| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Catalog terms: $1,400–$2,800; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | $1,700 (2027 cycle) |
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| Financial aid | Catalog terms: Need-based financial assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited; the SCATS application must be submitted first.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Catalog terms: Application deposit: $200. Submitted with the application; not refunded after acceptance.; Need-based financial assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited; the SCATS application must be submitted first.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 6–8 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 6–12 (provider uses rising grades) |
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| Additional eligibility | Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 6–8 when applying; Requirement: Show high interest or achievement in one or more content areas; Requirement: Be eligible for gifted services, or have an IQ score of 125 or above, or score at or above the 90th percentile on the total battery or the 95th percentile on the math or language arts/reading section of the most recent achievement test, or score at the distinguished level on performance assessments | Ages 13–17 | Maximum age 17; Requirement: Open to rising grades 6–12; Requirement: Not yet graduated from 12th grade and under 18 at the time of attendance |
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| Session dates or duration | Starts June 6, 2027; Ends June 18, 2027; 2 weeks (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts May 23, 2027; Ends July 30, 2027; 1 week (2027 cycle) |
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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 | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Apple Valley, MN | Pensacola, FL |
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| Selection and application | Unconfirmed — check official site | Selection: The zoo closes applications when the summer cohort is filled, but it does not publish applicant counts, cohort size, interview process or selection rate. | Selection: The program is session- and capacity-based rather than presented as a judged competition. Current capacity, applicant volume, wait-list rules, and acceptance rate are not published. |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-10Source 4 · checked 2026-10-10 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-21Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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