12 Physics Research Programs for High School Students in California
If you are a high school student interested in physics, a research program can be a worthwhile way to explore this field in great detail. A research program allows you to understand how scientists apply the scientific method to make discoveries, develop hypotheses, peer-review papers, or conduct experiments to test current hypotheses. These programs allow you to work with experienced mentors, learn experimental techniques, and build skills in scientific data analysis.Many programs also place you in university laboratories or research institutes, where you can collaborate with graduate students and faculty in a professional research environment.
Why should you attend a program in California?
California is home to a wide range of universities, national laboratories, and research institutions that influence the structure of many physics programs available to high school students. You may participate in lab-based research, computational projects, or structured academic programs hosted by institutions such as the University of California system, Caltech, or Berkeley Lab, often working alongside researchers and graduate students. This environment can help you understand how physics research is conducted across different fields, from astrophysics to quantum computing, while building familiarity with academic and scientific workflows.
To help you get ahead, we’ve put together 12 physics research programs for high school students in California.
If you’re looking for free online programs, check out our blog here.
1. Berkeley Lab Experiences in Research
Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (hybrid, virtual depending on office and scope)
Stipend: $500/week as stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 15 - July 24
Application Deadline: February 2 - March 22
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 - 12 | enrolled in Northern California with experience in independent work | 16+ years old
The Experiences in Research (EinR) program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory allows high school students to work alongside scientists and engineers on active research projects. Depending on the placement, you may contribute to work in areas such as particle physics, accelerator science, or computational data analysis. During the program, you will assist with tasks such as analyzing datasets, running simulations, and maintaining research equipment. You will also attend professional development workshops focused on scientific communication and STEM career pathways. The experience concludes with presentations where students share the work they completed with mentors and peers. This internship offers a rare opportunity to experience physics research within a national laboratory.
2. Veritas AI – AI Scholars & AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | small cohorts
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines depending on cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students passionate about AI with a supportive environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI Scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. The AI Fellowship program will allow students to pursue independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. You can find examples of previous projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. SDSU Training Astronomy Research Scholars (STARS)
Location: San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 24 - July 19
Application Deadline: January 12 - March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from the San Diego area
The STARS program at San Diego State University provides direct exposure to faculty-led astronomy research. You will engage with current research topics, including galaxy formation, binary star systems, and supernova studies. Over four weeks, you will combine practical telescope operation, scientific methodology, and programming fundamentals. You will also have the opportunity to build mentorship relationships with SDSU's astronomy department faculty and graduate students.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Physics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | small cohorts
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic standing
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program allows high school students to conduct independent research under the guidance of a PhD mentor from a leading university. Over several weeks, you will develop an independent research question, review scientific literature, and build a project using analytical or computational methods. The program is focused on producing an independent research paper, so you will spend significant time refining your argument, interpreting results, and incorporating mentor feedback. This structure makes the program especially valuable if you want to build experience with self-directed research rather than classroom-style instruction.
5. Quantum Computing, Mathematics & Physics Camp (QCaMP)
Location: Berkeley Lab or Quantum Systems Accelerator, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | stipends available for students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 29 - July 24
Application Deadline: February 2 - April 3
Eligibility: High school students | 16+ years old | basic knowledge of algebra and an interest in STEM
QCaMP introduces students to the foundational principles of quantum computing through lectures and hands-on programming activities. You will learn concepts such as quantum superposition, entanglement, and the operation of quantum circuits. Participants also work with researchers and mentors from national laboratories and universities while completing small team projects. Students apply what they learn by programming and testing simple algorithms on real quantum computing platforms. Career-focused talks and discussions help you understand how quantum technologies are shaping modern scientific research.
6. USC Young Researchers Program (YRP)
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 15 - July 24
Application Deadline: February 1 - April 5
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors | priority given to students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM from the local community
The USC Young Researchers Program places high school students in a university research environment where they work with graduate mentors on scientific projects. Students interested in physics may explore topics such as condensed-matter experiments, computational modeling, or astrophysics, depending on mentor availability. During the program, you assist with research tasks while learning how scientists formulate questions and analyze experimental results. Weekly seminars cover topics such as STEM careers, college preparation, and research communication. The program also includes field trips connected to scientific research and technology. By the end of the program, you will present your work during a final research symposium.
