Continuing Your Interlochen Journey

Come to hear about life at Interlochen Arts Academy and learn how to apply. 

• • • Application nights
      • Come to the air-conditioned Admission Office, have some snacks, and work on your application with help from the experts. Laptop computers will be available.
    • Parent and Family Open houses
      • Invite your family to campus to learn more about the transition from Camp to Academy. You'll meet with students, faculty, and admission representatives and learn all the details of applying and enrolling.
    • Cabin talks
      • Admission representatives visit the high school and intermediate divisions periodically to provide information and answer questions about Interlochen Arts Academy for interested students. Check in with your cabin counselor to see when Admission is coming to you. 

Life at Interlochen Arts Academy is a little different than life at Camp. Here’s an example of a typical schedule for an Arts Academy student.

• • 7:30 a.m. - Wake up, shower, and eat breakfast at Stone Cafeteria
  • 8:30 a.m. - Classes begin
  • 11:30 a.m. - Lunch in Stone Cafeteria
  • 1:00 p.m. - Classes resume
  • 5 - 6 p.m. - Classes end. Spend the evening practicing, working on homework, hanging out with your friends, or participating in residence life programming.
  • 9 p.m. - Sign-in at your residence hall
  • 11:00 p.m. - Lights out

Arts Academy

• The Arts Academy application is separate from the Arts Camp application and will need to be completed for consideration to attend Interlochen Arts Academy.
  • Step 1: Log in to the Education Community using the same login and password you used for your Camp application.
  • Step 2: Click “APPLY NOW” on the left hand side of your screen to add an Academy application to your account.
  • Step 3: Complete your application. Students can fill out their portion of the application during weekly Application Nights at the Office of Admission and Financial Aid.

• Throughout the summer there will be ample opportunity for students to audition for their chosen program or submit additional portfolio materials.

• To be considered for need or merit-based financial assistance families must complete the FAST application. 

• Despite the quick turn-around, each summer dozens of Camp students choose to come to Interlochen Arts Academy in the fall. Typically, applicants receive an admission decision within a week of completing their application.

No, take the plunge and be brave. While Interlochen Arts Academy accepts students of every grade level, one-year senior spots are limited. Make sure to ask the Office of Admission & Financial Aid if your program is accepting one-year senior applications. The more time you spend at Interlochen, the more prepared you'll be—artistically, academically, and personally—for both college and your future career. Beginning the Interlochen journey as a freshman or sophomore allows you to develop deeper relationships, spend more time focused on your art, and learn how to think critically and creatively.

Arts Academy students live in one of our seven residence halls and share a room with one roommate. Depending on the residence hall, students will have a private bathroom or share a bathroom with two other suitemates. Cabins are not utilized during the winter.

Northern Michigan winters are brisk. The region receives about 120 inches of snow per year. Students should bring warm coats, long pants, hats and gloves, scarves, and winter boots to Interlochen Arts Academy. 

Students living in nearby states can drive to Interlochen Arts Academy with their families. Students from farther states or other countries can fly into Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport. Interlochen provides transportation to and from the airport.

Unlike Camp, Arts Academy students are allowed to have their phones both during the day and at night (The internet does turn off in the residence hall at lights out.). All students are required to have an Apple laptop computer.

Yes. Interlochen Arts Academy is an accredited high school, and students will receive a diploma upon graduation. Our curriculum is reviewed by ISACS and NAIS. 

No. Interlochen Arts Academy students do not wear uniforms. Depending on their major, students may be required to purchase approved performance attire.

Interlochen Arts Academy offers comprehensive college-preparatory academic courses in math, science, history, English, literature, Spanish, French, and more. Admitted students will be contacted by their academic and college counselor to set their schedule.

Academics

Each year, more than 96% of graduates are accepted to at least one of their top-three college or university programs. Students are regularly accepted to Ivy League schools, top conservatory programs, and other prestigious institutions. For more information on student outcomes, visit our College Matriculation Page.

College Matriculation

The Arts Academy faculty are exceptional artists and educators with real-world experience in their chosen field. Faculty have held seats in major orchestras, danced with professional companies, exhibited their work in prestigious galleries, acted on stage and screen, worked for film and television studios, and published novels, poems, and short stories. Some faculty members also teach at Interlochen Arts Camp.

Interlochen Arts Academy is different than traditional public and private schools in several ways. First, the arts are treated as a fundamental component of the student’s day, not as electives. Each student spends four hours per day immersed in their chosen artform under the guidance of world-class educators. Second, all teachers—including academic instructors—understand that they are working with young artists, incorporating the arts into their teaching and helping students balance their schedules. Students also receive arts-focused guidance on applying and auditioning for college and conservatory programs from their academic and college counselor.

Boarding schools provide a variety of unique opportunities and experiences that traditional public and non-residential private schools cannot: 

• Dormitory living provides a safe introduction to critical life skills and helps students develop independence. 
• Living closely with other students fosters a deep sense of community and helps students learn how to handle themselves in a variety of social situations. 
• Boarding schools attract students from across the nation and around the world, exposing students to diverse ideas and perspectives that are not generally available at public schools. 
• Other boarding school advantages include small class sizes, strong, dearly held traditions, and large, engaged alumni communities.

Enrollment decisions are often accelerated in the summer and may be available as soon as one week after all application materials are received. Enrollment decisions are sent via email and the Education Community; the Office of Admission & Financial Aid will not send a physical letter by mail. Depending on when the financial aid application was completed, financial aid awards may come with the enrollment decision, or may arrive later.