Brain Explorer Academy and Advanced Neuroscience Opportunities for High School Students

The Brain Explorer Academy is a program designed to bring neuroscience learning, mentorship, and community to high school students throughout the school year. Founded by Dr. Manuella Yassa, Director of Outreach and Education at the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), this is the CNLM's flagship educational program. For the first time ever, teens have the opportunity to experience neuroscience on a college campus, helping students build knowledge, skills, and confidence for future studies in neuroscience, biology, psychology, engineering, medicine and more.

Program Overview and Curriculum

Throughout the school year, students will engage with UC Irvine scientists, complete neuroscience experiments, explore real labs, and join a community of future scientists. Over 10 weeks, students explore neuroscience through:

• Interactive lectures with UC Irvine neuroscientists
• Hands-on experiments and demonstrations
• Behind-the-scenes lab tours on a real research campus

Winter 2026 will feature the Brain Explorer Academy - Intro to the Brain curriculum. Students who join will explore brain science in action and boost their college application with unique research experience.

Program Details - Winter 2026

• Dates: January 13 – March 19
• Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:30 – 6:00 PM
• Location: UC Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
• Tuition: $2445 for the 10-week program (20 sessions)

The application includes an opportunity to apply for a scholarship, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health. For questions about Brain Explorer Academy, please email the Office of Outreach and Education at [email protected].

Academic Preparation for Selective Colleges

The journey to college begins with a single decision. Students who take college prep courses are generally more prepared for the responsibilities of higher education. While requirements vary, selective colleges generally want to see 4 years of English, 4 years of math, 4 years of science, and 4 years of social studies. One of the most proactive things you can do to have the widest range of college options possible is striving to take all five of these core solid academic courses all four years of high school.

Recommended Courses for Highly Selective Colleges

The following table provides the recommended number of years for core subjects at the 11 most selective colleges in the U.S.:

Additional STEM and Neuroscience Summer Programs

Participating in STEM summer research programs for high school students is a great way to go beyond the classroom and gain experience. Many top colleges offer quality research programs at a reasonable cost:

• Stanford’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X): A 10-day summer program designed for high school students interested in neuroscience, psychology, or psychiatry. You’ll attend interactive lectures led by Stanford faculty and collaborate on a capstone project.
• Veritas AI: Offers the AI Scholars program and the AI Fellowship, which gives students a chance to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities to complete an original project.
• NASA OSTEM Internships: These offer paid opportunities for high school students to work alongside professionals in engineering, science, and technology.
• Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Designed for high school students ready to challenge themselves with serious research under the help of a Ph.D. mentor.
• UC San Diego’s Research Scholars: Gives high school students the chance to engage in university-level research across various subjects.

These programs provide a glimpse into a STEM research career and lead to connections with mentors and peers, allowing you to explore coding, robotics, healthcare, and more.