Best Summer Programs in the Bay Area 鈥� 2026
February 27, 2026
Famed for its craggy coastline and the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Area is composed of nine diverse counties surrounding San Francisco Bay. Well-known cities include bustling Oakland and San Francisco, Gilroy, famous for its garlic production, Napa, the iconic wine destination, and Palo Alto, the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Of course, the Bay Area is known for its tech companies (Google, Facebook, and Apple are headquartered here) and top-notch healthcare system. Californians are an active bunch and there are countless trail systems and public parks to explore, as well as Half Moon Bay, a legendary big-wave surfing spot, and Muir Woods National Monument, home to scores of old-growth redwoods. And due to the marine layer, the temperature rarely rises above seventy degrees in the summer. Convinced that California is for you? Below, we鈥檝e pulled together the top Bay Area summer programs for high school students.
Want a full look at our searchable database of the best 2026 summer programs? Click below to sort summer programs by discipline and location, and view important data points such as tuition costs, deadlines, course listings, and more!
Best Summer Programs in the Bay Area
1)听
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Instructional Method: In-person (residential or commuter) or online
- Program Length: Varies — 2 weeks (Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills) / 8 weeks (Institutes of Medicine)
- Cost: $4,500 (Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills) / Free (Institutes of Medicine)
- Eligibility: High school students aged 16+
- Application Deadline: March (Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills) /听February (Institutes of Medicine)
It should come as no surprise that Stanford鈥檚 list of Bay Area summer programs is extensive, and includes on-campus as well as virtual and low-cost options. In particular, they offer highly regarded research and medicine-related offerings. Highlights include the and the , among many others.
For starters, the provides an introductory education in cardiothoracic surgery anatomy and physiology, coronary bypass surgery, and heart transplantation, among other topics. Additionally, students have the opportunity to develop surgical skills such as knot-tying, dissection, and suturing. This is an intensive, remote course that provides both academic and hands-on experience. In the morning, students will participate in classes; in the afternoon, they will take part in skills training exercises. As such, students must submit a resume, transcripts, test scores, two letters of recommendation, and an essay.
Secondly, students at the full-time conduct research alongside Stanford faculty members. They also receive one-on-one mentorship. Additionally, students are assigned to one of eight institutes (based on preference). These include immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, or genetics and genomics. Moreover, students participate in lab safety and career seminars, and at the culmination of the program, they present their research at a poster session.
2)
- Location: Berkeley, CA
- Instructional Method: In-person (residential or commuter) or online
- Program Length: 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks.
- Cost: Varies
- Eligibility:听痴补谤颈别蝉
- Application Deadline:听Varies (March-May)
In addition to residential, commuter, and virtual , where students take undergraduate courses and immerse themselves in campus life, Berkeley offers a number of specialty Bay Area summer programs. Most notably, the offers an intensive introduction to the world of business. Through a mixture of academic instruction and team projects, students develop their confidence, communication, and presentation skills. Taught by Haas professors, students explore entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, and organizational management, among other topics. Finally, at the culmination of the program, students present a business plan. This two-week program costs $7,950.
There is also , held at the College of Environmental Design. During this full-time, immersive experience, students dive into architecture, urban design, and material usage. Civic responsibility and sustainability are heavily emphasized. Accordingly, there are field trips, gallery showcases, and the opportunity to take part in building and designing a real project in partnership with a community organization. All the while, students spend time in the studio and receive personalized feedback on their work.听 Moreover, students attending these UC Berkeley summer programs earn college credit and the chance to build a college-ready design portfolio. This program will set you back $5,193 if you’re a domestic student and $8,233 if you’re international. (This doens’t even include housing costs.)
3)
- Location: Oakland, CA
- Instructional Method: In-person (commuter)
- Program Length: 5 days
- Cost: $1,950
- Eligibility: High school students aged 15+
- Application Deadline: March 27
Founded by an emergency medicine clinician, these Bay Area summer programs partner with local hospitals and clinics. Consequently, high school students receive a tremendous level of hands-on clinical experience. Past workshops have included suturing, EKG, splinting, patient vitals, and many more. Moreover, students receive at least five health-focused certifications such as CPR, first aid, Stop the Bleed, Teen Mental Health First Aid, and Bloodborne Pathogens. They attend the program for six hours a day, and the cost includes all certifications, equipment, and lunch.
Finally, clinicians mentor students and provide invaluable networking opportunities. For those interested in a healthcare career, MISA is an excellent way to receive foundational experiential knowledge.
4)
- Location: Oakland, CA
- Instructional Method:听In-person (commuter)
- Program Length: 9 weeks
- Cost: None (a $3,000 stipend is provided)
- Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are 16+
- Application Deadline: February 13
At this unique summer research program, students are not given special high school-level projects but integrated into active biomedical research teams at UCSF Benioff Children鈥檚 Hospital. First, students are matched with a mentor鈥攂ased on both preference and availability鈥攊n one of three categories. These categories include laboratory-based research, clinical research, or community health research. In addition, students engage in workshops, simulations, networking opportunities, and social activities.
Capping off the program is a formal research symposium, where students present their projects. Throughout the course of the experience, they鈥檒l develop the skills they need to pursue STEM or healthcare-related careers.
To apply to these Bay Area summer programs, students must have completed at least one year in math and biology. They also need to submit a resume, an essay, transcripts, and two recommendations. Furthermore, they must , which includes students belonging to particular racial/ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and first-generation students.
5)
- Location: Santa Clara, CA
- Instructional Method:听In-person (residential)
- Program Length: 5 days
- Cost: Free
- Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors
- Application Deadline: March 31
Designed for students who wish to pursue engineering, the Summer Engineering Seminars (SES) provide both academic and hands-on learning. Workshops are offered in a number of engineering disciplines, including bioengineering, environmental engineering, and mechanical engineering. Students also complete a variety of projects and engage in social programming. The goal of SES is to excite students about the array of STEM career possibilities.
These Bay Area summer programs are uniquely structured in that there are both introductory and advanced sessions. The introductory sessions are open to rising juniors and seniors, though rising juniors will be given priority. However, the advanced session is only open to rising seniors who have completed the introductory session. Such a structure allows returning students to delve more deeply into topics of interest.
Finally, the program is extremely competitive. As such, STEM-related academic performance is heavily valued in the admission process. Interested students need to submit a general application as well as an essay.
Final Thoughts 鈥� Bay Area Summer Programs
Access to top universities, companies, and hospitals, unparalleled natural beauty, and that laidback California lifestyle鈥hat more could you ask for? Whether you鈥檙e hoping to develop cardiothoracic surgery skills at Stanford, create a business plan at the UC Berkeley summer programs, or explore engineering at Santa Clara, there鈥檚 no better place to build your resume than at one of the many Bay Area summer opportunities.
- Best Online Summer Programs
- Best Summer Programs for High School Students
- Best Summer Programs for Business
- Best Summer Programs for Computer Science
- Best Summer Programs for Law, Political Science, and International Relations
- Best Summer Programs for Performing and Visual Arts
- Best Summer Programs for Pre-Med
- Best Research-Intensive Summer Programs
- Best Summer Programs for STEM
- Best Summer Programs for Writing and Journalism
