Cate Summer Institute FAQs

Registration is available online. Once you submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email within 1-2 business days. Payment is due upon acceptance in order to guarantee your child's spot at camp.

Cate Summer Institute 2025 will be June 15-21 June 22-28, and July 29-August 2

CSI is designed for current 5th, 6th, and 7th graders (those that will be entering 6th, 7th and 8th grade the following school year). On occasion we have made exceptions, but those are on a case by case basis. 

The cost to attend Cate Summer Institute 2025 is $2,175 per week. Tuition includes the program fee, boarding, all meals in the dining hall, and program related field trips. Scholarships are available. To apply for aid, please email catesummerprograms@cate.org. 

FINANCIAL AID IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE THAT QUALIFY. Participants should apply online and they will receive an email with a FA application. Families will need to return the FA application along with the most recent copy of their tax return. We will announce awards in late March. 

The majority of the dorm rooms at Cate School are double. Participants will be placed in gender and age appropriate dorms. We do our very best to accommodate every roommate request. If you have such a request, please e-mail catesummerprograms@cate.org.

We are NO LONGER offering linen rental. To avoid packing additional items, you can ship your child's linens directly to Cate School. Please be sure to follow the mailing instructions below.

Beds are Twin Extra Long. Regular twin fitted sheets will not fit on our dorm beds.

Cate Summer Institute

Attn: [Your child's full name and camp week]

1960 Cate Mesa Rd.

Carpinteria, CA 93013

PLEASE NOTE: Mail may take an additional day or two to reach us at campus. This includes Overnight Shipping and Amazon. Please be sure to ship your child's linens accordingly. 

We do not permit cell phones or electronics during CSI. There are NO EXCEPTIONS. This includes cell phones, watches, video games, laptops, iPads, Kindle, etc… Cameras or devices that play music ONLY, such as a radio or iPod/MP3 without texting or Facetime capabilities are acceptable.

We believe Cate Summer Institute provides participants a unique opportunity to make friends with other adolescents from all over the world. By eliminating electronic consumption on campus, participants are able to focus on the program and create relationships and memories that will last a lifetime!

**Only students attending back to back weeks in June will have the opportunity to call home on Saturday.

Because your child will not have their cell phone, we encourage care packages and letters. These will be delivered directly to your child's dorm room up on arrival. 

Please note that since we are in a rural environment, all mail is delayed, including UPS, FED EX and DSL. Although packages may show as delivered, some arrive in town and are signed for and stored, then are brought up to campus the following day. We encourage you to send care packages prior to your child's check in day so they may be received during their stay.

To send mail: 
Cate Summer Institute

Attn: [Your child's full name and camp week]

1960 Cate Mesa Rd.

Carpinteria, CA 93013

Yes! There are laundry machines located in every dorm and counselors will have laundry cards and detergent for all students to use. Students are responsible for doing their own laundry, but a counselor is available to help if needed.

CSI is a residential camp and we DO NOT  offer a day option. Dorm life is a big part of the CSI experience and evenings are a special time for students to bond with their peers and counselors.  You may find you have a more self-confident and resilient child when they return home.

Classes are usually announced in early February. As soon as the final class options are confirmed, we will email all families that have applied to confirm their child’s final course choice. Even as we move closer to summer, anyone can change their class choice at any time as long as there are seats still available.

Participants staying both weeks in June will attend counselor supervised weekend field trips. 

Saturday - Carpinteria Beach Trip. Students will have the opportunity to browse downtown shops and eateries before heading to Carpinteria Beach for a fun day of sun and sand. 

Sunday - Santa Barbara Trip. Students will head to Santa Barbara State Street to visit shops and sightsee before heading down to the Santa Barbara Pier. 

Students attending back to back weeks of CSI will have the opportunity to call home on Saturday.

We understand that homesickness is normal for kids, especially for young children and those new to sleepover programs. We educate and train our staff on how to manage homesickness. Homesickness is most common in the first few days of the week. During this time, our faculty and teaching assistant/resident advisors monitor all participants closely. We believe in open and honest communication with parents if your child is homesick. We will call you, discuss the situation, and create an action plan.

All Cate Summer Institute activities are geared towards middle school students. Our outdoors component offers surfing, SUP, kayaking, biking, hiking, and ropes course. Of course, we encourage all participants to give each activity their best effort, but understand there are different levels of comfort and ability. Our counselors and instructors are here to help your child do their best at any activity they try. 

We recommend approximately $50 per week. This can be used for evening snacks, drinks, or souvenirs from our Cate student store, the Blue Ewe. We suggest sending your child to camp with a Visa or MasterCard gift card in order to keep their money safe. 

The Blue Ewe is open Monday through Friday from 8am – 4pm.  The store carries emergency toiletries, limited items for class use, snacks, and a broad selection of Cate School clothing. The Blue Ewe gives campers the opportunity to budget and plan for their purchases. We encourage each family to talk realistically with their child(ren) about expectations for camp store usage.

Starting this summer, Cate's brand spanking new dining hall will be managed by Flik Independent School Dining. The objectives of our food program at Cate: local and organic, reducing waste and recycling, inclusive menu to satisfy our campers coming from around the world.  Lunch and dinner comes with a choice of two hot dishes with sides, and we also have a well-stocked salad and sandwich bar with numerous toppings and condiments. Breakfast always features cold and hot cereal, egg dishes, fruit yogurt, and something from the griddle. We have fresh whole and sliced fruit at every meal, and our beverage bar is soda-free. If your child has a food allergy, please let us know so that we may alert the dining staff by e-mailing catesummerprograms@cate.org.