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 ($44)--payable online with a credit card or check
Dates & Deadlines (2025)
- Opening Day : Sunday, July 6, 2025
- Closing Day : Saturday, August 1, 2025
APPLICATION
- Online Application Opens: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 8:00 AM
- Online Application Closes Friday, February 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM, continues unsupported until 11:59 pm
- Completed online application, parent/guardian signature(s), application fee, and optional financial aid application must be submitted and must be POSTMARKED on or before February 8, 2025
ADMISSION
- Admissions Notifications for the COSMOS Program: March 26, 2025, at 5:00 PM
- (Note: Statewide and Helpdesk support will be closed after notifications are sent and reopen Monday at 9:00 am EDT.)
- Offer Acceptance or Decline (no response is considered "offer declined") to COSMOS due April 9, 2025, by 11:59 PM
- If ACCEPTED, One-third of the total program cost is due online or by check on April 18, 2025.
- The remaining two-thirds of the total program cost must be paid by Friday, April 18, 2025
WAIT-LIST
- Students admitted from the waitlist will be notified on a rolling basis starting April 12, 2024, and offers to attend COSMOS must be accepted within 7 days.
- The last batch of admitted students from the waitlist will be notified on May 28, 2025
PAYMENTS (times specific to credit card payments; checks must be postmarked by the date noted)
- Application fee ($44) due by Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 PM (unsupported after 5:00 PM)
- The four-week residential program cost ($5,256) includes housing, meals, orientation, field trips and activities, and on-site support.
- Program cost must be paid by the set deadline at 11:59 PM (unsupported after 5:00 PM)
- All payments made by check must be postmarked by the deadline date.
Credit card payments are available. A approx. a 2.5% service fee will be added to all online payments.
REFUND REQUEST
- All Program related payments are non-refundable. Once the deadline for payment to COSMOS has passed, that payment is non-refundable. An admitted student who has been offered full financial aid must make a $200 deposit by the corresponding deadline to secure attendance. This $200 deposit will be refunded to the legal guardian(s) of the student upon successful completion of the program by the student. Please contact the statewide office with questions and concerns regarding refunds and any other financial matters.
APPLICATION FAQ
Can I apply to multiple campuses?
No. You may only apply to one campus and select one or two cluster options within that campus.
Can I apply if I have attended COSMOS before?
No.
How do I know if my high school class meets the cluster prerequisites?
Since admissions decisions and clusters are administered at the campus level, don't hesitate to contact the campus directly for any questions about prerequisites.
How to submit the application fee?
The application fee is payable through the Parent/Guardian Portal ONLY. Parents will be notified by email to create a login and password. They can then make payments, submit their electronic signature (and submit optional financial aid information).
I applied last year. Can I use my same login ID?
Yes. You will need to create a new application each year, as the application may vary yearly, but you may log in with the same account.
Is the application fee refunded for incomplete or non-admitted applications?
No, the application fee is non-refundable.