CED Summer Program Deadlines + Fees

2026 Program dates
- embARC: Monday, July 6 (morning) to Friday, July 31 (afternoon)
- DISC: Monday, July 6 (morning) to Friday, August 7 (afternoon)
- Summer Institutes: Monday, July 6 (morning) to Friday, August 14 (afternoon)
You find more details regarding application and cancellation deadlines below.
2026 Tuition & Fees for CED Summer Programs
The tuition for the credit-bearing CED Summer programs (embARC, DISC, Summer Institutes) is US$3,900. Additional UC Berkeley Summer Sessions charges and fees apply to all students, including but not limited to the following:
- Summer Sessions registration fee: $25 (non-UC students only)
- Document Management fee: $73 (visiting students only)
- UC Berkeley Registration fee: $585 (non-UC students only)
- Unit Charge: $635 per unit (1 unit for domestic visiting students; the unit fee is lower for current UC and UC Berkeley students); note: international students need 5 units to apply for a student visa
- International service fee: $500 (international students only)
- Visit Summer Session Fees for further details on these university fees
These fees do not include housing. Exact tuition, charges, and fees vary depending on student status and the number of units. CLICK HERE to view some typical examples.
NOTE: Figures for tuition, charges, and fees represent currently approved or proposed amounts and may not be final. Actual tuition, charges, and fees are subject to change by the CED Summer Programs and the University of California as determined to be necessary or appropriate. Final approved tuition, charges, and fee levels may differ from the amounts presented.
IMPORTANT: Tuition, charges, and fees are typically assessed within 24 hours upon enrollment in CalCentral. Please check after 24 hours for your full balance. Students are not automatically dropped from a CED Summer program for non-payment or non-attendance in the summer term. If you do not plan to attend, you must notify your CED Summer program AND drop your class before the refund deadlines, or you will be financially responsible for all tuition, charges, and fees.
The program costs above do not include the initial US$82 CED Summer Program application processing fee.
Payment Policy for ALL programs
All CED Summer Program fees must be paid in full to guarantee your spot, or students may be dropped from the program. All tuition and fees must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the program.
IMPORTANT: CED Summer Program students are not automatically dropped from the program for non-payment or non-attendance. If you do not plan to attend, you are solely responsible to notify your CED Summer program via email AND drop your class before the refund deadlines (see below), or you will be financially responsible for all tuition and fees. Enrolling in a CED Summer Program after the cancellation deadline for full tuition refund means that you accept financial responsibility for all program tuition and fees.
What is included in your tuition and fees
- UC Berkeley college credit
- All academic instruction and office hour availability of your instructors
- Reviews and individual feedback for your work, including portfolio building advice
- Use of the studio, the computer room, and other classrooms at the College of Environmental Design
- Guest lectures
- Free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, Google-suite, campus Wi-Fi, and more software provided to UC Berkeley students
- Program field trip organization and instruction on-site
- Access to the CED Library, CED Archives, and all UC Berkeley campus libraries
- Clipper Card (BayPass) which allows you to use Bay Area public transportation
- Use of UC Berkeley’s recreation facilities with your student ID (Cal1Card)
- Free admission with your student ID (Cal1Card) to UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, the museum in the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), Lawrence Hall of Science, Campanile (Sather Tower), the Hearst Museum, and other campus benefits
- Breakfast during welcome + sign-in on your first day of class, finger food and snacks/sweets during the final celebration, as well as some snacks during or after final review
- International students: support for your student visa application
- The majority of materials used in studio for embARC and DISC programs
- Access to UC Berkeley campus housing (students 18 years or older) and campus dining commons
- Certificate of Completion and eligibility for a UC Berkeley transcript for students who complete the course requirements
2026 embARC Program Tuition
- Domestic Student — $5,193
- International Student — $8,233 (international students are required to register for 5 units to meet student visa requirements)
- The total program tuition includes Summer Session fees but it does not include the campus housing fee.
- A few need-based scholarships are available.
2026 embARC Program Housing
- The embARC housing fee is $5,300 (US)
- The fee covers housing, three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), supervision, orientation, extracurricular activities, basic health insurance, and on-site support from July 6 (afternoon) to August 1 (afternoon).
