The two camps share basic organizational features. You can read more below.

Practical information

Arrival & location

The Summer School of Science takes place in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia. As the capital, Zagreb is well connected to all parts of Croatia, most European countries and many countries worldwide. It is served by the largest Croatian airport, as well as busy bus and train stations.

Students who are accepted as participants will receive a document we lovingly call the Acceptance Info Kit, which details everything needed to safely arrive at the Summer School. If you would like a general guide while deciding whether to apply, we suggest you check out this official Croatian website.

Food & accommodation

The day-to-day program of the School is predominantly confined to a single area of Zagreb, to ensure the safety of all participants. Both students and staff stay in a student dormitory for the duration of the camp. Throughout a typical day, students and their mentors move between the dorm and a nearby school, where they focus on project work. During free time, they can freely explore the city with their mentors and peers. They sometimes even move their project work to one of the local parks when the weather is pleasant. The schedule also includes a field trip and a tour of the city, providing a delightful blend of security and exploration.

As part of our commitment to students' safety and well-being, we also prioritize providing quality meals. Lunches and dinners are prepared by certified caterers who accommodate individual dietary needs, including allergies, sensitivities, and special diets. Breakfast is served buffet-style, allowing each participant to choose from a variety of options to start their day with a meal that suits their preferences.

What to bring

We cannot overstate the importance of proper clothes. Summers in Croatia are typically very hot and sunny, with temperatures that peak between 30°C and 40°C during the day, and only go as low as 20°C at night. Heatstroke and sunburns are a real threat, so make sure to be prepared. Pack light clothes (T-shirts, shorts etc.) and sun protection (SPF, cap, umbrella, sunglasses). However, it is good to also pack a light jacket, in case of bad weather or late-night work. We recommend you bring at least one pair of sneakers or other sturdy shoes for the field trip. Mosquito repellent might come handy as well. Keep in mind that washing machines will not be available at the dorm.

Some participants bring their own calculators, digital cameras and laptops, but they are not required, and will be provided if needed. However, we would recommend that you bring your own laptop if you would prefer to work on it and more easily continue after the School is over. Some participants bring musical instruments or board games for leisure time.

A useful packing list will be provided in the Acceptance Info Kit.

Members of the organizing team have experience in working with high school students and will make every effort to meet the needs of the participants. Ensuring their safety and well-being is a top priority, and all necessary precautions will be taken to prevent accidents or injuries. In case of distress or emergency, organizers will arrange prompt transportation to a medical facility where participants will receive appropriate care. Additionally, all participants are covered by an insurance policy included in the School's fee for the duration of the Summer School of Science.

Day-to-day activities

Time to learn something new

Our daily lives at school are a lot of fun, if you like science. It can also be quite useful, if you plan to study science at the university. You usually learn basic concepts of science in the regular school - about acids in chemistry, about electricity in physics or about genes in biology. This is certainly important for your education, but you are missing a critical part - the scientific method.

How do we ask questions about the phenomena in nature? How do we answer them? And how can you be sure about what you've found? The Summer School of Science is the place to learn all about it. Since we believe that the best way to learn is by example and practice, we'll put you in the position of being a scientist. You will work on a very specific topic with a project leader and a team of few other participants. Together, you will specify the problem, design the experiment and analyze the results to answer one of the interesting questions in science.

Projects

You might be wondering what these projects are and how it actually all looks like. Every year before the applications open, we present a short description of the available projects. This usually contains information about the topic itself and gives you a snapshot of what techniques will you use there.

You will get more information on your first day at the School, when every project leader gives a short talk explaining what their project is all about and what is expected from you. Once everyone presents their projects, you will have to rate your interest in every single project, which will allow your organizers to assign you appropriately to one of them. There is a possibility that you won't get your top-rated project due to high demand, or not stating your interests well enough during your interview. However, keep in mind that whatever you get assigned to, you will definitely learn a lot from and expand your views of the science involved. As a matter of fact, our project leaders argue every year that they would like to have the opportunity to learn something from other areas of science, since it’s all very interesting.

Daily life

What you are surely interested in is what a normal day at the School looks like. In short, it looks like a regular day in the life of a scientist. You will work for approximately 6 hours each day, with some breaks in between. Some days, the breaks might be longer, some days they might be shorter, depending on the workload in your particular project. Some days you will have to prepare a short presentation, while other times you might solve some equations or perform some experiments. It is a highly dynamic environment where one doesn’t have a fixed schedule. So you can expect everything

Official language

English is practically the official language of science. Most scientific literature is written in English, and most of the communication at conferences or summer camps happens in English, too. If you choose to study chemistry, biology or physics you will have to use textbooks written in English very early on. So, this is a good way to start.

Think that your English is not good enough? If you can express yourself, communicate and share your ideas - it is enough! And another thing, keep in mind that this is an international school. There might be people coming from Spain, Germany, Hungary… And everyone wants to talk to each other! Doesn’t matter where you come from, it is polite to talk in the language everyone understands. You might be surprised how many new words you might learn, or new things about your new friends.