| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $5,518; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | $695–$4,995 (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): $790–$1,320; 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 aid and application-fee waiver: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available to early/standard applicants with required tax documentation; extended-deadline applicants were ineligible for aid.; 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 | Catalog terms: Frontiers application: $0. No application fee; this does not mean program participation is free.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 application processing fee: $60–$90. USD 60 for students attending school in the United States and USD 90 for students attending school outside the US; non-refundable. Need-based fee waivers could be requested.; Need-based aid and application-fee waiver: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available to early/standard applicants with required tax documentation; extended-deadline applicants were ineligible for aid.; 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 6–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 7–11 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 | Requirement: Ignite grades 6–8, Launch 9–11, Frontiers 10–12, Summit 11–12. Detailed course/testing criteria vary; do not claim universal absence of prerequisites. | Residency: International applications accepted; application fee depends on whether the student attends school inside or outside the United States; Requirement: Be in grades 7-11 when applying, subject to course grade ranges; Requirement: Meet every academic prerequisite for the preferred and alternate courses; Requirement: Submit a complete annual application; returning students are not guaranteed readmission; Requirement: Attend every live meeting and complete intensive homework/self-study; Requirement: For the narrow grade-6 exception, have prior ATDP attendance and a very strong application for an eligible course; Exclusion: Most current 6th graders are ineligible for Secondary Division; Exclusion: Course placement is not guaranteed and popular classes may fill; Exclusion: There are no excused absences; excess absence or conduct/homework violations may cause dismissal without refund; Exclusion: A-G approval, honors level or AP alignment does not itself confer UC Berkeley enrollment, college credit, AP credit, admission advantage or school acceleration credit |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 4–6 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person / Online |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | Berkeley, California, UC Berkeley campus for in-person courses; live Zoom for remote courses |
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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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | Selection: Applications are reviewed on academic preparation, materials and course fit as they become complete. Classes generally cap at 20-24 students; returning students receive early priority but are not guaranteed admission or first-choice placement. Application materials: One current academic teacher's online Referral Form; a recommendation letter is not requested; Recent academic product or original analytical essay with at least 500 words of accompanying written explanation |
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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 2026-10-09Source 2 · checked 2026-10-09Source 3 · checked 2026-10-09 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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