Learn more about the Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Program
Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Virtual Track
The Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Virtual track offers international and domestic high school students the opportunity to join an online community of scholars and pursue their academic goals at the world’s No. 1 public institution. Pre-College Scholars participants will have the opportunity to earn college credit. From the convenience of home, you will be able to connect with UC Berkeley students, staff, and faculty. All of the things that make Berkeley a great place are virtually waiting for you. In addition to academics, we have optional, online extracurricular activities and events that will give you a chance to expand your personal and social horizons, learn practical information, and enjoy Berkeley outside of the 'classroom.'
Select courses that meet and challenge your desire to learn. Whether you’re looking for the next set of courses beyond your high school offerings, exploring a possible college major, or seeking to learn something new in an area of special interest, you can find it at Berkeley in the summer! Learn from and with the best, and our staff will work with you every step of the way. Note that not all courses offered in-person are available virtually. The course description will indicate whether it is available online or not.
Visit our Help Center to read more about our program and student responsibilities. To learn more, we encourage you to attend one of our upcoming information sessions.
Program Benefits:
- Learn and engage with UC Berkeley faculty and students, as well as other visiting students in a robust virtual environment
- Add Berkeley Summer Sessions to your college application
- Obtain a Berkeley transcript that can be requested from UC Berkeley's Office of the Registrar
- Earn college credit that may be transferable to another college program*
- Receive a personal letter of commendation from the Dean of Extended Education for passing grades
- Enjoy our online welcome orientation, interactive workshops, virtual mentorship opportunities, and more!
- Access college preparation workshops designed for high school students
- Receive support from designated program staff throughout the program
*Acceptance of transfer credit is always at the discretion of the accepting institution.
Important Dates:
Application opens - Thursday, February 18, 2025, 9:00am (PST)
Application deadline - Monday, June 2, 2025, 11:59pm (PST)
2025 Session Dates:
- Session A - Six Weeks: May 27–July 3
- Session B - Ten Weeks: June 9–August 15
- Session C - Eight Weeks: June 23–August 15
- Session D - Six Weeks: July 7–August 15
- Session E - Three Weeks: July 28–August 15
- Session F - Three Weeks: July 7–July 25
Have a question?
Sign up for an Online Information Session
Virtual Advising available by appointment or by dropping in
Connect with a Program Ambassador to get more insights about your future summer experience at UC Berkeley!
Students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Virtual track:
- Have completed the 10th or 11th grade by the start of summer classes and plan to continue their high school studies in the subsequent fall
- Have an overall B average (3.0, weighted or unweighted) in all of their high school coursework
- 16 years of age by June 22, 2025*
- Students must be in good academic standing in their home institutions. International high school students must meet the Summer Sessions' English Language Requirements.
*Minors who will not be 16 years of age at the start of the program are not eligible to apply for the Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Virtual track. Students planning to enroll in course(s) in sessions A and/or B starting before the start of the program, must be 16 years of age by the start of their course(s). No exceptions will be granted for these program policies. Any student found in violation of these program policies will be removed from their course(s) and will have jeopardized their current and/or future participation in the Pre-College Scholars Program.
High school graduates who will be 16 or 17 years old during the summer may apply for the Pre-College Scholars program. Students who have graduated from high school and will be over the age of 18 years old before the start of summer classes are not eligible for the Pre-College Scholars program. High school graduates who will be over the age of 18 years old can attend Berkeley Summer Sessions as a visiting student and must apply using the Summer Sessions visiting student application.
International students who attend high schools outside of the United States are required to provide documentation of meeting the English Language Proficiency Requirement unless their school country is exempt from the requirement, OR they will enroll only in English as a Second Language course offerings.
Read more about eligibility requirements and student responsibilities.
"My favorite part of the Pre-College Program was that we experienced real college courses alongside actual UC Berkeley students!"
—Pre-College Scholars Program Participant
Participants enroll in online college-level courses offered during the summer sessions. The majority of your classmates will be UC Berkeley students and visiting students from institutions around the United States and different parts of the world.
High school students are eligible to take online and web-based courses numbered between 1 and 99 (undergraduate, lower division), provided that academic departments deem the course available to high school students and students have met all course prerequisites.
Participants can choose from a wide range of academic disciplines, including Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, and much more! Please note that not all courses are offered virtually and the mode of instruction will be indicated on the course description. Make sure that the course(s) you intend to take with the program are available virtually before applying. Because a Summer Sessions course is an accelerated version of a 16-week semester course, we advise that students take no more than two courses in Sessions A, B, C, and D or one course in Sessions E and F.
It is your responsibility to make sure that the course is available for high school students. If you have any questions about prerequisite verification or course availability, please contact the academic department directly.
When choosing a course:
- Check course prerequisites to be sure that you have met the requirements listed. These can be found in the catalog description of the course in the Berkeley Academic Guide
- Courses are offered for college credit but may not meet any high school unit or course requirements. Specific questions should be directed to the college/career counselor at your high school.
