CED Summer Programs Application + Admissions
ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS
Thank you for your interest in applying to the College of Environmental Design (CED) Summer programs. We encourage all eligible students to apply, including minorities, first generation college students (or first-generation college-bound high school students), and international students.
Specific requirements for the CED Summer programs are listed in the table below.
| CED Summer Programs | embARC | DISC | Summer Institute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level of education | Rising high school seniors and exceptional rising high school juniors who are at least 16 years old on the first day of the program – no exceptions* | Current college students and beyond who are at least 18 years old on the first day of the program – no exceptions* | Post baccalaureate (we will also consider exceptional students who will have completed their junior year of college before the start of the program) |
| GPA | 3.0 or higher | 3.0 or higher strongly recommended | 3.0 or higher strongly recommended |
| Subject Expertise | No design experience required, but evidence of academic rigor and intellectual curiosity |
| English Language Skills | International students: Provide proof of English language proficiency (both in terms of exam scores and quality of the written statement in the SlideRoom program application). International applicants who qualify for an English Proficiency Waiver are not required to submit language test scores. |
In CED’s Design + Build Bootcamp, students are generally 15 and 16 years old and are rising 10th or 11th graders. Students are eligible for the Design + Build Bootcamp, if they live locally so that they can commute every day, or can live in commuting distance with a trusted and responsible relative.
APPLICATION
CED Summer Programs are full-time programs and require a high level of engagement and commitment. Therefore, we require you to formally apply and show your qualifications and interest. To apply to one of our programs, you must submit an application via the SlideRoom application portal.
To be considered for a CED Summer program you must submit the following with your online application:
| Application requirements | embARC | DISC | Summer Institute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Application | Required | Required | Required |
| Application Fee | Submit with application | Submit with application | Submit with application |
| Essay and Statement of Intent | Required | Required | Required |
| Transcripts (student information, classes, GPA, attendance dates, etc. must be clearly visible) | High school transcripts that include all grades from 9th grade through the fall semester preceding your application | Required: Most recent unofficial college transcript | Required: Most recent unofficial college transcript |
| Current resume/CV | N/A | Required | Required |
| Letter of recommendation | Required* | N/A | N/A |
| International Students | Submit proof of English language proficiency | Submit proof of English language proficiency | Submit proof of English language proficiency |
The application for the Design + Build Bootcamp is less formal, but also requires completing the SlideRoom application portal. Parents and students have to complete the application together.
APPLICATION REVIEW AND NOTIFICATION
embARC
- Applications will be reviewed after the first application deadline, which is also the only application deadline for financial aid and housing (check deadlines).
- Applications received after the priority deadline will only be considered for commuter status and only if space allows.
- Early submissions are strongly encouraged, as the program may fill up early. We will not consider late financial aid or housing applications.
- Only complete applications will be reviewed.
- We notify all applicants of the status of their application via email — check your spam folder!
DISC and Summer Institute
- We will begin to review applications in February
- Decisions are released on a rolling basis beginning mid-February — with the exception of applicants who also applied for a stipend: their application will be reviewed together with their stipend application after the stipend application deadline
- Early submissions are strongly encouraged, as programs may fill up early and we will not consider late financial aid applications (check deadlines).
- Only complete applications will be reviewed
- We notify all applicants of the status of their application via email — check your spam folder!
Design + Build Bootcamp
- We will begin to review applications in January
- Decisions are released on a rolling basis beginning mid-January — with the exception of applicants who also applied for a stipend: their application will be reviewed together with their stipend application after the stipend application deadline
- Early submissions are strongly encouraged, as the program may fill up early and we will not consider late financial aid applications (check deadlines).
- Only complete applications will be reviewed
- We notify all applicants of the status of their application via email — check your spam folder!
REGISTRATION AND ENROLLMENT
Students accepted into one of the CED Summer programs (excluding the Design + Build Bootcamp) need to complete the following steps by the deadlines to finalize their enrollment.
Step 1: Express an intent to enroll by the deadline provided in the admissions email.
Step 2: Complete the online Summer Sessions registration and pay the $25 registration fee if you are a visiting student.
Once the registration application is processed, Summer Sessions will send an email with instructions on how to create a UC Berkeley login (CalNet ID). Please allow 2–3 days to receive email instructions. A CalNet ID allows a student to activate their CalCentral student account, enroll in classes, and pay tuition on CalCentral.
