| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | $5,793 (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): $1,420–$1,791; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | $600 (2027 cycle) |
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| Financial aid | Need-based financial assistance for application and program costs: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Based on family income, family size and available COSMOS resources. (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): Limited partial scholarships (no award exceeds 30% of the package fee): Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Competitive and contingent on available funding.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | NC Governor's School Foundation need-based scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site (2027 cycle) |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Application fee: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Non-refundable; fee waivers can be requested.; Need-based financial assistance for application and program costs: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Based on family income, family size and available COSMOS resources. (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): Limited partial scholarships (no award exceeds 30% of the package fee): Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Competitive and contingent on available funding.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | NC Governor's School Foundation need-based scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site (2027 cycle) |
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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 10–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: California high school students only; Requirement: Open to rising grades 9–12; Requirement: Demonstrated academic excellence (a typical COSMOS student has a GPA of 3.5 or above) | Minimum age 13; Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–12; Requirement: Unweighted academic average of 3.0 or better (a GPA Exception Appeal is possible); Requirement: Graduating seniors are also eligible | Residency: NC; Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 10–11 when applying; Requirement: Enrolled in grade 11 when nominated; grade 10 students may be nominated only in Dance, Choral Music or Instrumental Music; Requirement: Attend a North Carolina public or non-public school; exchange students are not eligible; Requirement: Meet at least one academic criterion, such as a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.25, a weighted GPA of 3.5, or set NC End of Course, AP, ACT/SAT or aptitude scores; Requirement: Spanish applicants must have completed three high school Spanish courses or be fluent speakers; Requirement: Students can attend only once |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts July 13, 2026; Ends July 31, 2026; 3 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends July 17, 2027; 4 weeks (2027 cycle) |
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| Format | In person | In person / Online | 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, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, San Diego, Santa Cruz, CA | College Park, MD | Raleigh, Greensboro, NC |
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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: Online application with one personal statement; One teacher recommendation (two recommended) | Selection: Competitive and space-limited, with applications reviewed first-come, first-served after requirements are met. Early applicants are more likely to receive their first course choice; no overall acceptance rate is published. | Application materials: Essay (a second discipline essay for academic areas); Audition for arts areas; Two recommendations |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22Source 7 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-10-24Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-10-24Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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