Summer Exploration Application

Welcome to the application for UM's Summer Exploration Program!
Summer Exploration offers high school students and graduating seniors' infinite possibilities during a transformative live-in, shared, two-week experience.

Before beginning the application, please scroll down and review it to ensure you have all the required information, including:

Your parent/guardian’s approval (they need to authorize that you have their consent to apply)
Your high school counselor's contact information
Your high school transcript
Your reference's contact information
Your personal statement (we recommend writing this in a separate Word document and then copying and pasting it to the field on this application)

Although the application is short, navigating away from it may result in lost work. We recommend working on your Personal Statement in Word first before working through the application. That way, you can simply paste it in. Then, plan to complete this application in one sitting.

You will NOT be able to edit the application once it's submitted.

The University of Montana does not discriminate in admissions, or the provision of services, or employment policies on the basis of race, gender, national origin or ancestry, material status, creed, religion, color, political ideas, sexual preference, age, or physical or mental disability.

*NOTE* This application is for students who are entering their junior, or senior year in the fall of 2025, as well as seniors graduating in the spring of 2025.

Always Create Rounds: Yes

Submitted: Yes

Generate Pin: Yes

Mode: On-Campus

Residency: Out-of-State

Student Information

First Name

Last Name

Preferred First Name

Birthdate

Legal Sex

Citizenship

Student Contact Information

Phone Number

Mailing Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

High School Information

High School Name

Grade Entering in Fall 2025 | Graduating Senior

High School Counselor's Name (First and Last)

High School Counselor's Email

Please upload a current high school transcript

Parent/Guardian Information

Please note that email is our primary form of communication, and parents/guardians are copied on all correspondence during the admissions process. Please inform us if your parent's/guardian's email address changes after you submit your application.

Parent/Guardian First Name

Parent/Guardian Last Name

Parent/Guardian Relationship to Student

Please explain:

Parent/Guardian Preferred Email

Parent/Guardian Preferred Phone Number

Your Reference

A reference from a school counselor, teacher, or coach is required for admission to the Summer Exploration Program.
When you submit your application, the reference you list will automatically receive an email including guidance for submitting a separate form on your behalf. Please provide their information here:

First Name

Last Name

Title

Phone Number

Course Information

Admitted students will be enrolled in one of the four courses listed below. Please choose the student's first through fourth choice. This selection does not guarantee your acceptance into the program and/or your first choice of course placement.

Biking the Bitterroot: Sustainability Studies in Western Montana (ENST 191) (Wild Rockies Field Institute instructor), 2 credits

CSI Missoula (CJUS 191) (University of Montana instructor), 2 credits

Environmental Ethics: Climate Change and Sense of Place (ENST 191) (Wild Rockies Field Institute instructor), 2 credits

Montana Habitats (BIOB 191) (University of Montana instructor), 2 credits

Please answer the following questions related to the Biking the Bitterroot: Sustainability Studies in Western Montana course.

No prior experience is required in order to take the Biking the Bitterroot course, but it is important that students are prepared to be away from campus, car camping and overnight cycle touring with a small group of instructors and other students.

While no prior bike touring or camping experience is required, students must be able to ride 15 miles with a loaded bicycle (50 pounds) and be away from technology and cell phones for the duration of the field portion of the course (seven days/six nights).

Please describe your experience with cycling and overnight camping, both with and without family members.

Frequently

Sometimes

Never

No prior experience is required in order to take the Biking the Bitterroot course, but your capacity to ride 15 miles with a heavily loaded bike is required. Please describe your experience with biking.

Frequently

Sometimes

Never

Will you need to borrow a bicycle and panniers from the Wild Rockies Field Institute for this course? All students must bring their own helmet.

**WRFI is waiving the rental fee of $150 for this program's inaugural year to make this program more financially accessible**

Yes

No, I will provide my own bike and panniers

Inseam length

Height

Please answer the following questions related to the Environmental Ethics: Climate Change and Sense of Place course.

No prior experience is required in order to take the Environmental Ethics course, but it is important that students are prepared to be away from campus, car camping and overnight backpacking with a small group of instructors and other students.

While no prior backpacking or camping experience is required, students must be able to hike 10 miles with a heavy backpack (50 pounds) and be away from technology and cell phones for the duration of the field portion of the course (seven days/six nights).

Please describe your experience with camping and overnight backpacking, both with and without family members.

Frequently

Sometimes

Never

If you answered frequently or sometimes, please describe where you have camped (ie: the region).

No prior experience is required in order to take the Environmental Ethics course, but your capacity to hike 10 miles with a 50-pound backpack is required. Please describe your experience with hiking and ability to carry a heavy backpack.

Frequently

Sometimes

Never

If you answered frequently or sometimes, how many miles at a time do you typically hike?

If you answered frequently or sometimes, what type of terrain (coastal, forested, mountainous, grassland, etc.) do you typically hike in?

Student's Personal Statement

In 500 words or less, please explain why you want to attend the program. Please be specific in the relevant experiences you have had, what you are interested in learning, and why you would like to participate in this program.

We recommend writing this in a separate Word document and then copying and pasting it here.

Safety & Security

Have you ever been convicted of a felony? A felony in Montana State Law is defined as a crime for which more than one year in prison may be imposed.

Have you ever been subjected to a court-ordered confinement for threatening or causing physical or emotional injury to persons or property?

Have you ever been disciplined, suspended from, or placed on probation at any educational institution for non-academic reasons? Suspension is defined as a sanction imposed for disciplinary reasons that reasons that results in a student leaving school for a fixed amount of time.

Have you ever been required to register as a sexual or violent offender?

If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, please explain here:

Additional Information

How did you learn about the program? Please check all that apply.

Counselor

Friend

Parent/Guardian/Family

Search Engine

Social Media

Summer Exploration Flyer

UM Alumni

UM Summer Website

WRFI Alumni

WRFI Website

Other

Please indicate here:

If you were referred to the program, please share that person's name, relationship to you, and contact information.

Race

American Indian or Alaska Native

American Indian or Alaska Native - Assiniboine - Fort Belknap Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Assiniboine - Fort Peck Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Assiniboine - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Blackfeet - Blackfeet Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Blackfeet - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Chippewa - Little Shell Band

American Indian or Alaska Native - Chippewa - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Chippewa - Rocky Boy Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Chippewa - Turtle Mountain Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Cree - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Cree - Rocky Boy Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Crow - Crow Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Crow - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Gros Ventre - Fort Belknap Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Gros Ventre - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Kootenai - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Kootenai - Salish/Kootenai Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Northern Cheyenne - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Northern Cheyenne - Northern Cheyenne Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Salish - no reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Salish - Salish/Kootenai Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Sioux - Fort Peck Reservation

American Indian or Alaska Native - Sioux - no reservation

Asian

Black or African American

Decline

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific

White

Other - Unknown

Hispanic or Latino?

Yes

Is the student a child of a Veteran or Service Member?

Certification

By entering my name below, I certify that the information on this application is complete and accurate and that I have completed this application with the full knowledge and consent of my parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

Student's Name

Today's Date

Parent/Guardian's Name

Today's Date