| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | January 5, 2027 (2027 cycle) |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $5,518; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | $4,190–$6,590 (2027 cycle) |
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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 | Program fellowship or financial assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Funding is program- and appointment-specific. All selected AOTVA and ACE students are funded, but standard costs remain applicable to many other programs. (2027 cycle) |
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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: 2027 on-campus room and board: $4,595–$6,995. $4,595 half session or $6,995 full session; unavailable to students under 18. Includes three meals daily for on-campus residents.; 2027 application fee: $30–$110. Nonrefundable; amount depends on program and submission date. AOTVA is $30 through its September 1 deadline.; Enrollment deposit: $500. Nonrefundable and required after admission to hold a place; applied toward the security, health, and facility fees.; On-campus housing deposit: $1,000. Nonrefundable when on-campus housing is requested; housing is not available to students under 18.; Required health and facility fees: $180–$295. $120 health plus $60 facility for half session; $195 health plus $100 facility for full session. A separate $100 refundable security deposit also applies.; Program fellowship or financial assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Funding is program- and appointment-specific. All selected AOTVA and ACE students are funded, but standard costs remain applicable to many other programs.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 9–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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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: Be a serious, dedicated musician prepared for an intensive and self-directed professional performance schedule; Requirement: Meet the selected Program of Study's instrument, voice type, repertoire, training, age guidance, and session-availability requirements; Requirement: Submit the required recorded audition or portfolio at the specified performance standard; Requirement: If under 18 at program start, arrange an approved parent, legal guardian, or non-AMFS summer guardian age 21 or older to live off campus with the student for the entire session; Exclusion: Students under 18 cannot live in AMFS residence halls; Exclusion: Under-18 orchestra/instrumental students do not participate in the AMFS orchestras; Exclusion: Admission or fellowship rules for one Program of Study do not transfer to another; Exclusion: The program is not restricted to high-school students and does not publish one universal grade range |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 4–9 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | 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 | Aspen, Colorado |
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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: Audition-based and program-specific. Applicants submit professional-level materials and compete for limited discipline, instrument, role, ensemble, and fellowship placements; AMFS does not publish one overall acceptance rate. Application materials: Program-specific resume, headshot, statement, repertoire list, score, portfolio, or composition materials; Individual recorded audition tracks meeting the selected program's repertoire and technical rules; Possible live audition if invited by a program |
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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 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21Source 4 · checked 2026-08-21Source 5 · checked 2026-08-21Source 6 · checked 2026-08-21Source 7 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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