The San Diego Supercomputer Center’s 17th Annual Research Experience for High School Students (REHS) Summer 2026 Volunteer Internship Opportunities at UC San Diego – June 8 – July 31, 2026
Important Program Dates and Links
Program Dates: June 8 – July 31, 2026
Application process opens February 15, 2026.
Application deadline is March 15, 2026.
Notification Window is May 1–10, 2026.
About the Program
The Research Experience for High School Students program, a part of the San Diego Supercomputer Center’s (SDSC) student outreach program, has been developed to help increase awareness of computational science and related fields of research to students in the San Diego region. Students gain exposure to career options, hands-on computational experience, work readiness skills and mentoring by computational research scientists.
Through the eight-week volunteer program, students are involved with an established research project. Students learn how to formulate and test hypotheses, conduct computational experiments, and draw conclusions from those experiments. They also learn to take part in regular lab meetings and participate in group discussions. At the end of the program, students will develop scientific posters, reflecting on their summer experience and highlighting their research and future career goals. Posters will be displayed during a celebratory event on Friday, July 31, 2026.
Program Eligibility
- Applicants must be Southern California residents and have completed their most recent semester of high school and be in grade 10, 11 or 12 at a public or private high school or in a home school setting within Southern California.
- Applicants must be at least 16 years of age on or before June 15 of the application year. There are no exceptions.
- One year each of high school level chemistry or biology is recommended but not required for full consideration. Please check each project prerequisite as project requirements vary.
- Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and be college bound. Please include your non-weighted GPA.
- Completion of an REHS Final Poster and attendance at the Poster Session itself is mandatory. If you know that you will be unable to attend this event, please DO NOT apply.
Program Highlights
Work with the nations top computational science researchers
Set your schedule with your mentor and student teammates
Your weekly schedule of 10–20 hours per week allows you to take additional summer classes or seek summer employment.
Opportunity to collaborate with like-minded students
Bi-weekly lunchtime research speakers
Pay Attention to Project Prerequisites
All of the project descriptions listed should contain a small number of prerequisites. In order to put your best foot forward and to be prepared for this internship, please make sure that you possess or will possess each of the prerequisites requested.
The Application Process
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Students will submit their online applications as in the past.
Mentors will review applications and interview student applicants.
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Students who are selected for the program and who accept the opportunity will then be sent an REHS student registration link.
Registration will be due by the end of May. Please remember that students may only do one REHS internship in the summer.
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Program Fee
Application Fee: Free
Program Registration Fee: $2000
Full and partial scholarships are available based on need and funding availability.
Program Data
17
Years of Success
774
Students
77
High Schools
70%
of REHS alumni selected computer science and engineering as their college major
65%
of REHS alumni attended a college or university on the list of top 20 global educational institutions
Click Here to Complete Statistic Report.
How REHS Works
The UCSD REHS program is an opportunity for motivated high school students to work with a UCSD mentor at the San Diego Supercomputer Center for an eight-week period during the summer.
Students may choose from a variety of individual project opportunities to learn more about a potential research or career interest through software instruction, assigned scholarly or practical readings and discussions with their mentor and his/her graduate student team members.
Students work in pairs or small groups, which allows students to learn and grow as they work with peers who have the same interest.
We encourage students to make the most of this opportunity, as they will have 1:1 access to the mentor’s expertise. With this internship, there is a specified number of hours required per week by the mentor. Each project description will have specified hours listed. Most are between 15-20 hours per week.
The opportunity to work with prestigious scientist and staff personnel is something very special, and we encourage you to make the most of it.
What the Program Does Not Offer
The REHS program is not a tutoring program. Please do not complete an application because you need assistance with AP Biology or AP Chemistry.
Administration of the REHS Program
The REHS Internship Program is administered by the UCSD San Diego Supercomputer Center.
The REHS Coordinators facilitate the administrative volunteer orientation and paperwork process for students and background check for mentors, as well as pairing of Faculty and Post Doc mentors with San Diego County high school students in grades 10-12.
The REHS Coordinator has four main responsibilities:
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Facilitate the matching and notification of mentoring pairs
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Provide a one-time Spring orientation for selected students, and maintain communication with students and mentors to discuss progress of mentor-student pairs
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Research, develop, and maintain a comprehensive university-wide resource list of all faculty development resources, programs, and opportunities on campus
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Maintain the REHS website for the mentors and students on which is posted a variety of resources and through which regular communication can be maintained with mentors, students, and interested campus and community members
Transportation Options
If you know that you will need transportation to get to the main UCSD campus, please do not worry. We will provide students with transportation needs through an MTS Compass card for the internship period.
Once we receive word from your mentor that you have been selected, we will email all selected students to ask if there are transportation needs. This will be your chance to let us know.
The REHS Mission
The mission of the REHS program is to enhance a student’s lifelong personal development in teaching, scholarship, and service. The mentoring relationships will support collegiality, effective communication, self-evaluation, and cultural competence, all of which enhance a stimulating and supportive university environment.
Guidance and Answers at Your Fingertips
Ange Mason of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (amason@ucsd.edu, 858 534-5064) is available to provide guidance and answer any questions you might have. Just ask!
