15 Biology Research Programs for High School Students in California
If you are a high school student interested in biology, research can be a worthwhile way to explore the field in great detail. Biology research programs often combine lab work with mentorship from faculty, graduate students, or industry professionals, allowing you to build practical skills and make valuable connections. As a participant, you will get some exposure to the work of biology researchers and learn how to conduct experiments, read and write research papers, and present your work to an audience.
California is home to many universities and research institutes that offer accessible summer as well as year‑round research programs. Fields of research include molecular biology, biomedicine, environmental biology, biotechnology, health sciences, and computational biology. With a wide range of research fields, combined with great mentors and resources, you can delve deep into your field of interest and build a strong network.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 biology research programs for high school students in California.
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University campus, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: No cost apart from a $40 application fee (waivers available); minimum stipends of $500 offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; ~50 students/year
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 and U.S. citizens/permanent residents
SIMR is an eight-week, in-person research internship that places high school students in Stanford laboratories to conduct projects in biomedical fields. As a participant, you will work full-time in biomedical labs and attend lectures and poster sessions designed to increase your interest in the biological sciences. You can choose to explore topics in fields ranging from immunology to bioengineering and engage in research within your chosen track. Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students will serve as mentors during the program. The program culminates in a research presentation.
2. Veritas AI’s Deep Dive: AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by type; financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Vary by cohort; several cohorts run each year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12 who have completed AI Scholars or have a background in coding
Veritas AI’s Deep Dive: AI + Medicine program allows you to enroll in a 10-week course on AI applications in health and medicine. You will work with AI experts, attend lectures, complete programming exercises, and build a hands-on project during the program. You will learn how AI is used in healthcare and work on projects that use AI and machine learning to diagnose diseases and analyze medical scans. This program also focuses on AI applications in genomics, hospital admissions, drug discovery, and neuroscience. This interdisciplinary program can help you explore the role of AI tools in solving challenges in biomedicine.
3. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Biotech Summer Experience
Location: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 24 students
Dates: July 14 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 14; applications open on February 3
Eligibility: High school students who are entering grades 10–12, are at least 16, and hold a GPA of 3.3 or higher
LLNL’s Biotech Summer Experience is a 10‑day immersion into molecular biology and bioinformatics. Here, you will explore gene cloning, DNA sequencing, and computational analysis while working on research alongside LLNL scientists. You will focus on the duckweed species, Landoltia punctata, isolating and purifying plasmid DNA, and conducting PCR (polymerase chain reactions), restriction digests, and gel electrophoresis. Your DNA sequences will be submitted for publication in the international DNA repository, Genbank, along with your name.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program - Biology Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; 100% need‑based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts each year; program lengths vary from 12 weeks to a year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to complete an independent research project in subjects aligned with your interests. The program is entirely online but offers personalized mentorship and flexible scheduling. You can choose to investigate a topic in biological or biomedical sciences. You will connect one‑on‑one with your mentors virtually and produce a research paper. You will work on your scientific writing skills while connecting with a writing coach. At the end of the program, you will present your work at a virtual symposium.
5. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Summer Student Research Program
Location: Sites across the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, including UCSF Mission Bay, UCSF Parnassus Heights, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland, MLK Research Building in Oakland, or UC Berkeley
Stipend: $3,000 for high schoolers
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Early June – early August (nine‑week program)
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 by June, have completed one year of biology and math courses, are U.S. citizens/permanent residents, and belong to backgrounds underrepresented in the sciences; undergraduate students can also apply
This program places high school and college students in biomedical research laboratories alongside mentors at different institutions in the Bay Area. Over nine weeks, you will engage in weekly seminars, journal clubs, and career panels while working under the guidance of scientists on your research project. You will engage in laboratory research, clinical research, or community health/public health research during the program. The experience culminates in a research symposium where you will present your findings.
6. University Lab Partners (ULP) Life Science Career Exploration Summer Internship
Location: University Lab Partners, Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; a $500 stipend is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~20 students accepted from 150+ applicants
Dates: June 9 – August 7
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students who have completed ULP’s Molecular Biology 1 and 2 workshops; must be able to attend classes twice per week
This nine-week internship immerses high school students in biotechnology research through hands-on lab work, professional development opportunities, and workshops on cell culture, assay development, and laboratory safety. You will undergo training in research methodologies and learn how to maintain a wet laboratory during the program. At the end of the program, you will earn a University of California digital badge and receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. The program also concludes with a poster presentation, where you will share your work with industry professionals and researchers at ROCK the Science.
7. UCI Cancer Research Institute Youth Science Fellowship Program (YSFP)
Location: University of California, Irvine (UCI) campus, Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~13%; ~20 students selected
Dates: June 23 – August 1
Application deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors attending schools in Orange County who have completed at least one high school chemistry/lab class and one biology class
UCI’s Youth Science Fellowship Program allows students to gain experience in cancer research. Here, you will spend six weeks in UCI laboratories working on research while also attending lectures from faculty and Ph.D. students. You will have access to the mentorship of researchers while conducting experiments, dissections, and literature reviews. You will present your research at the end of the program. The experience will offer you insights into lab work, experimental design, and data analysis in cancer research.
