Stanford Pre-Collegiate and Summer Programs

Every summer the Stanford campus fills with teenagers. Some are writing philosophy papers, some are proving theorems and some are pipetting in medical labs. Others are at jazz camp or sports camp. From the sidewalk it all looks like one big summer school. In practice these programs are run by many separate offices, each with its own grades, prices, deadlines and rules.

This page is a map, not a strategy guide. It describes what Stanford publishes about its pre-collegiate and summer programs and what they cost in 2026. It does not offer advice on college admissions. None of these programs should be read as a route into Stanford. For questions about fit, contact the program office directly. Most 2027 details were not yet posted in late October 2026, so treat the 2026 figures as a guide to scale.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies, usually shortened to SPCS, is the university office dedicated to school-age students. It describes itself as offering five summer programs and two academic year programs for students from elementary through high school. Programs are non-credit enrichment unless noted. SPCS also runs Stanford Online High School, which it lists separately from these programs.

The Middle School Scholars Program is aimed at low-income students in grades 6 or 7 who live and attend school in the United States. The online math and physics courses are the only SPCS offering in this table that carries university credit, issued through Stanford Continuing Studies with a transcript.

The residential summer programs

Summer Humanities Institute

The Summer Humanities Institute is a three-week residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors. Students take a seminar on big questions in the humanities and live in Stanford residence halls. Its 2026 tuition of $8,850 covered:

• Housing in a residence hall, with linens and towels
• Meals in Stanford dining halls
• Daily activities and course supplies
• Academic field trips, including transport and admission
• Shuttles between Stanford and SFO at set times on arrival and departure days

Airfare, computers, toiletries, souvenirs and meals outside the program are extra. Families flying in can read our SFO arrival guide for travel outside the shuttle windows.

SUMaC

The Stanford University Mathematics Camp takes a select group of rising juniors and seniors from around the world. It runs both online and residential versions. Published tuition was $3,750 for the online program plus up to $100 in course materials. The residential program cost $8,950, which excludes airfare and personal costs.

AI4ALL

Stanford AI4ALL is an introduction to artificial intelligence that mixes lectures, hands-on research projects and mentoring. SPCS lists it as a two-week residential or online program. Stanford's community camps page lists it under the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, so check the program's own page for the current format and length.

Costs and financial aid

SPCS says aid is "granted based upon demonstrated financial need," is open to domestic and international applicants and does not affect the program's admission decision. The 2027 dates had not been posted in October 2026. If the pattern holds, applications and aid forms will be due in winter, months before summer starts. SPCS runs a mailing list for date announcements.

Stanford Summer Session for high schoolers

Summer Session is a different animal. It is not an enrichment camp but Stanford's regular summer quarter. High school students take actual university courses alongside undergraduates. Stanford's camps page says students must be 16 by the start of the program. They earn credit and an official Stanford transcript.

• Length: eight weeks. The 2025 session ran June 21 to August 17.
• Commuter option: from $8,091 in 2025, with at least 5 units.
• Residential option: from $18,443 in 2025, with at least 8 units, campus housing and a meal plan.
• Application: transcripts, two short essays and proof of English proficiency if needed. The program's regular decision deadline is listed as February 12 and it warns that residential space is limited.

Local teens who commute can combine Summer Session with a part-time job or other plans. Our guide to Stanford Continuing Studies covers the adult side of Stanford's open courses.

Research and medicine programs

Stanford's community page on summer camps lists a long run of research programs for high schoolers, many run by individual labs and departments. A few examples from that list:

• SIMR, the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program: a free eight-week day program for high school juniors and seniors with a $500 transportation stipend.
• Stanford Medical Youth Science Program: five weeks for low-income and first-generation juniors in Northern California. Students provide their own transport.
• IFSS, run by Stanford Chemistry: a free two-week day program for rising juniors and seniors at least 16 years old.
• SAGE Camp at SLAC: a one-week residential program for girls aged 14 to 17. Our SLAC visitor guide covers the lab.

Most of these are day programs, which favors students who live within commuting distance of campus. Each sets its own eligibility and deadlines and several are highly competitive.

Programs on campus that Stanford does not run

Not everything held at Stanford belongs to Stanford. The university's own list flags the Stanford Jazz Workshop as independent and not affiliated with the university, even though its camps fill campus practice rooms every summer. Stanford Conferences also hosts camps from approved outside groups and tells families to contact those organizers directly. Before you pay, confirm who runs a program, who handles refunds and who supervises students in the evening.

For younger children, Stanford Recreation's Camp Cardinal and the city's camps are covered in our summer camps guide.

For families visiting

• Drop-off days for residential programs fill campus roads and nearby hotels. Book rooms early if you plan to stay a night or two. Our guide to staying near Stanford lists the closest options.
• Summer weather is dry and warm in the afternoon and cool at night. Pack a layer.
• Free time. Our things to do with teens guide has ideas for weekends in Palo Alto.
• Families who stay longer for a commuter program may find a rental with a kitchen easier than a hotel. You can browse rentals near Palo Alto.
• Campus tours are run separately by undergraduate admission. Our page on visiting as a prospective student explains how they work.

For local students looking at year-round enrichment instead, see our guide to tutoring and enrichment in Palo Alto.

Frequently asked questions