| Application deadline | February 15, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $3,975; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $1,950; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): ASC 2026 financial-aid funds: Up to $3,975. General fund up to half, Sydney Stark Jr. Memorial fund up to full tuition, and Military Family fund at least half; historical terms only.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Scholarships and need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available to accepted students; amount and award count are not stated on the official page.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Nonrefundable tuition deposit upon registration: $150. Part of tuition, not an additional $150 program price.; ASC 2026 financial-aid funds: Up to $3,975. General fund up to half, Sydney Stark Jr. Memorial fund up to full tuition, and Military Family fund at least half; historical terms only.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 application fee: $0. No fee to apply.; Scholarships and need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available to accepted students; amount and award count are not stated on the official page.; Loaner laptop: $0. Loaner laptops were available for accepted students who needed one.; 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 8–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Requirement: The programme serves rising high-school seniors and recent graduates. The benefits page still states 2026 graduation classes, citizenship and age conditions; confirm their 2027 applicability rather than shifting the years automatically. | Ages 13–19; Requirement: Be a rising 8th grader through a graduated 12th grader, or homeschool equivalent; Requirement: Be age 13-19 at the applicable start-date checkpoint; Requirement: Apply and receive an acceptance decision; Requirement: Complete accepted-camper registration and deposit before capacity fills; Requirement: Be prepared for a full residential schedule, auditions, rehearsals, classes, performance, and shared living; Exclusion: A rising 7th grader is ineligible even if already 13; Exclusion: A rising 8th grader is ineligible if still 12 at camp; Exclusion: A student who has completed a college freshman year is ineligible even if 18; Exclusion: Acceptance does not reserve a seat until registration is complete; Exclusion: No prior performance experience was required, and admission did not guarantee a particular play, role, solo, college credit, or professional outcome | Ages 14–19; Requirement: Be age 14 through 19 inclusive on the first day of the workshop; Requirement: Submit one original 2,000-6,000-word science-fiction, fantasy, or horror short story; Requirement: Submit a short story rather than an excerpt and do not use fan-fiction characters or worlds; Requirement: Remove the applicant's name from the story file for anonymous judging; Requirement: If under 18, obtain parent or guardian confirmation and consent within seven days; Exclusion: Applicants outside ages 14-19 on the first program day; Exclusion: Applicants who have already attended Alpha twice, subject to the organization's digital-workshop exceptions; Exclusion: Fan fiction, excerpts, named manuscripts, or stories outside the required length and speculative genres; Exclusion: Admission and aid are separate; neither past publication nor ability to pay guarantees admission |
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| Session dates or duration | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends August 5, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: 3 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts July 15, 2026; Ends July 26, 2026; 1.7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Lubbock, Texas | Staunton, Virginia; Mary Baldwin University and Blackfriars Playhouse | Greensburg, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Pennsylvania |
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| Selection and application | Application materials: Submit the listed essays, transcript and test records, three online recommendation questionnaires with at least two teachers, and the top-five activity list. Do not add an extra resume or unrequested supplements. | Selection: Attendance was by acceptance, applications were reviewed monthly, and accepted-student registration was first-come, first-served. ASC did not publish applicant count, acceptance rate, or detailed judging rubric. | Selection: Twenty students are admitted based solely on anonymized application stories; no current applicant count or acceptance rate is published. |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-15Source 2 · checked 2026-10-15Source 3 · checked 2026-10-09Source 4 · checked 2026-10-09Source 5 · checked 2026-08-21 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 |
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