Best Summer Programs in the Bay Area – 2026

February 27, 2026

bay area summer programs, stanford, berkeley

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’ve 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!

2026 Best Summer Programs

Best Summer Programs in the Bay Area

1) Stanford Summer Programs

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) / February (Institutes of Medicine)

It should come as no surprise that Stanford’s 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 Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Summer Internship and the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program, among many others.

For starters, the Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Summer Internship 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 Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program 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) UC Berkeley Summer Programs

Location: Berkeley, CA
Instructional Method: In-person (residential or commuter) or online
Program Length: 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks.
Cost: Varies
Eligibility: Varies
Application Deadline: Varies (March-May)

In addition to residential, commuter, and virtual Pre-College Scholars, where students take undergraduate courses and immerse themselves in campus life, Berkeley offers a number of specialty Bay Area summer programs. Most notably, the High School Entrepreneurship Program 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 embARC, 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. 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) Medical Immersion Summer Academy

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) UCSF Summer Student Research Program

Location: Oakland, CA
Instructional Method: 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’s Hospital. First, students are matched with a mentor—based on both preference and availability—in 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’ll 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 hail from a background that is considered underrepresented in the sciences, which includes students belonging to particular racial/ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and first-generation students.

5) Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminars

Location: Santa Clara, CA
Instructional Method: 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 – Bay Area Summer Programs

Access to top universities, companies, and hospitals, unparalleled natural beauty, and that laidback California lifestyle…what more could you ask for? Whether you’re 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’s no better place to build your resume than at one of the many Bay Area summer opportunities.

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Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).