| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $1,500–$5,700; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited need-based aid for domestic applicants; often did not cover all expenses. International students were ineligible.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 application fee: $75. One fee covered applications to both program lengths; automatically waived for scholarship applicants.; 2026 enrollment deposit: $500. Post-acceptance first payment; some scholarship recipients could be exempt.; Need-based scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited need-based aid for domestic applicants; often did not cover all expenses. International students were ineligible.; International InitialView interview: $265. Historical 2026 additional international-applicant cost, paid to InitialView.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 9–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Maximum age 18; Citizenship: Domestic and international applicants were accepted in 2026; Residency: Residential program in Northfield, Minnesota; Requirement: For 2026 three-week courses: be a current high-school sophomore or junior; Requirement: For 2026 one-week courses: be a current high-school first-year, sophomore, or junior; Requirement: For 2026: not turn 19 before August 1, 2026; Requirement: International applicants complete English-proficiency, InitialView, identity, financial, visa, insurance, and emergency-contact requirements; Exclusion: Current seniors were not listed as eligible for 2026; Exclusion: International applicants were not eligible for SLAI need-based scholarships; Exclusion: The age and grade rules are historical until Carleton posts Summer 2027 criteria | 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 |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 1–3 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 25, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | 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 |
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| Location | Northfield, Minnesota; Carleton College residential campus | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Admission committee review is required, but Carleton does not publish applicant counts, cohort size, or an acceptance rate on the current pages. Application materials: Short essay responses of no more than 500 words; For three-week applicants: one recommendation from a teacher in a related discipline; For international applicants: English-proficiency evidence unless waived, InitialView interview/writing sample, passport, certification of finances, and bank/income statement | 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 |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21Source 4 · checked 2026-08-21 | 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 |
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