Skip to Main Content Skip to Navigation Skip to Secondary Navigation Skip to Footer
Precollege Summer Institutes

Earn college credit while advancing your skills in an area of study

Overhead shot of students working together in a classroom on a project.

Where classroom knowledge meets real-world experience

As the only official academic precollege programs offered by UCLA, Precollege Summer Institutes provide motivated and driven high school students the opportunity to earn college credit in one to three weeks while advancing their academic career and abilities in an area of study of their interest. Through co-curricular components including hands-on projects and performances, field visits, and guest lectures, students receive a comprehensive and immersive study of their chosen subject that goes beyond classroom instruction. Our Precollege Summer Institutes are open to high school students from around the world. We invite you to join our diverse and inclusive UCLA community full of respect, ideas, and optimism.

The APPLICATION DEADLINE for Precollege Summer Institutes requiring admission is JUNE 1, 2023*.

*Some programs have application deadlines earlier than June 1. Verify the application deadline for your program of interest on the program page.

The ENROLLMENT DEADLINE for Precollege Summer Institutes is JUNE 15, 2023. 

*Approval to enroll does not guarantee a space in the program. Enrolling as early as possible is recommended. The program waitlist becomes available once a program reaches its capacity. If your desired program is full, students are encouraged to join the waitlist, is space allows. If a waitlist is also full, the program will be listed as “closed” on the registration form. 

Enrollment and Fees have been posted to MyUCLA and BruinBill. The PAYMENT DEADLINE is MAY 1, 2023.

You will automatically be enrolled in the course credit for your program, therefore, you do not need to manually enroll via MyUCLA. The $350 registration fee may take 24-48 hours to appear on BruinBill after enrollment.

2023 Precollege Summer Institutes

Six students dressed in black stand in a dim performance studio with a black floor.

Acting and Performance Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
July 16, 2023 – August 5, 2023
If you dream of performing on Broadway or in an award-winning film, advance your training! Learn performance technique to exhibit in a final stage performance.
A student in a white lab coat, protective glasses and gloves pours a red liquid from a cup into a beaker.

Applications of Nanoscience Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
July 9, 2023 – July 22, 2023
Work on a team to propose a scientific research project utilizing current approaches in the field of nanoscience and technical journal articles.
A female student in an art studio holds a paintbrush to a painting of three women.

Art Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
July 9, 2023 – July 22, 2023
Virtual
July 24, 2023 – August 4, 2023
Hone your artistic skills in areas such as painting, drawing, photography, video art, or sculpture, or artistic voice. Sessions include studio work, lectures, presentations, and a final art exhibition.
A female student looks at a camera that's facing another female student as the subject, with the subject visible in the camera's preview screen.

Camera Acting Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 8, 2023
July 9, 2023 – July 22, 2023
Learn the process of relating to the camera lens and approaches to understanding a script to prepare for and connect in an audition. You’ll learn the technical components of acting for the camera while writing and filming your own content, including self-tapes.
A student wears headphones and looks at a computer screen in a computer lab with colorful posters on the walls. Two other students can be seen in the background.

Computer Science Summer Institute – Intermediate Track

Commuters Only
June 26, 2023 – July 14, 2023
The Intermediate Track includes topics such as critical concepts and skills in computer programming related to statistical inference, with hands-on analysis of real-world datasets including economic data, health data, geographical data, and social networks.
Closeup of a male student wearing white headphones looking at a computer.

Computer Science Summer Institute – Introductory Track

Commuters Only
June 26, 2023 – July 14, 2023
The Introductory Track provides a unique combination of coursework, a coding bootcamp, and lab touring experiences. This track is designed for students who do not have prior programming experience.

Content Creation & Scriptwriting Summer Institute

Commuters Only
July 9, 2023 – July 21, 2023
Classes in web writing, screenwriting, playwriting, improv, and sketch comedy allow students to create stories that can be shared across all entertainment mediums.
A male student stands in a classroom holding a notebook and pen with three students sitting next to him with notebooks on their laps, one looking up at him.

Critical Thinking Summer Institute

Hybrid
July 17, 2023 – August 5, 2023
Evaluate arguments, make model decisions, and avoid reasoning traps with lectures on psychology of reasoning, foundations of deductive + inductive logic, and probability + decision theory. Media literacy and journalism workshops prepare you to write an article for publication.

Design Innovation Summer Institute – Costume Design

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 8, 2023
Gain hands-on experience in research, sketching costumes, and creating mood boards and color palettes.

Design Innovation Summer Institute – Lighting and Sound

Mandatory Housing
July 15, 2023 – July 29, 2023
Explore the art of light and sound for the theater. Learn the technical components and the art of collaboration while expressing creative intent.

Design Innovation Summer Institute – Scenic

Mandatory Housing
July 1, 2023 – July 15, 2023
A unique opportunity to examine the process of scenic design and discover how we can tell stories through visual research, sketches, and model design.
Overhead view of seven students working at a large table covered with colored paper, notebooks, rulers and other art supplies

Design Media Arts Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
July 9, 2023 – July 22, 2023
Step into the world of media arts and learn the fundamentals of design within the mediums of graphic, web, game, and audio-visual media. Develop projects and build portfolios using cutting-edge software and technology.

Economics Summer Institute

Virtual
June 26, 2023 – July 14, 2023
Mandatory Housing
July 16, 2023 – August 5, 2023
Expand your knowledge of critical economic issues affecting the United States and the world at one of the top-ranked economics departments in the world! Learn economic policy and analysis while building your data analysis skills.

Engineering Design Summer Institute

Commuters Only
June 26, 2023 – July 14, 2023
July 17, 2023 – August 4, 2023
Experience engineering design with computing while building teamwork and examining engineering majors offered at UCLA and of engineering careers.

