| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Local SAME Post sponsorship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Posts may pay half or more, but award amounts and availability vary and are not guaranteed.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Reservation payment after selection: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Selected campers paid half the applicable registration fee to hold a place.; Local SAME Post sponsorship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Posts may pay half or more, but award amounts and availability vary and are not guaranteed.; Travel to the camp region: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Participant responsibility; pickup from the camp's designated closest airport was available under the published travel process.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 internship stipend: $5,600; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | 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 | Minimum age 15; Citizenship: United States citizenship required; Requirement: Be enrolled in high school and at least 15 years old on arrival; Requirement: Have completed freshman year for most camps; have completed sophomore year for the Army camp; Requirement: Plan to pursue engineering, architecture or a related STEM degree or career; Requirement: Demonstrate leadership, teamwork, good character and physical ability to participate; Requirement: Provide proof of medical insurance and required health information; Requirement: Confirm the selected camp's GPA rule; official pages variously describe 3.2 as a minimum or highly recommended; Exclusion: The 2026 application and camps are closed; Exclusion: Non-U.S. citizens are not eligible under the published criteria; Exclusion: The Army camp does not accept students who have not completed sophomore year; Exclusion: A student may attend only one SAME camp; Exclusion: Camp placement, top-choice placement and SAME Post sponsorship are not guaranteed; Exclusion: Full-week attendance is required |
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| Session dates or duration | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 23, 2026; Ends August 14, 2026; 8 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 1 week; 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 | Washington, District of Columbia, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History | Honolulu, Vicksburg, Jacksonville, Colorado Springs, Camp Lejeune, Port Hueneme, Hawaii, Mississippi, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, California |
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| Selection and application | 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 | Selection: Each camp generally serves 40-80 students. SAME Posts review applicants and nominate or sponsor candidates, but SAME publishes no overall applicant count or acceptance rate. |
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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 2026-08-22 |
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