Top 15 Summer Programs for High School Students in California
- Apr 2
- 6 min read
Summer programs provide high school students with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience in their areas of interest, experience college life, and broaden their perspectives. California offers a diverse selection of summer programs for high school students, covering fields from science and engineering to the arts and humanities.
COSMOS is exclusively available to California high school students, providing them the chance to collaborate with distinguished faculty, researchers, and scientists in cutting-edge facilities. This program allows students to delve into advanced STEM subjects that go beyond the standard high school curriculum in California. Applicants can choose from one of the four University of California COSMOS campuses: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz. Although all campuses utilize top STEM education practices, each program's curriculum is tailored to the unique teaching and research strengths of its faculty and host campus.
The AI Scholars program at Inspirit AI focuses on the thoughtful application of artificial intelligence to interdisciplinary projects through project-based learning and mentorship by AI professionals and university affiliates. The instructors come from a variety of prestigious universities such as Stanford, Harvard, and MIT, and have strong teaching backgrounds along with expertise in specialized fields like business, medicine, engineering, and the arts. The program offers 25 hours of synchronous online instruction with a wide range of program dates and times to suit students with busy schedules. Participants in the scholars program benefit from a 5:1 student-to-instructor ratio, a collaborative work environment, access to top university researchers, and numerous continuing education opportunities.
The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) is an intensive pre-professional training program for high school students in the visual and performing arts, creative writing, animation, music, theater, and film. CSSSA offers a nurturing environment where students refine their existing skills and explore new techniques and concepts for a dynamic and engaging learning experience. Successful participants may earn 3 units of elective credit from the California State University. For more details on the specific programs offered by CSSSA, visit the link above.
To serve students throughout California, UC Berkeley provides residential, commuter, and online programs. Participants in the Pre-College Scholars program can earn college credits while fully immersing themselves in university life alongside peers from across the U.S. and internationally. In the summer, students will enroll in two courses through Berkeley Summer Sessions and can choose to engage in extracurricular activities, excursions, and a series of exploratory workshops led by experienced admissions professionals.
Stanford University provides a four-week program for high school students interested in taking college courses and experiencing college life. Participants can choose between residential and commuter options and select from over 100 course topics. The program covers a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology, art, chemistry, engineering, computer science, and more. In addition to learning from world-renowned faculty, students have the chance to explore their academic interests and earn college credit.
The UC Davis Young Scholars Program is a summer residential research initiative aimed at introducing around 40 exceptional high school students to original research in the biological, agricultural, environmental, and natural sciences. Participants will engage in one-on-one collaboration with research faculty and teams in cutting-edge laboratories over six weeks. Each student will undertake an individual project and create a journal-quality paper and symposium presentation about their findings. Beyond scientific research, the program seeks to familiarize participants with the climate and culture of university campus life. The staff endeavors to replicate the experiences students will encounter in their initial college years.
7. Camp SEA Lab
The Science, Education, and Adventure (SEA) Lab, in partnership with California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), aims to inspire a lifelong passion, scientific comprehension, and care for coastal and ocean environments through high-quality marine-oriented programs. One such program offers high school students the opportunity to participate in week-long boating expeditions, where they will engage in plankton and marine mammal research, oceanography sampling, and discussions on marine debris and conservation, among other activities. Throughout these 5-day maritime adventures, guided by a professional captain and crew, students are encouraged to work as a team by learning to sail a traditional ship during their sea voyage.
USC Summer Programs offer courses led by USC faculty and seasoned professionals from the USC academic community. The faculty involved craft an engaging educational experience through a mix of lectures, hands-on workshops and labs, and guest speakers. Each course is intentionally designed to be more interactive, engaging, and challenging than typical accelerated high school classes or the general introductory courses provided by other summer pre-collegiate programs. As "Summer Trojans," high school students balance academics with campus life while preparing for college—and they earn college credit in the process. Study areas include business, engineering, journalism, and pre-health.
UC Santa Barbara's Summer Research Academies provide an engaging summer experience that introduces eligible high school students to the world of research through project-based, directed studies in STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Participants will enroll in a 4-unit university course where they select and develop a research topic related to their chosen track, guided by an instructor actively researching in that field. Students will enhance their academic and professional skills by presenting their research findings in a capstone seminar, networking with peers, and experiencing university life in a stimulating environment. The lecture series will connect students with leading experts from the UC Santa Barbara research community as they present their pioneering research and innovative technology.
Students in the Research Mentorship Program are actively involved in discovering new knowledge alongside researchers at UC Santa Barbara. Depending on their project's requirements, students will spend 30 to 40 hours each week on research. The program exposes students to a diverse range of interdisciplinary research topics, allowing them to rank their preferred projects. Students will be matched with a project and a research mentor (graduate student, postdoc, or faculty) to engage in hands-on, university-level research. In 2022, previous projects included studies on machine learning, blockchain, and neural networks.
In CCA’s Pre-College Program, high school students become part of a diverse community of creative individuals who share a passion for art and design. The program welcomes all interested participants, regardless of their level of experience, from beginners to those with advanced skills. Students with an interest in the arts can enroll in studio-focused, college-level courses designed to help them create portfolio-ready pieces while earning 3 college credits. CCA provides both residential and commuter options for a 4-week duration, as well as a 5-week virtual instruction option, with in-person classes held at the CCA San Francisco campus.
Although managed by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, CTY offers residential programs at the UCSC campus in Santa Cruz and the LMU campus in Los Angeles, featuring extensive course catalogs. Available courses at one or both locations include chemistry, cognitive psychology, electrical engineering, marine ecology, and game theory. CTY participants also enjoy a three-week immersion in campus life, which includes extracurricular activities and in-depth exploration of course material.
Idyllwild Arts High School Intensives and Workshops offer concentrated, practical, hands-on experiences for students passionate about the arts. Within a supportive and creative setting, students fully engage in their selected craft (e.g., fiction, filmmaking, ballet, fashion design, ceramics). These high school programs foster passion and talent, guiding the creative spirit into a base for further study. Instructors effectively collaborate with students of all skill levels and experience, focusing on educational values, personal growth, and achievement. Students will be encouraged to enhance their skills and boost their confidence.
Annually, 50 high-school students from across the world participate in a two-week learning experience at B-BAY, where they are taught by professors from Berkeley Haas Business School and corporate guest speakers, while also experiencing the culture and life at Berkeley. This college preparatory business program is designed to assist students in exploring various business topics through an engaging curriculum, teaching them how to draft a business plan and transform their ideas into a venture. The course covers subjects such as accounting, game theory and negotiations, marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship.
UCLA offers a variety of residential programs for ambitious high school students, such as the Summer College Immersion Program (SCIP) and Pre-College Summer Institutes. In SCIP, high school students enroll in 1-2 UCLA courses alongside undergraduates and gain exclusive access to co-curricular activities that promote academic development and college preparedness. The Pre-College Summer Institutes enable motivated high school students to earn college credits over one to three weeks, enhancing their academic career and skills in a field of their choice.