Film and Television Summer Institute – Cinematography

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 1, 2023
July 30, 2023 – August 5, 2023
August 6, 2023 – August 12, 2023
Demystify the concepts, creativity, and technique of cinematic lighting through a combination of lectures and hands-on lighting exercises. Working on UCLA sound stages with the latest digital cinema cameras and lighting equipment, explore…

Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
Take your film projects to the next level by enhancing your understanding of the aesthetic, creative, and logistical decisions in filmmaking. Develop creativity and technique in cinematic storytelling for entertaining narrative projects.

Film and Television Summer Institute – Media Parks: The Cinematic and Televisual History of Theme Parks

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
Examine the contexts and shared histories of theme parks and screen media, and investigate how these cultural phenomena are shaping one another in today’s media landscape.

Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
July 16, 2023 – August 5, 2023
Get an introduction to professional TV writing by learning how to develop original series concepts and navigate the contemporary marketplace. Identify and capture the tone, characters, dialogue, and themes that makes stories unique.
A female student stands behind a female student at a computer in a computer lab, examining her screen.

Game Lab Summer Institute

Virtual
July 10, 2023 – July 21, 2023
Mandatory Housing
July 23, 2023 – August 5, 2023
Create games and game art that express a personal artistic vision through technological expertise. Learn the foundations of game aesthetics, context, and genres in the game development process.

Hip Hop / Street Dance Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 1, 2023
The artistic mediums of dance, choreography, and music blend with social activism in this award-winning program. Choreograph and give a final performance to show how art can be a force for social change.
Eleven students sitting next to each other on a low wall in front of trees, smiling, with their legs dangling.

Immersive International Studies Summer Institute

Commuters Only
July 10, 2023 – July 14, 2023
July 17, 2023 – July 21, 2023
Bring the roles of historical characters to life with pivotal moments in history and government. Utilizing innovative pedagogy of Reacting to the Past, use critical thinking, primary source analysis, and argumentation.
Students sit in folding chairs in a room with white walls and student artwork hung on the walls, facing two students who are standing in the front of the room.

International Development Summer Institute

Hybrid
June 26, 2023 – July 15, 2023
Are you passionate about developing strategies to address critical world issues? Through guided discussions and a project incubator lab, you will develop policy memos, models, and interventions in ways that are economically, environmentally, and culturally sustainable.
A view of students sitting in a large lecture hall.

Introduction to Investments Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
Build a financial plan and learn the structure of global financial markets at one of the top-ranked economics departments in the world. Gain a financial literacy of the investing landscape in business and personal investment decisions.
An instructor stands in front of a whiteboard in the front of a lecture hall full of students.

Mock Trial Summer Institute

Virtual
July 9, 2023 – July 15, 2023
Mandatory Housing
July 16, 2023 – July 22, 2023
Experience an intensive introduction to the nation’s legal system that culminates in a public mock trial presentation.
Professor speaking with a student in a laboratory.

Nanoscale Microscopy Lab Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 1, 2023
Learn about scientific imaging, fluorescence microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and electron microscopy. This program provides a foundational knowledge to a key element in the scientific method of observation.
A student working on a piece of machinery as an instructor overlooks.

Nanoscience Lab Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
July 23, 2023 – July 29, 2023
Commuters Only
July 31, 2023 – August 4, 2023
In collaboration with the California NanoSystems Institute, explore technologies and diverse topics of bio-toxicity, supercapacitors, and photolithography. Designed for students with a strong science foundation in chemistry, physics, and biology.

Political Science Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
An introduction to American politics that will develop your critical thinking & writing skills, and expose you to the myriad careers one can pursue with a Political Science degree.

Python for Economics and Finance Summer Institute

Virtual
July 17, 2023 – August 4, 2023
This course is a basic introduction to Python for basic data exploration, analysis, and visualization. Students will learn about data types and focus on analysis through a hands-on approach.

Sci | Art Lab + Studio Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 8, 2023
Virtual
July 24, 2023 – August 4, 2023
Connect cutting-edge scientific research, popular culture, and contemporary arts in this unique exploration of science and art.

Stage Management Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
June 25, 2023 – July 15, 2023
July 16, 2023 – August 5, 2023
Step behind the curtain and into the exciting behind-the-scenes world of the performing arts! Learn the ins and outs of theatre production through workshops and other hands-on activities.
Three female students and one male student sit together at a table talking in a classroom, with other students in the background.

Startup UCLA: Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute

Virtual
June 26, 2023 – July 7, 2023
Mandatory Housing
July 9, 2023 – July 22, 2023
Learn the basics of starting, building, and running non-profit social good organizations and social impact businesses. Topics include social entrepreneurship, social enterprises and non-profits.

TeenArch Studio Summer Institute

Mandatory Housing
July 9, 2023 – July 29, 2023
Virtual
July 10, 2023 – July 28, 2023
Experience the field of architecture through hands-on design projects, landmark buildings, and LA based architectural offices. Develop your design skills in a studio environment while creating an architecture portfolio.
Three rows of students take notes and listen to an instructor standing in front of them with his back to the camera in a dark performance studio.

Writing Summer Institute – Introduction to College Writing

Commuters Only
July 6, 2023 – July 27, 2023
Prepare for your success as a college-level writer and practice essential skills by completing writing challenges and prompts.
Four students posing in front of the Bruin bear. All four students are imitating the Bruin bear by posing with their mouths open and arms out.

Scholarship opportunities available for California high school students

Qualified students attending grades 8th – 11th in Spring 2020 in California are eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need and merit based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available.