UC Berkeley Programs for High School Students

Berkeley's offerings run from business academies at Haas and design sprints at the Jacobs Institute to research exposure through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and one of the country's premier high school math tournaments.

For California students especially, Berkeley programs are a high-signal, lower-cost alternative to private-university summer brands — and UC familiarity compounds if you apply there later.

11 verified UC Berkeley programs, 3 free — every listing includes cost, eligibility, deadline, and the official application link.

Featured programs

Browse 11+ curated programs for high school students:

  • UC Berkeley Pre-Collegiate Programs — University of California, Berkeley: Transform your summer with UC Berkeley’s pre-college program. Build academic skills, gain hands-on experience, and boost your college applications on
  • UC Berkeley ATDP — UC Berkeley: Academic Talent Development Program for gifted students.
  • 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
  • Berkeley Math Tournament — UC Berkeley: Test your math skills in this exciting competition featuring individual and team rounds. Perfect for high school students boosting college application
  • UC Berkeley COSMOS — University of California, Berkeley: 4-week residential STEM program at UC campuses for California students.
  • High School Student Internships (HSSI) — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory K-12: Gain hands-on STEM experience in energy, biosciences, and computing with free high school research internships for grades 11-12. Boost college applica
  • Berkeley Forum Invitational — UC Berkeley: Compete in Berkeley Forum Invitational, a premier high school debate tournament. Build public speaking skills, enhance critical thinking, and boost co
  • Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM) — Joint BioEnergy Institute (Berkeley Lab): Transform your summer with a free high school research program in microbiology. Gain hands-on biotech experience, boost college applications, and earn
  • UC Berkeley Summer Sessions — University of California, Berkeley: Earn college credit in this hybrid summer program for high schoolers at UC Berkeley. Boost your skills, explore academic interests, and enhance your c
  • Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) — UC Berkeley Haas School of Business: Master business fundamentals and entrepreneurship at a top summer program for high schoolers. Build leadership skills, pitch ideas, and boost college
  • UC Berkeley embaRC Design Academy — UC Berkeley: Architecture and design summer academy at UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design.

Frequently asked questions

Does UC Berkeley offer programs for high school students?

Yes — ExtracurricularHub lists 11 verified UC Berkeley programs open to high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. Berkeley's offerings run from business academies at Haas and design sprints at the Jacobs Institute to research exposure through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and one of the country's premier high school math tournaments.

Are any UC Berkeley high school programs free?

Yes — 3 of the UC Berkeley programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Funded programs are often the most selective, so apply early and to more than one.

Which UC Berkeley deadlines are coming up soonest?

The next deadlines: Berkeley Math Tournament (November 15, 2026); Berkeley Forum Invitational (December 1, 2026); UC Berkeley COSMOS (February 6, 2027). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the official UC Berkeley page.

How competitive are UC Berkeley programs?

It varies widely within one organization — flagship selective programs sit alongside broad-access options. Read each listing's eligibility, and treat the selective ones as reach applications: apply to several programs across organizations rather than betting a summer on one.