Summer Apprenticeships Tuition, Deadlines, Cost Rationale & Refund Policy

Summer Residential Environmental Education Apprenticehips:
• Tuition & Application Deadlines
• Cost Rationale & Credit Information
• Refund Deadlines
Or click here for Semester Conservation Apprenticehips

In 2012, all of our Summertime Residential Apprenticeships run June 12th - August 18th, 2012, with optional stay until September 15th. Program Capacity can vary between 2-6 students, depending on the number of qualified candidates applying for each apprenticeship, including the Outdoor Leadership & Nature Guides Training, Herbal Medicine & Ethnobotany Teachers Training, Wildlife Conservation & Tracking Instructors Training, and the Traditional Technology & Survival Instructors Training. The Youth Mentoring CIT Program for ages 13-17 has a different tuition schedule. Please call or email us for more information, or reserve your spot by applying right away.

Non-Credit Tuition for any of our Summer Residential Apprenticeships is $3,800 if you register by April 30, or $3,950 if you register by June 5. Discounts are available for previous training experience elsewhere or through any of our Semester Conservation Apprenticeships, as well as for work-trade done in advance, for registering additional family members, and referring friends, with your financial contribution bottoming out at a minimum of $2,500. Also note that if you successfully complete any of our Summer Residential Apprenticeships, you can attend any of our Semester Conservation Apprenticeships for just $1,500 part-time or $2,500 full-time. Your summer tuition includes participation in all programs at the Wolf College throughout the length of your training period, including instruction, camping, facilities, and food. Beyond that, you need not incur any other expense during the summer except for health insurance, which we can help you secure at a very inexpensive rate. A $500 deposit (fully refundable only if your application is not accepted - otherwise it can only be used as credit toward future programs) is required to hold your spot.

Credit: Most of our students do not wish to attain credit for their participation, but if you would like to apply for credit through an accredited college, we will facilitate that at no extra charge, although the college you choose will charge a fee per credit. We are also going through a multi-year accreditation process ourselves and hope to offer credit directly in the future. Please email us for more information.

The tuition rationale for our 2012 Summer Residential Apprenticeships is based on the following costs:

$500 administrative fee for processing applications, advance preparation work with each apprentice, summer support, and graduation follow-up. This fee may be reduced if you have previous participation in our apprenticeships.
$400-$575 for Week 1: Earth Skills Teachers Training depending on when you register and whether you have previous leadership training on specific subjects covered this week. Normal cost for non-apprentices (those not helping to prep/pack/cook/clean/etc as you will be) is $595-$695 depending on when they register.
$0 for Week 2: Day Camps. Your room, board and training is covered by your work trade assisting instructors this week.
$400-$575 for Week 3: Backpacking Into Wolf Country, depending on when you register and whether you have previous leadership training on specific subjects covered this week. Normal cost for non-apprentices (those not helping to prep/pack/cook/clean/etc as you will be) is $595-$695 depending on when they register.
$400-$575 for Week 4: Animal & Plant Adventure Camps depending on when you register and whether you have previous leadership training on specific subjects covered this week. Normal cost for non-apprentices (those not helping to prep/pack/cook/clean/etc as you will be) is $595-$695 depending on when they register.
$0 for Week 5: Day Camps. Your room, board and training is covered by your work trade assisting instructors this week.
$400-$575 for Week 6: Survival & Herbology Camps depending on when you register and whether you have previous leadership training on specific subjects covered this week. Normal cost for non-apprentices (those not helping to prep/pack/cook/clean/etc as you will be) is $595-$695 depending on when they register.
$400-$575 for Week 7: Scout and Ethnobotany Camps depending on when you register and whether you have previous leadership training on specific subjects covered this week. Normal cost for non-apprentices (those not helping to prep/pack/cook/clean/etc as you will be) is $595-$695 depending on when they register.
$0 for Week 8: Day Camps. Your room, board and training is covered by your work trade assisting instructors this week.
$400-$575 for Week 9: Arts & Artisan Camps depending on when you register and whether you have previous leadership training on specific subjects covered this week. Normal cost for non-apprentices (those not helping to prep/pack/cook/clean/etc as you will be) is $595-$695 depending on when they register.

$0 for Week 10: Fishing & Farming Camps. Your room, board and training is covered by your work trade assisting instructors this week.
$0 for Week 11: Day Camps. Your room, board and training is covered by your work trade assisting instructors this week.
$0 for Week 12: Hunting & Harvesting Camps. Your room, board and training is covered by your work trade assisting instructors this week.
$0 for Week 13: North Cascades Spirit Trek. Your participation is covered by your work trade assisting camps over the course of the summer. Activities like these rarely involve monetary exchange due to their spiritual nature.

Your total will not exceed $3,950. Discounts are available for registering early, for documented training experience elsewhere or through any of our Semester Conservation Apprenticeships, as well as for work-trade done in advance, for registering additional family members, and referring friends, with your financial contribution bottoming out at a minimum of $2,500. Please call or email Chris Chisholm for an exact price quote.

