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Nichable

Free Programs for High School Students in the South Bay

Nichable lists 49 programs, internships, research programs, competitions and volunteer opportunities for high school students based in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Palo Alto and the rest of Santa Clara County. None of them lists a cost to take part, and 11 state outright that they're free. Each one is checked against the organization's own page.

Stanford STaRS Internship Program

Stanford Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Research· Stanford, CA
Opening soon

Education Internships

Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
Internship· San Jose, CA
Opening soon
Program· Palo Alto, CA
Opening soon

Youth Commission

Town of Los Altos Hills
Program· Los Altos Hills, CA
DeadlineRolling

Discovery Guide Volunteer

Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo
Volunteer· Palo Alto, CA
DeadlineRolling

Morgan Hill Youth Action Council

City of Morgan Hill Parks and Recreation
Program· Morgan Hill, CA
Opening soon

Youth Commission

Town of Los Gatos
Program· Los Gatos, CA
Opening soon
Program· Los Altos, CA
Opening soon

ZooTeen Volunteer Program

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
Volunteer· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling
Program· Paid· Sunnyvale, CA
DeadlineRolling
Program· Paid· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling
Research· Paid· Stanford, CA
Opening soon

ACCEL Middle College

Evergreen Valley College
Program· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling

Dual Enrollment

Gavilan College
Program· Gilroy, CA
DeadlineRolling

Middle College

San José City College
Program· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling

Dual Enrollment

Mission College
Program· Santa Clara, CA
DeadlineRolling
Program· Saratoga, CA
DeadlineRolling

Middle College

West Valley College
Program· Saratoga, CA
DeadlineRolling

Middle College

Foothill College
Program· Los Altos Hills, CA
DeadlineRolling

Teen Docent Program

Environmental Volunteers
Volunteer· Palo Alto, CA
Opening soon
Program· Sunnyvale, CA
DeadlineRolling

Service Opportunities

Youth Community Service
Volunteer· Palo Alto, CA
DeadlineRolling

TeenHQ MakerSpace

San Jose Public Library
Program· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling

Teens Reach: Community Service

San Jose Public Library
Volunteer· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling

Teen Volunteer Shifts

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Volunteer· San Jose, CA
DeadlineRolling
Volunteer· San Jose, CA
Opening soon

Teen Volunteer Intern Program

Computer History Museum
Volunteer· Mountain View, CA
Opening soon

Good Samaritan Hospital Junior Volunteer Program

Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose
Volunteer· San Jose, CA
Opening soon
Volunteer· Mountain View, CA
Opening soon

Teen Advisory Board

Los Altos Library
Volunteer· Los Altos, CA
DeadlineRolling

Cupertino Teen Commission

City of Cupertino
Program· Cupertino, CA
Opening soon

Santa Clara Sister Cities Youth Commission

Santa Clara Sister Cities Association
Program· Santa Clara, CA
DeadlineRolling

Valley Water Youth Commission

Santa Clara Valley Water District
Program· San Jose, CA
Opens Apr 1, 2027
Program· Campbell, CA
Opening soon
Program· Saratoga, CA
Opening soon
Program· Milpitas, CA
DeadlineRolling
Volunteer· Los Gatos, CA
Opens Apr 1, 2027

Teen Library Advisory Board

Palo Alto City Library
Volunteer· Palo Alto, CA
DeadlineRolling

SCCLD Teen Volunteer Program

Santa Clara County Library District
Volunteer· Cupertino, CA
DeadlineRolling
Program· San Jose, CA
Opening soon
Program· Stanford, CA
Opening soon

Stanford Medical Youth Science Program

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Program· Stanford, CA
Opening soon

Stanford Math Tournament

Stanford University
Competition· Stanford, CA + online
Opening soon

Summer Engineering Seminar

Santa Clara University School of Engineering
Program· Santa Clara, CA
Opening soon

High School Internship Program

Lockheed Martin Space
Internship· Denver, CO + 5 more
DeadlineJan 3, 2027

Stanford Young Investigators

Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Research· Stanford, CA
Opens Feb 1, 2027 · Due Mar 15, 2027

High School (Junior) Volunteer Program

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Volunteer· San Jose, CA
Opens Jan 1, 2027 · Due Jan 7, 2027
Internship· Los Gatos, CA
DeadlineRolling

Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program

Stanford University School of Medicine
Research· Paid· Stanford, CA
Opening soon

Common questions

Are these programs really free for high school students in the South Bay?

None of these 49 listings names tuition or a required fee. Listings that charge say so in a cost line and are labeled "Costs money", so they aren't on this page. Smaller costs such as travel or materials can still apply, so confirm on the organization's page before you apply.

How do high school students apply to free programs in the South Bay?

Each listing is run by its own organization and you apply on that organization's site. A free Nichable account shows each listing's deadline and how to apply, and lets you save and track them.