12 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in California
Free summer programs provide high school students with invaluable opportunities to explore career interests, gain hands-on experience, and connect with industry professionals—without financial constraints. Many of these programs offer mentorship, skill-building workshops, and even stipends, making them an excellent choice for motivated students.
California hosts a diverse range of prestigious summer programs across various fields, from STEM and medicine to artificial intelligence and the arts. To simplify your search, we’ve compiled a list of 12 free summer programs that help high school students enhance their academic and career profiles.
1. Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS)
Location: Pomona College, Claremont, CA.
Cost: Free!
Cohort Size: 90 students.
Dates: June 22 – July 18.
Application Deadline: March 3.
Eligibility: Ninth graders attending high school in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties are eligible to apply.
PAYS is a four-week residential summer program for high-achieving high school students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds. You will take rigorous college-level courses in critical inquiry, math, and research, while also engaging in cultural events, field trips, and mentorship. Beyond the summer, PAYS provides year-round support, including SAT prep, bilingual financial aid workshops, and personalized college advising. The program fosters a collaborative environment to help you succeed at selective colleges.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual.
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: May. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that you get access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford (PIPS)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Cost / Stipend: No cost. Students receive a stipend of $3,000 on a needs-based system.
Cohort Size: 40 students.
Dates: June 16 – July 25.
Application Deadline: February 24.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors with a cumulative unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 and who live in the Bay Area are eligible to apply. Participants must be at least 16 years old by the start of the program. Check more criteria here
PIPS is a six-week summer research internship for rising juniors and seniors from the Bay Area, offering hands-on exposure to pediatric medicine. You will work alongside Stanford faculty and researchers on personalized projects, gaining essential research skills such as data collection and analysis. This program also prioritizes diversity in medicine, supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds interested in healthcare careers.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Acceptance Rate: There are no set acceptance numbers; however, there are two stages of the application process, including an online application and the interview round. So, you can expect some degree of selectivity.
Application Deadline: May.
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility:
You must either be currently enrolled in high school. Or planning to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall.
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!
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation stands as a non-profit research program tailored for gifted students from low-income backgrounds. Stemming from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, renowned for its extensive one-on-one research opportunities for high school students, the foundation provides the same access to independent research experiences at zero cost.
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. You can apply here! This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper.
Location: Meta Headquarters, Menlo Park, CA.
Stipend: Students receive a stipend.
Acceptance Rate: Only 200 students have had the opportunity to participate in the program since 2012. Approximately 14 students are selected per year.
Dates: June 16 – July 25.
Application Deadline: February 14.
Eligibility: High school sophomores with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City are eligible to apply.
Meta Summer Academy is a selective six-week internship for high school sophomores at Meta’s headquarters. You will gain firsthand experience in the tech industry, learning coding, career exploration, and essential soft skills. With mentorship from Meta employees, you will receive insights into the workings of a leading social media company while developing the skills necessary for future success in technology.
6. Stanford’s Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Cost / Stipend: Application fee: $40 (fee waiver available). Students receive a stipend of $500. Stipends of $2500 and above are given on a needs-based system from special grants.
Cohort Size: Around 50 students.
Dates: June 9 – July 31.
Application Deadline: February 22.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are 16 years old at the start of the program are eligible to apply.
SIMR is an eight-week research internship for high school juniors and seniors, offering specialized hands-on experience in medical research. You will choose from eight study areas—including cancer biology, stem cell research, and neuroscience—while working alongside Stanford faculty and mentors. A separate bioengineering boot camp is available for students interested in practical applications of bioengineering. This highly selective program is ideal for those eager to gain research experience in a professional academic setting.
7. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Cost: Free!
Cohort Size: 24 students.
Dates: June 23 – July 25.
Application Deadline: March 17.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors in Northern California are eligible to apply.
SMYSP is a five-week program for first-generation, low-income juniors from Northern California, focusing on medicine and public health disparities. Participants commute to Stanford’s campus for lectures, workshops, networking events, and research projects. The program emphasizes college preparation, career exploration in healthcare, and leadership development through mentorship and team-building activities.
8. CAMP CHLA - Health Care Career Exploration
Location: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
Cost: Free!
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – June 20 | Session 2: July 28 – August 1.
Application Deadline: January 10.
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who live in Los Angeles County are eligible to apply.
Camp CHLA is a five-day immersive summer program held at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), offering students hands-on exposure to healthcare careers. You will engage in CPR and first aid training, attend sessions with medical professionals, and gain insight into hospital operations. Networking opportunities with peers and professionals make this a valuable experience for students exploring careers in healthcare.
9. Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (BAIR) High School Summer Program
Location: BAIR Lab, Berkeley, CA.
Cost: Free!
Dates: July 8 – 12 (tentative based on the previous year's program).
Application Deadline: April 30.
Eligibility: Bay Area high school students entering grades 10–12 are eligible to apply.
BAIR offers a selective summer program for rising 10th–12th graders with limited STEM opportunities. You will engage in hands-on exploration of artificial intelligence concepts, including machine learning, robotics, and computer vision, under the mentorship of UC Berkeley researchers. The program includes guest lectures, lab visits, and campus tours, while prioritizing students with financial need and limited STEM access.
10. Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Location: City of Hope Center, Duarte, CA.
Cost / Stipend: No cost. Students receive a stipend of $4,000.
Acceptance Rate: Around 10%.
Dates: June 2 – August 8.
Application Deadline: March 12.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply.
Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy at the City of Hope offers high school students the opportunity to engage in hands-on biomedical research. You will design and execute your own research projects under the mentorship of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. The program emphasizes scientific communication, with students presenting findings in seminars, written reports, and a poster session. Weekly meetings include scientific discussions and career talks, social activities enhance both academic and professional development.
11. Eve And Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Location: Los Angeles Pediatric Society, Torrance, CA.
Cost / Stipend: No cost. Students receive a stipend of $500 at the end of the program.
Cohort Size: 100-180 students.
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – July 17 | Session 2: July 21 – July 31.
Application Deadline: February 14.
Eligibility: Current 11th and 12th grade high school students residing in Los Angeles and surrounding counties are eligible to apply.
Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program is a mentorship initiative designed to inspire high school students to pursue healthcare careers. This program offers daily sessions featuring interactive lessons and presentations led by medical professionals, including pediatricians, surgeons, nurses, dietitians, and therapists. Through daily sessions, you will gain insight into various medical specialties, fostering career interest and preparation for future healthcare opportunities.
12. California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
Location: Options available in five of the University of California’s campuses—Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Cruz.
Cost: $5,256. Need-based financial aid available.
Cohort Size: 160-200 participants for each campus.
Dates: July 6 – August 2.
Application Deadline: February 7.
Eligibility: California high school students with a GPA of 3.5 or above are eligible to apply.
California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS) is a four-week residential program for high school students interested in STEM fields. The program offers in-depth courses in areas such as robotics, quantum mechanics, and aerospace engineering. You will engage in lectures, lab sessions, and research projects, culminating in a poster session. With mentorship from experts, you will develop technical skills, career awareness, and a deeper passion for STEM subjects.
Image Source - COSMOS