Summer programs for high school students have many benefits, and one of them is developing an advanced skill set. Pre-college programs, summer intensives, internships, and research programs all offer you the chance to explore subjects at a higher level and expand your knowledge. Not only do you grow academically but your enhanced skills set the stage for future success as well.
California, home to top universities and innovative industries, has many such programs for high schoolers. In this article, we highlight 11 summer programs that allow high schoolers to enhance their expertise, explore potential career paths, and experience hands-on learning. Read on to find the program that best fits your needs! 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. Horizon’s Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
The Horizon program offers the opportunity to conduct research on a specific topic and learn about it in-depth. Through the program, you will work with a professor/PhD scholar mentor and develop a university-level research paper under specialized guidance. You can choose from a number of courses like environmental health, behavioral economics, theoretical mathematics, cybersecurity, machine learning, neuroscience, and more. By the end of the program, you can expect to have an advanced level of knowledge in the subject you choose.
2. UC Irvine’s Math ExpLR Summer Research Program
Subject area: Mathematical biology
Application deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Current high school students except seniors graduating in the spring
Program dates: June 17 – July 25
Location: University of California, Irvine, CA
Fee: Free. Students are responsible for their own transportation, housing, and meals
During this summer program, you will work in teams on a computational biology research project. Aside from learning research methods, you will also learn about Matlab programming, mathematical modeling, and scientific writing. The previous projects include topics like neurological diseases, pattern formation, gene expression, and even cancer research. By the end of the program, you will have a deeper understanding of computational biology and university studies.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program aims to provide high school students with a university-level research experience. As a participant, you will develop an individual research project under the mentorship of a PhD student. You can choose from several STEM and humanities options such as gene editing, data science, neural networks, international relations, and economics.
4. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years of age, live and attend high school in the U.S., and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Program dates: June 9 – July 31 (8 weeks)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stipend: $500–$1,500
The SIMR is a prestigious research program for high schoolers interested in the medical sciences who would like to work on a research project. The available research areas are immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, genetics, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, and bioinformatics. You will learn basic research under one-on-one mentorship, engage in lab work, attend seminars, and learn how to present your findings at a poster session.
5. Medical Immersion Summer & Spring Academy (MISA)
Subject area: Healthcare
Application deadline: March 8
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old
Program dates: TBA. Four 5-day sessions were available between early July and early August
Location: MISA Ofice, Oakland, CA
Fee: $1,400 + a $50 nonrefundable application fee
MISA is a healthcare program that provides students with hands-on clinical training, preparing them for a future career in medicine. Through the program’s workshops, you will learn various skills like suturing, splinting, reading EKGs, and checking patient vitals. You will also receive certificates in first aid, CPR, and more. You will also have the chance to learn from health professionals and attend career development workshops.
6. Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement
Subject area: Media and journalism
Application deadline: Applications will open at the start of the year
Eligibility: Students who reside and attend high school in Los Angeles County
Program dates: June 17 – July 19
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Fee: Free
Accepting only about 26 students per cohort, the Annenberg Youth Academy is a highly prestigious program for students interested in media communications and journalism. The focus of the program is learning about the role of media and journalism in the fields of civic engagement, leadership, and innovation. Through the four-week summer academy, you will hone various skills, including writing, critical thinking, debating, public speech, multimedia production, interviewing, and ethnography. You will also attend talks given by professional journalists and media personnel.
7. Heithoff-Brody High School Scholars Program at the Salk Institute
Subject area: Biology
Application deadline: March 5
Eligibility: High school students who:
- Are at least 16 years of age
- Reside and attend school in San Diego County
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.75
- Have successfully completed at least one year of high school chemistry and biology
Program dates: June 16 – August 8
Location: Salk Institute, San Diego, CA
Stipend: A stipend is paid, but the amount is not specified
The Salk Institute is a non-profit research institute that focuses on biological studies, and the Heithoff-Brody program is meant for high schoolers to get research experience in the field. As a scholar, you will work on a research project under the guidance of a scientist mentor and present it at the symposium at the end of the program. You will also visit biotech sites and learn about wet lab techniques, bioinformatics, data analysis, science communication, and research tools.
8. City Of Hope Cancer Center’s Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Subject: Biomedicine
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16 years of age and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Program dates: June 3 – August 9
Location: City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Stipend: $4,000
This prestigious summer program at City of Hope, a cancer treatment and research center, offers the opportunity to engage in hands-on biomedical research while being part of a team of professionals. Aside from the lab work, you will attend seminars to learn about topics like plant signaling pathways, DNA repair, neural stem cells, and more. You will also enhance your communication skills and learn about manuscript publishing and grant writing. This is a highly competitive program that accepts less than 5% of all applicants.
9. Scripps College Summer High School Internship Program
Subject area: Biomedicine
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students from one of the five REACH partner schools who are at least 16 years of age, have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and have completed one year of high school-level chemistry and biology
Program dates: June 24 – August 9
Location: Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
Stipend: $4,760
The Scripps Research Summer High School Internship Program focuses on hands-on research in the field of biomedical sciences. The program includes a 3-day training boot camp, followed by a 7-week internship during which you will work in a research lab under the guidance of a graduate student. Through the internship, you will study complex topics in biology and chemistry while also learning about experimental design, research techniques, data interpretation, and more.
10. Meta Summer Academy
Subject area: Technology and Social Media Operations
Application deadline: Applications will open in December
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores who have a minimum 2.0 GPA and reside in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City
Program dates: June 17 – July 26
Location: Meta Headquarters, Menlo Park, CA
Stipend: A stipend is provided but the amount is not specified
The Meta Summer Academy aims to encourage young students to explore careers in tech at an early age. As an intern, you will work 30 hours per week and learn about the day-to-day functions of Meta. You will learn about the various career pathways in the industry, network and make valuable connections, and attend coding classes that cover topics like app coding and VR coding. Through the program, you will be enhancing skills that are crucial to fields like software development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more.
11. California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
Subject area: STEM
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Students finishing grades 8-12 who are residents of California
Program dates: July 7 – August 3
Location: University of California (options available in six of the university’s campuses—Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, San Diego, and Santa Cruz), CA
Fee: $5,007 + a nonrefundable $42 application fee. Need-based financial aid is available
If you’re interested in advancing your knowledge in STEM, COSMOS could be the right option for you. With five campuses and many more course clusters available, you can choose from a wide range of subjects like quantum mechanics, robotics, biochemistry, machine learning, aquaculture, sustainability, aerospace engineering, music and technology, photonics, and more. You can expect to learn about these fields in depth through lectures, lab sessions, research projects, and a poster session at the end of the program.
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