7. UC Davis Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: University of California, Davis, CA
Cost/Stipend: Application fee: $45 | program fee: $7,750 | covers housing, meals, and 5 units of university credit
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | about 40 students
Dates: June 21 - August 1
Application Deadline: January 1 - March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) at the University of California, Davis is a six-week residential research experience that places high school students in a university-level research environment. Students interested in physics can work with faculty mentors in areas such as astronomy, engineering physics, or closely related scientific fields. You will spend time conducting experiments, collecting data, and performing computational analysis while learning how research is conducted in a professional environment. Weekly seminars cover research ethics, scientific communication, and academic life. This program is well-suited if you want both research exposure and a residential college experience.
8. COSMOS – California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science
Location: University of California campuses (Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Merced, or Santa Cruz), CA
Cost/Stipend: application fee: $46 | $5,518 as tuition, housing, meals, and program activities | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 5 - 31 or August 1 (varies depending on the campus)
Application Deadline: January 7 - February 6
Eligibility: California high school students in grades 8 - 12
The COSMOS is a residential STEM program hosted across multiple campuses at the University of California. Students join specialized clusters that cover topics such as astrophysics, quantum mechanics, and applied physics through lectures and laboratory activities. During the program, you will conduct experiments, analyze data, and work on collaborative research-style projects with faculty and graduate instructors. Each cluster concludes in a final presentation or demonstration where you share the results of your work with peers and instructors. You will also attend guest lectures and visit research facilities affiliated with the university.
9. UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost/Stipend: Application fee: $75 | tuition: $5,675 (commuter) or $13,274 (residential) | limited need-based aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | 160 - 200 students
Dates: June 15 - July 31
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 9
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 to 11 | GPA of 3.8+
The UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program places participants in a university laboratory, where they work closely with a mentor on an original research project. Students interested in physics may explore topics such as astrophysics, condensed-matter physics, or quantum optics, depending on the available projects. Over six weeks, you will spend substantial time conducting experiments, running simulations, and reviewing scientific literature related to your topic. The program concludes with a formal research paper and presentation, providing you with experience in the research communication process commonly used in university environments. You will also attend seminars on ethics, research skills, and academic writing.
10. Caltech Summer Research Connection (SRC)
Location: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Cost/Stipend: Information is not provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies depending on the year
Application Deadline: Varies each year
Eligibility: High school students from the Pasadena Unified School District
The Summer Research Connection at California Institute of Technology places high school students in research laboratories across the university where they work alongside faculty and graduate researchers. Depending on the lab placement, participants may assist with projects related to physics, astrophysics, or instrumentation. During the program, you may contribute to experiments or computational analysis and present your work at a closing research symposium attended by mentors, researchers, and peers. The program also includes seminars that introduce career pathways in science and engineering.
11. UC Santa Cruz Science Internship Program (SIP)
Location: University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
Cost/Stipend: Application fee: $68 | tuition fee: $4,250 | residential housing up to $7,350 | commuter: $5,250 | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 15 - 19 (online research) | June 22 - August 7 (7 weeks in-person research) | August 8 (presentation day)
Application Deadline: January 16 - February 27 and March 6
Eligibility: High school students aged 14 - 17 years | some research groups require participants to be at least 16 years old
The Science Internship Program (SIP) at the University of California, Santa Cruz, allows high school students to join an active research group and contribute to an active scientific project during the summer. Students interested in physics can apply to projects in areas such as astrophysics, planetary science, and computational physics, subject to annual availability. After an initial online research week, you spend seven weeks conducting in-person research under the guidance of university scientists and graduate students. Each participant completes a formal written research report and presents their findings at the end of the program, developing both technical research and communicating research. You may also build skills in coding, modeling, and data analysis, depending on your assigned project.
12. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 6 - 24
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 - 11 | emphasis on students from under-resourced backgrounds
SPINWIP is a 3-week virtual program hosted by Stanford’s physics department and the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology. Through lectures and interactive workshops, you will explore topics such as astrophysics, quantum physics, and cosmology. The program also introduces programming tools used in scientific research, including Python for data analysis. Participants collaborate in small teams on projects that apply physics concepts to real-world scientific problems. Stanford undergraduate mentors guide discussions and help students understand how physics research is conducted. SPINWIP is designed to encourage more students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue physics.
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