WHO CAN APPLY 

• California students ONLY
• Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders ** Please get in touch with the Statewide COSMOS office with questions about student residency status for application purposes

REQUIRED MATERIALS 

• Completed online application, including one personal statement;
• Two teacher recommendations (one required, second recommendation suggested) **STEM teachers preferred, others accepted
• Official high school transcript(s) (9th graders must also submit a copy of their 8th-grade report card)
• Parent/guardian e-signature (s) in the parent portal
• Application fee -- payable online with a credit card or check

Dates & Deadlines (2027)

• Opening Day : July 5th, 2027
• Closing Day : July 31st, 2027

APPLICATION

• Online Application Opens: January 6, 2027, at 8:00 AM
• Online Application Closes: February 5, 2027, at 5:00 PM and continues to be accepted/unsupported until 11:59 pm.
  • Completed online application, teacher recommendations, parent/guardian signature acknowledgment of liabilities, and non-refundable application fee must be submitted electronically by this deadline (or POSTMARKED by  February 6, 2027, if an item must be mailed)
• Optional financial aid application must be submitted and must be POSTMARKED on or before February 6, 2027 - absolutely no extensions, recommend priority mail and tracking, and pre-paid postage is available.

ADMISSION

• Admissions Notifications for the COSMOS Program: March 25, 2027, at 5:00 PM
  • (Note: Statewide and Helpdesk support will be closed after notifications are sent and will reopen the following Monday at 9:00 am EDT)
• Offer Acceptance or Decline (no response is considered "offer declined") to COSMOS due April 7, 2027, by 11:59 PM. 
• If ACCEPTED, a non-refundable one-third of the total program cost is due online or by mail (postmarked) by April 7, 2027
• The remaining non-refundable total program cost must be paid by Friday, April 16, 2027
• Official transcripts should be provided as soon as possible, but no later than June 1, 2027

WAITLIST:

• Students admitted from the waitlist will be notified on the following days, and offers to attend COSMOS must be accepted by the Offer Deadline by 11:59 PM. Please see the table below for payment deadlines.
• The last batch of admitted students from the waitlist will be notified on May 26, 2027. The Offer and Payment Deadlines are the same dates for the final two batches. If admitted in either of those rounds, the program costs must be paid in full by credit card on the deadline listed below.

PROGRAM COST: $5,793 (Non-Refundable, Except as Provided in the Refund Policy)

All financial communications regarding an admitted student must be conducted with the student’s parent or legal guardian.

Important: Admission is contingent upon meeting all applicable payment deadlines. If any required payment or payment acknowledgment is not completed by the applicable deadline, the student’s admission will be forfeited, and the space may be offered to another student.

Application Fee: $48

The $46 application fee is non-refundable, due by Friday, February 5, 2027, at 11:59 PM. Payment support is available only until 5:00 PM.

• Check payments must be postmarked by Friday, February 5, 2027.
• Applicants with a pending Application Fee Waiver request are not required to submit the application fee while their fee-waiver request is under review. Applicants will be notified of any payment requirement after the review is completed.

Initial Payment: One-third (1/3) of the total program cost is due by the payment deadline specified in the student’s admission offer. The initial payment is non-refundable.

Remaining Balance: The remaining two-thirds (2/3) of the program cost, less any financial aid awarded, is due by the final payment deadline specified in the student’s admission offer. All payments toward the remaining balance are non-refundable.

For admitted students, a parent/legal guardian must complete each required payment by the applicable deadline. If paying by check, the parent/legal guardian must acknowledge the payment in the application system by the applicable deadline.

NOTE: Failure to complete any required payment or payment acknowledgment by the applicable deadline will result in forfeiture of the student’s admission and program space.

• Credit card payments must be completed by 11:59 PM on the applicable deadline date. Online payment support is available only until 5:00 PM.
• Check payments must be postmarked on or before the applicable deadline date and acknowledged in the application system by the applicable deadline.
• Credit card payments are accepted online and are subject to a 2.5% service fee.

Refunds:

All payments are non-refundable, except as otherwise required by applicable University policy or law.

By accepting admission and submitting payment, the parent/legal guardian acknowledges and agrees to the COSMOS refund terms.

• Withdrawal or Voluntary Departure: No refund will be issued if a student withdraws, declines to attend after payment has been made, or voluntarily leaves the program, regardless of the reason or timing.
• Dismissal: No refund will be issued if a student is dismissed from the program for violation of COSMOS or University policies, rules, or conduct requirements.
• Program Cancellation or Significant Program Change: If COSMOS cancels a program or makes a significant change to the program's format or delivery, including a transition to remote instruction, the applicable campus and COSMOS Statewide Office will determine whether a full, partial, or no refund is appropriate based on the circumstances, including program costs already incurred or committed.
• Exceptions: Any exception to this Refund Policy must be approved by the COSMOS Statewide Office, as appropriate, and is subject to applicable University of California policy and law.

Questions regarding payments or refunds must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian to the COSMOS Statewide Office.

APPLICATION FAQ

Can I apply to more than one COSMOS campus?
No. Applicants may apply to only one COSMOS campus and select up to two cluster choices at that campus.

Can I apply if I have previously attended COSMOS?
No. Students who have previously attended COSMOS are not eligible to apply again.

How do I know if my high school courses meet the cluster prerequisites?
Each COSMOS campus manages its own admissions process and cluster requirements. If you are unsure whether your coursework meets the prerequisites for a particular cluster, please contact the campus directly.

How do I pay the application fee?
The application fee must be paid through the Parent/Guardian Portal. Parents or guardians will receive an email with instructions to create an account. Once logged in, they can pay the application fee, provide the required electronic signature, and submit optional financial aid information.

I applied last year. Can I use the same login credentials?
Yes. Returning applicants may use their existing login credentials. However, a new application must be submitted each year, as application requirements may change.

Is the application fee refundable if my application is incomplete or I am not admitted?
No. The application fee is non-refundable, regardless of application completion or admission status.