About

The University of California, San Francisco Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) is a seven-week, immersion-style biomedical research experience for high school students. For the 2026 cohort, the program is exclusively open to high school applicants, placing them in active clinical and basic science laboratories within the UCSF health science ecosystem. For over 40 years, SSRP has placed talented students from diverse backgrounds into real research environments, pairing them one-on-one with health care providers and biomedical researchers to participate in ongoing scientific investigations across areas such as basic biology, clinical research, and public health.

The 2026 program runs from June 15 to July 31. Participants commit to a full-time schedule and engage in a structured curriculum that includes weekly seminars, professional development workshops, scientific trainings, simulations, and networking opportunities designed to build research competence and scientific communication skills. The experience culminates on July 31 with a formal Research Symposium, where each student presents their project findings to the UCSF scientific community — and where many projects continue beyond the summer as future grants, publications, and contributions to health research.

Eligibility is restricted to high school students in grades 10–12 who are at least 16 years old by June 1, 2026. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, have completed at least one year of high school math and biology, and typically maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The program specifically seeks students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the sciences, including first-generation college-bound students and those from low-income households.

SSRP is a non-residential program; participants are responsible for their own housing and transportation. All admitted high school students receive a $3,000 stipend upon completion of the internship. The application process requires an online form, a personal essay, a resume, and one academic recommendation, with a mid-February deadline for the 2026 cycle. By combining paid research placement, sustained mentorship, and direct integration into a major academic medical center, SSRP functions both as an elite research opportunity and as a long-standing pipeline program designed to expand access to health and STEM careers for students with exceptional potential.