| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | 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 | 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): Completed 2026 — 2026 internship wages: Unconfirmed — check official site; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grade 11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Minimum age 16; Residency: Rhode Island resident; Requirement: For 2026, be a current high-school junior; Requirement: Attend a Rhode Island public or public-charter high school, or homeschool with an identified local LEA; Requirement: Be at least 16 years old by March 30, 2026; Requirement: Be legally eligible to work in the United States and provide required employment documentation; Requirement: Obtain parent or guardian consent; Requirement: Complete the online application and required SkillsRI and/or employer interviews; Requirement: Attend the full paid bootcamp and work at least 150 internship hours with summer schedule flexibility; Exclusion: The completed 2026 dates, age cutoff, junior year, wage, and eligibility rules are not yet confirmed for 2027; Exclusion: Private/parochial-school eligibility is not stated on the current 2026 page; Exclusion: Basic eligibility does not guarantee advancement, employer matching, a specific industry, 280 hours, or $4,700 in earnings; Exclusion: Incomplete or late 2026 applications were not accepted | 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: 7 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 | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Rhode Island statewide; employer-specific placement | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry |
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| Selection and application | Selection: There were no academic or attendance limitations for basic 2026 eligibility, but students were selected and matched based on qualifications, fit, preparedness, and skill. No application count, acceptance rate, match rate, or guaranteed placement is published. Application materials: SkillsRI interview and any employer interview requested for advancement | 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 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 | 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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