UCSD Summer Internship Welcomes You to Apply!
Important Dates to Remember
Program Dates: June 29 – July 30, 2026
Application process opens on January 2, 2026.
Application deadline is January 31, 2026.
Notification Window is March 1 –15, 2026.
About the Program
This advanced and fast paced, five–week research experience will give high school students the opportunity to learn and conduct research with some of the nation‘s top researchers. Students will work with five different research disciplines in one unique summer research experience! The program will begin the week of June 29 – July 2, 2026 with Dr. Paul Cao of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. A unanimous favorite from last summer, Dr. Cao will return to teach students about AI and basic machine learning algorithms. The second week, July 6–10, 2026 will focus on the brain with Dr. Chengbiao Wu of the Department of Neuroscience. Students will learn about the brain, brain functions and disease of the brain. During the third week, July 13–17, 2026, Dr Ki Jung Sung. a researcher in the Center for Chronobiology Will immerse students in the field of Biophysics.
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary field that applies physics and chemistry principles to understand the biological systems. During our fourth week, July 20–24, 2026, we also welcome back Dr. Benjamin Smarr of the Halicioglu Data Science Institute. He will introduce students to the challenges of using data science within the areas of health and bi biology. To conclude our summer of STEM, July 27–30, 2026, Professor LeonardoDa Silveira will guide students as they begin to reflect on the communities and the world around them.Through individual exercises, students will enhance their self-awareness and strengthen their statements of purpose, self-image, and narratives that will dictate the early stages of their collegege path and beyond.
Program Highlights
120 total hours of professorial mentoring and contact
Five week program from June 29 – July 30, 2026
Small class size of 15–20 students
Five hours per day of instruction and project work time
Two undergraduate teacher assistants per week
Research poster session on July 30, 2026
Addition of Research 101 class prior to the start of the program
Schedule and Location
8:30 AM – 3:00 PM Daily (excluding Friday, July 3, 2026)
UCSD campus locations and the San Diego
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 ARE student registration link.
Registration will be due by the end of April. Please remember that students may only do one ARE internship in the summer.
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Program Fee
Application Fee: Free
Research Project: $ 4000
Financial Assistance is Available.
Due to the rising administrative costs associated with the REHS program, it has become necessary to now charge a $975 registration for this coveted eight-week experience. As a non-profit entity, it has become increasingly difficult these past few years to cover program expenses. We have embraced the support that you as a community have given to SDSC and REHS, and we hope that this registration does not impact the support you have given us for the past decade.
Program Data
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Years of Success
TBD
Students
73
High Schools
70%
We are predicting that ARE I I alumni will select computer science Data science and engineering as their college major
65%
of ARA alumni attended a college or university on the list of top 20 global educational institutions
Click Here to Complete Statistic Report.
How ARE Works
The UCSD ARE program is an opportunity for motivated high school students to work with a UCSD mentor on campus and at the San Diego Supercomputer Center for a for a 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 ARE 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 ARE Program
The ARE Internship Program is administered by the UCSD San Diego Supercomputer Center.
The ARE 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 ARE 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 ARE Mission
The mission of the ARE 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!
