A Rigorous AI Experience — Designed for Future Innovators

Program Overview

UCSC’s Summer School on Artificial Intelligence is a four-week, in-person program for talented and motivated high school students who are interested in exploring artificial intelligence (AI) in a university setting. Hosted at the UCSC Silicon Valley Campus, the program offers an immersive learning experience that combines foundational AI concepts with hands-on, research-inspired work. Students learn from UCSC professors and active PhD researchers, gaining advanced problem-solving skills, research-oriented thinking, and a deeper understanding of how AI is applied in cutting-edge innovations.

Program Highlights

• Curriculum aligned with UCSC undergraduate AI courses and the USA–NA–AIO standards

• Hands-on research opportunities exploring Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), AI agents, and other frontier topics

• Dialogue and mentorship with researchers and engineers from Google, NVIDIA, and leading Silicon Valley startups

• Immersive learning in the heart of Silicon Valley, providing direct exposure to cutting-edge AI research and industry innovation

Student Experience

• Problem-solving and research-oriented thinking

• Hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI topics

• Mentorship from UCSC professors and active PhD researchers

• Networking and collaboration with fellow motivated high school students

Program Details

• Who: High school students (Grades 9–12) with strong motivation and interest in AI

• When: 9AM – 4PM, July 6 – July 31, 2026 (in person)

• Where: UCSC Silicon Valley Campus (3175 Bowers Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95054)

• Tuition Fee: $4,298

Application Timeline

Information Sessions

Interested in learning more?  Join one of the online information sessions:

• 10 – 11AM, Saturday, Feb. 14th (Register)

• 10 – 11AM, Saturday, Feb. 28th (Register)

Q&A

• What prerequisite knowledge is required?

Students should have fundamental programming experience in Python, including writing simple programs, using variables, loops, functions, classes, and basic data structures (lists, dictionaries, tuples, sets, etc.). 

Students are also expected to have mathematical knowledge equivalent to Algebra II, including comfort with functions and basic algebraic reasoning. Familiarity with basic linear algebra concepts (such as vectors and matrices) is helpful but not required.

• How rigorous is the program?

The program is academically rigorous and designed for motivated students who are interested in exploring artificial intelligence at a university level. Students should expect a fast-paced learning environment that emphasizes problem-solving, critical thinking, and active participation.

• Is this program residential?

No. This is an in-person, non-residential program. Students are responsible for their own housing, transportation, and meals.

• What is the daily time commitment?

Students should expect to participate full-time on weekdays. A detailed daily schedule will be shared with admitted students prior to the start of the program.