Since 1982, the program has been inviting high-achieving students from the Bay Area and around the world to join a unique academic community. The program welcomes bright, hardworking students from all backgrounds who are ready to learn in a challenging and engaging summer program. The classes are taught by experienced instructors from public schools, private schools, and universities, as well as professionals in their fields who are passionate about teaching.
The program believes that all highly motivated and prepared students should have access to high quality education. Therefore, financial aid is offered to ensure that all qualified applicants can attend the summer program, no matter their financial situation.
The program aims to empower students to pursue their academic passions through rigorous summer coursework. The program aims to create a community of like-minded peers who can learn from each other and grow together.
Program Objectives
To offer students an educational opportunity commensurate with their need to know, think, and express
To help our students think and understand deeply
To encourage students to rise rapidly through levels of study, seeking and meeting educational challenges as they grow
To promote the continued development of able young scholars toward a full educational and social life
Learner Outcomes
ATDP students will be able to…
complete rigorous and challenging coursework in a chosen discipline,
pursue their academic passions and deep interests, and
participate in an academic community of similarly motivated peers
Register a new account and then access the "My Account" menu. Click on the name of a returning student, or select "Apply for a new student", and follow the on-screen instructions.
Early – Returning students receive priority · Financial Aid available
Application Deadline
Wed., February 15, 2023
Placement Information Available
Thurs., March 23, 2023
Tuition Deadline (or first tuition installment)
Mon., May 8, 2023
Standard – Financial Aid available
Application Deadline
Wed., March 15, 2023
Placement Information Available
Thurs., April 6, 2023
Tuition Deadline (or first tuition installment)
Mon., May 8, 2023
Extended – Financial Aid NOT available · Limited course availability · Rolling acceptance
Application Deadline
Fri., May 26, 2023
Placement Information Available
within 2 weeks of completed application
Tuition Deadline (or first tuition installment)
within 2 weeks of placement notification
Pre-proam date
Pr
Browse the course offerings, then choose one course that interests you and up to three alternates. Make note of any grade requirements or prerequisites.
Step 2: Prepare Required Materials
Prepare the following items in the order listed below. Items numbered 1 through 6 are required for a complete application. We request you include College Board PSAT/SAT scores (item 7) if they are available, and federal tax documentation (item 8) if you wish to apply for financial aid.
Items 1-7 can be submitted in the online application as a PDF (recommended) or image file. Due to campus policy, tax documents (item 8) must be provided as a paper copy via fax or mail.
1. Application Fee is $50 covers only the cost of application processing and does not apply toward tuition or facilities fees.
2. Write a cover letter to accompany your application, 200 word minimum, explaining your reasons for choosing each of the courses listed on your application. In your (the student’s) own words, include information about your interest in the subject(s), what you hope to learn, and related experience, if any. If the course(s) you list have prerequisites, mention how you have met them. In this letter, only discuss courses in which you are actually interested in enrolling. Remember, this letter should be about YOU and your personal interest, goals, and qualifications, not about the relevance of the course(s) in general.
3. Fill out an ATDP’s Teacher Referral Form (TRF), which is a brief online form that collects feedback from your teacher, and must be completed as part of your online application before it can be submitted. It must be completed by a current teacher that instructs in any academic subject (e.g., mathematics, science, language arts; not elective, advisory, or extracurricular classes).
4. Submit a legible copy of your first semester (or most recent) report card for the current (’23–’24) school year.
5. Submit a legible copy of your most recent California standardized test (CAASPP) OR other standardized achievement test scores (e.g., Stanford Achievement Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, or other school-administered test that gives national percentile scores). The test must have been taken within the past three years (i.e., 2023, 2022, or 2021)
6. Academic Product or Essay - Please submit an academic product that meets the criteria of one of the following three options (A, B or C).
Option A - Existing Essay or Story: Submit an essay or story of at least 500 words that shows your original thought and that is long enough for you to develop your ideas. A social studies or science report is not appropriate unless it relies heavily on your own analysis and discussion in addition to reporting factual information.
Option B - Other Existing Product: If you’d like to submit a piece of academic work that deviates from a traditional essay or story format (e.g., art, poetry, computer programs, or science experiments), you must also submit a clear, well-developed explanation of your work. Your written explanation should be at least 500 words and must be long enough to clearly demonstrate your thinking as you developed this product.
Option C - Write an Essay: Write a well-developed essay of between 500 and 1,500 words on one of the topics below. Take time to consider the topic in depth and organize your answer. Be sure to title your essay. Save your essay as a PDF document so you can upload it to your application (on some computers, you may need to use the Print function).
7. Copy of SAT/PSAT Scores (optional): If available, include a legible copy of your College Board PSAT and/or SAT scores. These scores will be used for research purposes only, and they will not affect placement decisions. Note that the SAT and PSAT are aptitude tests, not achievement tests, so they are not acceptable substitutes for item 5.
8. Need-based Financial Aid (optional)
Step 3: Submit Your Application!
Please check the course catalog here for updates: https://atdp.berkeley.edu/programs/sd/catalog/
Courses online and on-site may include the following areas of study (but not limited to):
Writing & Literature
Fine Arts
Languages
Computer Science
Social Science
Natural Sciences
Mathematics
June 20–July 28, 2023 (six weeks*) meeting 2 or 3 times per week
Schedule: Meetings take place within in the
Morning from 8:30AM -12 noon, or
Afternoons from 1:00PM - 4:30PM.
*A small number of courses have a compressed 4-week schedule.