Resources for Students

Each Institute takes place at a different time during the summer, and on different campuses. Visit each Institute Page on our site for more info about each Institute including, the specific dates!

Tuition uses a sliding scale model, which means you only pay what your family can afford. Check out the Summer Tuition Page for more details!

Students currently in 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade who go to school in Vermont, or at a school that has an arrangement with VT school districts. We’re also willing to consider out-of-state students on a case by case basis.

In most cases, no! We don't look at grades/transcripts when considering applicants. The only exception is our Math Institute, where the application asks which classes you have taken to prepare our curriculum.

Applying is easy! Just hit one of the many “apply” buttons on our website, create a SurveyMonkey account, and fill out the application. It will ask you to enter your contact info and some additional details about your interests, then prompt you to request recommendations from two adults. Don’t forget to hit submit!

Our application is easy and is online, so you can apply with any internet device. Here are the main steps...

1️⃣  Create a SurveyMonkey account, or use the account you made from past applications.
2️⃣ Fill out some basic contact information and select the Institute(s) you’re applying for.
3️⃣ Answer a few questions that will help GIV get to know you.
4️⃣ Ask two teachers/adults for recommendations. When they agree, all you have to do is enter their email addresses and let them know you’ve requested the recommendation online. (GIV will take care of the rest!)
5️⃣ Pay a $25 application fee* and hit submit!


 *If the $25 application fee is a financial hardship for your family, GIV will waive the fee.

Yes- see our Apply page for this year's application dates. We cannot accept late applications, so make sure you submit on time!

Summer Tuition is only requested once a student has applied and been accepted into an Institute. Following application submissions, we will reach out to accepted students and their families to collect information and make a final determination on Summer Tuition based on your family's income and situation. Our sliding scale tuition is automatically applied for all applicants based on the information provided-- no additional paperwork or forms are necessary. Beyond the sliding scale tuition, we are always willing to work with families to make sure they can take part in GIV and get the support they need!

We’ll begin reaching out to students to let them know their application status in mid April, around two weeks after our application deadline.

We aim to provide a safe and healthy environment for our in-person Institutes. While people can never be completely shielded from all risk of exposure or illness caused by COVID-19 or other infections, even if vaccinated, GIV expects students, families, guests, and staff to do their part to contribute to a safe and healthy community.

We require that staff and students:
- Arrive healthy. We recommend testing for COVID-19 in the 24 hours leading up to arrival at the Institute. If they are experiencing symptoms of serious transmissible illness* within 24 hours of the first day, they should stay home.
-Be evaluated if presenting symptoms of serious transmissible illness, and follow recommendations such as taking measures to limit contagion.
-Be sent home from the program if testing positive for COVID-19 or any other highly contagious disease. This decision rests with the Program Director, who may consult with a healthcare provider.

*Symptoms of serious transmissible illness:
- Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Persistent cough
- Severe sore throat
- Vomiting/diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing (not asthma-related)
- Too sick to participate in activities after 24 hours
Additional precautions may be required based on the program.

GIV’s policies and procedures are based on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Camp Association (ACA). They are subject to applicable federal, state, and local regulations, and may be updated according to public health conditions and at the discretion of GIV. We reserve the right to add safety measures as necessary, such as testing, masking, quarantining, and other hygiene-related best practices.
Policies are subject to change in accordance with CDC and/or host college guidance.

If you aren’t able to drive or be driven to your Institute, reach out to us directly at [email protected]. We’ll coordinate travel arrangements to get you there!

Possibly! If the dates allow, we can explore this option. However, many of our Institutes overlap; if your Institute dates overlap, we ask applicants to choose one Institute or the other.

Our application allows students to choose multiple Institutes of interest.

We want to make sure that all of our Institutes have space for new incoming students, so we generally ask that students returning to GIV multiple years try a new Institute! Part of the GIV experience is trying new things, so we highly encourage returning students to explore a new Institute to expand into new areas of knowledge.

While at GIV, you’ll live in a dorm on your Institute’s host college campus. Most students will have a roommate or roommates. Living on campus is a big part of the GIV experience and is how some of the closest friendships are made!

The dates for each program are listed on the Institute pages here on our website. Otherwise, the Program Director for your Institute will reach out to you via email to share your Institute schedule in advance of the program. If you have questions before then, feel free to email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to answer them!

Yes! Please reach out to your high school guidance counselor to make a plan to get credit for your participation through the Flexible Pathways Program or through your school's curriculum.
More information can be found in our Academic Guide here.

Yes! Some of our Institutes including Entrepreneurship, Global Issues & Youth Action, Mathematical Sciences, Technology & Design, and Weather & Climate Science can be taken for college credit.

More information can be found in our Academic Guide here.

One Day Adventures are a series of experiences hosted by GIV that offer a totally free and thought-provoking experience for any Vermont high school student.

Each “Adventure” session is led by experts in the field and is designed to offer a meaningful and educational experience, sharing the same values and missions of our larger Summer Institutes.

Learn more and see our current One Day Adventure schedule here!


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Dude... like, yes. You have no idea. Seriously.