| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Free attendance; check separate expenses; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% received aid in the published cycle; average award was 70% of tuition, and aid included discounted or free gear rental, with top packages potentially covering flights.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 student-account deposit: $500. Returned to the family if unused; separate enrollment deposit details were not quantified on the official pages.; Travel to and from Colorado: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Flights were not included in tuition, although the largest need-based aid packages could cover them.; Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% received aid in the published cycle; average award was 70% of tuition, and aid included discounted or free gear rental, with top packages potentially covering flights.; Clarity financial-aid application fee: $65. Applies to the aid application; automatic or inquiry-based fee waivers are available for eligible families.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Transportation to and from MIT: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Participant responsibility; available travel assistance, if any, is not stated on the current page.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grade 11; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Be a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader and age 14-18 for the applicable cycle; Requirement: Be prepared for a residential program at 10,000 feet and extended backpacking expeditions; Requirement: Complete the required application, recommendations, transcript, and interview; Requirement: If accepted, complete health, physical, risk, release, enrollment, and payment requirements; Exclusion: Prior outdoor experience is not required; Exclusion: The official pages do not state a citizenship or Colorado-residency restriction; Exclusion: Program mental-health services are limited, and backcountry groups may lack timely outside support; families must evaluate fit with HMI | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Be a high-school student age 14-18; Requirement: Submit the program and scholarship interest form for the applicable cycle; Requirement: Complete registration, payment, residential, health, consent, and credit-eligibility steps if offered a place; Requirement: Participate in the full residential academy; Exclusion: College credit has restrictions and is not available to every participant; Exclusion: Interest-form submission does not guarantee admission, scholarship, waitlist movement, college credit, credit transfer, prize, startup funding, company formation, sales, University admission, or admissions advantage | Citizenship: U.S. citizen or current U.S. permanent resident with green card; visas do not substitute; Residency: National U.S. applicant pool; attend on MIT's Cambridge campus if selected; Requirement: Be in 11th grade or equivalent when applying; Requirement: Attend public, private or home school; Requirement: Demonstrate strong academics and enthusiasm for STEM; Requirement: Submit a complete shared MITES Summer/Semester application; Requirement: Arrange transportation to and from MIT if selected; Requirement: Commit to the full intensive residential schedule; Exclusion: Non-U.S. citizens without permanent residence are ineligible; Exclusion: Students outside 11th grade at application are ineligible under current rules; Exclusion: Applying to both national programmes yields at most one offer and participants cannot switch after offer; Exclusion: The programme is rigorous and includes substantial weekday/weekend homework |
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| Session dates or duration | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 25, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 6 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry | Salt Lake City, Utah, University of Utah, Lassonde Studios | Cambridge, Massachusetts; national applicant pool |
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| Selection and application | Selection: HMI describes a typical cohort of 12-20 students; it does not publish a current applicant count or acceptance rate. Application materials: Two approximately 250-word essays; Two teacher recommendations, including at least one from a core academic teacher, under the current central admissions page; Required 15-30 minute admissions interview | Selection: The 2026 cohort reached capacity and accepted waitlist interest. Scholarships were limited and considered merit and need. Current cohort size, applicant count, acceptance rate, selection rubric, and waitlist movement are not published. | Selection: MITES seeks strong, STEM-motivated students and prioritizes educational access in holistic review, but the current pages do not publish applications, cohort size or acceptance rate for 2027. Application materials: Essays and extracurricular activities |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-12Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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