If you want to go beyond textbooks and get real research experience in a field of your choice, joining a research program can be a great way to start. These programs allow you to work with real datasets, conduct experiments, and present findings.
You’ll also learn how to interpret research papers, use specialized software, and communicate complex ideas. Many programs provide access to advanced lab equipment and mentorship from researchers, helping you build technical expertise early on.
California, specifically, is home to many organizations and universities that offer solid research experiences to resident high school students, and are accessible options to consider if you’re looking for a program in the state!
Here are 10 prestigious research programs in California that offer hands-on experience for high school students!
Note: When we say prestigious, we’ve tried to include programs that are fully-funded, offered by prestigious universities or institutions, and offer a rigorous experience in research.
10 Prestigious Research Programs for High School Students in California
1. Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Student Research Internship Program
Location: La Jolla, CA
Cost/Stipend: The stipend amount is yet to be determined. Unpaid internships are available for academic credit.
Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8 / June 16 – August 22
Eligibility: High school students with a demonstrable interest in genomics or mHealth translational research and who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program.
The Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Student Research Internship Program gives you hands-on experience in genomics, bioinformatics, digital medicine, and community engagement. You’ll work on an independent research project with guidance from a mentor, gaining skills in data analysis, programming, research design, and scientific communication.
Each week, you’ll attend two seminars covering key topics in translational medicine, where you’ll learn about clinical research methods, machine learning applications in healthcare, and statistical modeling. You’ll also develop technical writing skills and learn how to create good presentations. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings at a translational institute meeting and a poster symposium.
2. Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Location: Duarte, CA
Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $4,500
Deadline: March 12
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program and are US citizens or permanent residents.
The Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy offers you the chance to conduct hands-on research in biomedicine while being mentored by City of Hope faculty members. As you design and work on your research project, you will gain skills in experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
You will work with post-doctorates, graduate students, and lab personnel at the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, learning techniques in molecular biology, cell culture, and lab safety. Throughout the program, you’ll also develop your scientific communication skills by presenting your findings in weekly seminars and writing a detailed report at the end.
3. Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program
Location: Fremont, CA, Remote option also available.
Cost/Stipend: Tuition ranges from $0 to $1,070 to cover operational costs. Partial and full need-based scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines depending on the cohort. The final deadline for the summer cohort is April 15
Program Dates: June 1 – September 7
Eligibility: Students who are enrolled in or entering high school
The Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP) allows you to dive into research within three major departments. You can choose from Biological, Human and Life Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physical Science, or Computer Science and Engineering. You’ll work under the guidance of experienced scientists, engineers, and researchers, gaining skills in experimental design, data analysis, and critical thinking.
Depending on your interests, you can explore a variety of research topics, learning laboratory techniques, and advanced research methods specific to your field. At the end of the program, you will present your findings through a research poster to a panel of judges, and your research paper will be published in ASDRP’s online journal.
4. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program
Location: Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $40 application fee. Stipend of $500.
Deadline: February 22
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are in the graduating class of 2025 or 2026, are at least 16 years old by the start of the program, are living and attending high school in the US, and are US citizens or permanent residents.
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an 8-week program designed to spark interest in biological sciences and medicine among high school students. You’ll conduct basic research on a medicine-related project, receiving 1-on-1 guidance from Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and researchers in a top-class lab.
You can choose from 8 areas of research, including immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, and genetics and genomics. Alternatively, you can participate in the bio-engineering boot camp, which focuses on bioengineering but does not include a lab research component.
5. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
Location: Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Deadline: March 17
Program Dates: June 23 – July 25
Eligibility: Current juniors from select California counties, from low-income families with little college history, with a B or B− average in science and an interest in medicine or health careers.
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program is a competitive 6-week program for high school students interested in medicine. With only 24 students accepted, you’ll attend faculty lectures, professional workshops, and networking events.
You’ll be mentored by faculty, healthcare professionals, and students while working on a health disparities research project, producing a research paper, presentation, and poster. The program also includes hospital internships at Stanford Hospital, providing hands-on experience in lab activities, shadowing, and patient interaction.
6. Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS)
Location: Claremont, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Deadline: March 3
Program Dates: 3 years
Eligibility: 9th graders attending high school in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
The Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS) is a 3-year college access program that prepares sophomore high school students for success in college. You’ll participate in a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, including Critical Inquiry seminars with analytical papers and hands-on exercises involving data collection and Excel modeling. In your senior year, you’ll work on a faculty research project, with an additional focus on quantitative, analytical, and writing skills development, alongside close mentoring and networking.
7. Berkeley Lab Experiences in Research
Location: Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $500/week
Deadline: March 23
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors, 16+ by June 16, 2025, in Northern California, living within 20 miles of Berkeley Lab. Priority for those with a 3.0+ GPA, active in STEM, and can provide proof of independent work.
Berkeley Lab’s Experiences in Research is a 6-week program for you to gain practical STEM skills. You will work on a project that explores roles in administration, science communication, data science, and experimental research. You will learn specific skills such as using Python libraries (like Pandas and NumPy) for data wrangling, designing experiments with clear protocols, and crafting clear research presentations.
You will also network with Berkeley Lab mentors and take part in professional development sessions covering resume writing and interview techniques. If you work on Python or data science projects, you will join a free coding boot camp focused on coding, debugging, and data visualization using tools like Matplotlib and Seaborn.
8. UCSF Summer Student Research Program
Location: Oakland, Berkeley, or San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $3,000
Deadline: February 14
Program Dates: June 2 – August 1
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors, 16+ by Jun 2025, with one year of math and biology, a 3.0+ GPA, and an interest in health sciences. Must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents from underrepresented backgrounds in science.
UCSF’s prestigious research program offers you the chance to explore one of three types of research. You can choose laboratory research, focusing on basic science in a lab setting; clinical research, where you study people, data, or tissue samples to understand health and disease; or community/public health research, aimed at improving the health of populations. A mentor will guide you throughout your research project.
You’ll attend weekly seminars and meetings with MDs and PhDs from UCSF or other regional healthcare systems. You’ll also participate in a journal club to read and discuss scientific papers. On the final day, you’ll present your research findings at the Research Symposium in either an oral or poster format.
9. UC Irvine Cancer Research Institute Youth Science Fellowship
Location: Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: June 23 – August 1
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors attending a school in Orange County who have completed at least one high school chemistry/lab class and one biology class before the start of the program.
The UC Irvine Cancer Research Institute Youth Science Fellowship accepts 20 high school students to develop critical research skills through lab-based cancer research for 6 weeks in the summer. During the program, you will gain hands-on experience in lab techniques, data collection, analysis, and scientific writing, all under the guidance of a mentor.
You’ll also learn to work collaboratively in a research setting and improve your problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities. At the end of the fellowship, you will present your research findings at a symposium, sharpening your scientific communication and presentation skills in front of faculty, students, and the community.
10. Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Interns are paid above minimum wage
Deadline: April 1
Program Dates: Multi-year, year-round
Eligibility: 9th or 10th-grade students enrolled in an SFUSD school, who have a GPA of 2.5 and a grade of C or higher in science and math, are US citizens and authorized to work in the US and can demonstrate interest in teaching, learning, and doing science
Careers in Science (CiS) is a youth development program for high school students in San Francisco, designed to support you from your sophomore or junior year to graduation. Throughout the program, you’ll engage in fieldwork, lead educational activities for visitors, and gain science communication skills. You’ll also explore STEM careers, receive guidance on financial literacy, and get support with college applications.
As you advance in the program, you’ll take on leadership roles, working in small groups on either a science research or environmental project led by an academy researcher or partner. You’ll have the chance to present your work at STEM conferences and festivals, and even contribute to designing exhibits and educational materials. Additionally, you can serve on the CiS Leadership Council and benefit from individualized mentorship with academy experts.
If you’re looking for remote research opportunities open to students in California, here are two bonus programs –
11. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Multiple rolling deadlines
Program Dates: Varies from cohort to cohort
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
12. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote – you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The Spring Cohort application deadline is February 9
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school. Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4). No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June – August), Fall (September – December), Winter (December – February), and Spring (March – June).
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project.
At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Image source – Scripps Research logo
