FAQ

Yes! You do not need to be a student at Berkeley during the academic year to come to Berkeley Summer Programs. We continue to welcome campers from across the globe to join us for a summer of fun!

The 2025 dates are June 2 to July 25 (there are no camps June 30 – July 4). All camps are on a first come, first served basis and are subject to availability and age requirements. While many camps commence on June 2, others start later in the summer.

The registration process is online. Once you register your child, you will pay at the end of the online process via ACH, credit card, or debit card. All payments are due at the time of registration. There is no billing. No exceptions.

Please also be advised that we do not prorate camps, beforecare, aftercare, or lunches. 

Most camps begin at 9 a.m., while other sessions begin earlier and some begin later. End times vary by camp. There are camps that run anywhere from one hour a day to six hours a day and span one week to three weeks.

Academic classes run from three to six weeks, from two hours a day to four and a half hours.

Yes, extended care is available. We offer $70/week “beforecare” (8-9 a.m.) and $85/week “aftercare” (until 5:30 p.m.) supervised by full-time Berkeley staff.

Online registration is required for both. Capacity is limited.

Please note: “Aftercare” ends at 5:30 p.m. An automatic late charge of $25 will be assessed for late pickups after 5:30 p.m. ($50 for pickups after 6 p.m.). If you are running late to pick up your child from “aftercare,” please call our “aftercare” number at (813) 885-1673 Ext. 2239. 

We ask that on the first day of camp (Mondays), you drop your child at the designated location for his or her first session. You are free to leave once your child has been dropped off. Pickup will be at the same location.

If you need to bring your child in earlier than 9 a.m., we have early drop-off (“beforecare”) starting at 8 a.m. (online registration required, $70/week) in Lower Division Room 128. Please walk your child to Room 128, sign in, and let the teacher know what camp he or she is attending. We have counselors that will escort your child to the morning camp.

Yes. For on-campus camps, a camp teacher or a camp counselor will transport your child between camps.

Please be aware of any large time gaps (from 90 minutes to two hours) when planning your child’s schedule.

Older campers can bring a book and catch up on summer reading. For younger campers, we suggest taking a one-hour swim lesson in between camps (for example, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and then they can go to lunch afterwards. If they do not wish to swim, please let us know.

No refunds will be issued after Friday, May 31, 2025.

Cancellation requests received 24 hours in advance via email to summerprograms@shorinji-kempo.net will be honored according to the following table:

January 1, 2025 – February 28, 2025 = 100% Refund

March 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025 = 75% Refund

April 1, 2025 – April 30, 2025 = 50% Refund

May 1, 2025 – May 31, 2025 = 25% Refund

Non-Academic Summer Programs Refund Policy

No refunds will be issued to a child who is a “no show” (i.e. does not attend a camp that he/she is registered for and whose parent/guardian does not notify the Summer Programs Office of cancellation prior to the start of a camp). No refunds will be issued if a child stops attending a camp after the camp has already commenced. Refunds are not issued if a child is dismissed due to disciplinary action. 

Refunds will be issued only if proper notice (written notification) has been received by the Summer Programs Office before camp commences. Please email summerprograms@shorinji-kempo.net at least 24 hours in advance of the first day of camp to notify us of changes in your child’s summer plans.

There are no refunds issued due to inclement weather. 

For-Credit Academic Summer Programs Refund Policy

For academic credit classes, a full refund will be issued for a student who properly drops the course. For review classes, there are no refunds after the first three days of classes. 

Berkeley Summer Programs does not prorate or offer partial refunds of any kind. 

For Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer SAT/ACT Prep classes, no refunds are issued once a class has commenced.

Berkeley Preparatory School reserves the right to cancel programs or sessions based on insufficient enrollment. In this event, a full refund for the specific camp/class will be issued. 

Days missed during a camp session cannot be made up at another session. This includes swim lessons. We do not prorate a camp for days missed due to vacations, illness, or other activities.

For academic credit courses, four absences for a full-credit academic course will result in no credit being received for the course. Two absences for a half-credit course will result in no credit being received. Students must receive permission from the Summer Programs Director to miss any classes of a three-week religion course. For Personal Fitness/Health, no absences are allowed for the activity/in-school portion of the class. Please plan your summer vacations accordingly, as summer classes have strict attendance policies. Please be aware of each course’s start and end date. For non-online courses, students are required to be on campus for their final exam.

In the event of an impending hurricane or tropical storm that will close our campus, refunds or make-up days will not be issued. In the event of inclement weather, camps will remain in session; however, outdoor camps will be moved indoors.

The switching of weeks and/or programs during camp may be approved only by the Summer Programs Director; no refunds or partial refunds will be administered due to a switch, and in some cases, if the cost of the new session is greater than the session being replaced, the price difference will be charged to the camper. All changes are based on availability and age requirements.  

For academic classes, standard Berkeley Monday-Thursday dress code applies.

For boys: collared and sleeved shirts; regular-fit trousers or standard-length, non-athletic shorts; athletic/tennis shoes, topsiders, loafers, casual shoes, or sandals. Denim jeans of any kind are not acceptable. 

For girls: collared and sleeved shirts; skirts, dresses, skorts, or shorts that touch the knee; capris or appropriate full-length pants; athletic/tennis shoes, topsiders, loafers, casual shoes, or sandals. Denim jeans of any kind are not acceptable. 

For Enrichment, Fine Arts, and Summer of Excellence, please be neat, casual, and modest. When in doubt, follow the dress code for academic classes above.

For Sports, please wear modest clothing that is appropriate to the respective sport.

A hearty lunch provided by SAGE Dining Services in the Berkeley Café is an add-on option for most camps. Lunch passes are for the week and can be purchased at our online summer registration portal. Daily lunch purchases are not available. Students can also bring their own lunch.

A Berkeley health care personnel team member will dispense any and all medications from the school health clinic.

Medications must be provided in their original container and enclosed in a Ziploc bag that is clearly marked with the child’s name and appropriate instructions. This also includes over-the-counter drugs, cough medicines, etc. 

Please notify our clinic if your child requires keeping certain medications on them at all times. The number for our clinic is (813) 885-1673, Ext. 2311 and Ext. 2341. 

All parents/guardians are responsible for the payment of all insurance and medical bills.

Berkeley Summer Programs is not responsible for lost items. While we do our best to maintain a Lost and Found during the summer, we will not hold unclaimed items indefinitely and will donate items to charity at the end of the Berkeley Summer Programs season. Please label all of your camper’s items.

Email will be the primary form of communication between you and the Summer Programs office. If your email changes, please notify Summer Programs as soon as possible so that you can receive emails from camp directors.