12 Psychology Programs for High School Students in California
If you are curious about why people think, feel, and behave the way they do, psychology programs can be a strong starting point while you are still in high school. Structured psychology programs offer you exposure to real research questions, mental health topics, and data-driven thinking, not just textbook theory. You may get to design small studies, work with mentors, and learn how professionals approach mental health and behavior in real settings.
Why should you attend a program in California?
California is home to universities such as Stanford, UCLA, and USC, as well as major research hospitals and nonprofits working in mental health and neuroscience. These programs can help you connect with experts in the mental health field and explore fields ranging from brain imaging and lab-based neuroscience to social psychology and community mental health outreach. These programs can be a good fit if you already live or study in the state, but they are also worth considering if you are an out-of-state student looking for strong summer or year-round options.
To help you compare options, we have narrowed down 12 psychology programs for high school students in California.
If you’re looking for online STEM research programs, check out our blog here.
1. Stanford Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SHTEM) Internship
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: No tuition; $95 application fee, with need-based fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – August 14
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 14 years old by June 21, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
SHTEM is a full research internship where you get to work directly inside a Stanford lab for 20–30 hours per week on interdisciplinary projects. Many projects lie at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and technology, so you are not limited to exploring just one discipline. You will usually work in small teams of 2–5 students, with access to regular mentor feedback. Faculty and research staff will guide you through real research tasks instead of simulations. You will also attend workshops and presentations that explain how academic research connects to real-world problems.
2. Veritas AI’s AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students who completed AI Scholars or have Python experience
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. UCLA Brain Research Institute NeuroCamp
Location: UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 15 – 20 students/year
Dates: June 16 – 18, June 23 – 24, and 26 – 27 (seven days over two weeks); dates can vary each year
Application deadline: April 27
Eligibility: High school students; the program is designed for LA area residents, as it does not offer housing or transportation.
NeuroCamp is a seven-day program that can introduce you to neuroscience through hands-on lab activities and expert lectures. You will learn about brain structure and function through dissections and the practice of molecular techniques. UCLA researchers will explain how current neuroscience research is conducted and why it matters. You will also conduct small experiments and present what you learn. The program additionally offers exposure to university-style labs.
4. Horizon Academic Research Program: Psychology Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks; summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June – September)
Application deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA); most accepted students are in grades 10 or 11.
Horizon Academic Research Program is a virtual program that lets you work one-on-one with a professor or Ph.D. mentor on a research project. You can pick from various psychology subtopics across clinical, social, developmental, and cognitive areas, and also choose between quantitative and qualitative research methods. By the end, you will have a complete research paper that follows university-level standards and can be sent to prestigious journals for publication. The program also provides project feedback and letters of recommendation.
5. Child Mind Institute Youth Mental Health Academy
Location: Virtual + in person at Child Mind Institute, San Mateo, CA
Stipend: $1,750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer Academy: June 22 – July 23 + Year-Round Programming: August – March
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: January 15; Final deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in Los Angeles County schools with an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
Youth Mental Health Academy is a long-term, paid program focused on mental health careers and community impact. During the summer, you will learn about mental health disorders, treatment approaches, and research methods through projects. You will also develop a capstone focused on a mental health topic that matters to you. During the school year, you will continue engaging in the program through virtual workshops on college and career preparation. The program also offers a second-summer internship in community or research settings.
6. Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) @ Stanford University
Location: Virtual or Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: 1,725 (virtual session) | $3,325 (in-person session); scholarships are available
Acceptance rate: 12%
Dates: Virtual sessions: June 8 – 19 and June 22 – July 3 | In-person sessions: July 6 – 17 and July 20 – 31
Application deadline: Rolling until March 1
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
CNI-X is a two-week program that introduces you to psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience through faculty-led seminars. The curriculum covers topics such as neuroimaging, mindfulness, and sports psychiatry, offering you exposure to both research and clinical ideas in psychology and neuroscience. You will additionally learn about different mental health career paths and how people enter those fields. You will also work in teams on a capstone project that focuses on real clinical problems. The program ends with presentations, where you will share what you and your group worked on.
7. USC Pre-College Program: Psychological Science & Society
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $85 application fee + Residential: $11,570/Commuter: $8,130
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – July 17
Application Deadline: Domestic student deadline: May 8 | International student deadline: March 13
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least 9th grade; international students are also eligible to apply.
USC’s Pre-College Program offers high schoolers the opportunity to take college-level courses and earn credit. The Psychological Science & Society track connects psychological theory with social issues you see in daily life. You will study areas like cognition, personality, development, and social psychology through labs and discussions. You will also take field trips that help you connect classroom ideas to community behavior. You will gain experience in research design and scientific reasoning through group projects, and present your work at the end of the program. The structure is designed to encourage you to think about how psychology influences both individuals and society.
8. UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: Commuter $5,675 | Residential $13,274; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies; ~80 students in the past cohort
Dates: June 15 – July 31 + Mandatory Preparation Webinar: May 28/May 30
Application deadline: March 9
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 and 11 (outstanding 9th graders considered case-by-case) with a minimum 3.80 weighted GPA
RMP is a research-focused program that allows you to work on an original research project with a UCSB mentor. You can choose psychology or neuroscience topics for your project. You will spend 35–50 hours per week engaging in research, following a schedule similar to that in real academic labs. You will also take two university-level courses focused on research writing and presentations, and earn college credit for them. At the end, you will present your findings at a research symposium, an opportunity to gain exposure to science communication.
9. USC Pre-College Program—The Brain: Introduction to Neuroscience
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $85 application fee + Residential: $11,570/Commuter: $8,130
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – July 17
Application Deadline: Domestic student deadline: May 8 | International student deadline: March 13
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least 9th grade; international students are also eligible to apply.
This four-week USC pre-college course is designed to help you learn about normal and abnormal brain function across the human lifespan. You will study topics such as memory, learning, neuroethics, and neurological disorders. The schedule includes hands-on labs and data analysis activities using tools like MS Excel. You will also complete a final project based on what you learn during the course. The curriculum integrates concepts from biology and psychology, providing you with a foundation for pursuing healthcare-related majors in college.
10. Internships at the American Psychological Association (APA)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; stipend availability varies, and academic credit may be offered.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Available year-round
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students; other requirements vary by internship.
APA’s remote internships offer students exposure to how psychology is used in policy, research, communications, and technology. You will help APA staff with writing, research tasks, and digital projects. You will also have access to workshops and group sessions that help you learn about psychology careers beyond clinical work. The experience is designed to offer professional exposure rather than academic research experience. As a result, during the internship, you will learn how large organizations apply psychological science in real settings.
11. UCLA Neuroscience High School Virtual Summer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer program: June 15 – July 23 (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays) + Grand Rounds and Club meetings monthly during the school year
Application deadline: February 9
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
UCLA Neuroscience High School Virtual Summer Program is designed to help you explore Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Here, you will take part in lab-based activities, research exercises, and journal clubs. You will also engage in Neurology Grand Rounds, where you will observe presentations led by clinicians and researchers on current topics in neurology. Virtual seminars continue after the summer, so you can stay connected with professionals. You will also take on a final research project, for which you will investigate a topic of interest and present your findings.
12. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Topics in Psychology
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,200; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 11
This Stanford University psychology course introduces you to areas like memory, perception, social psychology, and mental health. As a participant, you will work on small research projects, gaining experience in collecting and analyzing data. The program additionally discusses the limitations of various research methods, helping you think critically about scientific studies. You will also learn about influential psychologists and how theories developed over time. As the program is entirely virtual, you will get to interact and collaborate with peers from diverse locations.
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