| 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): $790–$1,320; 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based aid and application-fee waiver: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available to early/standard applicants with required tax documentation; extended-deadline applicants were ineligible for aid.; 2027: 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 application processing fee: $60–$90. USD 60 for students attending school in the United States and USD 90 for students attending school outside the US; non-refundable. Need-based fee waivers could be requested.; Need-based aid and application-fee waiver: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available to early/standard applicants with required tax documentation; extended-deadline applicants were ineligible for aid.; 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 | Grades 7–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher |
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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 | Minimum age 16; Citizenship: Legally eligible to work in the United States; under-18 participants must obtain a school work permit after acceptance; Residency: San Diego County resident; Residency: Most recent high-school semester completed at a named REACH partner school/program; Requirement: Be at least 16 by the first day of pre-program boot camp; Requirement: Have at least a 3.0 GPA; Requirement: Complete at least one year each of high-school chemistry and biology; Requirement: Commit to approximately 40 hours weekly and miss no more than three days; Requirement: Attend the parent/guardian welcome meeting and three-day boot camp; Requirement: Provide personal transportation to and from Scripps Research; Exclusion: Students outside the nine named partner schools/programs were ineligible for 2026; Exclusion: Prior REACH summer internship participants may not repeat; Exclusion: The separate SRTI internship's broader local eligibility does not apply to REACH; Exclusion: Housing and general transportation support are not offered on the public page | Residency: International applications accepted; application fee depends on whether the student attends school inside or outside the United States; Requirement: Be in grades 7-11 when applying, subject to course grade ranges; Requirement: Meet every academic prerequisite for the preferred and alternate courses; Requirement: Submit a complete annual application; returning students are not guaranteed readmission; Requirement: Attend every live meeting and complete intensive homework/self-study; Requirement: For the narrow grade-6 exception, have prior ATDP attendance and a very strong application for an eligible course; Exclusion: Most current 6th graders are ineligible for Secondary Division; Exclusion: Course placement is not guaranteed and popular classes may fill; Exclusion: There are no excused absences; excess absence or conduct/homework violations may cause dismissal without refund; Exclusion: A-G approval, honors level or AP alignment does not itself confer UC Berkeley enrollment, college credit, AP credit, admission advantage or school acceleration credit |
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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 | Catalog terms: 7–8 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 4–6 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person / Online | In person / Online |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry | La Jolla, California, Scripps Research campus for boot camp/laboratory internship; virtual interview and parent/guardian welcome meeting | Berkeley, California, UC Berkeley campus for in-person courses; live Zoom for remote courses |
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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: Only students at nine partner schools/programs were eligible in 2026. Finalists were interviewed and placements depended on laboratory/mentor capacity; no applicant total, cohort size or acceptance rate is published. Application materials: Brief virtual interview if selected as a finalist | Selection: Applications are reviewed on academic preparation, materials and course fit as they become complete. Classes generally cap at 20-24 students; returning students receive early priority but are not guaranteed admission or first-choice placement. Application materials: One current academic teacher's online Referral Form; a recommendation letter is not requested; Recent academic product or original analytical essay with at least 500 words of accompanying written explanation |
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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 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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