Bay Area High School Medical and STEM Opportunities
Bay Area High School Opportunities
While the Bay Area is rich in opportunities, it can be difficult sometimes for high schoolers to navigate and understand what opportunities are available for them. Some opportunities may be unattainable through pay-walls, and some high school students are not connected to a trusted college counselor. Others are unable to commute far distances to colleges that host these programs. Below, here is a list of different internships, summer programs, year-long programs, and volunteer opportunities that have been listed by credible colleges and programs around the Bay Area, organized by year, area of focus, location, time, and commitment.
All of the following programs are free. Current program statuses are unsure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the university plans on re-opening tentatively following state-regulated health and safety precautions.
Not a high school junior or senior? Consider joining Teens In Health to get the up-to-date opportunities for high school freshmen and sophomores. Teens In Health members are passionate in biology and health sciences, and we are here to support high schoolers passionate about shared interests and their communities. Email teensinhealth@gmail.com for further information.
If you are an educator or someone who wants to propose an opportunity for high school students, please share your program so we may add it to our list by emailing teensinhealth@gmail.com.
Summer Programs
Stanford Summer Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)
Deadline: February 2022
Requirements: High school junior or senior
Location: Palo Alto
Stanford STEM to SHTEM
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
Deadline: March 10th, 2022
Description: High school junior and seniors
UCSF Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI)
Deadline: February 2022
Location: Oakland
Requirements: High school junior or senior
UCSF SF High School Internship Program
Deadline: February 2022
Location: San Francisco
Requirements: High school junior or senior
UCSF Fresno Summer Biomedical Internship Program
Deadline: Unknown
UCSF Cellular Construction Workshop
Deadline: Next Application process will open in January 2022
Requirements: High school sophomores or juniors
Location: San Francisco
UCSF Health Investigators Program
Deadline: Unknown
Kaiser Permanente LAUNCH Program
Deadline: February 2022
Location: Multiple locations
Requirements: High school junior or senior
UC Davis Young Scholars Program
Deadline: March 2022
Location: Davis
Requirements: High school sophomores and juniors
Academic Talent Development Program
Deadline: March 2022 (Early Application) and May 2022 (Extended)
Location: Berkeley
Requirements: 8th to 12th graders
Apply early to receive financial aid.
Up to full financial aid available for those who qualify for free lunch.
Year-Long Programs
UCSF HealthLink Program
Deadline: August 2021
Requirement: At least high school sophomore
Location: San Francisco
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Deadline: June (Summer Term), August (Fall term), and January (Spring Term)
Requirements: High school student
Location: Online and Palo Alto
Notes: Financial Aid is available, so please do not be discouraged by tuition!
California Academy of Sciences Careers in STEM
Deadline: April 2022
Requirements: High school student
Location: San Francisco
Chabot Space and Science Center Galaxy Explorers
Deadline: April 2022
Requirements: High school student
Location: Berkeley
Volunteer Opportunities
Sutter Health Student Volunteer Program
Stanford Children’s Hospital Volunteers
The Tech Interactive Engineering Challenge
Lawrence Hall of Science Volunteers
Exploratorium High School Explainers
Oakland Aviation Museum Volunteer
Computer Science Summer Institute @ Google
Other Internships & Volunteer Programs
Humanities Internships
Teen Art Connect (TAC) at The Contemporary Jewish Museum
Community Service Opportunities
MedShare (San Francisco Bay Area)
United States Secret Services Volunteer
Bay Area Academy Metropolitan Transportation
Image from San Francisco Commission of the Moberg Mural.