| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | 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): Financial assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available in 2026; 2027 form, criteria and amounts are not yet posted.; 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): Financial assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Available in 2026; 2027 form, criteria and amounts are not yet posted.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Transportation to and from MIT: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Participant responsibility; available travel assistance, if any, is not stated on the current page.; 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 | Up to grade 12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grade 11; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | 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 | Residency: 2027 rule not announced: current main page suggests U.S.-wide eligibility, while the 2026 FAQ specified Minnesota high-school students; Requirement: Be in or completing one of grades 9-12 under the applicable cycle's wording; Requirement: Complete application and accepted-student forms; Requirement: Agree with a parent or guardian to the code of conduct and closed-campus rules; Exclusion: Students unable to remain on campus for the full session or comply with the code of conduct; late materials were not guaranteed consideration in 2026 | Citizenship: U.S. citizen or current U.S. permanent resident with green card; visas do not substitute; Residency: National U.S. applicant pool; attend on MIT's Cambridge campus if selected; Requirement: Be in 11th grade or equivalent when applying; Requirement: Attend public, private or home school; Requirement: Demonstrate strong academics and enthusiasm for STEM; Requirement: Submit a complete shared MITES Summer/Semester application; Requirement: Arrange transportation to and from MIT if selected; Requirement: Commit to the full intensive residential schedule; Exclusion: Non-U.S. citizens without permanent residence are ineligible; Exclusion: Students outside 11th grade at application are ineligible under current rules; Exclusion: Applying to both national programmes yields at most one offer and participants cannot switch after offer; Exclusion: The programme is rigorous and includes substantial weekday/weekend homework |
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| Session dates or duration | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 1 week; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 6 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person | 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 | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Apple Valley, Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota | St. Paul, Minnesota | Cambridge, Massachusetts; national applicant pool |
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| Selection and application | 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. | Selection: 2026 applications were first-come, first-served for 150-200 places per session; the 2027 capacity and selection method are not announced. | Selection: MITES seeks strong, STEM-motivated students and prioritizes educational access in holistic review, but the current pages do not publish applications, cohort size or acceptance rate for 2027. Application materials: Essays and extracurricular activities |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 | 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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