UC San Diego Pre-College Programs

Get ready to make a mess in the name of science! 🌋🧪✨

Join us for a week-long scientific adventure beginning July 6th, where students will explore exciting hands-on experiments involving volcanoes, earthquakes, glaciers, tsunamis, and more! From messy discoveries to explosive fun, this course is perfect for curious young scientists entering 4th–5th grade.

Spots are limited, so don’t wait — enrollment closes June 15th! 🚨

Come learn, experiment, and discover with us this summer! 🔬🌎

🚀 Summer adventures in STEAM start here!

Enrollment is open for the 2026 Sally Ride Science Academy! From robotics and coding to marine biology, engineering, space science, and more, students can explore week long hands-on workshops designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and confidence. 🌎🔬💻

📅 Program Dates: July 6 – July 24
📍 Open to students entering Kindergarten through 12th grade

Give your student the opportunity to learn from incredible instructors, discover new passions, and experience the excitement of STEAM this summer.

This week, our team hit the road to connect with future innovators at Ocean Beach Elementary’s Family Science Fair and leadership at South Bay Community Schools Collaborative Summit! We loved sharing the excitement of Sally Ride Science—sparking curiosity, exploring STEM, and building pathways for students of all ages.

Whether it’s hands-on experiments or meaningful conversations, we’re proud to bring STEAM into the community—because inspiration can happen anywhere 🚀💡

Explore marine biology —apply to Research Scholars Life Science! Mammalian Chemistry & Genomics has AM & PM sessions available this summer. Link in the comments below!

🚀 Get ready for a summer of discovery with UC San Diego Sally Ride Science!

Our Hands-On Summer STEAM Workshops are back—packed with exciting experiments, creative problem-solving, and real-world learning designed to spark curiosity and confidence.

📅 July 6 – July 24
🎓 Open to K–12 students
🔬 Explore science, technology, engineering, arts & math through fun, interactive experiences

Whether your student is building, coding, experimenting, or creating—this program is designed to inspire the next generation of innovators.

Prof. Krishnan — BRIDGE instructor and MIT PhD, celebrated by UCSD students as their MVP and a seasoned product-growth leader who blends academic rigor with hands-on, data-driven strategies to scale products, boost user retention, and mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs.

🧠✨ What makes the human brain so extraordinary? Dive into the science behind it all in Fundamentals of Neurosciences: Health and Disease!

From the tiniest building blocks—neurons—to complex brain circuits, this course explores how we think, feel, and remember. Discover the science behind pain perception, emotion, empathy, and memory, while also examining real-world neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

📅 July 6 – July 31, 2026
⏳ Enrollment Deadline: June 26, 2026
💻 Live-Online
🎓 Open to incoming 9th–12th graders

Unlock the mysteries of the brain and explore the science that makes us human. Spots are limited—don’t miss out! Learn more by visiting the link in our comments!

⏰ Deadline Extended!

Great news—applications for Research Scholars: Puerto Rico and Research Scholars: Arizona, Biosphere 2 have been extended!

🗓 New deadline: Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT

Don’t miss this opportunity—make sure to submit your completed application before the new deadline. We’re excited to see your submissions!

📝 Please note: Students are welcome to apply to more than one Research Scholars program. Acceptance into one program will not disqualify you from being considered for another, including our travel programs in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Arizona.