| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | $4,500 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | 2027 application fee: $95. Nonrefundable and paid through the application-linked Eventbrite process.; Surgical instruments, supplies, and specialized simulators: $0. Included in tuition, shipped to each participant, and kept after the program. International shipping/customs details should be confirmed. (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: ZooTeen program fee upon acceptance: $60. Nonrefundable; covers program materials, a camp T-shirt, and borrowing a Zoo uniform shirt. Contact the program if the fee creates economic hardship.; 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 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Minimum age 16; Citizenship: International students accepted for Summer 2027; Residency: Any location that can participate live and receive the shipped kit, subject to program shipping confirmation; Requirement: Be a current high-school student, or a recent high-school graduate who has not started college; Requirement: Be at least 16 on the first day, unless applying as a high-school junior under 16; Requirement: Attend every scheduled lecture, skills session, and required activity for the full two weeks; Requirement: Maintain a suitable supervised workspace and live camera/internet access for surgical simulation; Exclusion: Students who have begun college are not eligible; Exclusion: Students who do not complete the full program do not receive a certificate; Exclusion: The ageMin field has an explicit exception for high-school juniors under 16 | Ages 13–17; Residency: No formal boundary is published; participants must reliably reach the Cincinnati Zoo for interviews, orientation, camp, and volunteer shifts; Requirement: Be age 13-17; the correct Summer 2027 reference date must be confirmed; Requirement: Show genuine interest in nature and conservation, curiosity, willingness to learn, positivity, and reliability; Requirement: Commit to 100 hours as a first-/second-year ZooTeen or 70 hours as a third-year/returning ZooTeen; Requirement: Be available for a full 40-hour camp week and required visitor-engagement/additional shifts; Requirement: Attend a group interview and complete guardian-assisted online/virtual and all-day in-person orientations; Requirement: Use email and an online profile to receive information and log service hours; Exclusion: The 2027 page's May 1, 2026 age-reference date is stale and must not be treated as the binding 2027 cutoff; Exclusion: The program cannot accept all applicants, and returning participation is not guaranteed; Exclusion: Advanced specializations require separate applications, experience, additional hours, and available capacity |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 2 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | Online | In person / Online |
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| Housing and supervision | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Live online program using shipped simulation materials | Cincinnati, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| Selection and application | Selection: The program describes limited capacity/high demand but does not publish a 2027 cohort size, applicant count, or acceptance rate. Application materials: PDF essay of no more than 500 words about background, goals, and preparation for medicine; At least two recommendation letters as PDF | Selection: The Zoo says the program is very popular and cannot accept all applicants; it publishes no applicant count, cohort size, or acceptance rate. Application materials: Six written essay responses about motivation, role models, conservation learning, challenge, personal growth, and intellectual curiosity; In-person group interview |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21 |
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