Deep knowledge acquisition

Each Elementary Division course offers young students the opportunity to become budding experts in a chosen topic. Whether focusing on a specific academic subject or building skills more broadly, each engaging curriculum focuses on learning in depth and having fun!

Robust engagement

We've always united teachers who are passionate about their subject with students who love to learn. Class sessions are highly interactive and aim to maximize the value of every minute.

A community of learners

ATDP courses aren't just about the curriculum. Every summer, students come from far and wide to share their interests with one another, work in class together, and make new friends.

Class Schedule

• July 7–25, 2025 (three weeks) meeting on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (no class on Wednesdays).
• Morning classes are from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and afternoon classes are from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. Refer to each course’s description for details on course topics.

App Deadlines

• Early Deadline: February 26, 2025
• Standard Deadline: March 26, 2025
• Extended Deadline (rolling admissions): May 29, 2025

Eligibility

• For students currently in grades K through 6. Courses are offered by grade level.

RecWell Adventures Sports & Arts Camp

RecWell Adventures offers a separate program to complement ATDP's academic courses, enabling families to schedule a full day of activity on site at the same location. Read more about RecWell Adventures.

Please also consider Explorations on Wednesdays if your goal is to plan a full week of activity.

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The Application Process

ATDP evaluates applications on an ongoing basis in the order they are received, beginning when an application is marked complete. The earlier you submit a complete application, the better your chances at receiving placement into your preferred course!

• The application process is the same for new and returning students.
• Students must reapply every year, and returning students are not guaranteed automatic readmission or placement in their first choice of course.
• Incomplete applications are not considered for placement.

Am I a new or returning student?

A student who applied in a previous year and then withdrew without completing a course will be considered a new student for admission purposes. Students who have attended the Elementary Division previously and are applying to the Secondary Division for the first time are also considered new students, but their previous participation is noted.

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Deadlines

Early Application Deadline - Wed., February 26, 2025

• Financial aid available
• Returning students receive priority
• A limited number of spots in each course will be reserved for early applicants. Based on the number and relative strength of other early applications, an early applicant may be automatically deferred to a standard applicant if no early acceptance decision is possible.

Standard Application Deadline - Mon., March 26, 2025

• Financial aid available
• Availability may be limited in the case of very popular courses

Extended Application Deadline - Fri., May 29, 2025

• Financial aid NOT available
• Course availability may be very limited

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Instructions

Step 1: Choose a Course

Browse our course offerings, then choose one course that interests you and up to three alternates. Keep our attendance policy in mind: all ED courses run during the three weeks of July 7–25, 2025.

Course availability may change throughout the application season as courses fill. Check our list of course offerings for frequent updates.

Step 2: Prepare Required Materials

Please 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 1-5 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. 1. Application Fee

   There is an application fee for each prospective student. The fee is $60 for domestic students. For students attending school outside the US, the fee is $90. This fee is non-refundable. It covers only the cost of application processing and does not apply toward tuition or facilities fees. Available payment methods include:

   • Online payment by credit/debit card (preferred)
   • Check or money order made payable to “UC Regents.” Write “SD” and the student’s first and last name on the memo line. Mail your check payment to ATDP (see “Mailing Instructions” below).
     Mailed payments may delay your application. We strongly recommend making your payment online if at all possible.
   • Those applying for need-based financial aid may apply for an application fee waiver if the fee poses a financial hardship. See our Financial Aid page for details.

2. 2. Teacher Referral Form

   ATDP’s Teacher Referral Form (TRF) 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 the student’s current primary teacher or another current teacher who instructs in any academic subject (e.g., mathematics, science, language arts; not elective, advisory, or extracurricular classes). The teacher’s academic subject need not match the subject of the ATDP course(s) to which you are applying.

   Remember that your teacher’s time is valuable. Ask your teacher ahead of time before you send them an online request. We recommend sending your teacher this form at least one week before you plan to submit it with your application.

