Programs for Middle School Students

Brain Day

“Brain Day” is an annual event in which volunteers from the Neuroscience program take real human brains to middle school classrooms across Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and Menlo Park. We lead hour-long, hands-on demonstrations in which kids get the chance to see and hold human and animal brains, often for the first time.

Campus Walking Tours

The Stanford Visitor Center offers a range of no-cost tours, exploring the highlights of Stanford’s beautiful campus.

Educational Studies Program/Splash!

ESP/Splash! offers a Saturday or Sunday on campus full of academic and non-academic classes taught by Stanford students. ESP invites students to attend classes that could vary from completely “non-academic” stuff like cookie baking and origami, to complicated and challenging classes on machine theory or quantum mechanics. The Splash! program fee is $40, but generous need-based financial aid is available.

Stanford Math Circle

Math circles are weekly gatherings of high school, middle school, and elementary school students working on problems involving complex and advanced mathematical topics, guided by mathematicians and educators. Fee of $275 per quarter; some financial aid available.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies (SPCS)

NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) INFORMATION. Although the university has not made any broader decisions about its summer activities, SPCS has come to the difficult decision that we cannot host students on campus for programs this summer. We will continue to provide updates about summer programs and more information about Stanford's response to the developing situation here.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies offers online classes for academically talented youth, residential programs on campus during the summer for high school students, and a fully accredited online high school.  

Stanford Science Circles

The Stanford Middle School and High School Science Circles are academic enrichment programs for students in the Stanford area who are interested in the sciences. Activities take place in the evening during the academic year. Tuition is $300.