| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Free attendance; check separate expenses; 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | 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 | 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 | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher |
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| Additional eligibility | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Be a high-school student age 14-18; Requirement: Submit the program and scholarship interest form for the applicable cycle; Requirement: Complete registration, payment, residential, health, consent, and credit-eligibility steps if offered a place; Requirement: Participate in the full residential academy; Exclusion: College credit has restrictions and is not available to every participant; Exclusion: Interest-form submission does not guarantee admission, scholarship, waitlist movement, college credit, credit transfer, prize, startup funding, company formation, sales, University admission, or admissions advantage | 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 | Residency: Kentucky student; Requirement: Be in grade 9, 10, or 11 at application under current published scope; Requirement: Show entrepreneurial curiosity, creativity, drive, resilience, collaboration, flexibility, and comfort with risk/failure; Requirement: Commit to live on campus and participate every day for all three weeks; Requirement: Obtain parent/guardian permission and two eligible recommendations; Exclusion: GPA and standardized-test scores are not considered; Exclusion: Applicants do not apply with a fixed team or need a pre-existing business idea; Exclusion: Absence is allowed only for emergency, illness, or overriding personal reason under program decisions; Exclusion: Completion does not guarantee college admission, scholarship funding, business launch, patent, prize, or investment |
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| Session dates or duration | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 25, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 3 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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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 | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Salt Lake City, Utah, University of Utah, Lassonde Studios | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry | Lexington, Kentucky, University of Kentucky Gatton College; statewide Kentucky cohort |
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| Selection and application | Selection: The 2026 cohort reached capacity and accepted waitlist interest. Scholarships were limited and considered merit and need. Current cohort size, applicant count, acceptance rate, selection rubric, and waitlist movement are not published. | 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 | Selection: Holistic statewide selection without GPA/test-score review; no current acceptance rate is published. Application materials: Two recommendations from eligible non-family/non-friend adults |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-12Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22 | 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 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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