may confiscate phones if they are being used inappropriately.

State government policy prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, age and ancestry, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or disability. We will make reasonable accommodations for disabilities in accordance with the law.

Summer@IMSA programs are designed for independent learners who work well with others. Please call us if you have any concerns about your child’s appropriateness for our programs.

General Policies

If you think an item of yours was left behind, ask your student's group leader or check the lost and found box. Please do not wait until the last day to start your search, as all unclaimed items will be donated or disposed of promptly after the final day of camp. We are not responsible for personal items left or lost at camp!

We understand that unforeseen challenges may cause you to be late for the designated pick-up. Please realize this causes complications in the smooth running of the camp. Camp ends at 12:00pm. every day. IMSA provides a 15-minute grace period, after which our mandatory late pick-up fee process begins at 12:15pm. Any parent/guardian picking up a child late will be assessed a mandatory fee of $15 for any pickup 15 minutes late and $5 per 5-minute increment thereafter (i.e., 15-19 min. late = $15, 20-24 min. late = $20, etc.) Late fees are due on the child’s next day of camp and can be paid by check to IMSA or cash.

All of IMSA’s programs are directed and supervised by IMSA staff. IMSA teachers, program coordinators, and curriculum specialists have bachelor's, master's, and even doctorate degrees in education, biology, museum education, chemistry, mathematics, and engineering, to name a few— and these diverse backgrounds help us create outstanding experiences for our campers. Members of IMSA’s SITE program teach portions of our programs in Aurora. SITE (Summer Internships for Tomorrow’s Educators) staff are exemplary college or graduate students interested in pursuing a career in STEM education. IMSA STEMbassador students also may serve as group leaders in some of our programs.

Registration, Payment, Cancellation, Refund, and Scholarship Policies

Early registration is advised. Because each program has limited capacity, registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. No camper/student with outstanding tuition will be allowed to participate in Summer@IMSA.

For select programs, there may be more than one section (classroom) for each program. IMSA will do its best to honor one mutual friend's request to pair two students in the same program section. Please note only one mutual friend request to be placed in the same class - the first one we receive - will be honored. No exceptions. Due to the small class size, we will not honor requests to put groups of 3 or more students together. 

Participants must request each other for the request to be fulfilled. Requested parties must be registered for the same program (i.e., a participant in the 3-4 program cannot be grouped with a participant in the 5-6 program). The form must be completed again for multiple events/registrations. The form is due two weeks before the program starts. We cannot accommodate requests made after this date. Please note we reserve the right to separate friends if their pairing results in disruptive behavior. This form can be filled out online by logging in to your ACTIVE.com account after completing registration. This information will also be communicated in the confirmation email you will receive right after registering.

Please choose your programs carefully. Full tuition refunds (less the non-refundable $50 registration fee for in-person programs) will be honored through May 15. Any cancellations after May 15 and through 2 weeks prior to camp start day will receive a refund of 50% of the tuition (less the $50 non-refundable registration fee). Requests for tuition refunds (less the $50 non-refundable registration fee) must be written by email to studentenrichment@imsa.edu. Please include the program name and date, your child’s name, and your name. Phone call requests for refunds will not be accepted.

No refund requests whatsoever will be granted less than 2 weeks prior to camp start day.  No refunds will be made to a camper/student who, for disciplinary reasons, is asked to leave Summer@IMSA. We do not issue credits for any days students may miss.

Cancellation/refund requests due to major illness, accident or death in the immediate family prior to the camp session start will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will need to be accompanied by written documentation. 

If an insufficient number of students register for a program, IMSA reserves the right to cancel that program. Participants will be notified, and a full refund will be given. If space allows, you may apply previously paid fees as credit toward another Summer@IMSA program.

A limited number of financial need-based scholarships are available for all of our programs. Look for the “Apply for a Scholarship” button. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis, so it is to your advantage to complete all parts of the scholarship application in a timely manner.

For Aurora programs, the student’s family must submit evidence of their financial need to qualify for a scholarship. If a family qualifies for SNAP or Free/Reduced lunch, they are eligible for an IMSA scholarship. If you do not have a document in your possession showing SNAP/Free/Reduced lunch participation or have difficulty getting it from your school or IDHS, you may submit a screenshot showing eligibility. Alternatively, a 2022 or 2023 federal tax return showing proof of family income may be submitted. Please contact us at studentenrichment@imsa.edu if you have difficulty with this requirement.

For Metro East Day Programs, students can qualify for summer program scholarships either through military affiliation OR financial need.

Applying and qualifying for a scholarship does not guarantee you will receive a scholarship award, nor does it hold a spot for you in the programs since our scholarships are limited. Award recipients will be notified via email and must reply to the scholarship offer within the time period indicated in the email. WATCH YOUR EMAIL and CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER! Scholarship recipients must pay an administrative fee to confirm their attendance in our weeklong programs - $30 for day programs.

You may either pay for program registration OR apply for a scholarship and await award notification. Your scholarship application will not be considered if you complete a paid registration.

Approximately a week before the start of each program, you will receive an email from us through ACTIVE.com, our registration system, with detailed information specific to your program. Please read this email carefully, as it will contain information about your child’s pod/cohort, pick-up and drop-off procedures, and other important details that may change from week to week.