- The cost of housing is in addition to the program tuition and fees.
- This residential program is optional and for embARC program attendees only. Students need to be 16 or 17 years old by July 5, 2026 and are supervised by UC Berkeley’s Pre-College Scholars Residential Program.
- A mandatory health insurance fee for embARC residential students is $180 (US) and is included in the housing fee.
- Housing will be provided in Stern Hall, a UC Berkeley residence hall.
- More information on FAQ page, section embARC Housing.
NOTE: Students enrolled in DISC and Summer Institute who need housing have many other housing options.
Dates + Deadlines
NOTE: We strongly recommend you start your application early to make sure that you have enough time to provide all required information. Dates and deadlines may be subject to change: Check this page periodically and/or sign up to receive email updates regarding important dates and deadlines.
All CED Summer Programs
- Applications for the summer of 2026 are open — apply here.
- Academic programs start on July 6, 2026 — no exceptions.
2026 dates & deadlines for embARC — full-time four-week program for rising 12th-grade high school students
- Priority application deadline for financial aid & housing: February 17, 2026 (11:59 PM Pacific Time)
- Cancellation deadline for a full tuition refund: March 15, 2026
- embARC program application deadline for commuter students: April 1, 2026 (11:59 PM Pacific Time)
- embARC students’ withdrawal deadline for refund of Summer Session fees only: July 5, 2026
- embARC program ends: July 31, 2026
This is the application deadline for the embARC program if you also apply for housing and/or financial aid.
Applicants need to submit a complete online application by this deadline, including a thoughtful answer to the essay questions, transcripts, and a recommendation letter.
Housing and financial assistance (if applicable — more details below) cannot be granted after this deadline.
This date is also the priority application deadline for embARC commuter students.
To cancel your participation in the embARC program, you must contact the embARC program at embarc@berkeley.edu.
embARC students who enroll or cancel after this deadline are financially responsible for the CED Summer Program tuition/fee.
Residential embARC students need to check with the Pre-College Scholars program for the refund deadline of the housing fees.
embARC students who cancel after this deadline (and before the partial refund deadline mentioned below) can still get the Summer Session tuition and fees refunded, according to their schedule – check Session D. Note: this is the smaller portion of the total cost for most students.
This deadline only applies to commuter students to fill remaining seats, if any. Financial assistance cannot be granted after the priority application deadline – see above.
Link for more information, check Session D. The CED program tuition/fee and Pre-College Scholars housing fee is no longer refundable after the cancellation deadline mentioned above.
The program ends with a final graduation celebration and the distribution of certificates on Friday afternoon. Students’ families will be invited.
2026 dates & deadlines for DISC — full-time five-week program for current college students
- DISC virtual info sessions
- Priority & financial assistance application deadline: March 29, 2026
- Application deadline for international students: May 10, 2026
- Application deadline for domestic students: May 18, 2026
- Cancellation deadline for a full tuition refund: May 29, 2026
- Withdrawal deadline for Summer Session charges & fee refund only: July 5, 2026
- DISC program ends: August 7, 2026
We have scheduled two virtual information session for DISC:
- February 12, 2026, 5 PM
- March 12, 2026, 5 PM
Please check back on this page to sign-up for these info sessions. In the meantime, sign-up for our mailing list to receive email notifications.
View a 2025 info session of the DISC program.
Applicants who meet the required qualifications and submit a complete application by this deadline — including a thoughtful answer to the essay questions, transcripts, and a resume — will receive priority consideration for acceptance into the program. Financial assistance (if applicable — more details below) cannot be granted after this deadline.
Sometimes, the program is already full after the priority deadline — please apply as early as possible. Applicants are considered international students if they need an I-20 (for a student visa) — see more details.
PLEASE NOTE: There is also a deadline for international students to register with Summer Sessions, once you are admitted to your CED Summer Program, and to submit all documents for the I-20. We strongly encourage you to start your visa application as early as possible, as the process might take longer in some countries.
This is the final application deadline for students who do NOT require a student visa.
The program may fill up early. For best results, apply before the priority application deadline in March. The March deadline is also the deadline to apply for a need-based stipend.
If you cancel your program participation after this deadline, you will not receive a refund of the CED Summer tuition.
