| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | February 12, 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–$5,800; 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 | 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Summer 2026 application fee: $70. Nonrefundable.; Honors enrollment deposit: $1,000. Nonrefundable and due within two weeks of the 2026 admission decision.; 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) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–12 (provider uses rising grades) |
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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 | Minimum age 15; Requirement: Rising juniors/seniors and at least 15 at start, without exceptions.; Requirement: English proficiency, TOEFL 90/equivalent or published waiver. | Ages 15–18; Requirement: Two-week pathway: be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior and age 15-18 under the cycle's exact boundary dates; Requirement: Honors pathway: be a rising senior graduating in the stated following year with GPA 3.5 or higher; Requirement: Meet the selected course's academic and delivery requirements; Requirement: International applicants using English as a second language must meet the pathway's test threshold or approved English-medium-school waiver; Exclusion: Students cannot apply to or attend both the Two-Week and Honors pathways in the same cycle; Exclusion: The 2026 noncredit program excluded students younger than 15 on June 28 or turning 19 by August 7; Exclusion: Honors was limited to rising seniors and online delivery; Exclusion: Program acceptance does not guarantee Boston College undergraduate admission |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 2–6 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | Online / 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 | 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 | Marlborough, NEIA day/residential or online, not Wellesley | Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Greater Boston |
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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: Seats were limited and complete applications were reviewed for academic readiness. Honors required at least a 3.5 GPA; no acceptance rate is published. Application materials: Two letters of recommendation; Two-week: statement of purpose and course-specific essay; Honors: 250-500-word program and course essay and one or two course selections |
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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 2026-10-10Source 2 · checked 2026-10-10 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21Source 4 · checked 2026-08-21Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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