8. City of Hope’s STEP Science & Nutrition Summer Research Program
Location: City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately Selective
Dates: Four‑week program conducted over multiple sessions: July 8 – 10; July 15–17; July 22–24; July 29‑31
Application deadline: March 23
Eligibility: High school students
City of Hope’s STEP Science and Nutrition Summer Research Program introduces high school students to human nutrition, genetics, and public health. Over four weeks, you will attend classes on macronutrients and balanced diets, explore the role of genetics and socioeconomic factors in health, and complete team projects based on peer‑reviewed literature. You will also get to explore the City of Hope’s gardens to explore the role of food in the environment and communities. The program culminates in final project presentations.
9. Lawrence Hall of Science Teen Research Programs: Biotech Engineering & Innovations in Genetics
Location: Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,465 for the non‑residential session + optional residential add‑on: $1,255
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 23 – 27 | July 7 – 11 | July 21–25
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12
This week‑long program is an opportunity to learn how to use CRISPR to edit bacterial genes, explore diagnostics and PCR, and discuss the ethical implications of gene editing. Optional residential programming comes with evening activities and weekend excursions, offering a college‑style experience. You will engage in campus tours, lab tours, and guest speaker sessions. The program also offers opportunities to network with college students and scientists from the Innovative Genomics Institute and gain insights into academic and career paths. You will wrap up with a presentation of your project.
10. UC San Diego Research Scholars: Life Sciences Track’s Fundamentals of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics
Location: Hybrid; online lectures with an optional in‑person lab session at UC San Diego
Cost: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately Selective
Dates: September 29 – December 5
Application deadline: September 5
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 who have taken AP Biology and Pre‑Calculus
The Fundamentals of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics course is part of UC San Diego’s Research Scholars: Life Sciences program. The course introduces high school students to the principles and applications of bioinformatics. The program’s virtual format allows you to engage in lectures from anywhere. Over 10 weeks, you will learn about sequencing technologies, bioinformatics databases, R programming, and statistical analyses. You will also engage in analysis and visualization of experimental data, statistical design, and scientific writing. The program culminates in a capstone project that focuses on using publicly available datasets for analysis.
11. Lawrence Hall of Science Teen Research Programs: Marine Biology
Location: Long Marine Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
Cost/Stipend: $2,870, including residential housing and meals
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 19
Application deadline: June 29 or until seats are filled
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12
This residential program places students at UC Santa Cruz’s Long Marine Laboratory for a week involving intensive field and lab research. You will conduct tide‑pool surveys, analyze data on marine organisms, and design your own research projects. The program offers lectures on marine ecology and opportunities to engage in lab experiments to help you explore field research protocols. You will also connect with college students and scientists to gain insights into professional and academic pathways.
12. UC Santa Barbara Summer Research Academies (SRA)
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: Commuter tuition: $2,775 | Residential tuition: $8,774; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 25 – July 25
Application deadline: March 31; applications open on December 15
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12
UCSB’s Summer Research Academies offer month-long, project-based courses in subjects such as marine biology, neuroscience, and sustainability. You will enroll in a 4‑unit university class, attend lectures and labs, and complete a research project under faculty mentorship. Each course covers core subject concepts in the context of research, allowing you to learn how researchers work. In the first half of the program, you will finalize a research question, and in the second half, you will focus on investigation and data analysis to present your research. The program culminates with a poster session where you will present your work.
13. California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
Location: University of California campuses, CA (UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Los Angeles, and UC Santa Cruz)
Cost: ~$5,256; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 160–200 participants/campus
Dates: July 6 – August 2 (dates can vary by campus)
Application deadline: February 7; applications open on January 8
Eligibility: Students completing grades 8–12 who are California residents or attend high school in California
COSMOS is a month-long residential program run by the University of California that offers students the opportunity to take on cluster-based courses in mathematics and science. Biology-focused clusters cover topics in biomedical sciences, genetics, and marine biology that go beyond the school curriculum. Over four weeks, you will attend classes, conduct group research projects, and present your work at a final symposium. The program is academically rigorous and provides a college‑residential experience at various campuses.
14. UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: $5,175 (commuter) | $12,474 (residential); scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application deadline: March 17
Eligibility: High school students in the 10th or 11th grade with a minimum 3.80 weighted GPA
UCSB’s RMP is a six-week program that allows high schoolers to engage in university-level research under the guidance of a mentor. The program begins with a virtual orientation, where you will learn about the available projects and meet your mentor. You will have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of disciplines, including biology, biochemistry, and marine biology. You will spend the majority of your time conducting research, performing lab experiments, and analyzing data. You will also write a research paper and present your findings at a symposium. Additionally, you will have the chance to earn 8 university credits through participation in two interdisciplinary courses that cover scientific writing as well as research techniques, methods, and presentation.
15. UC Davis Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: University of California, Davis, CA (residential on‑campus program)
Cost: $7,500 including housing, meals, and 5 units of university credit + $45 application fee (waiver available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 40 students are selected
Dates: June 21 – August 1
Application deadline: March 15; applications open on January 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 and live and attend school in the U.S.
UC Davis’s Young Scholars Program is a six-week research experience where you will live on campus, earn university credit, and work on research projects in biological, agricultural, environmental, or natural sciences under faculty mentorship. The program offers the opportunity to work one-on-one with a research mentor, who can be a faculty member, post-doctoral researcher, or doctoral student. You may engage in bench research, field research, or computer-based research. You will also attend weekly seminars, learn laboratory techniques, and present your research at a concluding symposium. Each weekend, you will visit a science facility (like Monterey Bay Aquarium, UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, etc) in Northern California to explore science research outside of the university setting.