| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | February 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Free attendance; check separate expenses (2027 cycle) |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 | 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | Up to grade 12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–11; 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 13–17; Requirement: Be age 13-17 for the ZooTeen program; Requirement: Be able to support summer Zoo Camp participants in person; Requirement: Have interest in animals, environment, conservation and working with people; Requirement: Complete any application and training requirements published for the active cycle; Exclusion: Applicants age 18 or older, who use the separate Zoo Ambassador pathway; Exclusion: Animal handling, animal-care, zookeeping or direct behind-the-scenes animal-contact expectations; Exclusion: Applicants unable to attend required training or assigned camp-support shifts | Requirement: Current Texas high-school sophomores/juniors, rising juniors/seniors; full attendance, no concurrent summer school. First-generation/hardship backgrounds encouraged, not exclusive admissions requirement. |
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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 | Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts June 6, 2027; Ends June 11, 2027 (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 | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Little Switzerland, North Carolina | Apple Valley, Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Registration-based 2026 session; capacity and selection method were not stated | 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. | Application materials: Online application, transcript, activities/leadership, essays, recommendation and resume. Decisions by mid-April; supplemental deadline does not extend initial entry. |
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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 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-10 |
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