| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $895; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | 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): 2026 nonrefundable Online registration fee or deposit: $95. Included within the $895 total rather than added on top; next-cycle payment and refund terms are not announced.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 |
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| Eligibility | Grades 6–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Requirement: Be entering grades 6-8 for the middle-school section or grades 9-12 for the high-school section under the newly published cycle; Requirement: Be prepared for sustained live reading, discussion, writing, listening, and peer engagement; Requirement: Register online or by phone only after a newly dated session is published; Requirement: Obtain support or endorsement from a teacher, principal, or head of school; Requirement: Pay the current nonrefundable registration amount and remaining tuition under the new cycle's terms; Requirement: Attend the complete synchronous schedule in the selected time zone and follow academic, discussion, writing, technology, conduct, privacy, and originality rules; Exclusion: Using the completed 2026 dates, $895 tuition, $95 fee, refund terms, faculty, or course list as guaranteed 2027 terms; Exclusion: Treating a stale register button as evidence that a future session is open; Exclusion: Applying for 2026 aid after its April 2 deadline; Exclusion: Assuming international enrollment creates eligibility for financial aid; Exclusion: Assuming online participation provides college credit, host-college affiliation, admission, publication, an award, or a recommendation | 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 | Catalog terms: 1 week; 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 | Online | 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 | Live time-zone-specific online cohorts; 2026 included North American and Asia-oriented schedules | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Registration is described as rolling while space remains and requires educator support; the provider does not publish a current applicant count, acceptance rate, section capacity, or 2027 placement process. Application materials: Writing sample, interview, recommendation letter, placement material, or technology check only if the new cycle requires it | 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 2026-08-20Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20Source 6 · checked 2026-08-20 | 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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