Skip to content

    Pre-College in California at UC Berkeley—A golden gateway to discovery and adventure

    Get ready for a two-week pre-college experience where you’ll dive into your area of interest with real projects—and get opportunities to step out of the classroom and into an industry or research setting. Explorations help you take advantage of unique experts and resources in Berkeley, the wider Bay Area, and Silicon Valley. Join us for Pre-College in California, where you can study at UC Berkeley for high school.

    Pick your passion

    At the University of California, Berkeley, we offer two areas of focus.  See how inspired students, faculty, and professionals in these fields tackle real-world questions in an energizing, high-tech capital.

    • Session 1
    • Residential: June 30 – July 13
      Commuter: July 1 – July 12
    • Session 2
    • Residential: July 14 – July 27
      Commuter: July 15 – July 26
    • Location:
      University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA 
    • Staff to Student Ratio 1:6
    • Tuition
      Residential: $6,400
      Commuter: $3,190

      Tuition + Financial Aid
    Download Brochure Admission Process Enroll Now

    What's an Exploration Like? 

    In EXPLO’s Pre-College in California, you’ll uncover professional possibilities within each area of study that you may never have even considered. Learn how they intersect with one another and with the innovation environment of the Bay Area.

    • Learn from passionate and accomplished instructors who are experts in their fields and work in the academic, entrepreneurial, and technological powerhouses surrounding San Francisco.
    • Strengthen your college applications with a written performance evaluation from your instructor commenting on your work, contributions, and areas of strength.
    • Explore your area of study, the Berkeley campus, and the Bay Area with a tight-knit group of your fellow EXPLO students.
    • Enjoy a range of memorable trips and activities, from things like game nights and sunset hikes to a visit to San Francisco’s world-famous Golden Gate Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, or Chinatown.
    Download Brochure

    A world of possibilities

    In Explorations at Berkeley, you’ll see just how many academic disciplines and professional careers connect to your area of interest. Learn not only how far, but in how many directions you can go in criminal investigations, psychology, and neuroscience as you study at UC Berkeley for high school.

    ExplorationsBerkeley_CriminalInvestigations
    Criminal Investigations
    ExplorationsBerkeley_Psychology- -Neuroscience
    Psychology + Neuroscience
    Learning-Beautiful-Berkeley

    Learn in beautiful + bustling Berkeley

     

    Our Pre-College in California program helps you experience life at one of the world’s most prestigious research universities, ranked number one in Top Public Schools by US News & World Report. The University of California, Berkeley, sits between the Berkeley Hills and San Francisco Bay, a unique and stunning locale for two unforgettable weeks of discovery, new friends, and fun.

    Campus Life at Berkeley
    LearningBeautiful-Berkeley-2

    Experience a Day by the Bay—  at EXPLO 

    Take a trip through each day and see the new directions they explored and the choices they made. How will you make Berkeley your own?

    Gil
    Gil

    Age: 15, rising 10th grader

    Program:  Explorations in Criminal Investigations at Berkeley

     

    Gil's Day in a Life
    Sevina
    Sevina

    Age: 17, rising 12th grader

    Program: Explorations in Psychology + Neuroscience at Berkeley - Commuter Program

    Sevina's Day in a Life

    Explore a west-coast collegiate future

    When you study at UC Berkeley for high school, you can tour UC Berkeley and Stanford University around the Bay Area. You’ll get a firsthand look at your collegiate options in this world-leading center for start-ups, new ideas, and high-tech advancements. Plus, get expert advice on the University of California application process with workshops, essay writing tips, and college interview skills. 

    Strengthen Your UC Application

    Where people do big things

    Berkeley_Infographic_Wherepeopledo_25