| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | January 13, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | $4,180–$15,980 (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% received aid in the published cycle; average award was 70% of tuition, and aid included discounted or free gear rental, with top packages potentially covering flights.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): SPROG 2026 ticket: $0. Participants could select the USD 0 option with the published SPROG26 code.; Optional contribution: $0–$200. Voluntary contribution toward Sierra Club's costs.; Four nights of dorm lodging and bedding: $0. Provided by the program.; Program meals: $0. All meals were provided.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | 2027 application fee: $75 (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 student-account deposit: $500. Returned to the family if unused; separate enrollment deposit details were not quantified on the official pages.; Travel to and from Colorado: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Flights were not included in tuition, although the largest need-based aid packages could cover them.; Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% received aid in the published cycle; average award was 70% of tuition, and aid included discounted or free gear rental, with top packages potentially covering flights.; Clarity financial-aid application fee: $65. Applies to the aid application; automatic or inquiry-based fee waivers are available for eligible families.; 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 | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Ages 15–25; Requirement: Be age 15–25 by August 5, 2026; Requirement: Attend the full five-day residential session; Requirement: Provide emergency, medical, dietary, accessibility, travel, and room information; Requirement: Sign the participant waiver; Requirement: Obtain a parent signature if under 18; Exclusion: Applicants younger than 15 or older than 25 for the 2026 session | Ages 16–18; Citizenship: International students may apply to eligible formats with visa/English requirements; Citizenship: Financial aid is limited to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and DACA recipients; Residency: Residential students live on campus; Residency: Commuters must live with a parent/guardian or approved adult age 25+ within reasonable commuting distance in New England; Residency: Online students participate from home; Requirement: Graduate high school and enter college in 2027, 2028 or 2029.; Requirement: Be at least 16 by June 13, 2027 and not turn 19 before July 31, 2027.; Requirement: Show maturity and academic readiness for intensive college-level work; Requirement: Meet selected-course prerequisites; Requirement: Submit English-proficiency evidence if English is not the native language; Requirement: Clear the calendar for the full program, especially residential study; Exclusion: An applicant may apply to only one Harvard Summer School high-school program in a year; Exclusion: International students using a Harvard-sponsored I-20 cannot take online classes; Exclusion: Participation does not guarantee Harvard College admission or another institution's acceptance of credit; Exclusion: No minimum GPA or required PSAT/SAT/ACT score is published | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Be a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader and age 14-18 for the applicable cycle; Requirement: Be prepared for a residential program at 10,000 feet and extended backpacking expeditions; Requirement: Complete the required application, recommendations, transcript, and interview; Requirement: If accepted, complete health, physical, risk, release, enrollment, and payment requirements; Exclusion: Prior outdoor experience is not required; Exclusion: The official pages do not state a citizenship or Colorado-residency restriction; Exclusion: Program mental-health services are limited, and backcountry groups may lack timely outside support; families must evaluate fit with HMI |
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| Session dates or duration | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts August 5, 2026; Ends August 9, 2026; 0.7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 4–7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 25, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person / Online | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Little Switzerland, North Carolina | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Registration-based 2026 session; capacity and selection method were not stated | Selection: Harvard evaluates essays, transcripts/current grades, counselor report, GPA, maturity, readiness, and program fit holistically; it publishes no minimum GPA and does not require standardized academic tests. Application totals, admit rate, option/course capacities, waitlist odds, and scholarship odds are not published. Application materials: Student-created online application and short essays | Selection: HMI describes a typical cohort of 12-20 students; it does not publish a current applicant count or acceptance rate. Application materials: Two approximately 250-word essays; Two teacher recommendations, including at least one from a core academic teacher, under the current central admissions page; Required 15-30 minute admissions interview |
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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 2026-10-09Source 2 · checked 2026-10-09Source 3 · checked 2026-10-09Source 4 · checked 2026-10-09Source 5 · checked 2026-10-09 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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