15 Programs for High School Students in California
As a high school student, attending a structured program can help you explore your interests and gain experience. These programs typically teach you concepts that go beyond what you learn in high school and allow you to work on projects that expose you to a particular field and develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Hosted by top universities and organizations, you work under experienced mentors and interact with like-minded peers, helping you build a network.
California is home to many institutions, such as the University of California, that offer programs for you to explore. Local students can attend programs close to home, while out-of-state students can find opportunities that let them explore the academic resources of the state. Programs are offered in various fields such as medicine, business, and the arts, allowing you to find a program that suits your interests and helps you build your profile.
Whether you want to pursue a career in STEM, humanities, arts, or finance, here's a list of 15 programs for high school students in California.
1. The Lawrence Teen Internship
Location: The Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: a stipend of $3,500 for full summer participation; $72 will be deducted for every day you miss
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 1 – August 7 for the internship; Workshops take place every Saturday in May except for the last one, which will take place on the last Friday of May
Application Deadline: December 17 – January 15
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders
As a participant of the Lawrence Teen Internship program, you will have the opportunity to teach science to kids. You will support the staff in their different teaching methods and work with them to achieve the program’s goal to get more children excited about science. Through this internship, you will gain teaching experience and learn various techniques that ensure your classes are engaging for your students. Note: All selected interns will be expected to participate in workshop training and summer placements before the internship.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Created by Harvard graduates, Veritas AI is a good choice for you if you are curious about exploring artificial intelligence. If you join its 10-week AI Scholars program, your syllabus will focus on AI, machine learning, and data science, which you will use to contribute to a real-world project. If you have already completed the AI Scholars program or are skilled in Python, you can opt for the AI Fellowship track. In this program, a mentor from a top university will work with you to help you complete an individual project similar to those completed by past participants. Once you have written your academic paper, you can take advantage of Veritas AI’s in-house publication team to get help in having your paper published in high school research journals.
3. Program for the Investigation and Training in Careers in Health (PITCH)
Location: UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 7 – 25
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders with a minimum GPA of 2.5
This program was specifically created for high school students who aspire to pursue careers in health or medical sciences, but cannot due to their economic background. In other words, if you come from a low-income household or are a first-generation student, PITCH is for you. During the three weeks of your participation, you will interact with professionals who help you understand the health career landscape better. You will work alongside UCSF mentors on projects focused on critical health. Plus, the program also provides you with the guidance required for succeeding in college.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
This is an intensive program where high school students like you are provided the opportunity to conduct research in one of the many subject areas available. The list includes psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. Depending on your chosen subject, you will be paired with a Ph.D. mentor who will work with you 1-on-1 to assist you in writing your research paper over the 12 weeks of the program. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, you can find more details about the application here.
5. Samuels Family LA-HIP High School Internship Program
Location: The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Stipends provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 approximately (selected by a panel of science and education experts)
Dates: Yearlong, with in-lab internships taking place from June 16 to August 1
Application Deadline: November 3 – February 1
Eligibility: 11th-grade students who attend a public high school in Los Angeles County
When selected for this program, you will have the opportunity to intern at The Saban Research Institute’s lab, where you will conduct biomedical research under the tutelage of scientists. You will work on experiments focused on pediatric health and diseases while simultaneously learning different lab techniques and research methodologies that you will typically only learn in a lab setting. You will be expected to write a scientific abstract of your research and share it at the symposium. While the internship lasts for seven weeks in the summer, as a participant, you will receive college counseling throughout your senior year.
6. Stanford Young Investigators
Location: Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid internship with honorarium available if you come from a low-income household or are the first in your family to attend college
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 30
Dates: Third Tuesday in June – First Thursday in August
Application Deadline: February 1 – March 15
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 to 12 who study in a school in San Francisco and live within 25 miles of the campus
This internship gig is your opportunity to work as a researcher at a Stanford University lab while simultaneously learning various science concepts from it. You will be able to conduct your research in one of the available selections of subject areas, including ‘oceans, environment & Earth systems,’ ‘Earth & planetary sciences,’ ‘energy,’ and more. Regardless of the option you choose, you will be placed in a research group and receive guidance from graduate scholars, postdocs, and lab managers. In addition to your lab work, the Stanford Young Investigators program also has weekly activities, such as seminars and field trips that focus on sustainability, Earth, and environmental sciences.
7. Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement
Location: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 26
Dates: June 16 – July 3
Application Deadline: March 3 – April 14
Eligibility: High school students who live and attend a school in Los Angeles County
While attending this rigorous three-week program, you will study in college-level classes that teach you the impact of journalism and media on people’s decision-making as part of a community. The program also helps you develop specific skills that are invaluable in today’s job market, such as writing, critical thinking, public speaking, debate, multimedia production, Interviewing, and ethnography. You will also have the opportunity to explore the university’s undergraduate programs and the different career options available if you pursue a degree in media and journalism.
8. Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS)
Location: Pomona College, Claremont, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30
Dates: June 22 – July 18 for the summer sessions
Application Deadline: November 11 – March 3
Eligibility: 9th graders attending high school in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County
This college-prep program provides you with the training and essential skills that will increase your chances of being accepted into a reputable university. If you are selected for this residential academy, you will participate in college-level courses, cultural events, workshops, projects, and field trips for four weeks. Even after that, PAYS continues to support you in your college preparedness throughout your remaining academic years until you graduate from high school. In your senior year, the program allows you to work on a research project. You will be paired with a student counselor to help you with college and scholarship applications.
9. ICS Summer Academy
Location: UC Irvine Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: $2,500 per course; 10% off on the second course if you pick two (financial need-based scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots
Dates: July 7 – 18 for session 1, and July 21 – August 1 for session 2
Application Deadline: Open until the first week of May
Eligibility: Rising high school students in grades 9th-12th and graduating 12th graders
In this summer academy, you will take college-level classes in subject areas such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, computer science, and software engineering. Each participant can take one or two classes. Scheduled with real-world projects and coursework, you will gain practical experience in your chosen field. Simultaneously, you will develop your scientific research skills, which you will use to complete a capstone project and present it at the end of your two-week session.
10. California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
Location: Various University of California campuses (UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Merced)
Cost/Stipend: A non-refundable application fee of $46 and a program fee of $5,518
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20-25 students per cluster
Dates: July 5 – 31 or July 5 – August 1 (end date varies by the campus)
Application Deadline: January 7 – February 6
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th graders who are enrolled in a school in California; each cluster has its own prerequisite course requirement
COSMOS is a residential program offering various clusters to choose from, so you can explore one STEM topic in detail through lectures, projects, and field trips. Some of the topics that were covered last year included astrophysics, plant microbiology, machine learning, molecular structure, and more. Expect to see a similar list when you apply. Based on the cluster you choose, your schedule will include two science and/or math courses and a science communication course. In addition to being taught by professors and researchers from the University of California, the program has a 5:1 student-to-staff ratio, making it easier for the faculty to pay attention to each participant.
11. CCA Pre-College
Location: California College of the Arts (CCA), San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Estimated to be $8,075 for residential participants and $5,615 for commuter students (need-based and merit-based scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The overall acceptance rate at CCA is 91%
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: September 23 – June 10
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 to 12
Catered to high schoolers who want to attend art or design school, CCA Pre-College is a summer program that helps you boost your creativity. As a participant, you will create a portfolio to submit with your future college applications. You will be taught by industry experts and surrounded by like-minded artists and designers, making it a great environment to work on your creative projects. Additionally, you can study one college-level course and earn three college credits for it. Your options include digital animation (3D), fashion design, communication design, and more.
12. UC Santa Barbara Summer Research Academies
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost/Stipend: $8,774 for residential participants and $2,775 for commuting participants (need-based scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 26 – July 24
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 23
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 11 who have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.6
The Summer Research Academics offers you the opportunity to work on a research project in either the STEM, humanities, or social science fields. When chosen for the program, you will enroll in a 4-unit university course and contribute to a project in one of the research tracks available. For this, you will receive support from a faculty member who is actively doing research in your chosen subject. Additionally, you will also have the opportunity to attend GRIT talks, where scientists discuss their research methodologies.
13. UCLA Engineering Design Summer Institute
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Estimated to be $2,881
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low acceptance rate
Dates: June 23 – July 11 for session A and July 14 – August 1 for session B
Application Deadline: Program starts accepting applications on a rolling basis from February 15 to June 13
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 11 who are at least 15 years old
If you are considering pursuing an engineering degree, this program is a step toward your goal. The summer institute provides you with the opportunity to do an engineering project and complete coursework that allows you to explain your project in theory. Your project will typically involve working with engineering design software and tools to make a mobile robot, a smart electronic system, or a Go-Kart. Along with this assignment, you can also check out the different engineering majors you can study at UCLA and learn more about the career options available for each.
14. UC Davis Young Scholars Program
Location: UC Davis School of Education, Davis, CA
Cost/Stipend: $45 application fee with waiver available if you fill out the form; program costs $7,500 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 40
Dates: June 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: Opens on January 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 and 11 who are at least 16 years old but not over 18 and are permanent US residents studying in the U.S.
This summer residential program offers you the opportunity to explore research in biological, agricultural, environmental, and natural sciences. During the six weeks of the program, you will be a part of a research group and work on your solo project, for which you will write an academic paper and prepare a presentation. In addition to working in the university’s laboratories, the program also gives you an outlook on attending the first year of college through lectures from UC Davis professors.
15. Experience Berkeley Program for High School Students (EBHS)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 10 months; Begins in June
Application Deadline: December – March 28 (The application for the upcoming Experience Berkeley Program will open in December)
Eligibility: Black, Latinx, & Native American rising 12th graders who are enrolled in a high school in California; More info here
The program is designed for eligible high school students whose top three college choices include UC Berkeley. If you are selected, you will be paired with a university student who will serve as your mentor. They will help you write an impressive personal statement and provide any assistance you will require during the admission process. You will also attend specialized virtual workshops on one Saturday of every month from June to November. Ultimately, over the course of 10 months, your mentor will provide you with practical tips and resources to ensure that your applications stand out.
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