   You have two options for requesting that your teacher complete it:

   • Identify your teacher in your online application (preferred). We’ll email your teacher a link to an online form for them to complete. Note that you won’t be able to submit your online application until your teacher completes the form.
     or
   • Send your teacher a request before applying online. You can request a Teacher Referral Form early by visiting atdp.berkeley.edu/trf/student and providing your teacher’s information. We’ll email your teacher a link to an online form for them to complete. Once they’re done, we’ll email you a code that you can use to add the completed form to an online application. (Teachers can also send referrals to students that they feel would be a good fit for our program!)

   Do not request a letter of recommendation. Do not submit more than one Teacher Referral Form with your application materials.

3. 3. Copy of Report Card

   Submit a legible copy of your first semester (or most recent) report card for the current (’24–’25) school year.

   We request that you send final grades, but if those are not available, you may submit your most recent progress report. Do not delay submitting your application to wait for final grades; if necessary, we may ask for an updated report card after receiving your application. If you need assistance obtaining a copy, contact your school office.

   If your school does not issue grades or marks, please submit whatever kind of progress report is provided.

   Screenshots of online reports are only acceptable if they clearly include the student's name and date of the grades displayed, and we may ask for an updated report card after receiving your application.

4. 4. Copy of Achievement Test Scores

   Students in Grade 2 and below may skip this item. Students in Grade 3 may skip this item if they have not taken any achievement tests.

   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., 2024, 2023, or 2022) and include scores in the areas of math and reading/ELA.

   Do not delay submitting your application to wait for more recent test scores. Include whatever acceptable test scores you have from the last three years.

   If you have not taken a standardized achievement test in the past three years, please mention it at the end of your Statement of Interest.

5. 5. Academic Product or Essay

   Please submit a product written in English and of grade-appropriate length. As a rough guide:

   • Kindergarten to Grade 1: 3–5 sentences
   • Grade 2 to Grade 4: 2–3 paragraphs
   • Grade 5 to Grade 6: 1–2 pages

   Option A - Existing Essay or Story

   Submit a piece of original written work that shows your own original thinking. This work should be one of which you are especially proud and which was completed since September 2024. While the work may have been done for a school assignment, it need not have been. The product you submit need not be in the same subject area to which you are applying. Examples of appropriate products include English essays, social studies reports, and poetry. (Poems must include a paragraph explaining the meaning behind the words.) Examples of unacceptable products include drawings not accompanied by original writing, spelling tests, arithmetic exercises, slideshow presentations, fill-in-the-blank worksheets, and multiple choice tests. While you may submit photos, videos, or drawings in support of your work, they may not be submitted in place of original writing.

   Option B - Written Response to a Question

   Please write your own answer to the question listed for your grade level. Students currently in Kindergarten may write their answers or dictate their answers to an older person.

   • For students in Kindergarten to Grade 1 (3-5 sentences): What is the best flavor of ice cream, and why? If you could invent an ice cream flavor, what would you create? Does it have toppings?
   • For students in Grade 2 to Grade 4 (2-3 paragraphs): Imagine you are the teacher for the day. What lessons are you teaching, and why are they important? What activities will the class be doing?
   • For students in Grade 5 to Grade 6 (1-2 pages): Imagine you are in charge of an organization whose mission is to change the world in a positive way. You have a team of 100 people and a budget of $100 million dollars. How are you going to change the world? What problems are you going to solve, and why are they important? How will these changes positively impact people's lives?

    

6. 6. Need-based Financial Aid (optional)

   See our Financial Aid page for complete information and detailed instructions.

   To apply for financial aid, please provide both parents’ most recent Federal Tax Return AND ALL SCHEDULES (i.e., the complete tax return) for each applicant.

   If the $60 application fee poses a financial hardship, submit a letter of explanation and supporting documents. You may include these in your financial aid documents or as part of the student's Statement of Interest.

   Send your supporting materials no later than Wednesday, March 26, the standard application deadline.

Step 3: Submit Your Application

If you have not yet done so, register a new account, verify via email, and then access My Account. You can select an existing student or add a new student using the drop-down list in the top left and follow the on-screen instructions in the Application section. You can do this multiple times with the same account if there is more than one student in your household applying to ATDP.

You can log in at any time to check the status of your application, review placement information, make payments by credit/debit card, print receipts, and access your educational records from previously completed courses.