OA applicants are ready to step out of their comfort zone and embrace their independence in an outdoor classroom. Admissions is need-blind and we operate with a flexible tuition, so you can apply knowing that we want to make OA possible for you.
Admissions Announcements
There are still a few spaces available in the upcoming Spring 2025 semester. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, i.e. first-come, first-served. So, go ahead and open your application, and then let us know how we can help. All required materials are outlined further down this page.
The Priority Deadline for Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 will be on February 15, 2025. All required materials are outlined further down this page. If you’re not sure how to get started, just text/call/email us and we’ll be happy to help.
We have capped our tuition, and our updated “flexible tuition” model means that all applicants are eligible to apply for an individualized tuition. Applications for reduced tuitions are reviewed in the order that we receive them. We cannot process financial information before receiving an application for admission. So, aim to complete the two parts at the same time in order to expedite your review and enrollment process.
Application Overview & Instructions
Click on any step to learn more.
When you are ready to begin, please submit this Application Form with some basic contact information. With just one click, you’re on your way to a life changing high school experience!
After completing the form, you will receive an email invitation to apply on the SchoolDoc website! Your SchoolDoc account will allow you to submit your application materials in an efficient and easy manner.
Once you submit your application materials on SchoolDoc, you will receive an invitation to an informal conversation with an OA faculty member. We’ll probably have talked with you or your parents/guardians before this. (Seriously, you can call, text, or email us at any time!) However, this will give you personalized time to get to know OA better and ask any questions you have after submitting your application.
After you receive an admissions decision, it’s time to enroll! You’ll submit a tuition deposit and enrollment agreement to secure your spot. Information about interest-free payment plans and our flexible tuition policies can be found here.
What are the application materials?
The OA application consists of two key sections: Application Responses and Supplemental Materials.
Application Questions
- 3 Required Questions: Remember that these are short answer responses, not college essays. One paragraph is just fine.
- 3 Choice Questions: respond to two of the additional prompts as short answers. Then, respond to any third prompt in a creative format that tells us more about you and what you’ll bring to OA. This can truly be anything that is not a written response, whether it’s a video you recorded, a painting, a song, something you cooked, a demonstration of your soccer skills… just have fun with this.
Supplemental Materials
- Two letters of recommendation. Choose two adults who know you well, and we’ll send them an easy form for them to complete. At least one should be a current teacher.
- Your unofficial transcript or school reports from the past two years of school. There is no specific GPA required to apply to The Outdoor Academy, just a willingness to engage and learn.
Puede descargar una copia en español de la solicitud y el cuestionario para padres/tutores aquí. Póngase en contacto con nosotros si también necesita una traducción de material adicional.
Ready to learn more or not sure where to start? Choose your next step…
OA is possible for you.
We have always worked to make our community supportive and inclusive to all interested students, and we encourage applicants from all socioeconomic circumstances to apply. With our newly capped and flexible tuition model, we hope that OA is more accessible than ever before. Remember, admissions is always need-blind, and need-based scholarships are awarded to over half of our students through our robust financial aid program. Additionally, no matter if your school has worked with a semester school before or if you are on a semester, block, trimester, homeschool, or other schedule, there is a way for you to attend OA. We are committed to doing all we can to make it possible for any qualified student to attend.
No wilderness experience necessary.
Over 1300 students from around the country and the world have attended OA since we first opened our doors to Semester 1 in the fall of 1995. Successful OA alumni have ranged from students who had previously planned their own trek on the Appalachian Trail to those who had never before spent a night out camping. All that we require in an application to OA is a genuine interest in our school and a willingness to engage deeply in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
APPLY TODAY
Your applications profile can be created by submitting this simple form.
Questions about your application or having trouble getting started? Check out our FAQ or get in touch with the Admissions Office. You can email us at admissions@enf.org or text us at 828-808-3501.