UCSC Science Internship Program: An Overview

The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) Science Internship Program (SIP) offers high school students a unique opportunity to engage in university-level research. This residential summer program pairs motivated high school students with UCSC researchers (Mentors) for eight weeks of hands-on research in small groups. SIP's primary goal is to provide high school students with access to real research experiences and researchers. The program is designed to be different from typical high school science labs, encouraging students to explore new routes and potentially challenge initial hypotheses.

Program Structure and Philosophy

The Science Internship Program (SIP) is a 10-week summer immersive-deep-dive experience involving closely-mentored open-ended STEM/STEAM research exclusively for high school students. The program includes one week of online research preparation, followed by seven weeks of in-person active research. SIP facilitates life-altering experiences for high school students by placing them as summer interns in research groups/labs, where they work as members of a real scientific research team. Through the program’s strong commitment to mentorship (not just work experience), SIP provides students with a front row seat for witnessing scientific research passion “in action” as it unfolds, in and through the activity of a research team. SIP encourages curiosity and questions.

SIP intentionally builds a community of practice in scholarship, diversity, innovation, and openness to ideas during the SIP summer program. SIP remains steadfast in our commitment to change the educational outcomes for those affected by historic inequities. We recognize that education plays a vitally important role in righting these wrongs. SIP offers a transformative educational experience that significantly enhances students’ academic trajectory.

Interns work directly with mentors in labs and departments around campus. Interns and mentors plan meeting times/locations and specific tasks together. Although there may be an intern workshop occasionally, the majority of the time is spent with the specific lab/research group. Interns therefore have to be mature enough to organize their schedules, meet deadlines, and use their time wisely.

Eligibility and Application

Students must be 14-17 years of age for the duration of program (Monday, June 15, 2026 through Saturday, August 8, 2026) and currently enrolled in high school. Some projects may require interns be at least 16 years of age to participate. While many SIP interns are “rising seniors” (in the summer between junior and senior year), this is not a requirement. Students who expect to have graduated high school by this summer are generally ineligible.

The SIP 2026 program will be an in-person program. On-campus housing accommodations will be offered. A limited number of partial and full need-based scholarships are available. Scholarship requests will be considered after admission offers have been made; financial need has no bearing on admission decisions. We encourage interested students to apply regardless of their financial situation. Every effort will be made to provide financial assistance. Interns who qualify for financial aid will be granted a financial aid package covering 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of their program fees and any transportation, room, and board expenses for attending the program.

The SIP 2026 application portal will be live on January 16, 2026! A non-refundable application fee of $68 is required for your application to be considered complete and reviewed for admission.

Students will be selected based on their level of interest in the subject to which they are being matched for research project placement, motivation to learn new concepts, and capacity for analytical thinking. Many of the research projects are computational in nature; in these cases, it is desirable that the student have some prior computer programming experience.

Key Expectations for Interns

Students should apply to SIP if they are excited about academic research. Students should not apply to SIP if they can’t commit to an entire summer of full time work. Interns will develop a relationship with a real researcher (their mentor), and they will learn to collaborate with other researchers towards a common goal. Interns are expected to communicate regularly with their mentor. Interns will be working in a professional environment with many different people. Interns should have a local guardian who they can stay with if they wish to participate in the program in-person at UCSC.

Mentors

SIP mentors are researchers who are affiliated with UCSC. Most are graduate students or post-doctoral scholars. Some are faculty members. The mentors are, without exception, world-class researchers who are being paid by their institutions to work full time and carry out first-rate research. They participate in SIP because they are excited to introduce high school students to the research experience!

Research Areas and Projects

On the application form, students will be able to select areas of interest and skills they would like to hone. The program offers a diverse range of research projects across various scientific disciplines. Here are some examples of research projects offered:

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Several projects focus on analyzing data from telescopes to understand stars and galaxies. These projects often involve using Python to create graphs, plots, and charts for data analysis.

Variable Stars in Andromeda (M31): This project studies variable stars in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) using a technique called difference image analysis. By comparing images taken at different times, changes in brightness can be identified.
Stellar Populations in Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33): This project involves studying the resolved stellar populations of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) using data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph.
Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs): This project involves examining data taken by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) to search for the very high-energy component of gamma-ray bursts (GRB).
Mapping Stars with Machine Learning: This project explores the intersection of astronomy and artificial intelligence by building a machine learning model that maps stars onto the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram.
Hidden Stars in Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33): This project explores stars in two nearby galaxies, Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33), using advanced astronomical data to uncover the hidden properties of stars that were accidentally captured in large telescope surveys.
Dynamically Hot Stellar Component in Triangulum Galaxy (M33): This project explores the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) using spectroscopic data from the Keck DEIMOS telescope as part of the TREX survey. By analyzing the motion of stars in M33’s inner regions, the project aims to uncover how its dynamically hot stellar component formed and evolved.
Carbon-Nitrogen (CN) Stars in Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33): This research focuses on understanding a special type of star called Carbon-Nitrogen (CN) stars, found in galaxies like Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33).

Wireless Communication and Machine Learning

Autoencoders for Wireless Communication: This research project focuses on autoencoders, neural networks that can learn a compressed representation of the input data. The SIP interns will use Python libraries like PyTorch and TensorFlow to study research papers and reproduce results.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Visual Approaches to Archival and Field-Based Research: This research project investigates visual approaches to archival and field-based research in the humanities, social sciences, and environmental studies.

Computational Biology

Evolution of Centromeric DNA: This project is a computational biology project analyzing the evolution of centromeric DNA in modern humans.

High-Energy Astrophysics

High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs): This project focuses on studying high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), which are star systems consisting of a very large star and compact object (black hole or neutron star).

Learning and Skill Development

Interns will gain practical experience in various areas, including:

Python Programming: Many projects involve using Python for data analysis, creating visualizations, and implementing machine learning models.
Data Analysis: Interns will learn how to analyze data from telescopes, surveys, and other sources.
Machine Learning: Some projects involve building and training machine learning models using libraries like PyTorch.
Research Skills: Interns will develop skills in archival research, field interview methods, and independent research design.
Communication Skills: Interns are expected to communicate regularly with their mentors and collaborate with other researchers.

Potential for Publication and Competition

In past years, SIP interns have submitted papers to science competitions after completing their research during the summer. SIP interns should check the competition guidelines to determine whether the subject area of their research, the format of their SIP project, their high school grade level, etc.

Fees and Financial Aid

For more information on the fees and payment schedule, please visit Applying to SIP. The program offers full and partial need-based scholarships to qualified students, and encourages all students to apply even if they are worried that they might not be able to afford it.

Read also: Campus Resources at UCSC

Important Reminders

Applicants should never be asked to pay such fees by any organizations or individuals that are external to UCSC and applicants are under no obligation to pay unauthorized fees. A non-refundable deposit is required to hold the student’s spot, but the deposit will be waived initially for students who request scholarships.

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