Who is eligible to apply for a program at FTE?
Students who have completed their sophomore or junior year in high school can attend a FTE student program. Students who are currently in their freshman or senior year of high school are not eligible.
What are the application requirements?
All students will need to create an online account to start the application. An essay is required. A $35 non-refundable processing fee is also charged at the time of submission.
A complete transcript of all high school courses taken and grades received, including current year, in-progress courses, is required. An unofficial transcript is acceptable; however, all transcripts must include student name and school name. If you have attended more than one high school or have additional coursework to show, you may send in additional files. A transcript from only the current semester or year will not be considered complete by the Admissions Committee.
A letter of recommendation is also required from a counselor, teacher, coach, or other adult who can offer a comprehensive assessment of the student’s performance. Please allow time for your recommender to complete the online recommendation form.
Your application will not be considered complete until ALL pieces of the application have been submitted and received, including the payment of the $35 fee. Exceptions for partial transcripts or incomplete letters of recommendation will not be granted, even if all other parts of the application have been completed.
Please note, the admissions committee will only accept one student per high school to a given program site. If there are multiple students applying from the same high school to the same program site, priority will be given to the student who first submitted their completed application. We encourage applicants to consider their top three program sites when applying.
Can I attend the program with my friend?
The admissions committee will only accept one student per high school to a given program site. If there are multiple students applying from the same high school to the same program site, only one will be admitted. We encourage applicants to consider their top three program sites when applying.
When will I know if I have been accepted?
Applicants will be notified of their admission status via email within three weeks of their application being marked complete. To check on the status of your application, you can always log into the Self Service Center here.
How will I be notified?
We will notify applicants of their admission status through email. Please be sure to provide an email that you check frequently! Your notification email will also provide directions and a link for you to access your portal.
If accepted, it is your responsibility to follow the directions and complete the additional enrollment forms in your portal before the enrollment deadline stated in your acceptance letter. You will also be prompted to submit your program payment at the same time.
I’ve been accepted, now what should I do?
Congratulations! You should log into the Self Service Center, complete your enrollment forms, and submit your payment. Your acceptance email will also provide directions and a link for you to access your portal.
Failure to complete your enrollment forms and submit your payment by the specified date will result in your spot being released to another qualified candidate.
Will I receive a decision for all three program sites I choose?
No. The Admissions Committee will evaluate your complete application and admit qualified students to only one program site. They will take your ranked preferences into consideration when making their decision. Please select sites you would be pleased to attend. Selecting more than one site increases your changes of admittance.
How much does it cost to attend an in-person FTE student program?
Student participants are financially responsible for a $2,100 program fee, travel to and from the site, dinner on the excursion day, and any other personal incidental costs. The program fee includes room and board onsite at the college campus.
Does FTE offer financial assistance?
Yes! Scholarship funding is available. Visit our Costs & Scholarships page for more details about scholarship assistance.
How can I pay the program fee?
Accepted applicants can pay online with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). Payment directions can be found by logging in to your Self Service Center account.
Can I earn college credit for FTE student programs?
FTE has a long and successful relationship with the University of Colorado. The Department of Economics at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs will offer undergraduate credit (optional) for students participating in the EFL program. At this time, college credit is not available for the EGE or E&E program. Please visit the EFL College Credit page for more information.
What are the COVID-19 modifications for FTE programs?
Our participants’ health and safety is of the utmost concern. FTE will be following all guidelines required by the college, county and state of the site of each program. For a list of current requirements regarding vaccinations, masks, and testing please review the COVID-19 Campus Policies page.
What if my in-person program is canceled due to COVID-19?
If your in-person student program is canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, participants will be moved online into a virtual format. The virtual program is an online synchronous course that covers the same economic and leadership topics virtually. Participants who remain in the online programs will receive a rebate for the room and board portion of the program fee. For those who wish to withdraw from a program, refunds will be made according to the FTE stated refund policy and schedule:
If you cancel by May 19, 2023, you are eligible to have 50% of the paid program fee refunded to you. Refunds will not be offered for cancellations after May 19th.
How do I get to the college campus where my program will be held?