Payment & Refund Deadlines for Summer Residential Apprenticeships:

Upon Application: Your $500 deposit is fully refundable if your application is not accepted. Otherwise, it is not refundable.
Upon Acceptance: To resrve space in your program, an additional payment of $500 is due 2 weeks after you receive your written (emailed) confirmation of acceptance. 75% of this may be refunded if you deliver written withdrawl from the program by June 5th.
June 19, 2012: Another payment of $1,000 is due. 25% of this amount may be refunded if you submit written withdrawl from the program by the end of Week 1 - Earth Skills Educational Training.
July 1, 2012: Your balance is due. 50% of the payments you made for remaining course weeks (which will be itemized in your initial price quote and apprenticeship contract) may be refunded if you submit written withdrawl from the any of those courses at least 7 days prior to their start dates.

Semester Apprenticeships - Tuition, Cost Rationale & Refund Policy

Fall Semester starts September 15, 2012 and runs through January 31, 2013 with optional open house introductory dinner on September 8th. Spring Semester of 2013 runs February 1 - to June 15th. Capacity will range from 2-10 students depending on the program, with a maximum of 20 apprentices combined. Credit: Most of our students do not wish to attain credit for their participation, but if you would like to apply for credit through an accredited college, we will facilitate that at no extra charge, although the college you choose will charge a fee per credit. We are also going through a multi-year accreditation process ourselves and hope to offer credit directly in the future. Please call or email us for more information, or reserve your spot by applying right away.

2012 Fall Semester Tuition for the Part-Time Ethno-Botany & Herbal Conservation Apprenticeship is $1,775 if you register by April 30, or $1,850 if you register by June 5, or $1,925 if you register by September 5, or $2,000 thereafter if space remains available. Additional Fees: Part-time apprentices normally spend approximately $100 for recommended books, between $100-$500 depending on home location for travel expenses to classes and workshops during the semester, and between $500-$100 for travel and lodging during your choice of one holiday training camp. You may receive discounts for previous experience, registering additional family members, and referring friends, with tuition bottoming out at a minimum of $1,500 including those who have completed one of our Summer Residential Apprenticeships. 2013 Spring Semester Part-Time Tuition Rates are $1,850 if you register by April 30, or $1,875 if you register by June 5, or $1,900 if you register by June 5, or $1,925 if you register by September 5, or $1,950 if you register by November 5, or $1,975 if you register by December 20, and $2,000 thereafter if space remains available.

2012 Fall Semester Tuition for the Part-Time Ethno-Zoology & Wildlife Conservation Apprenticeship is $1,775 if you register by April 30, or $1,850 if you register by June 5, or $1,925 if you register by September 5, or $2,000 thereafter if space remains available. Additional Fees: Part-time apprentices normally spend approximately $100 for recommended books, between $100-$500 depending on home location for travel expenses to classes and workshops during the semester, and between $500-$100 for travel and lodging during your choice of one holiday training camp. You may receive discounts for previous experience, registering additional family members, and referring friends, with tuition bottoming out at a minimum of $1,500 including those who have completed one of our Summer Residential Apprenticeships. 2013 Spring Semester Part-Time Tuition Rates are $1,850 if you register by April 30, or $1,875 if you register by June 5, or $1,900 if you register by June 5, or $1,925 if you register by September 5, or $1,950 if you register by November 5, or $1,975 if you register by December 20, and $2,000 thereafter if space remains available.

2012 Fall Semester Tuition for the Full-Time Ethno-Ecology & Habitat Conservation Apprenticeship is $2,775 if you register by April 30, or $2,850 if you register by June 5, or $2,925 if you register by September 5, or $3,000 thereafter if space remains available. Additional Fees: Full-time apprentices normally spend approximately $150 for recommended books, between $100-$500 depending on home location for travel expenses to classes and workshops during the semester, and between $1,000-$2,000 for travel and lodging during your two holiday training camps. You may receive discounts for previous experience, registering additional family members, and referring friends, with tuition bottoming out at a minimum of $2,000 including those who have completed one of our Summer Residential Apprenticeships. 2013 Spring Semester Full-Time Tuition Rates are $2,850 if you register by April 30, or $2,875 if you register by June 5, or $2,900 if you register by June 5, or $2,925 if you register by September 5, or $2,950 if you register by November 5, or $2,975 if you register by December 20, and $3,000 thereafter if space remains available.

Fall Semester Tuition for the Full-Time Residential Outdoor Living & Wilderness Conservation Apprenticeship is $1,000 and has a prerequisite of successful completion of a previous apprenticeship with us, with preference given to those in our Summertime Residential Apprenticeships.

Fall Semester Tuition for the Full-Time Residential Traditional Living & Cultural Conservation Apprenticeship is $500 and has a prerequisite of graduation from our semester of Outdoor Living & Wilderness Conservation.

