15 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students in the Bay Area
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 3
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 13
If you’re a high school student in the Bay Area interested in writing, a summer program in the region can help you build your skills, get feedback, and explore different forms of writing in an accessible way.
Summer writing programs give you the chance to work on personal essays, short stories, poetry, journalism, or academic writing. You’ll take part in writing workshops, peer reviews, and one-on-one sessions with instructors who have experience in the field. Many programs also include readings, writing exercises, and opportunities to submit your work to student publications.
Most programs in the Bay Area run for one to three weeks and are hosted by local universities, writing centers, or literary organizations. Some are free, and many offer financial aid. A few programs also have virtual options if you prefer to join from home.
To help you choose, we’ve put together a list of 15 writing programs for high school students in the Bay Area!
15 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students in the Bay Area
Location: Remote, you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: Ranging from $400-$725, depending on the course
Dates: Starts June 9. Varies depending on the course
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: 9th-12th graders, writing sample required
Bay Area Writing Project (BAWP) Young Writers Camp is a summer writing camp for high school students run by UC Berkeley. You can choose between one-week journalism sessions or four-week creative writing tracks. Camps are held on the Berkeley campus, but there's also a remote option if you prefer online learning. You’ll join daily writing workshops, meet instructors trained by UC Berkeley, and work on pieces for a student zine published at the end. There are one-on-one feedback sessions, peer reviews, guest talks from authors, and sometimes site visits to local literary spots.
3. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on an individual project. A bonus of this program is that you will have access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
Location: 826 Valencia, San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; participants are paid a stipend of $500 on the completion of the program
Dates: July 21-August 8
Application Deadline: Not specified, check here
Eligibility: 9th-12th graders, preference for underserved communities
826 Valencia runs a fully funded summer writing program for high school students interested in fiction and poetry. You’ll work with local authors and mentors to write original pieces, which are published in a student anthology. The program ends with a public reading where you share your work with the community. Sessions are held at the 826 Valencia Mission Bay center. The program focuses on supporting students from underserved backgrounds and emphasizes storytelling, editing, and mentorship.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA, or Remote
Cost/Stipend: $3080
Dates: Session 1: June 16 - June 27; Session 2: July 7 - 18
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: 9th-11th graders, writing sample required
Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offers a two-week creative writing course for students in grades 8–11. The program covers fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. You’ll take part in daily writing workshops, receive instructor and peer feedback, and create a writing portfolio. The course includes readings, writing exercises, and discussions. Students also attend virtual sessions with Bay Area writers and explore Stanford’s literary archives online.
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: $750; financial aid available
Dates: June 16-July 25
Application Deadline: Early deadline- February 19, Standard Deadline: March 17, Extended Deadline (rolling admissions): May 23
Eligibility: 7th-12th graders, portfolio and recommendation required
UC Berkeley’s ATDP offers a summer creative writing course for high school students through its Secondary Division. You’ll explore poetry, short stories, and personal essays, and work on drafting, revising, and refining your writing. You’ll be taught by experienced instructors and build a portfolio by the end of the course. Your work will be published in a student anthology, and you’ll take part in a public reading. Some sessions may include visits to Bay Area literary events.
Location: Online (USC Pre-College Online Programs)
Cost/Stipend: $1990; plus a $35 application fee
Dates: Multiple four-week sessions beginning on June 9, June 23, July 7, July 21, August 4, August 18, September 1, September 15, September 29, October 13, October 27, November 10, November 24, December 8, December 22
Application Deadline: Five days before each session start date
Eligibility: At least 14 years old and enrolled in a high school or secondary program (exemptions available)
Screenwriting: From Ideation to Writing Your First Script is a self-paced online course from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts that helps you write a short-film screenplay from start to finish. Over 20–25 hours of video lessons, readings, and assignments, you’ll learn how to develop story ideas, build memorable characters, write realistic dialogue, and structure scenes. The course is guided by USC alumnus and veteran TV writer-producer Gabe Sachs (Freaks & Geeks, Diary of a Wimpy Kid). You’ll complete a polished script and get tips on how to pitch it. While the course is designed to be finished in four weeks, you’ll have access to all materials for 90 days. When you finish, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion from USC.
Location: Online (via SDSU Global Campus)
Cost/Stipend: $495 per course
Dates: Spring: GW 0002 – Feb 24 to Mar 30 | Summer: GW 0001 – May 5 to June 8, GW 0002 – June 16 to July 20 | Fall: GW 0001 – Sept 2 to Oct 5, GW 0002 – Oct 13 to Nov 16
Application Deadline: Registration opens Oct 9 (Spring), Feb 19 (Summer), and May 28 (Fall); deadlines vary by course
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12
The SDSU Certificate in Grant Writing is a fully online, 10-week program that teaches you how to write strong, persuasive grant proposals. You’ll take two short courses: one on finding and researching funding sources, and another on developing proposals that match funder guidelines. You can complete the courses in any order, and each includes pre-recorded lessons, writing assignments, and one-on-one feedback from your instructor. The program is offered through SDSU’s Rhetoric and Writing Studies Department and focuses on audience-centered writing for nonprofits, public service, tech, and business. When you finish both courses, you’ll earn a certificate from SDSU Global Campus.