In addition, admitted students who enroll after this deadline are financially responsible for the CED Summer Program tuition.
Link for more information, check Session D. The CED Summer program tuition is no longer refundable after the cancellation deadline for a full refund mentioned above.
The program ends with a final celebration and the distribution of certificates on Friday afternoon.
2026 dates and deadlines for Summer Institutes – INARCH, INCITY, INLAND — full-time six-week programs for young professionals and college grads
- Summer Institute Zoom info sessions
- Priority & financial assistance application deadline: March 29, 2026
- Application deadline for international students: May 10, 2026
- Application deadline for domestic students: May 18, 2026
- Cancellation deadline for a full tuition refund: May 29, 2026
- Withdrawal deadline for Summer Session charges & fee refund only: July 5, 2026
- Summer Institute program ends: August 14, 2026
We will announce two info session for the Summer Institutes, one in March and one in April. Please check back on this page and sign-up for our mailing list to receive email notifications.
View an info session for the 2025 Summer Institute program.
Applicants who meet the required qualifications and submit a complete application by this deadline — including a thoughtful answer to the essay questions, transcripts, and a resume — will receive priority consideration for acceptance into the program. Financial assistance (if applicable — more details below) cannot be granted after this deadline.
Sometimes, the program is already full after the priority deadline — please apply as early as possible. Applicants are considered international students if they need an I-20 (for a student visa) — see more details. PLEASE NOTE: There is also a deadline for international students to register with Summer Sessions, once you are admitted to your CED Summer Program, and to submit all documents for the I-20. We strongly encourage you to start your visa application as soon as possible, as the process might take longer in some countries.
This is the final application deadline for students who do NOT require a student visa.
The program may fill up early. For best results, apply before the priority application deadline in March. The March deadline is also the deadline to apply for a need-based stipend.
If you cancel your program participation after this deadline, you will not receive a refund of the CED Summer tuition.
In addition, admitted students who enroll after this deadline are financially responsible for the CED Summer Program tuition.
Link for more information, check Session D. The CED Summer program tuition is no longer refundable after the cancellation deadline for a full refund mentioned above.
The program ends with a final celebration and the distribution of certificates on Friday afternoon.
Incredibly immersive, and profound experience! So glad I got to share and explore a new area of study with people from different ages and backgrounds. I had an outstanding teaching team! Grateful and lucky for all their support and dedication during the 6 weeks of the program.
-Summer Institute Alum
Financial Assistance
There is a small number of scholarships available for CED Summer Program students. These financial aid funds are need-based awards, which means that funding is based on the financial situation of the student and their family and household, if applicable. CED Summer program financial aid takes into account many factors, including gross household income of the applicant and, for most students, their parents. We aim to award financial assistance to those applicants who identify the greatest need while gaining a significant relative benefit by attending the program.
To apply, submit your answers and documentation to the financial assistance questions as part of the online CED Summer Program application by the deadline which is indicated in your program. Financial aid recipients will be notified by email, as part of their admission letter.
Please Note: CED Summer Program financial aid is not federally subsidized and is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. Other important items to consider:
- International students are not eligible to apply.
- Applications after the deadline stated in your program will not be considered for financial aid.
- There is no guarantee that applicants who apply for aid will receive financial assistance.
- Award amounts vary, depending on the needs of the applicant pool and availability of funds.
- Applicants who receive a partial scholarship (stipend) will be required to pay the full balance of the program fees prior to the start of the program.
- Applicants who are offered financial support are expected to inform us immediately if they plan on accepting it.
- Students who have accepted financial support from CED Summer Programs and decide not to join the program need to inform us immediately.
Applicants and admitted students are encouraged to research and apply for additional funding opportunities, which might include funds from your home school/college/university, foundations, your government, regional scholarship funds, or stipends based on other criteria. A College Savings Plan (529 Plan), veteran education benefits, or the AmeriCorp Education Award may be additional funding option.
Other funding possibilities could include support from an employer, local business, civic organization, an institution of worship, or a loan supplement. We also had students who have succeeded in fundraising, for example through a crowd-funding campaign. We encourage you to investigate all options.
In addition, you may review this list of scholarship databases. It primarily applies to full-time students, but you may find an opportunity that applies to your personal situation.
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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