Summer Discovery UC Berkeley M.E.T. Innovation Academy

You need to have finished trigonometry and a lab science with an A or B, and you need a GPA of at least 3.0. Summer Discovery adds "(preferably both)" after the two courses, which leaves it unclear whether one is enough, so ask before applying if you've only finished one of them.

Beyond grades, Berkeley M.E.T. looks for a strong aptitude in math and science, a real interest in where technology meets business, and qualities such as creativity, leadership, perseverance, intellectual independence and concern for your community. Seats are limited and Summer Discovery calls the academy highly selective, but neither organizer publishes a cohort size or acceptance rate.

Class runs six hours a day across 12 class days, which comes to roughly 72 hours of teaching. You arrive on Monday 21 June 2027. Classes run from Tuesday 22 to Friday 25 June and from Monday 28 June to Friday 2 July, there's no class on Monday 5 July because of the Fourth of July holiday, and the last classes are Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 July before you leave on Friday 9 July.

Past cohorts have had sessions like an IPO simulation in 2023, led by Michael Grimes, the M.E.T. program's founder and head of Global Technology Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley. Evenings and the two weekends are filled by Summer Discovery's activity program, with Berkeley outings such as Tilden Regional Park, the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden and the Foodie Land Night Market, plus campus nights like silent discos and live band karaoke.

You leave with Summer Discovery's Certificate of Completion and a letter of recognition, along with the resume and LinkedIn profile you build in the career workshops and the startup concept your team pitched. Neither Summer Discovery nor Berkeley M.E.T. says the academy carries college credit or counts toward admission to Berkeley's undergraduate M.E.T. program, so think of it as enrichment you can describe on applications, not a credential.

The academy costs $10,499 for the three weeks, and there's no cheaper commuter option. That price covers classes, a room in a university residence hall, two to three meals a day, the activities and excursions, transport to them, and safety and supervision. On top of it you pay a $100 application fee that's never refunded, plus your flights (Summer Discovery recommends San Francisco International Airport), laundry, linens, meals off campus and spending money. Summer Discovery also requires families to carry medical and baggage insurance. International students who live outside the US pay a $379 registration fee, which includes US medical insurance and airport transfers. Some academies carry an extra academic fee, and M.E.T.ia isn't on Summer Discovery's published list, so it's worth confirming there's none before you enroll. Paying by credit card adds 3.5%, while an eCheck from a US bank costs nothing extra.

Berkeley M.E.T. offers need-based scholarships to a select number of students with demonstrated financial need. The only application form it has posted is labeled summer 2026, so ask Berkeley M.E.T. how to apply for 2027.

Cancellation fees rise from February, and after 1 June 2027 nothing is refunded.

Summer Discovery staffs its high school programs at one staff member for every 10 students. Its Resident Counselors are all at least 20, background-checked and safety-trained, and they live on the residence hall floors with students. Staff are on duty 24 hours a day and check rooms nightly. Students must be back in the residence hall by 10:30 PM, on their floors by 11:30 PM and in their rooms by midnight. They can't leave campus alone, every off-campus trip is chaperoned, and everyone wears a Summer Discovery ID on a lanyard.

Students have 24/7 access to medical care. A site nurse keeps and hands out every medication, even over-the-counter ones, and the only exceptions are allergy injection devices, asthma inhalers and certain diabetes medications. Families must disclose medical and mental health history in full beforehand.

One rule deserves a close read. A student dismissed for breaking the code of conduct is sent home at the family's expense, with no refund.

Applications go through Summer Discovery's application portal, which Berkeley M.E.T. says opens for summer 2027 in November 2026.

1. 1

   Create an account on the portal and submit your application with the application fee.

2. 2

   Apply by 16 December 2026 for the early round, with first decisions released by 15 January 2027.

3. 3

   Apply by 27 January 2027 for Round 1, with decisions released by 15 February 2027.

4. 4

   Apply by 10 March 2027 for Round 2, the last published round.

5. 5

   Once accepted, enroll online and pay the deposit, which is $1,900 if you enroll before 31 January 2027, $2,500 from 1 February to 1 April 2027, and $3,500 after that along with the full fee.

6. 6

   Pay the balance by 1 April 2027.