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 with other students from Berkeley and worldwide. 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.
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
- With flexible synchronous/ asynchronous options, access hundreds of courses from the comfort of your home
- 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 - Tuesday, 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!
The Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Virtual track is open to both domestic and international high school students who are in good academic standing in their home institutions. International high school students must meet the Summer Sessions' English Language Requirements.
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
High school graduates who will be 16 or 17 during the summer may apply for the Pre-College Scholars Program. Minors who will not be 16 years old by the start of the program are not eligible for the Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Summer Virtual track. Students enrolling in courses during sessions A and/or B must be 16 by the start of their course(s). No exceptions will be made to this policy. Students who violate this policy will be removed from their course(s) and may lose eligibility for the Pre-College Scholars Program.
Students over 18 before the start of summer classes are not eligible. Those over 18 can attend Berkeley Summer Sessions as visiting students by applying through the Summer Sessions visiting student application.
Insurance: All students are required to have valid health insurance coverage for the duration of the program. If you do not have health insurance, you should purchase coverage before the start of the program. For suggestions regarding health insurance options, please visit the University Health Services website.
International students: 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 offerings.
Read more about eligibility requirements and student responsibilities.
"I gained a lot of confidence, both academic and personal, knowing I was able to complete university-level coursework while still at highschool. I was part of the virtual track, and from the comfort of my home, I was able to meet and interact with instructors and other college students from across the globe. For upcoming scholars, I advise not to be afraid of taking difficult or unfamiliar subjects. You can always drop at any time, but I encourage you to take the challenge – highschool is a time to explore different careers and majors! By already signing up for the Pre College Scholars program, you’ve shown that you go above and beyond, and you’ll have a great time at Berkeley, no matter which track you take and which courses you enroll in!"
—Pre-College Scholars Program Participant
Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Virtual track 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 in-person courses listed are also offered virtually. Pay special attention to the mode of instruction, which 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.
View the full list of summer session courses.
To view a sample of courses completed by past Pre-College Scholars participants, see the UC Berkeley Pre-College Previous Student Course List.
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.
Please note, course enrollment may be impacted by class schedule, availability, and academic department's discretion. It is crucial to find alternative course options (just like any college student would).
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 the 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).
"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. This includes all U.S. college students, high school students, and non-students (general public).
The following are Summer 2025 rates.
| Per Unit Charge | Registration Fee | Document Management Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Visitor | $615* | $550 | $71 |
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 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.
For information on how to pay the charges on your account, visit the Student Billing Payments and Refunds webpage. Fee Payment Plan and Third Party Contracts are not accepted payment options for Pre-College Scholars students
Online Orientation & Activities
Your virtual summer experience begins with an online orientation session and introduction to Cub Hub. Cub Hub is a student portal that features interactive UC Berkeley-themed challenges and campus resource videos, and serves as an opportunity to meet with program staff, other participants, and your Pre-College ambassadors.
College exploration workshops, community building socials, and interactive extracurricular activities are planned by UC Berkeley Pre-College student assistants and program staff to help you meet other students, make the most out of your time at Berkeley, and prepare you for your future college experience.
Read more about orientation and activities on our Help Center's Orientation and Activities page.
Follow us on Instagram for student stories, program highlights, and much more!
Pre-College Orientation
To ensure your smooth transition to UC Berkeley, our team offers a live pre-arrival webinar and an orientation session before summer begins. 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, on-campus resources, 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."
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.
- Review the PreCollege Terms & Conditions
- 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.