The tuition rationale for our 2012-13 Acacemic Year Apprenticeship semesters is based on the following costs:

$200 administrative fee for processing applications, advance preparation work with each apprentice, and graduation follow-up.
$35 fee for each Saturday Earth Skills Workshop. There are 4-5 Saturday Workshops available during the semester for you to choose from. Normal cost per Saturday Workshop for non-apprentices is $45. Ethno-Ecology apprentice tuition includes 4 of these workshops, while Ethno-Botany and Ethno-Zoology apprentice tuition includes 2 of these workshops, with optional attendance at just $25 for additional choices. Ethno-Ecology apprentice tuition includes 4 of these workshops. Traditional Technology apprentices may attend any/all of the Saturday Workshops.
$15 fee for each Sunday Afternoon Permaculture Workshop. There are usually 4 of these Sustainable Home & Garden Workshops per semester. Ethno-Botany & Ethno-Ecology apprentices will participate in these workshops. Ethno-Zoology and Traditional Technology apprentices may attend any of these workshops at the normal cost of $25 the first time you attend, $20 the second time, $15 the third, $10 the fourth, and $5 per additional time you attend.
$15 fee for each Wolf Trackers Training. There are usually 4 trainings within a 2 hour drive per semester. Ethno-Zoology & Ethno-Ecology apprentices will participate in these workshops. Ethno-Zoology and Traditional Technology apprentices may attend any of these workshops at the normal cost of $25 the first time you attend, $20 the second time, $15 the third, $10 the fourth, and $5 per additional time you attend.
$10 for per Wolf Journey Class nearest you. There are 4 months of Wolf Journey Classes per semester. Normal cost per Wolf Journey Class for non-apprentices is $15. Apprentices may also attend other Wolf Journey Classes taking place earlier in the day and outside their home area at no additional cost if space is available.
$10 fee per chapter lesson for written feedback to your Wolf Journey Earth Conservation Course work. Part-Time Apprentices will be expected to do 20 field exercises per semester which is approximately one per week, totaling approximately $200 including intro chapter. Full-Time Apprentices will be expected to do 50 field exercises per semester which is approximately three per week, totaling approximately $500 including intro chapter.
$25 fee per Wolf Journey Study Days in Puyallup. There are 4 Study Days per semester. Normal cost per Study Day for non-apprentices is $45.
$375 fee for Apprentice Field Trips around Washington charged at $75 each. There are 5 Study Days per semester. There are also 2 complimentary apprenticeship open houses taking place during graduation celebrations for apprentices from the prior semester or summer.
$75 fee for one Mentoring Meeting lasting approximately 2 hours at your study site (if near and during one of our Wolf Journey class routes, otherwise an additional mileage fee applies). Outdoor Living Apprentices will receive a 2 hour site visit (one hour with group, one hour individual) four times per month and be charged $50 per visit, or 4 x 4 months = 16 visits x $50 each = $800.
Complimentary Tuition for one (part-time apprentices) or two (full-time apprentices) Holiday Training Camps taking place anytime during the academic year, although there would be extra lodging expenses, especially for Thanksgiving Break. Travel expenses to course sites are also your own responsibility, although you may carpool with us for an additional fee, as listed on each training camp page. If you cannot attend a scheduled training camp taking place during your semester of study (or if one is canceled due to weather, etc.) then you may substitute training camp within one year following your cancelation.

Payment & Refund Deadlines for Semester Apprenticeships:

Upon Application: Your $250 deposit is fully refundable if your application is not accepted. Otherwise, it is not refundable.
Upon Acceptance: To confirm your space in the program, an additional payment of $250 is due 2 weeks after you receive your written (emailed) confirmation of acceptance. 50% of this may be refunded if you deliver written withdrawl from the program at least one week prior to your semester start date.
Upon Semester Start Date: Your balance is due. 75% of this amount may be refunded if you submit written withdrawl from the program within one week of your first Apprentice Field Trip of the semester. 50% of this amount may be refunded if you submit written withdrawl from the program within one week of your second Apprentice Field Trip of the semester. 25% of this amount may be refunded if you submit written withdrawl from the program within one week of your third Apprentice Field Trip of the semester. In addition, if you cannot attend a scheduled training camp due to early program withdrawl, then 75% of that portion of your tuition may also be refunded. If you cannot attend a scheduled training camp due to illness, flight cancelation or other emergency, then you may substitute another training camp within one year following your cancelation.

Employment: We only need instructors with experience running camps and teaching in the field of Earth Skills Education, including skills of the Neighborhood Naturalist, Traditional Herbalist, Wildlife Tracker, Survival Scout, Ancient Artisan, Honorable Hunter, Permaculture Pioneer and Environmental Educator. Apply to become an instructor through one of our Earth Skills Teaching Apprenticeships.