| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $5,518; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $6,600; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: $790–$5,925; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 need-based application and program assistance: Up to $5,564. Could assist with the $46 application fee and $5,518 program cost based on family income, family size and available funds; actual award not guaranteed.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based financial aid: Up to $6,600. Aid was available up to the full program fee; admission was decided before financial-aid consideration.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Scholarship and personalized assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Scholarships, personalized prices, payment plans, and some non-monetary barter are available; award amounts are individualized.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 COSMOS application fee: $46. Nonrefundable; pending fee-waiver review could change when or whether payment was required.; Credit-card transaction fee on program payments: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Approximately 2.5% when paying program costs by credit card; application fee exempt.; 2026 need-based application and program assistance: Up to $5,564. Could assist with the $46 application fee and $5,518 program cost based on family income, family size and available funds; actual award not guaranteed.; Full-financial-aid attendance deposit: $200. Required only for admitted students offered full aid and refunded to the legal guardian after successful completion.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based financial aid: Up to $6,600. Aid was available up to the full program fee; admission was decided before financial-aid consideration.; Application fee: $0. Applying to MathPath is free.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Scholarship and personalized assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Scholarships, personalized prices, payment plans, and some non-monetary barter are available; award amounts are individualized.; Optional station or airport pickup per direction: $0–$160. Bellows Falls $0, Keene $20, Concord $100, or Manchester airport $160 each way. Other travel remains family responsibility.; Optional extra-night accommodation: $25–$125. Family campsite $25 per night; student overnight $125. Standard expedition room/board inclusion should be confirmed for the selected program.; Optional equipment rental: $5–$20. Published per-program rental examples: rubber boots $5, rain coat $10, rain pants $10, sleeping pad $10, sleeping bag $20.; 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 | Grades 9–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Attend high school in person in California; Requirement: Be rising into grade 9, 10, 11 or 12 for the program fall year; Requirement: Attend high school in person in California; Requirement: Demonstrate academic excellence and preparation for the selected STEM cluster; Requirement: Complete cluster-specific course prerequisites; Requirement: Live on the host UC campus for the full program; Requirement: Be a first-time COSMOS participant; Exclusion: Students not attending a California high school in person; Exclusion: Students who previously attended any COSMOS program; Exclusion: Applicants outside the rising-grade 9-12 range; Exclusion: Applicants unable to live on campus for the full program; Exclusion: Late application, supporting, payment or admission materials; Exclusion: Assuming a 3.5 GPA is an absolute statewide minimum rather than the published typical profile | Ages 11–14; Requirement: Turn 11 before the program starts; Requirement: Turn 15 only after the program ends; Requirement: Complete the Qualifying Test independently; Requirement: Demonstrate mathematical ability, interest, and persistence; Exclusion: Students outside the published age window | Ages 6–18; Requirement: Meet the exact age range for the selected program; published 2026 programs ranged from ages 6-10 to ages 15-18; Requirement: Show genuine personal interest and excitement about attending; Requirement: Be physically ready to participate in every required aspect of the selected program; Requirement: Ensure the family understands Kroka's philosophy, handbook, outdoor living, risk, and community approach; Requirement: Complete an introductory program or demonstrate prior technical experience when an advanced expedition requires it; Requirement: Be accepted based on fit, safety, capacity, and group composition; Exclusion: Registration and deposit do not guarantee acceptance; Exclusion: Students who cannot safely complete essential physical, technical, behavioral, medical, or community components without an agreed accommodation; Exclusion: Applicants outside the selected program's age band or without a stated technical prerequisite; Exclusion: Some rites-of-passage programs use gender-specific cohorts; verify the current inclusion policy directly |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 26, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 1–3 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 | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Davis, California, Irvine, California, Los Angeles, California, Merced, California, San Diego, California, Santa Cruz, California, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz | Portland, Oregon | Marlow, New Hampshire, Program-specific expedition routes, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Lake Champlain and other program-specific destinations |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Each of six campuses accommodates roughly 160-200 students, and clusters typically enroll 20-25 with a commonly reported 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Admissions are competitive and based on academic merit relative to the selected topic, but applicant count and statewide acceptance rate were not published. Application materials: One personal statement; One required teacher recommendation, with two recommended | Selection: Merit-based selection centered on the Qualifying Test and application context | Selection: Fit- and safety-reviewed rather than first-come alone; Kroka may decline applicants, maintain waitlists, prefer group balance, and require prerequisites for technical programs. |
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| Official sources | 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 2026-08-22Source 7 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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