10 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in California
Participating in a summer program offers high schoolers a chance to develop their skills, build their confidence, and gain an academic edge in a field they’re interested in. These programs, which are typically conducted during school breaks, also help prevent the ‘summer slide’ – a loss of academic skills and knowledge due to a lack of practice during long breaks.
One drawback of summer programs is their cost, which can deter some students. However, a number of STEM, humanities, and social science summer programs are completely free to attend and, in some cases, students need not even reside nearby.
Here are 10 free summer programs for high school students in California! Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
1. Veritas AI - AI Scholars Program
Subject Areas: AI, ML, Computer Science
Deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply!
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students to build a foundation in computer science and AI. In the program, students learn various concepts in data science and artificial intelligence, including neural networks, image classification, natural language processing, sentiment analysis, Python coding, and more. You can apply here!
Veritas AI offers up to 100% financial aid for the 10-week AI Scholars program. Through the program, students build real-world, hands-on projects in groups of 3-5 students to showcase their interests and skills. Here is the program brochure for more details!
2. Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (BAIR) High School Summer Program
Subject Areas: AI, machine learning, programming, robotics.
Deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Dates: July 8 to July 12.
Eligibility: Bay Area high school youth entering grades 10–12 can apply.
In this free program, students entering grades 10–12 will explore cutting-edge AI technologies, concepts, and ethics as they learn about ongoing artificial intelligence research from Berkeley scientists and experts. You’ll get to work with UC Berkeley researchers across the areas of computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, planning, control, and robotics.
The entire program will take place on campus at BAIR Lab, where students will participate in daily guest lectures and activities guided by BAIR Lab researchers, as well as select visits to research labs. Participants experience life on a college campus, including daily lunch at UC Berkeley dining halls and a campus tour. You can access the application here.
3. The Lumiere Research Foundation Breakthrough Scholar Program
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences
Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here.
4. USC’s Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement
Subject Areas: Media and Communication
Deadline: April 19
Dates: Typically 4 weeks from June to July.
Eligibility: Students must reside and attend high school in Los Angeles County.
This free program offers high school students the conceptual understanding and practice of college media communication and journalism courses. The goal is to determine the role of media and journalism in fashioning civic-minded thought leaders and innovators while strengthening speech and debate, writing, and critical thought skills.
Each year, the program accepts 26 students residing across Los Angeles County. In addition to coursework, the program equips students with tips on writing college essays and other advice related to college. The students will also be introduced to USC Annenberg’s undergraduate programs and services, as well as possible careers in media and journalism.
5. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Subject Areas: Immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, genetics, and genomics.
Deadline: TBA. Applications typically close in February.
Dates: Typically 8 weeks from June to August.
Eligibility: Applicants must: Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident | Be 16 years or older at the start of the program | Be a junior or senior at the time of application
SIMR is an 8-week guidance-focused summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Students can expect hands-on research, overseen by a mentor, in a top-class lab at Stanford. Participants can choose from 8 research areas, including stem cell and regenerative medicine, neurobiology, cardiovascular biology, cancer biology, immunology, bioinformatics, genetics, and bioengineering. Throughout the summer, participants will combine lab work with on-campus summer lectures totaling about 40 hours, culminating in a presentation of their research poster.
6. Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS)
Subject Areas: Liberal Arts
Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Dates: Typically 4 weeks from June to July.
Eligibility: Applicants must be: Currently a 9th-grade student | A resident of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura Counties
PAYS is an intensive 4-week residential program where students engage in coursework, cultural events, workshops, field trips, and projects. However, this continues throughout the academic year for the 3 consecutive years upon acceptance.
Participants are encouraged to apply for this program if they come from low-income backgrounds and are traditionally underrepresented in college. Students will live on campus and take college courses in critical inquiry and math while receiving hands-on support from trained teaching assistants. To learn more about this PAYS, you can visit this link.
7. UC Irvine’s Math ExpLR Summer Research Program
Subject Areas: Mathematical biology
Deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Dates: Typically 6 weeks from June to July.
Eligibility: Applicants must currently be high school students who are not graduating in the spring.
This 6-week program in mathematical biology pairs students with UC Irvine undergraduates to collaborate on a computational biology research project under the guidance of a principal investigator.
Participants can expect to deepen their understanding of computational biology and how it is taught in universities. Additionally, participants will be expected to attend workshops in skill-building to prepare them for mathematical research, modeling, giving presentations, and crafting a research paper.
8. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
Subject Areas: Science and medicine.
Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Dates: Typically 5 weeks from June to July.
Eligibility: SMYSP is open only to current high school juniors in Northern California.
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program is a five-week immersive enrichment program focused on science and medicine, open to low-income, first-generation high school juniors living in Northern California. SMYSP is a full-time weekly summer program. Students will be expected to travel to Stanford’s main campus Monday through Friday for the duration of the program.
Over five weeks, participants engage in faculty lectures, professional development workshops, Stanford Medicine networking events, and a public health disparities research project. During the program and beyond, participants are mentored by faculty, health professionals, and college students as they prepare for college and navigate careers in medicine.
9. Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Subject Areas: Medicine
Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Dates: 2- and 4-week sessions available between June and August; dates vary by session. 2-week virtual sessions are also available.
Eligibility: Current 11th and 12th-grade students can apply.
Dating back to 1969, the Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program was created to expose high school students to careers in healthcare. This 6- to 8-week medical mentorship enables participants to attend daily sessions, interactive lessons, and presentations led by professionals across a range of medical fields. The medical fields include general pediatricians and specialists such as nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, radiologists, ophthalmologists, and therapists.
Students are also given a chance to discuss projects and make presentations at the end of the program. Additionally, there may be in-person shadowing and meeting opportunities for students, so make sure you note them before applying so you can make the necessary arrangements. You can check out the past program highlights here.
10. CAMP CHLA - Health Care Career Exploration
Subject Areas: Healthcare
Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Dates: Session 1: June 15 – June 19 | Session 2: July 27 – July 31
Eligibility: Applicants must be: Currently a freshman, sophomore, or junior in high school | Residents of Los Angeles County
This 5-day program is described as a healthcare career exploration camp offered two times in the summer for high school students in LA County. Participants learn, explore, and partake in work that the Children’s Hospital of LA team members do every day. Participants can expect various activities, including presentations from healthcare professionals detailing a “day-in-the-life,” hands-on skill-building such as CPR, first aid, and disease and injury prevention, networking opportunities, and a deeper understanding of the hospital’s daily work.
Key Takeaways
Best for AI/CS: Veritas AI (virtual, year-round, up to 100% financial aid), BAIR Summer Program (Bay Area, free, July)
Best for medicine/healthcare: SIMR Stanford, SMYSP, Eve & Gene Black Program, CAMP CHLA — all free, all California-based
Most selective/limited spots: USC Annenberg (26 students, LA County only), SMYSP (Northern CA juniors only), PAYS (9th graders in 5 LA-area counties only)
Only program open to all states: Veritas AI — all others require California residency or attendance
Apply early: CAMP CHLA closes in January; SMYSP, SIMR, and PAYS close in February–March. Start applications in December