Campus News
Think summer this winter
Every summer, departments offer hundreds of courses designed to help students stay on track or get ahead.
Summer at UC Santa Cruz is more than a break. It’s an opportunity to make progress toward a degree year-round! Every summer, departments offer hundreds of courses designed to help students stay on track or get ahead. With lower- and upper-division classes offered both in person and online, Summer Session provides flexible options to fit a range of schedules.
Most 2026 Summer Session classes are now listed at summer.ucsc.edu. Students can search by department or by General Education requirements and start planning now.
Summer Session runs from June 22 to August 28 across four sessions and is open to continuing, visiting, and high school students. UCSC staff are also welcome to enroll and receive 50 percent off the per-credit tuition rate.
Course offerings range from foundational math and science, including the popular Calculus and Organic Chemistry series, to hands-on classes like Improvisation, Creative Writing, and Metal Fabrication. For students interested in learning beyond campus, applications are now open for Summer Global Seminars. These faculty-led programs take students around the world, including Korea, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, and allow participants to earn academic credit while learning in a global context.
“Summer classes offer students added flexibility as they work towards graduation,” said Jennifer Gallacher, director of Summer Session. “UC students can take advantage of both summer financial aid and the continuation of our Pay for Only 10 program to make summer even more accessible.”
Information and course offerings are available at summer.ucsc.edu.
2026 Session dates:
- 10-week Session: June 22–August 28
- Session 1: June 22–July 24
- Session 2: July 27–August 28
- 8-week Session: June 22–August 14