| 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | 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): Program-specific full scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. The separate NAIOP-Drexel real-estate program funded all accepted students; this does not mean all Summer Institutes offer 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 Summer Scholars application fee: $100. Historical nonrefundable fee; waiver requests were directed to Summer Discovery. Not confirmed for 2027.; 2026 Summer Scholars enrollment deposit: $1,500. Historical amount applied under provider terms; not confirmed for 2027.; 2026 international registration fee: $239–$379. Historical $239 commuter or $379 residential fee for international students living outside the U.S.; specified insurance and support were included.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Common design-program registration deposits: $300–$500. Deposit amount, refundability, and whether it is credited to tuition differ by institute.; Program-specific full scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. The separate NAIOP-Drexel real-estate program funded all accepted students; this does not mean all Summer Institutes offer 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) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: 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 | Ages 15–18; Requirement: Be a high-school student within the published age range; the latest Summer Scholars rule was ages 15-18 as of spring 2026; Requirement: Choose the Spanish Intensive as an available course and meet any 2027 placement or language prerequisites; Requirement: Submit grade information and short interest responses; Requirement: For international participation, meet English-proficiency and travel-document rules or complete an approved video interview pathway; Exclusion: Adult ALPs, Refresher, Weekend Immersion, teacher workshops, community courses, and Mexico travel programs; Exclusion: Assuming the 2026 Persuasive Dialogue subtitle or curriculum will be identical in 2027; Exclusion: Assuming the course awards Dartmouth grades, college credit, admission, language certification, or a guaranteed proficiency level | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Meet the selected institute's rising-grade and minimum-age rules; Requirement: Complete any required biology, chemistry, AP Biology, research, design, mathematics, or other preparation; Requirement: Submit institute-specific transcript, recommendation, English-proficiency, portfolio, deposit, or health-insurance documentation where required; Requirement: Be available for the complete commuter, residential, or virtual schedule; Exclusion: The umbrella grade and age range does not make every student eligible for every institute; Exclusion: Some institutes are competitive or capped and can fill before the deadline; Exclusion: Some programs may be unavailable in a given year; Arts and Sciences listed no 2026 offerings |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 2 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 1–4 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 | 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 | Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth College; exact 2027 residential, commuter, or other format not announced | Philadelphia, Drexel University and Philadelphia-area field sites; selected online programs |
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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: Application review and course capacity are administered through Dartmouth Precollege and Summer Discovery; no current acceptance rate or 2027 capacity is published. Application materials: International English-proficiency evidence or requested video interview where applicable | Selection: Varies from registration-based/rolling to competitive review. Examples use capacity limits, transcript review, academic preparation, recommendations, and first-come acceptance; no umbrella admit rate exists. Application materials: Zero, one, or two teacher/professional recommendations depending on institute; Portfolio or course-prerequisite evidence only when specified |
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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 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20Source 5 · 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 2026-08-20 |
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