Once you have been accepted into the Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Virtual track, enrolled in your courses, and paid your tuition and fees, go to the Cal Student Store, and follow the appropriate links for Summer Sessions and courses in which you are enrolled. There you can access a list of both required and recommended books for your class/es.
Please note, course enrollment may be impacted by class schedule, availability, and academic department's discretion. It is crucial to come up with alternative course options (just like any college student would) in the event we are unable to process first-choice selections.
Read more about our online courses on the Summer Online Courses page.
"From the comfort of my home, I collaborated and met virtually with Berkeley students, worked with a Berkeley professor, and left the program with knowledge about an entirely new field. Being part of the Pre-College Scholars program helped me determine the career I wanted to pursue, gave me confidence that I was able to complete rigorous Berkeley-level courses, and gave me meaningful interactions with students across the world. Despite not having a physical presence on campus, I was still able to interact with the course, professors, and other students in a thorough and engaging way.
—Pre-College Scholars Program Participant
Domestic/International visitor fees apply to those who are not currently enrolled in a degree program at a University of California campus.
The following are Summer 2024 rates.
| Per Unit Charge | Registration Fee | Document Management Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Visitor | $595* | $550 | $68 |
Program Application Fee: $25
International Visitors must also pay an International Service Fee of $500.
Fees are subject to change.
For more information on Domestic/International Visitors' fees, visit our 2024 Summer Fees section.
For more information regarding our refund policy, visit our Summer Sessions Refund Policy section.
*Please note that this cost is per unit. Courses at UC Berkeley consist of a number of units. Your tuition charge will be determined by the total number of units you are enrolled in. Your total cost of attendance will be determined by your tuition and fees.
Online Orientation & Activities
Pre-College Orientation
To ensure your smooth transition to UC Berkeley, your orientation will be a three-step process beginning with a video recording, a pre-arrival live webinar, and finally an in-person session. All Pre-College Scholars participants will be required to attend their orientation to the program. Important topics include academic success and integrity, health/safety and wellness, and much more will be discussed in detail.
College Exploration Workshops & Extra-Curricular Activities
Typically, on Tuesdays between 4:00pm and 6:00pm, we will offer virtual academic enrichment and college exploration workshops designed to help students prepare for the college admission process and beyond. Past workshops have included: "College in Perspective", "The Best College for You", and "What Admissions Officers Look For."
Read more about orientation and activities on our Help Center's Orientation and Activities page.
Follow us on Instagram for student stories, program's highlights, and much more!
2024 applications are now closed.
Applications open: Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 9:00 am (PST)
Application deadline: Monday, June 2, 2025, 11:59 pm (PST)
Before starting your application, please be sure to carefully review the info in our Help Center starting with What Important Considerations Should I Keep in Mind when Completing the Program Application, which contains information to answer your most frequently asked questions. Pay special attention to:
- Admissions and Enrollment
- Eligibility Requirements
- Finances, Billing, and Payment
- International Applicants and Students (if applicable)
- Academics and Coursework
- Important Dates and Deadlines
- Program Policies
If you need more information or didn't find the answers you were looking for, please contact our Pre-College team.
Complete the following steps to apply for the Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Virtual track:
Application: Gather all of the following information before you begin:
- Basic biographical (name, birth date, gender, citizenship, etc.) and contact information
- Emergency contact information**
** The Pre-College application account must be associated with the student's email address. If you do not have an email account, please create your own unique email account before starting your application. Make sure you will continue to have access to this account after the conclusion of the program for future communication about alumni support and involvement opportunities. Parents/guardians must provide their own unique email address different from the student’s email address. If your parent/guardian does not have an email account, please have them create their own unique email account before starting your application.
The student email address and parent/guardian email address must be different. Failure to comply with this policy will result in a significant processing delay and/or the denial of your application. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Pre-College team.
- Complete the personal insight questions: When completing the online application, all students are required to submit two short answers (100 words each) to the following questions.
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
- The UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Program seeks to create an engaged and inclusive community that is welcoming to students from various backgrounds, experience, and perspectives. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the Pre-College Scholars program?
- Upload a PDF copy of your most recent high school transcript, showing all high school work through Fall 2024 (official or unofficial). The transcript must include the student's full name and cumulative GPA. Report cards are not acceptable.
- Review the UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Virtual Program Code of Conduct & Agreement Form through the application portal.
- Review the UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Virtual Program Consent to Release Student Information Form through the application portal.
- Review the UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Virtual Program Waiver of Liability and Authorization Form through the application portal.
- English Proficiency Requirement (if applicable): All students who attend high schools outside of the United States are required to provide documentation of meeting the English Language Proficiency Requirement unless their school country is exempt from the requirement, OR they will enroll only in English as a Second Language course.