Your semester awaits

The Outdoor Academy is an investment in your teen’s future. 

A semester at OA prepares students not only for college but, more importantly, for life. With our 3:1 student-faculty ratio and place-based curriculum, we deliver an immersive education that is critical during the formative years of high school. This experience equips students with essential life skills, fosters a deeper connection with their environment, and cultivates their inherent love of learning.

And, with our commitment to finding a tuition amount that is possible for you, an OA semester is just around the corner!

Hear what students have to say

about why OA was so important to their high school experience

We strive to make a semester at The Outdoor Academy affordable for every qualified student. More than 50% of our students receive tuition discounts averaging over $20,000.
Setting Tuition

Full tuition for the Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 semester is $36,900. This covers the cost of: 

  • Full room and board for 4 months
  • Class materials, texts, and art supplies
  • Equipment for outdoor programming trips and access to our Gear Lending Library with free gear rentals for the semester
  • Tuition refund insurance

Some families offer to pay this full tuition, pulling from income and savings to cover the cost even if it is a stretch. For many, however, that is not an option. To allow us to adjust a student’s tuition, parents or guardians will complete the two steps of the financial aid application.

Payment Options

All families regardless of total tuition have the option of paying their tuition balance in installments throughout the semester. Payment plans are always interest-free and can contain from 2-10 payments depending on your preference.

An initial $750 deposit (applied to tuition) will be paid via Square to secure your space in the semester. Aside from tuition, the only additional expense is a required $200 school store balance for incidental purchases. Any unused school store balance will be refunded at the end of the semester.

Apply for Financial Aid

Applications for financial aid will have two parts. We recommend that you complete them as soon as you are able during the admissions process. Call the Office at 828-877-4349 or email us for assistance.

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Complete the Parents’ Financial Statement on the School & Student Services portal. This is an application used by independent schools around the country, and it is a good starting place for our financial aid award discussions. You can call the SSS Family Support Center (800-344-8328, English or Spanish) for assistance with any questions.

The cost to file your statement is $55. If this fee presents a hardship, please email Financial Aid Counselor Reily (reily@enf.org) to request a fee waiver.

Our school code: 2919

BEGIN THE PFS

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Complete our Statement of Need form, which allows you to share any additional information that will help us make the best financial aid award possible. Completed statements can be submitted by email.

COMPLETE A STATEMENT OF NEED

Trabajamos conjuntamente con School and Student Services (SSS) en lo referente a nuestro proceso de ayuda financiera. Para empezar su solicitud de ayuda financiera, deberá completar la Declaración financiera de los padres de SSS (PFS, por sus siglas en inglés). Haga clic aquí para visitar la página de Recursos de SSS. También puede alternar la aplicación PFS al español. 

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