Rising 8th graders (will be in 9th grade in Fall 2025) through rising 11th graders (will be in 12th grade in Fall 2025) who reside within the state of California. Please contact the Statewide COSMOS office with questions about student residency status for application purposes. Students can attend COSMOS only once.

Dates and Deadlines: https://cosmos-ucop.ucdavis.edu/app/main/page/dates-deadlines
Fees and Tuition: https://cosmos-ucop.ucdavis.edu/app/main/page/fees-and-tuition

1. Completed online application, including one personal statement;
2. Two teacher recommendations recommended, though only one is required (STEM teachers preferred, others accepted)
3. Unofficial transcripts uploaded directly to the application prior to submission and should be created after 8:00 AM when the application opens. If admitted, official transcripts will be required.
   a. 8th and 9th graders must also submit a copy of their 7th and 8th grade report card
4. Parent/guardian eSignature(s) in the parent portal
5. Application fee ($42)–payable online with a credit card or check, see below for details

• Select one campus – Students can only apply to ONE COSMOS Campus; chosen clusters must be at the same campus.
• Select a First and Second Choice Cluster: Choosing more than one cluster may increase your chance for acceptance. Write compelling essays for both choices.
• Online Application Opens: January 8th, 2025 at 8:00 AM
• Online Application Closes: February 7th, 2025 at 5:00 PM – continues unsupported until 11:59pm
• Completed online application, parent/guardian signature(s), application fee ($42), financial aid application (optional) must be submitted by the deadlines
  
• For application FAQs, please visit the COSMOS Statewide Site.

• Application fee & tuition deposit are non-refundable
• Direct all tuition refund requests to the COSMOS Statewide Office cdirect@ucdavis.edu
• Dismissal or voluntary departure from COSMOS program at any time: NO REFUND

• Cluster faculty review and choose admitted students based on information in the entire application and in comparison to other cluster applicants.
• Cluster prerequisites are a minimum requirement for consideration by cluster faculty.
• All essays are read, all applications reviewed. Faculty read to determine the applicant’s motivation and what they want out of their COSMOS experience.
• Teacher recommenders should be contacted early to ensure time for recommendation completion. 
• Students should verify teachers have received their emailed link and completed their recommendation. 
• The application does not need to be completed for the link to be sent to teachers.
• Student Activities – Extracurricular activities surrounding math and science fairs, Math Olympiad, robotics competitions, student leadership positions, etc.

For the application, you need to submit unofficial transcripts electronically by February 7th, 2025. (Transcripts must be generated after the date the application opens). 

If you are accepted into the program, you then need to submit official transcripts.  Official transcripts can be sent electronically through your school using a program such as Parchment.  Transcripts can also be accepted via e-mail, but must be sent by a school official from their school e-mail address to cosmos@ucsc.edu

If official transcripts can not be sent electronically, please mail them to the address below:

Attention: COSMOS
Educational Partnership Center
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

COSMOS-Statewide Cashier’s Office
University of California
PO Box 989062
West Sacramento, CA 95798-9062

• Make a check or money order payable to “UC Regents” (not COSMOS).
• Please note on the check or money order the Applicant’s name and the campus they are applying to (i.e. Jane Doe, COSMOS UCSC).
• Online payment is available, service fee waived for application fee, but not tuition payments

Financial aid, up to the amount of the full tuition, is available for qualified students. For more information, please visit the COSMOS Statewide website, specifically the Financial Aid page.

COSMOS Statewide
230 Physical Sciences
& Engineering Library
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616-8596

January 8th, 2025

• Application opens

February 7th, 2025

• Application Closes (11:59PM, unsupported after 5:00PM PST)
• Teacher Recommendation (2 recommended, 1 required to move forward)
• Parent/Guardian Electronic Signature (completed in the parent/guardian portal)
• $42 Application Fee Postmark Deadline (online payment available)
• Unofficial Transcripts Deadline (upload online with application)
• Financial Aid Online Application & Supporting Documents Postmark Deadline (if applicable)

March 28st, 2025

• Admission Decisions Posted (5:00PM PST)

April 10th, 2025

• Offer Acceptance or Decline (no response is considered “offer declined” to COSMOS due (11:59PM PST, unsupported after 5PM PST)
• If ACCEPTED, one-third of the tuition is due online or by check
• Official Transcripts Deadline

April 12th-May 29th, 2025

• Students admitted from the waitlist will be notified on a rolling basis starting 4/12/24 and offers to attend COSMOS will need to be accepted within 7 days
• Last batch of students admitted from the waitlist will be notified 5/29/24

May 6th, 2025

• Admitted Student Acceptance Packet Deadline

July 6th, 2025

• COSMOS Opening Day

August 2nd, 2025

• COSMOS Closing Day
• For more information, please view COSMOS Statewide’s Dates & Deadlines.