Level up your summer. Earn college credit and get ahead!
The Summer STEM Bridge program is designed to immerse high school students in a real college environment, while earning valuable college credit, and exploring STEM opportunities. Students spend 8 weeks taking 2 college classes, making friends, and experiencing the college campus. Two INL field trips are included within the program along with lunch presentations and student portfolio development. The program is open to high school sophomores, juniors, seniors and rising seniors. Participation is free. Seats are limited.
Students can reserve their spot on the waiting list by completing an interest form. Students and their parents/guardians on the list will be invited to an orientation meeting April 13th and will be officially registered for the program in May.
The Summer STEM Bridge program is facilitated through the BEA Applied STEM Institute at College of Eastern Idaho in conjunction with CEI Early College Programs and generous grant support from the Idaho STEM Action Center. All student costs are covered by grants, scholarships, or state funding.
Summer STEM Bridge is an in-person program. Supplemental course materials may be delivered online, however in-person attendance is required and essential for student success.
Program Dates: June 2 – July 23, 2026
Class Meeting Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Class Times: 8:30am – 1:00pm
Field Trip Dates: Friday, June 19th & Friday, July 17th
*field trip dates are subject to change
CEI Main Campus, Idaho Falls
Students must meet one or more of the following:
- Be an Idaho resident or attend an Idaho high school
- Be 16 years old
- In school year 2026/2027, be a high school sophomore, junior, or senior
- Sophomores not 16 years old by the first day of class will submit an age waiver petition along with their registration materials
- Be a rising senior (2026 high school graduate)
- Home school students must meet age or grade-level eligibility requirements equivalent to where they would be in a traditional public school setting
Students will take a combination of two college classes and will be eligible to earn 5-6 college credits. Credits are highly transferable and applicable to a variety of STEM pathways. All Summer STEM Bridge students will take CNT 123 (Fundamentals of Network Security). Students will be assigned to a math course aligned with their personal math placement.
Math Options:
- MATH 108 (Intermediate Algebra)
- MATH 143 (College Algebra)
- MATH 144 (Trigonometry)
To ensure students take the math course best aligned to their ability level, Summer STEM Bridge students must meet specific benchmarks.
Placement scores and/or prior coursework are used to determine which math course a student will take within the program. Students must provide evidence of their prerequisite at the time of official registration (May). Students submit transcripts and test scores, then will be advised by CEI Early College staff regarding which math course they qualify for.
| Qualifying Prior Coursework* | SAT Math Score | ACT Math Score | Aleks Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math 108 | Intermediate Algebra | Algebra 1 & Geometry | See Advisor | See Advisor | See Advisor |
| Math 143 | College Algebra (precalculus I) | Math 108 (c- or higher) | 560 | 23 | 46 |
| Math 144 | Trigonometry (precalculus II) | MATH 143 (c- or higher) | 560 | 23 | 46 |
Students can take an ALEKS placement test at the CEI Testing Center. The ALEKS placement exam is $25. Financial assistance for the exam is available to those who qualify. Please contact program staff for placement exam assistance.
All participant costs are covered by grants, scholarships, or state funding.
Students eligible for Idaho Advanced Opportunities will use state funding for tuition. Rising seniors, home school, and private school students will use grant funding for tuition. Fees, books, and other supplemental costs for all participants will be covered by grant funding. CEI Early College staff will assist participants with the funding options available to their individual circumstance.
Participants living more than 25 miles from the CEI campus can apply for transportation assistance. Please see program staff for details.
Mary Stephenson
Associate Vice President for K-14 and Rural Initiatives