Step 3: Log in to CalCentral and complete all required tasks, including immunization requirements.
Once all required tasks in CalCentral are completed, students should proceed to:
Step 4: Course enrollment
- Summer Institute & DISC students — enroll in your course(s) on CalCentral. You will need to refer to the enrollment instructions and permission number in your admissions email.
- embARC students — once your CalCentral student account is activated, CED Summer Programs staff will enroll you in the course. Note: You cannot enroll yourself. Only CED Summer Programs staff can enroll you.
Step 5: After all fees have been assessed, promptly pay the program fees and tuition via CalCentral.
International students will need to begin their visa application process as soon as possible and before the deadline — more detail below.
All applicants and admitted students need to adhere to the general deadlines posted on our Deadlines and Fees page as well as any deadlines provided in their admissions email. Please also note the important deadlines for withdrawal and cancellation.
CED Summer Programs reserves the right to cancel any course for which there is insufficient enrollment for a full refund, and to withdraw or modify course offerings.
TRANSCRIPTS
After successful completion of a CED Summer program, you can request paper or electronic transcripts through the UC Berkeley Office of the Registrar Transcript Ordering Service. Students will also receive a Certificate of Completion on the last day of the program.
Students of the Design + Build Bootcamp will only receive a Certificate of Completion on the last day of the camp.
International Students
CED welcomes and encourages international students to participate in the CED Summer Programs.
Note: If you are a national from another country than the U.S., but are considered a U.S. resident (“green card” holder), you are considered a domestic student. Students who are already studying in the U.S. on an F-1 visa in spring and plan to return to their studies in the fall can transfer the I-20 to UC Berkeley and enroll in the CED Summer Program without an additional visa application. The instructions and links below will likely not apply to you. If you are not sure in which category you fall, refer to this link.
English Proficiency Requirement
The CED Summer programs are demanding — on your time, your engagement, your creativity, and your ability to follow lectures and instructions and interact with your peers. To set our international students up for success, we require a minimum proficiency level of the English language. The higher you are above the minimum score, the better you will manage the requirements of the program.
You will need to attach a copy of an acceptable English proficiency exam, taken within the last three years, to the CED Summer Programs SlideRoom application. If you are admitted to the program and start the registration process, you will be asked for (the same) proof of English proficiency again. You then must submit your proof of minimum English proficiency by the I-20 document upload deadline.
You are exempt from the English proficiency requirement if:
- You are from one of the exempt countries. See the list of exempt countries.
- Your university has been granted an exemption based on an Affiliation Agreement. Please check our list of International Registration Centers and ask your international advisor.
- You qualify for an English proficiency requirement waiver.
Visa and Immigration Process
Most CED Summer Programs (embARC, DISC, and Summer [In]stitute) are full-time academic programs. To attend, international applicants must be issued an F-1 or J-1 visa. UC Berkeley Summer Sessions assists international applicants in acquiring the I-20 needed for the student visa. There is more information regarding visas on the UC Berkeley Summer Sessions website.
This process will take some time, so it is important that you apply to the program as early as you can, and at the very latest by the international student application deadline. If you miss the deadline, CED Summer Programs admissions will not be able to make the decision in time for you to adhere to the Summer Sessions deadlines for Session D — please particularly note the visa document submission deadline for the I-20 at the bottom of the page (Session D).
When you receive your admissions letter, you need to begin the registration process as soon as possible, and within the deadline that is given to you. Be prepared to submit certain documentation.
Also in the admissions letter, you will be instructed in which courses to enroll so that you fulfill the unit requirements for student visa purposes — see Session D.
Health Insurance
International students are required to purchase health insurance that covers the U.S. See this link for details.
More information for international students
You can also check this page for more information on the process, what to prepare, and what to expect when you arrive on campus. You will also receive communication from CED Summer Programs during the weeks before your program starts. For additional questions, please check the FAQ section of our website or contact us.
ACCOMMODATIONS – DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES
Students seeking academic or other accommodations can make arrangements through Disabled Student Services (DSP) by completing an application process. Please submit an accommodations request through DSP as early as possible to make sure that accommodations are in place by the program start date.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Still have questions? Read more about Applications & Admissions, Program Cost & Financial Support, Course Credit, How to Prepare, Housing & Transportation, Cancellation & Withdrawal, After the Program, embARC, embARC Housing, embARC studio on the Summer Program FAQ page.
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