Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Berkeley Engineering Youth Academy (BEYA) is an intensive 3+ week hybrid program designed to give a limited number of students a STEM field college experience. This project-based program combines lectures and laboratory sessions to give students practical experience in engineering design processes. Students will learn to transform their ideas into executable designs and eventually build their own prototypes, which they will showcase during the Completion Ceremony.

The program is divided into two parts and course curriculum will focus on topics in Robotics, Design, Fusion 360, 3-D Printing, and more.

• 7.5 hours of online training focused on CAD basics and additive manufacturing
• 3 weeks in-person classes at UC Berkeley with hands-on design and prototype manufacturing opportunities, including designing and printing a 3D model as well as coding and operating a robot

In addition to academic classes, students will experience college life, living in campus dorms, eating at Cal cafeterias, and interacting with UC Berkeley undergrad and graduate students. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit places such as Berkeley student labs, Silicon Valley companies, and more.

This program allows students to meet new friends from around the world and build important life skills that can make their future college experience a success — all while strengthening their college application.

The program is limited to 30 students.

Program Dates

Online Classes: June 13, 20, & 27 Residential Portion: July 6 – July 24, 2026

BEYA is a hybrid program with 7.5 hours of online instruction and 3-weeks of in-person learning. Students are expected to attend both online and in-person portions.

Online Lecture Schedule

Class sessions will be held on the weekend, with each class lasting approximately 2.5hrs long.

• Class 1: Intro to Berkeley, Engineering, Design, & Fusion 360
• Class 2: Intro to 3D Printing, Wind Tunnel, & Electronics
• Class 3: Intro to Embedded Design, Mechatronics, & Robotics

In-person Academic Schedule

The three-week in-person portion will be held at UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering lecture halls and lab facilities. Each week will consist of a different academic focus:

• Week 1: Welcome to Berkeley & 3D Printing
• Week 2: Wind Tunnel Testing of Propeller Design
• Week 3: Mindstorm Robotic Design & Programming and Final Project

The daily schedule will look something like: 7-8am| Breakfast
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9-11am| Lecture
11:30-12:30pm| Lunch break
1-4pm| Lab
4-6pm| Afternoon activity
6-7pm| Dinner
7-10pm| Study Time
10pm| Curfew

Program Price

Regular Price: $8,500

The program price covers the cost of room & board, faculty, lab space, equipment/supplies, transportation to activities & visits, industry visits, and administrative fees.

Scholarships may be available to select individuals. Separate application required.

About the Instructor

George Anwar

Currently teaching: Design of Microprocessor-Based Mechanical Systems

George Anwar received his Bachelor degree in Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering from University of California at Berkeley. He has also a Master’s and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering as part of the faculty at both University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco State University.

FAQ

Program Objective

This project-based program combines lectures and laboratory sessions to give students practical experience in engineering design processes. Students will learn to transform their ideas into executable designs and eventually build their own prototypes.

Course curriculum includes:

• Introduction to Design
• Introduction to Fusion 360
• Introduction to 3-D Printing
• Berkeley Lab Sessions: Turning Design Concepts Into Prototypes

Eligibility

High School students (ages 15+ by start of the program) with a basic understanding of STEM and an interest in exploring prototypes and design.

Ideally, students should have taken calculus and physics, but we welcome students who have taken algebra and one science class to apply.

Availability

This program is limited to 30 students.

Application

Applications for BEYA 2026 are forthcoming. Check back in January for BEYA 2026! Apply early to secure your seat!

Housing

Yes, housing is included in the program price. Students will reside in a double or triple occupancy dormitory rooms with other program participants of the same gender. A Berkeley Resident Assistant and Mentor (RAM) will be on duty throughout the evening to monitor participants and provide emergency assistance, if needed.

Program Fee

The total cost for BEYA 2026 program is $8,500. We offer scholarships to select students (separate application required).

The program fee covers the cost of tuition, course materials, overnight housing, meals, transportation costs, administrative fees, and lab space. Additional personal expenses are not covered.

Refunds & Cancellation Policy

If, after being admitted to the program, a student needs to cancel and withdraws from the program more than 2 months from the official start date, $4,000 of the program fees will be refunded. Withdrawal requests received less than 2 months from the program start are nonrefundable.