Enroll early for Summer 2027 to secure your preferred campus and program.
Practice paddling, balance, and riding waves in this two-week morning surfing camp for high school students at UC San Diego.
Course Description
Paddle out, find your balance, and give the next wave a try. The San Diego coast provides a setting to practice surfing and learn more about the ocean.
In this camp you will practice paddling, standing up on your board, and settling into a stable stance. Exercises and drills help you connect those movements, while time in the surf gives you chances to try them together. Learn to judge a wave’s size, shape, and breaking pattern so you can decide where to position yourself.
Work on timing and board control as you adjust your weight and balance. Ocean safety and surf etiquette are part of the experience, helping you understand how to share the water responsibly. With guided practice, there’s time to keep trying and enjoy the challenge of learning to ride.
This two-week morning surfing camp for high school students is part of Summer Discovery at UC San Diego in La Jolla, California. Beach locations, transportation arrangements, equipment requirements, and any supplemental fee should be confirmed before publication.
What You Will Do
• Practice paddling and handling your surfboard
• Work on standing up and finding your balance
• Judge waves by size, shape, and breaking pattern
• Choose where to position yourself for a wave
• Practice timing and board control in the water
• Learn ocean safety and how to share the surf
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the camp, students will be able to:
• Coordinate paddling, stance, and balance to control a surfboard
• Choose waves and positions using their size and breaking pattern
• Use ocean safety and surf etiquette when sharing the water
You’ll leave with a certificate of completion.
Why Surfing Camp
A beach trip becomes something more when you’re learning to ride the waves. Surfing gives you an active way to enjoy the San Diego coast, with regular practice that lets you return to the skills you’re working on.
Spend time in the water, get to know how waves behave, and enjoy the challenge of finding your balance on a board.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
If you’d rather be in the water, spend part of your summer learning and practicing surfing along the San Diego coast. You’ll work on paddling, balance, reading waves, and staying safe in the ocean. Confirm equipment requirements, beach transportation, and the daily departure schedule with the program before attending.
Your Summer at UC San Diego
UC San Diego’s coastal campus in La Jolla offers high school students a chance to experience university life in Southern California. Open spaces, distinctive architecture, and proximity to the Pacific Ocean make the setting memorable beyond the training sessions.
Outside camp, students can connect with new friends, join program activities, and develop independence as part of a university community. The surrounding San Diego region brings together recreation, culture, science, and technology, giving students a wider context for their summer experience.
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive