Extracurriculars & Programs in California for High School Students
California pairs Stanford, Caltech, and UC pre-college and research programs with Silicon Valley tech internships and entertainment-industry opportunities in Los Angeles.
105 verified programs match this page; 17 of the featured listings are completely free; 1 can be done online.
Featured programs
Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:
- Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP) — Stanford University: Explore medicine, public health, and research in this free, equity-focused summer program for high school juniors. Build skills and strengthen college
- Stanford AI4ALL — Stanford University: Discover a free summer program empowering high school juniors with hands-on AI experience, skill-building for college applications, and diversity-focu
- Caltech Signature Award for Innovation — California Institute of Technology: Earn recognition for your groundbreaking ideas in science with this free high school research award. Boost your college applications and showcase your
- Scripps Research High School Internship Program — Scripps Research: Gain hands-on biomedical research experience in this free high school internship for grades 11-12. Build STEM skills and boost college applications th
- Berkeley Model United Nations (BMUN) — UC Berkeley Model United Nations: The oldest continuously running collegiate Model UN conference in the world. Over 1,700 high school delegates tackle global issues across 20+ committe
- ArtCenter College of Design Pre-College Program — ArtCenter College of Design: Intensive pre-college art and design program at ArtCenter in Pasadena for high school students to explore industrial design, graphic design, film, ill
- Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam — Youth Speaks: National slam poetry organization connecting high school students through spoken word performance, workshops, and the annual Brave New Voices internat
- Victory Briefs Institute — Victory Briefs: Elite Lincoln-Douglas debate camp known for producing national champions. Top-tier instruction from successful competitors and coaches.
- UC Berkeley ATDP — UC Berkeley: Academic Talent Development Program for gifted students.
- Stanford Compression Forum Summer Internship — Stanford University: Data compression research internship at Stanford. Work with researchers on multimedia compression.
- TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield — TechCrunch: Startup competition at major tech conference. Present to investors.
- Science Internship Program (SIP) at UC Santa Cruz — UC Santa Cruz: 8-week summer research internship. Students work in UCSC research labs. Competitive admission.
- Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes — Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies: Three-week academic intensives across STEM, humanities, and arts.
- Salk Institute High School Research Scholars — Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Research program at iconic Jonas Salk's institute.
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab Student Programs — SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory: Particle physics research at Stanford's national lab.
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab High School Internship — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Research experience at DOE national laboratory in energy sciences.
- Haas School of Business Summer Entrepreneurship Program — UC Berkeley Haas: Entrepreneurship program at Berkeley Haas. Develop startup ideas with Silicon Valley-style mentorship.
- Caltech InnoWorks Academy — Caltech: Free hands-on STEM program at Caltech. Engineering projects and science exploration.
- Startup Grind Global Conference Youth Track — Startup Grind: Youth track at major startup conference in Silicon Valley. Network with founders, investors, and tech leaders. Access to Silicon Valley ecosystem.
- Genomics Research Internship Program (GRIP) — Stanford University Department of Genetics: Paid summer research internship in Stanford genetics labs for local high school students underrepresented in biomedical science.
- Stanford Institute of Medicine Summer Research — Stanford University School of Medicine: An 8-week paid summer research internship in biomedical science at Stanford Medicine for current high school juniors and seniors.
- Stanford Clinical Summer Internship (CSI) — Stanford Medicine: Gain hands-on clinical experience with this free summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Shadow doctors, build pre-med skills, and boost y
- UCLA Brain Research Institute High School Summer Research Program (BRI-SRP) — UCLA Brain Research Institute: Gain hands-on neuroscience research experience in UCLA labs this free summer program for high schoolers. Boost college applications with lab skills an
- UCLA Summer Sessions for High School Students — University of California, Los Angeles: Immerse in a hybrid summer program at UCLA for high schoolers in grades 10-12. Earn college credit, enhance academic skills, and boost college applica
- Silicon Valley Math Tournament — Silicon Valley Math Initiative: Compete in the Silicon Valley Math Tournament to sharpen problem-solving skills, boost your college applications, and connect with like-minded high sc
- NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center Programs — NASDAQ: Develop entrepreneurial skills through hybrid programs offering mentorship, hands-on experience, and resources. Perfect for high schoolers boosting co
- Berkeley Changemaker Design Lab — UC Berkeley Jacobs Institute: Master design thinking and human-centered innovation at this in-person summer program for high school students. Build skills for college and future ca
- UCLA Summer Discovery — University of California, Los Angeles: Transform your summer with a pre-college academic program at UCLA. Earn college credit, boost your skills, and enhance your college applications throu
- Entrepreneurship World Cup Student Track — Global Silicon Valley: Compete in the Entrepreneurship World Cup Student Track to pitch your startup ideas, gain hands-on business experience, and boost your college applica
- California Arts Scholars Program — California State Summer School for the Arts: Immerse yourself in the California Arts Scholars Program, a residential summer program for grades 10-12 offering intensive arts training to build skil
Frequently asked questions
How many california programs are listed for high school students?
ExtracurricularHub currently lists 105 verified california opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.
Are any of these california programs free?
Yes — 17 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early.
Which deadlines are coming up soonest?
The next deadlines: Berkeley Model United Nations (BMUN) (January 15, 2027); Startup Grind Global Conference Youth Track (January 15, 2027); Caltech Signature Award for Innovation (February 1, 2027). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.
Do I have to live in California to participate?
Most in-person programs based in California accept applicants from anywhere, though some give preference to local students. Residential summer programs typically accept students nationwide — check each listing's eligibility.