Relevant Track(s): Commuter
The Commuter Track
- Open to domestic high school students from local and international backgrounds who are within commuting distance to the UCB campus (living with an adult family member 18 years +)
- Designed for those who want to earn college credit this summer while learning with other students in-person
- It will allow you the opportunity to participate in various extra-curricular activities & college preparation workshops to help meet other students in the program and prepare for your future college experience
Application/Admissions Process
- Commuter Application opens: Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 9:00 am (PST)
- Application & documents
- Online Application
- Transcript
- 2 Personal Insight Questions
- Application & enrollment forms
- Signature Page
- Rolling application process
- Once a student is accepted into the program, they will be sent their student handbook with the next steps to enroll and pay for courses in CalCentral
- Application Deadline: Monday, June 1, 2026, 11:59 pm (PST)
Orientation
- Prior to the start of classes, students will receive an in-depth orientation. During this orientation, students will meet program staff, receive extensive information about program policy, academics, campus resources, co-curricular activities, and hear tips from past participants on making the most of their Summer at Berkeley
Activities/Programming
- Pre-College Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in various co & extra-curricular activities and optional college preparation workshops
- Past workshops have included: “College in Perspective”, “The Best College for You”, "Personal Narrative” and “Leadership Outside the Classroom.” and an admissions presentation by the UC Berkeley Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Courses
- Pre-College Scholars typically take 1-2 courses selected from a large catalog of Berkeley Summer Sessions courses
- They select lower-division courses (numbered 1-99) as long as the course available to high school students and students have met all course prerequisites
- All courses are taken during the summer and are offered for UC Berkeley credit. Courses will appear on the student’s transcript as Berkeley courses with Letter Grades or Pass/No Pass
- Students select courses after admissions into the program via Cal Central and program fees are paid
- All classes are 1st come 1st serve
Eligibility
- Have completed the 10th or 11th grade by the start of summer classes
- Have an overall B average (3.0, weighted or unweighted) in all of their high school coursework
- 16 years of age by June 21, 2026
- Students who have graduated from high school before the start of summer classes and are not 18 years or older, are eligible for the Pre-College Scholars program