All transportation arrangements to and from the program site are the student’s responsibility. FTE does not provide a specific shuttle/bus to pick students up from airports, train station or transit hubs at any sites.
If air travel is necessary, students should ideally arrange their flights to arrive at the destination airport around lunchtime on the first day of the program – this provides enough time to pick up any checked luggage and eat lunch before catching a taxi or shuttle to get to the program site by check-in time, which is any time between 2 – 4 PM on Monday afternoon.
Orientation materials with local airport shuttle/taxi information will be provided to accepted students approximately four weeks before the start of the program. We encourage students and families to familiarize themselves with the various ground transportation options (taxi, Uber/Lyft, airport shuttle) and discuss/consider those logistics before choosing a site.
While we realize that solo long-distance travel is intimidating for some students and families, FTE also considers this process a necessary part of learning about the independence and initiative skills that our programs encourage. We’ve found that students who manage their ground transportation on their own (with parents just a cell phone call away, of course) return home with a gratifying sense of independence and accomplishment that helps prepare them for college!
When should I purchase my airfare?
FTE recommends waiting to purchase your flight until 2-4 weeks before your program starts. FTE is not responsible for any flight cancellations or airline fees.
Can I arrive late or leave early?
No. All students are required to be in attendance for the entire program. Students should plan to arrive on campus for check in between 2 – 4 pm on the program start date. Exceptions are made to the check-in time for travel delays only. Students should plan to check out on the morning of the program end date between 8 – 11 am.
I’m coming from another country. What type of visa do I need?
International students travelling to the US may require a visa; however, this will vary depending on country of origin and length of stay. Click here to find more information on our International Students page.
What should I bring to my FTE residential program?
Students should have casual, comfortable clothes for the entire week, and a light sweater or jacket for air-conditioned classroom and dorm-room temperatures. Check the forecast before you pack! Also, please be sure to have a pair of comfortable, closed-toed shoes or sneakers that can get dirty for the outdoor activities and walking around campus.
Other suggested items include: your cell phone, charger, notebook, swimsuit, camera, pencils/pens, and enough money for extras and the one dinner your group will have off-site. Sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels are provided at each program.
Please DO NOT bring expensive electronics or large amounts of cash – we cannot guarantee dorm-room security. Laptops are not required.
For the EGE program excursion, please plan for business casual dress for this day – long-sleeved, button-down shirts and dress slacks, or a knee-length skirt/dress and sweater (or the equivalent). Please also be sure to bring comfortable but work-appropriate shoes that are suited to a professional work environment for the day.
Where do participants stay while at FTE programs?
Participants stay in dormitories on the campus of their program site. Dorm rooms are most often a traditional set-up – two participants of the same gender per room, with a communal bathroom down the hall. If the site you have chosen has a different set-up (i.e. suite style), you will be notified in the orientation materials provided approximately four weeks before the start of the program. Students may be placed in a single room without notification due to gender split of program participants and/or dorm availability on campus. Roommates are randomly assigned based on gender and are not shared in advance of the program.
What is included in the dorm rooms?
Dorm rooms include a bed, closet, desk, and chair. Linens are provided for the week and include a set of sheets, blanket, pillow, and pillowcase, as well as a bath towel and hand towel. We encourage participants to bring a sweatshirt or sweater as air-conditioned dorms can become cool at night (and dorm rooms sometimes do not have individual thermostats). You are welcome to bring extra towels or blankets if you wish.
Additional items such as fans and refrigerators are not included in the dorm rooms. If you have a medical reason for such an item, please contact us at admissions@fte.org to inform us of the situation as early as possible and see what accommodations might be made.
What if I have special dietary restrictions?
Please indicate this information when filling out your enrollment forms. We will work with the program site to make sure that any dietary needs, including food allergies, will be accommodated.
When will I receive more information about my program?
Orientation materials will be provided via email approximately four weeks before your program start date.
What will be expected from students attending FTE programs?
Students are expected to fully participate in all program sessions during the week. Those who miss sessions or choose not to participate may be sent home early. In addition, we ask students and parents to sign a Code of Conduct that acknowledges their responsibility to behave appropriately, respectfully, and honestly with FTE and program staff during the application process and the program itself.