Application & Admissions – CED Summer Programs

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.

** We will also consider exceptional students who will have completed their junior year of college before the start of the program

In CED's Design + Build Day Camp, students are generally 14 and 15 years old and are rising 9th or 10th graders. Students are eligible for the Design + Build Camp, if they live locally so that they can commute every day, or can live in commuting distance with a trusted and responsible relative.

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:

The application for the Design + Build Day Camp is less formal, but also requires completing the SlideRoom application portal. Parents and students have to complete the application together.

Students accepted into one of the CED Summer programs (excluding the Design + Build Day Camp) 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 proof of Covid-19 vaccination. Note: A current status of Covid-19 vaccination is required to attend any Summer Program.

Once all required tasks in CalCentral are completed, students should proceed to:

Step 4: Course enrollment

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.

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 Day Camp will only receive a Certificate of Completion on the last day of the camp.

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.

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:

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.

International students are required to purchase health insurance that covers the U.S. See this link for details.

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.

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.