| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | February 28, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $5,518; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $2,000; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 need-based application and program assistance: Up to $5,564. Could assist with the $46 application fee and $5,518 program cost based on family income, family size and available funds; actual award not guaranteed.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based tuition waiver or reduction: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited and based on demonstrated financial need; applicants state their projected shortfall.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 COSMOS application fee: $46. Nonrefundable; pending fee-waiver review could change when or whether payment was required.; Credit-card transaction fee on program payments: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Approximately 2.5% when paying program costs by credit card; application fee exempt.; 2026 need-based application and program assistance: Up to $5,564. Could assist with the $46 application fee and $5,518 program cost based on family income, family size and available funds; actual award not guaranteed.; Full-financial-aid attendance deposit: $200. Required only for admitted students offered full aid and refunded to the legal guardian after successful completion.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | 2027 tuition in Nashville or New York: $3,400. Selected 2027 session only; no universal tuition or all-in price.; 2027 tuition in Miami or Seattle: $2,500. Selected 2027 session only; no universal tuition or all-in price.; 2027 tuition in Los Angeles: $3,600. Selected 2027 session only; no universal tuition or all-in price.; 2027 nonrefundable application fee: $25. Separate from selected-session tuition; housing/transport are not included. (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based tuition waiver or reduction: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited and based on demonstrated financial need; applicants state their projected shortfall.; Travel to and from Howard University: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Student responsibility; official field-trip transportation after arrival is included.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 9–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Grades 9–12 when applying; check the provider's rules for graduating seniors | Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Attend high school in person in California; Requirement: Be rising into grade 9, 10, 11 or 12 for the program fall year; Requirement: Attend high school in person in California; Requirement: Demonstrate academic excellence and preparation for the selected STEM cluster; Requirement: Complete cluster-specific course prerequisites; Requirement: Live on the host UC campus for the full program; Requirement: Be a first-time COSMOS participant; Exclusion: Students not attending a California high school in person; Exclusion: Students who previously attended any COSMOS program; Exclusion: Applicants outside the rising-grade 9-12 range; Exclusion: Applicants unable to live on campus for the full program; Exclusion: Late application, supporting, payment or admission materials; Exclusion: Assuming a 3.5 GPA is an absolute statewide minimum rather than the published typical profile | Residency: U.S. resident; Requirement: Currently grades9-12, including spring graduates; incoming freshmen not eligible.; Requirement: Serious interest in a music-industry career and selected career-track sample requirements.; Exclusion: Incoming high-school freshmen; Exclusion: Applicants who are not U.S. residents; Exclusion: For Los Angeles, applicants unable to demonstrate competence in at least two defined music-industry areas; Exclusion: Participation without an approved supervising adult and independent lodging plan | Requirement: Be a current high-school sophomore or junior when applying; Requirement: Show strong academic potential and interest in business or a related track; Requirement: Attend only one one-week session; Requirement: For AltFinance, have completed Pre-Calculus or be currently enrolled in it; Requirement: Meet track-specific expectations and residential conduct requirements; Exclusion: Students outside the published current-sophomore/current-junior range; Exclusion: AltFinance applicants without completed or concurrent Pre-Calculus |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 1 week; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Davis, California, Irvine, California, Los Angeles, California, Merced, California, San Diego, California, Santa Cruz, California, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz | Nashville, Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York | Washington, D.C., Howard University School of Business and residence halls |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Each of six campuses accommodates roughly 160-200 students, and clusters typically enroll 20-25 with a commonly reported 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Admissions are competitive and based on academic merit relative to the selected topic, but applicant count and statewide acceptance rate were not published. Application materials: One personal statement; One required teacher recommendation, with two recommended | Selection: For 2026 the Museum expected approximately 70 Los Angeles, 60 Nashville, 40 Miami and 40 New York campers. Application totals and city- or track-level acceptance rates were not published. Application materials: Career-track samples and a video essay; Los Angeles has additional multi-area requirements. | Selection: Howard describes several tracks as selective or highly selective and publishes track maximums from 20 to about 50 for many offerings, but does not publish total applications or acceptance rates. |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22Source 7 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-12Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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