UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions Pre-College
Santa Barbara, United States
About UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions Pre-College
UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions is the office at the University of California, Santa Barbara that runs the campus's summer quarter. Its Pre-College arm offers two research programs for high school students. The Research Mentorship Program (RMP) pairs each student with a mentor, who may be a graduate student, a postdoc or a faculty member. Together they work on a university-level research project that the student picks from a list of disciplines, and that list changes each year. The Summer Research Academies (SRA) place students in an interdisciplinary track in STEM, the humanities or the social sciences. There they build up from core concepts toward a research project with expert guidance. Summer Sessions says more than 10,000 students come to campus during the summer months, and they choose from more than 600 courses across seven sessions. That figure covers all of Summer Sessions, not just the pre-college programs. High school students can also take regular UC Santa Barbara courses alongside undergraduates through open enrollment. The office is in Santa Barbara, California. RMP 2027 runs from 14 June to 30 July 2027. It starts with a virtual component from 14 to 17 June 2027.
Teaching style
Learning here is built around doing research rather than sitting through lectures. In RMP, you work through a project with your mentor and pick up research techniques along the way. UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions says students take part in all stages of the academic research process. SRA is more structured. Students start from fundamental concepts in their track and then develop a project with guidance from experts. Both programs include the GRIT Talks lecture series, where UC Santa Barbara researchers present their work. The 2024 brochure also listed credit-bearing courses taught by researchers, along with workshops on college admissions, higher education and career paths. Each program opens with a virtual component before students arrive on campus.
Reputation & Succeed take
UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions describes UC Santa Barbara as widely recognized as a tier-one research institution. It calls RMP a competitive program for high-achieving students. Both are the university's own descriptions. Its 2024 brochure quotes a 2023 RMP alumna and a 2023 SRA alumnus, who describe the work as challenging and rewarding.
Our take
In Succeed's view, RMP is the stronger pick if you already know you want to try real research and can commit to the full program. RMP 2027 runs about six and a half weeks, from 14 June to 30 July 2027. You get a mentor and a project at a large research university, which is uncommon at high school level. The bar is high, though. The 2024 brochure set a minimum weighted GPA of 3.80 for RMP and 3.60 for SRA. Check the current Admissions page, because these rules may change. Summer Sessions also requires you to attend from the virtual component through the closing events, so plan your summer around the dates. Before applying, we'd suggest your family checks the program's own Cost of Attendance page for fees and scholarships.
Within UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions, high school students have three routes. RMP is the longest and most individual, with a mentor and a project chosen from a list across STEM, the humanities and the social sciences. SRA was shorter in 2024, running from 27 June to 26 July 2024. Students start in a track and build toward a project with expert guidance. Open enrollment lets you take regular UC Santa Barbara courses with undergraduates, but it doesn't come with a research mentor or the pre-college program activities.
Who this provider suits
Who should choose them
This may suit you if you're in 10th or 11th grade, have strong grades and want to try university-level research with a mentor. Under the 2024 rules, RMP also accepted advanced 9th graders, and SRA accepted 9th graders. It's also a good fit if you can be available for the whole program, from the virtual start to the closing events.
Who it may not suit
Who should skip it: students who can't commit to the full program dates, because UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions requires attendance from the virtual component to the closing events. It's also a long shot if your weighted GPA is below the minimum, which was 3.80 for RMP and 3.60 for SRA in 2024. If you want a single college course rather than a research project, open enrollment is a simpler route.
Contact
Frequently asked questions
Programs by UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions Pre-College
Program
Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Organized by UC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions Pre-College
Dates
June 2026 to July 2027, 2 sessions
Location
Santa Barbara
Cost
From $13,199
Duration
6 weeks in person, after a 4-day virtual component
