| Application deadline | February 12, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | $600 (2027 cycle) | $1,700 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Fee waiver for students eligible for free or reduced lunch: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Granted to the extent funds are available. (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Fee waiver for students eligible for free or reduced lunch: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Granted to the extent funds are available. (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 internship stipend: $5,600; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grade 10 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 6–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Missouri; Requirement: Open to students currently in grade 10 when applying; Requirement: Attend high school in Missouri or be homeschooled in Missouri | Maximum age 17; Requirement: Open to rising grades 6–12; Requirement: Not yet graduated from 12th grade and under 18 at the time of attendance | Ages 15–18; Citizenship: U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident; Residency: Located in DC, Maryland, or Virginia within commuting distance of the museum for the full program; Requirement: Currently enrolled in high school at the time of application; Requirement: Age 15-18 at the start of the internship; Requirement: Write and converse fluently in English; Requirement: Available for the fixed eight-week, 24-hour-per-week schedule; Exclusion: Applicants outside commuting distance; Exclusion: Applicants who cannot attend the full fixed schedule; Exclusion: Family members and friends may not serve as the required recommender |
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| Session dates or duration | Starts June 13, 2027; Ends July 3, 2027; 3 weeks (2027 cycle) | Starts May 23, 2027; Ends July 30, 2027; 1 week (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 23, 2026; Ends August 14, 2026; 8 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 | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Columbia, MO | Pensacola, FL | Washington, District of Columbia, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History |
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| Selection and application | Selection: School nomination allotments limit the pool, a statewide committee evaluates academic and qualitative criteria, and about 330 scholars are expected in 2027. MSA does not publish a current nomination count or acceptance rate. Application materials: Two letters of recommendation, at least one from a teacher; Two essays of 300-350 words | Selection: The program is session- and capacity-based rather than presented as a judged competition. Current capacity, applicant volume, wait-list rules, and acceptance rate are not published. | Selection: Selective; applicants rank projects, but a ranked department or project is not guaranteed. Application materials: Four statement-of-interest responses of 250 words each; One confidential recommendation from a non-family recommender |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-10-24Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-21Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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