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How to Apply

Our downloadable application is available at the bottom of this page. If you are under 18 years of age, EPI requires your parent's or guardian's written consent to your application. Please carefully review the following information, download and complete the application, and then mail the application with your parent's or guardian's signature and enrollment deposit to the EPI Admission Office.

Application Guidelines

Apply early! Most EPI courses are enrolled to capacity several months in advance of the start date. Fill out and return the application with your enrollment deposit. This deposit is applied towards the full program cost. After reviewing your application, we will enroll you on the course of your choice, if there is space available. In the event the trips you have applied for are full, this deposit will be returned to you; otherwise it is non-refundable.

Enrollment Process

An enrollment packet containing a course description, equipment list, travel information and other materials to help you prepare for your course will be sent to you once your application has been accepted. You must return the following information from the enrollment packet:

• Medical form : must be signed by a physician
• Medical insurance coverage during course dates is required. One company offering temporary medical insurance is TravelGuard
• Acknowledgment of risks forms
• A photocopy of the minor international travel letter : must be signed by parents and notarized; this is a document for customs that permits an unaccompanied minor to travel outside the U.S.

All forms and a non-refundable tuition deposit are due 21 days after you receive the enrollment packet. One hundred days prior to the course start date the final tuition amount will be determined (varies based on group size). The remaining tuition is due 70 days prior to the course start. Payment and forms must be postmarked or received by this final due date. A $20 late fee will be added to your account each week for forms or payments received after this date. For your convenience, if you choose to pay by credit card, EPI will automatically charge your credit account provided on the appropriate due dates.

Student Behavior and Discipline

EPI will expel any student who exhibits behavior that is unsafe or disrupts or distracts from the educational mission of their course. Harassment, use of drugs and alcohol, theft or misuse of property, low motivation and disregarding instructions are examples of behavior that will lead to expulsion. If a student is expelled there will be no refund.

Equal Opportunity

EPI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability in the administration of its admission or employment policies. If EPI reasonably determines that a disability could lead to an inappropriate level of danger to the student or others, based upon a particular activity, then that person may be ineligible for that particular course or assignment but would not be excluded from other opportunities offered by EPI.

EPI Cancellation Policies

If a participant cancels or leaves a course for any reason: 
• More than 70 days prior to the course starting date, EPI will retain the enrollment and tuition deposits. 
• Between 70 and 30 days prior to the course starting date, EPI will retain enrollment and tuition deposits, and 50 percent of the course tuition. 
• Less than 30 days prior to the course starting date or once the course has begun, there will be no refunds.

Because of the financial consequences of cancellations, we strongly suggest that you purchase travel insurance, which will reimburse you for cancellation under certain circumstances (medical reasons, family emergency, etc.). One company offering such coverage is TravelGuard.

Although we rarely need to do so, we reserve the right to cancel a course or change a course's duration, tuition, or location. EPI is not responsible for costs associated in these cases. Travel insurance generally covers these costs as well.

Download an Application

You can view and print our downloadable applications with version 3.0 or higher of the free Adobe Acrobat® software which is available here.

Click here to download the EPI Course Application for:

U.S. & International student courses. (PDF)

In-country student courses. (PDF)

Supporter courses: Costa Rica (PDF), Galápagos (PDF), or México (PDF).

Educator courses. (PDF)