| Application deadline | February 15, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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. | Residency: Applicants may apply from anywhere in the world through a regional or global selection committee; Requirement: Previously published eligibility, requiring confirmation for a future cycle: Be at least 15 when the session starts and not yet 17 when it ends; Requirement: Previously published eligibility, requiring confirmation for a future cycle: Attend the entire four-week residential session; Requirement: Previously published eligibility, requiring confirmation for a future cycle: Communicate in English well enough for safety instructions and full participation; Requirement: Previously published eligibility, requiring confirmation for a future cycle: For international campers, obtain a valid passport and visa when required; Requirement: Previously published eligibility, requiring confirmation for a future cycle: If accepted, complete physical and mental-health evaluation and vaccination documentation; request available exemptions as needed; Requirement: Previously published eligibility, requiring confirmation for a future cycle: Children/grandchildren of alumni use the separate legacy-camper application route; Requirement: Accepted 2026 age rules were at least 15 at session start and not yet 17 at its end; future cycle rules are unconfirmed.; Exclusion: LAJF states no age exceptions for first-year CRS applicants; Exclusion: 2026 applications are closed; Exclusion: A complete application does not guarantee an interview or admission; Exclusion: The separate TELE program is not Camp Rising Sun; Exclusion: Second-year campers and legacy campers use different application rules | 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) | 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Lubbock, Texas | Unconfirmed — check official site | 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: Regional/global selection committees review applications for cohort fit and invite some applicants to interview. LAJF seeks diverse strengths, backgrounds, interests, and commitment to change, but does not publish current applicant totals, cohort size, or acceptance rate. Application materials: If selected: regional/global committee interview | 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 2026-10-12Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 |
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