2026 Application Portal
The SIP 2026 application portal will be live on January 16, 2026! Fill out our interest form and receive updates, important dates, and program information.
Application Steps:
1. Complete the Application for Admission
2. Pay the Application Fee
3. Follow Up With Your Teacher Reference
- Access the SIP 2026 Intern Application.
- Please read all instructions for each section for information and reminders.
- A non-refundable application fee of $68 is required for your application to be considered complete and reviewed for admission. If you need financial support, please email the SIP office at ucsc-sip@ucsc.edu explaining your need.
- One reference from a teacher or mentor who knows you and your academic aptitude well is required for your SIP application to be considered complete.
- It is a great idea to identify the teacher who will be your reference as soon as possible and send them the teacher reference form as soon as possible, so that they have as much time as possible to complete your reference.
Eligibility
Students are at least 14-17 years of age on the program start date of Monday, June 15, 2026 (at least 16 years of age for certain research project placements) and currently enrolled in high school. 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. Students will generally fall into one of the following categories: (1) those who use weekday housing from Monday through Friday, and have a clear plan for local weekend housing, such as staying with a relative in the bay area on weekends or going home for the weekend, (2) those who use full-week housing seven days a week (typically only students who live out of the area), and (3) those who commute every morning and evening, Monday through Friday, to and from campus.
The SIP 2026 program will be an in-person program. On-campus housing accommodations will be offered. SIP interns who choose to commute to the UCSC campus have the option to choose the weekly shuttle service, or secure their own transportation.
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.
For questions about disability-related accommodations, please contact the program staff at ucsc-sip@ucsc.edu.
Key Dates for 2026
| Application portal opens | Friday, January 16, 2026 |
| Application deadline | Saturday, February 28, 2026 |
| Teacher recommendation deadline | TBD |
| Admission offers emailed | Thursday, April 16, 2026 |
| Admission offer acceptance & deposit deadline | TBD |
| Full payment and registration form deadline | TBD |
| Online Research Week | June 15-19, 2026 |
| Program kickoff | Monday, June 22, 2026 |
| Active research weeks (in-person) | June 22–August 7, 2026* |
| Final presentation day | Saturday, August 8, 2026 |
*Please note: UC Santa Cruz and SIP will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2026 in observance of the Juneteenth holiday, and Friday, July 4, 2026 in observance of US Independence Day.
Program Costs for 2026
Step by Step: Application to Enrollment
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the following steps are completed in a timely manner:
1. Application
- Include research area preferences and associated brief essays, personal statement, unofficial transcript, names/emails of one reference, etc. Ensure that the teacher/mentor recommendation forms are submitted by the deadline.
2. Acceptance of Offer
- A non-refundable deposit is required to hold the student’s spot, but the deposit will be waived initially for students who request scholarships. Initial housing and transportation selections, scholarship requests and associated information must be submitted by the deadline.
3. Full Payment/Registration
- SIP 2026 will be in-person. The registration packet and final payment for the balance of the program fee will be due by the deadline.
Selection Criteria
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. Preference may be given to returning SIP students and to students who are willing to commit to working full-time for all 8 weeks of the program.
Answers to Questions
If you have additional questions about the SIP application and enrollment process, please visit our Applicant FAQ or watch our Info Session.