Freshman Summer Engineering Institute

Increase your academic preparation

• After SEI, most students felt more academically prepared for UC San Diego engineering courses!

Increase your confidence

• Most students who participated in SEI were more likely to experience an increase in confidence in their ability to transition to the rigors of university-level engineering curriculum.

Connection to campus resources

• A great benefit of participating in SEI is early access to campus resources. The SEI team will ensure you are connected to everything you need to be a successful UC San Diego student.

Friends for life

• The connections you make in SEI will last a lifetime. Students commonly share that the friends they make in SEI follow them throughout their entire academic journey and beyond. 

All SEI participants take ENG 30: Problem Solving for the 21st Century Changemaker (4 credits). Problem-solving ranks as the most highly demanded skill in today's workforce. This course teaches effective strategies and techniques for building strong problem solving skills for real world challenges. Gain hands-on experience with projects and practical skills for solving open-ended problems and creating innovative solutions.

Participants also be automatically enrolled in one 4-credit course from their Engineering major declared on Admission:

Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering & Society majors:

• ECE 5: Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering; Bioengineering, Bioengineering (Biotechnology), Bioengineering: BioSystems majors:

• MAE 8: MATLAB Programming for Engineering Analysis 

Chemical Engineering majors:

• CENG 15/NANO 15: Engineering Computation Using MATLAB

Nanoengineering majors: 

• NANO 11:Introduction to NanoEngineering

Structural Engineering majors:

• SE 9: Algorithms and Programming for Structural Engineering

Computer Science, Computer Engineering majors*:

• CSE 8A: Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem-Solving I
• CSE 11 (remote): Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem-Solving Accelerated Pace​​
  • (For the following majors: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics; Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Science: Bioinformatics) 

*Please visit this website to identify the course that best fits your previous course experience.

Summer Engineering Institute runs for five weeks during Summer Session 2. It's a packed schedule, including 8 units of coursework and programming activities. All students reside together on campus, creating a true collective experience. See sample schedule below.

All incoming freshmen students admitted to an engineering major at UC San Diego who have accepted their Offer of Admission.

To get ahead in coursework, we do encourage students who are placed in Math 2 (Introduction to College Mathematics) to focus their summer on taking their next math course rather than participate in SEI. 

SEI Application Opens: April 1 (opened early! Apply now!). Must have accepted UC San Diego and able to log in with UCSD credentials.

Info Session (in-person Triton Days): Saturday, April 12. Check the Triton Days schedule for time and location!

Info Session (virtual): Monday, April 28 (date clarified from previous communications) at 5:00pm via Zoom: https://ucsd.zoom.us/j/92715024161 

IDEA Scholars priority application deadline: May 5, 2025

SEI Application Deadline: May 22, 2025

SEI/IDEA Scholars Decision (tentative): Early June

Program Dates: Saturday, August 2 - Saturday, September 6, 2024

Direct Cost to Participate in Summer Engineering Institute 2025**

This is the estimated cost as of 4/28/2025 and subject to change.
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*Students who enroll in ECE 5 will be charged a $100 lab fee which will be assessed with registration fees.

**Students can opt in for an early start UC SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan) at $523.83 (covers 7/28/25-9/21/25) - or - opt out and pay a $70 Summer Health Access Fee if they choose to waive out of UC SHIP for the summer. The $70 access fee will be posted to student accounts in July, and students who opt in for early start UC SHIP will get fees posted to their student accounts with Fall billing in August.

Notes:

• Students should consider bringing their own spending money should they wish to do activities outside of SEI.
• Summer fees are subject to change.
• All students in SEI are expected to reside on campus for the duration of the program.

Learn when and how UC San Diego applies Summer Session financial aid to your student account.

Housing will be provided for the full duration of SEI. 2025 SEI students will be residing all together in single-occupancy rooms within Eleanor Roosevelt College (which might differ from the College housing you will move into for Fall). Upon signing their housing contract, students who have a 2025-2026 housing contract are given the option to extend their stay at their own cost.

Meals are provided during SEI. Students are provided with a meal card up to a specific value which can be used at a designated food venue for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

SEI students will need to fund their travel to arrive for the SEI program and for any transportation needs. As a general rule, student resident and lowerclassmen are not eligible to park on campus. Read more here.

Summer financial aid and scholarships are available.

• We strongly encourage all SEI applicants to apply for summer financial aid by filling out the 2024-2025 FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application. You may have already completed the 2025-2026 FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, but that support starts in the fall and doesn't help with the upcoming summer, so it is important to fill out the 2024-2025 application as well.
• Summer financial aid is available and offered after you accept your offer to attend SEI and you are auto-enrolled in your SEI coursework. Please see more information for Summer Financial Aid.
• For international students seeking financial aid, please refer here for financial aid options.

Become an IDEA Scholar and receive scholarship towards SEI!

• The IDEA Scholars program fosters community building and academic excellence among our top incoming freshman engineering students from diverse backgrounds, and may provide financial assistance for attending SEI. Learn more about becoming an IDEA Scholar.

Apply Now

To apply, you must have accepted UC San Diego and be able to log in with UCSD credentials.

Once you are accepted into SEI, you will be emailed an exclusive SEI website which will have your next steps. Make sure to complete items on your SEI checklist by their deadlines to ensure your participation in SEI.

Questions about Summer Engineering Institute: idea@ucsd.edu 

Office for Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability (physical, chronic health, learning, mental health, ADHD, etc.) who may need accommodations in classrooms (lecture and/or examination), labs, housing and/or dining, recreational activities such as hiking, ropes, field sports, etc., please contact the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) at 858.534.4382 as soon as you become aware that the condition may impact your ability to participate in our programs. Click here for additional information.

Veteran/CalVet Education Benefits
If you are a Military Affiliated student receiving Federal Veteran Affairs (VA) or Cal Vet assistance during the summer, you may want to verify your benefits and how your participation may be affected. Please contact the Student Veteran Benefits Coordinator, Lisa Linares at (858) 534-0477 or by email at llinares@ucsd.edu.
For more information, click here.