| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $1,875–$1,975; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based tuition assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Generally about 40%-90% of tuition; some awards included reduced deposit and a uniform bundle. Merit and Fritz Stansell terms differed.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 nonrefundable deposit applied to tuition: $295. Payment authorization was required with application and charged only after space and arrangements were confirmed.; 2026 optional Central Camp minor: $99. Central Camp only.; 2026 required uniform: $90–$116. Two or three $26 polos plus one $38 sweater; confirm whether returning campers may reuse eligible items.; Need-based tuition assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Generally about 40%-90% of tuition; some awards included reduced deposit and a uniform bundle. Merit and Fritz Stansell terms differed.; 2026 early arrival when approved: $110. Strongly discouraged and allowed only when necessary under published arrival limits.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 internship stipend: $5,600; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 5–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Blue Lake does not state a universal Michigan-residency restriction on the camp overview; international and travel requirements must be confirmed; Requirement: Be in an eligible grade for the selected session and camp division; Requirement: Choose an offered major, minor where required, and session with space; Requirement: Submit the family account application with deposit authorization; Requirement: Be able to participate in residential cabin life, daily instruction/rehearsal, and camp citizenship expectations; Requirement: Complete health, accommodation, payment, uniform, transportation, and family forms after enrollment; Exclusion: A general admission audition is not required; Exclusion: A scholarship or advanced-program award does not reserve a camp place; Exclusion: Grade eligibility differs by session and Camp Bernstein versus Central Camp | Ages 15–18; Citizenship: U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident; Residency: Located in DC, Maryland, or Virginia within commuting distance of the museum for the full program; Requirement: Currently enrolled in high school at the time of application; Requirement: Age 15-18 at the start of the internship; Requirement: Write and converse fluently in English; Requirement: Available for the fixed eight-week, 24-hour-per-week schedule; Exclusion: Applicants outside commuting distance; Exclusion: Applicants who cannot attend the full fixed schedule; Exclusion: Family members and friends may not serve as the required recommender |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 2 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 23, 2026; Ends August 14, 2026; 8 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 | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Twin Lake, Michigan, Blue Lake Central Camp, Camp Bernstein | Washington, District of Columbia, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History |
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| Selection and application | Selection: General camp enrollment is first-come based on grade/session fit and space. Scholarships and advanced programs add audition/portfolio, recommendation, achievement, and sometimes financial-need review. Application materials: No audition for ordinary admission; For scholarship/advanced programs only: audition video, portfolio or solo rating, arts-instructor details/recommendation, and financial documentation when applicable | Selection: Selective; applicants rank projects, but a ranked department or project is not guaranteed. Application materials: Four statement-of-interest responses of 250 words each; One confidential recommendation from a non-family recommender |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20Source 6 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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