Location: San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Cost/Stipend: $400; Discounts available, check here
Dates: June 23-June 27
Application Deadline: April 20
Eligibility: 8th-12th graders, application essay required
The Young Writers Camp at San José State University helps you learn how to write a book from the ground up. You’ll explore story development, opening lines, chapter structure, and world-building, all the elements that make a story come alive. You’ll also learn how to stay motivated, push through writer’s block, and set writing goals you can stick to. By the end of the week, you’ll have several pages drafted, which you can use to apply for the year-round Novel Writing Program if you want to keep going.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: $2425
Dates: June 23- July 3
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
LMU Beginning Screenwriting is a two-week online course that gives high school students an introduction to the core elements of screenwriting. Taught by faculty from LMU’s School of Film and Television, the program covers story structure, character development, dialogue, and proper script formatting. Through interactive writing workshops, peer collaboration, and feedback sessions, you’ll experience how professional writers refine their work. By the end of the program, you’ll have completed a short script and gained a solid foundation in screenwriting.
Location: Greenhouse of the Imagination, Noe Valley, San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: $325
Dates: August 4- August 8, August 11 - August 15
Application Deadline: Not specified. Stay updated here
Eligibility: 9th-12th graders
Ripe Fruit School runs a one-week creative writing camp for high school students in Noe Valley, San Francisco. You’ll work on poetry, fiction, and personal narratives in small groups of 8 to 12 students. Sessions are taught by Leslie Kirk Campbell, a published author and long-time writing teacher. Each day includes writing prompts, feedback, and exercises to help you build voice, character, and storytelling skills. You’ll explore themes like memory, identity, and observation, and may present your work at a final group reading. Classes take place in a space called the Greenhouse of the Imagination, with an option to join on Zoom.
Location: Virtual/Online
Cost/Stipend: $575; financial aid is available
Dates: June 16 - June 28
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: 9th-12th graders (including graduating seniors and gap year students)
The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program is a six-week online experience for high school students, recent graduates, and gap-year students who want to grow as creative writers. You will choose one genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction, and work one-on-one with a published writer who gives personalized feedback on your drafts. Poetry students submit new work each week, while fiction and nonfiction students share drafts every other week. You will also exchange feedback with peers and take part in informal discussions about writing and revision.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Year-round online and seasonal in-person workshops
Application Deadline: Varies by session—check the teen registration page
Eligibility: You must be a teen girl or gender-expansive youth, ages 13–18
WriteGirl is a creative writing program that pairs high school students with professional women and gender-expansive writers for mentorship and guidance. The program offers weekly online workshops where you’ll explore new writing techniques, respond to prompts, and connect with a community of fellow writers.
For students based in Los Angeles, there are also in-person events held at cultural venues across the city. You can receive one-on-one mentorship, participate in leadership development through the “Bold Leaders” track, and get support with college essays, scholarship applications, and public speaking. Participants also have opportunities to be published in WriteGirl’s literary journal and take part in public readings.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $900
Dates: July 7- July 12
Application Deadline: April 1 (tentative)
Eligibility: Students who are between 16-18 years old and are rising high school juniors or seniors can apply
The Yale Young Writers’ Workshop is a one-week intensive program where students focus on a single genre—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or graphic storytelling. With just 12 students per workshop, the program offers a focused, hands-on environment to explore your writing, experiment with new ideas, and develop your voice.
Led by experienced faculty who are both accomplished writers and dedicated teachers, the workshop helps you strengthen your skills and refine your work. In addition to daily writing sessions, students take part in craft talks, open mics, author readings, and discussions about writing-related careers.
Location: Online (Asynchronous, offered by UC Santa Cruz)
Cost/Stipend: $1,739.90 (includes tuition for 5 credits at $279/credit and a campus fee of $344.90) Note: Although the course runs for 10 weeks, the cost is based on credit hours, not course duration.
Dates: June 23- August 29
Application Deadline: Early June
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 in Fall (by exception; the course is typically for continuing UCSC students)
WRIT 2 – Rhetoric and Inquiry is a 10-week online course offered by UC Santa Cruz, designed to help motivated high school students develop college-level writing skills. Through research-based essays, you'll practice writing for varied audiences and strengthen your ability to construct arguments and analyze texts. The course is fully asynchronous, allowing you to complete work at your own pace. Instruction and feedback are provided by UCSC faculty. Though typically intended for undergraduates, high school students can request special approval to join the course.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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