Summer@ IMSA FAQs
Registration-related Questions
A. Summer@IMSA programs are first-come, first-served and programs fill quickly, so register as soon as you select the best program for your student. A. You may opt for an alternate program or elect to join the waiting list for your preferred program. If space becomes available, you will be contacted and required to pay the registration fee within approximately 2 days of receiving the email. After such time, the seat will be offered to the next person on the waitlist. A. No—our programs are great opportunities to learn and have fun with other students of similar ages. A. A limited number of financial need-based scholarships are available for all of our programs. After you finalize the initial application form, you will receive an email instructing you to log into your Active.com account to submit the required supplemental form(s) listed below. Scholarship applications are reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis so it’s in your best interest to finalize your application by submitting the required supplemental form(s) as soon as possible, and no later than the communicated deadline. Waiting until the final day to submit your supplemental application materials may result in no scholarships being available. Incomplete scholarship applications WILL NOT BE REVIEWED. Final day to submit your supplemental scholarship application materials: Student Essay All scholarship applicants are required to submit a short essay. We recommend drafting and editing your essay in a separate document, then copying and pasting it into the form in your Active.com account. Parents/guardians may type the student's essay if needed. Please refer to page 19 of the IMSA Student Handbook for guidance on use of generative Artificial Intelligence programs (i.e. ChatGPT) in student work. Student Essay Question - Aurora Day Programs Student Essay Questions - MetroEast Day Programs: Evidence of Eligibility based on Financial Need We require that applicants submit evidence of eligibility based on financial need by submitting a JPEG or PDF of one of the following to accompany their application: If you do not have one of these forms in your possession or have difficulty getting it from your school or IDHS, you may submit a screenshot showing eligibility. Please contact us at studentenrichment@imsa.edu if you have difficulty with this requirement. Metro East Region - Family Military Affiliation Scholarships For select Summer @ IMSA day programs for grades 1-8 in the Metro East region, dependents of all armed services members and DoD civilians are eligible for a Family Military Affiliation scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and a waitlist will be created after those spots are filled. Use the “Apply for a Scholarship” link for the program to which you would like to apply, then indicate how your student qualifies for the scholarship within the initial application form. We require that all Family Military Affiliation Scholarship recipients attend and participate for the full length of each program day, as the program is funded through the Air Force K-12 STEM Program. Please do not register your child unless you can make this commitment. Because scholarship availability is limited, if you realize later that your student is not able to attend every day of the program, please email studentenrichment@imsa.edu as soon as possible so we can offer the scholarship opportunity to another qualifying student. Please note: Applying and qualifying for a scholarship does not automatically guarantee an award, as funding is limited and typically given on a first-come, first-served basis. You may either pay for program registration OR apply for a scholarship and await award notification. Your scholarship application will not be considered if you also complete a paid registration. Once the scholarship review process is complete, we’ll reach out via email to let you know the decision. If you receive a scholarship, you’ll need to confirm your acceptance by emailing us before the deadline stated in your offer email. Please be sure to check your spam or junk folder for emails from "@imsa.edu" so you don’t miss any important updates! For those selected to receive a financial need-based scholarship, there will be a $30 attendance confirmation fee. (If you’re awarded a military-affiliated scholarship through Department of Defense funding, this fee does not apply.) No refund requests whatsoever will be granted less than 2 weeks prior to camp start day. No refunds will be made to a camper/student who, for disciplinary reasons, is asked to leave Summer@IMSA. We do not issue credits for any days students may miss. Cancellation/refund requests due to major illness, accident or death in the immediate family prior to the camp session start will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will need to be accompanied by written documentation. A. For select programs, there may be more than one pod (classroom) for each program. IMSA will do its best to honor one mutual friend request to pair two students in the same program pod. Please note only one mutual friend request to be placed in the same class— the first one we receive–will be honored. No exceptions. Due to the small class size, we will not honor requests to put groups of 3 or more students together. Participants must request each other for the request to be fulfilled. Requested parties must be registered for the same program (i.e., a participant in the 3-4 program cannot be grouped with a participant in the 5-6 program). The form must be completed again for each additional program. The form is due two weeks before the program starts. We cannot accommodate requests made after this date. Please note we reserve the right to separate friends if their pairing results in disruptive behavior. This form can be filled out online by logging in to your ACTIVE.com account and clicking on My Programs after completing registration. This information will also be communicated in the confirmation email you will receive soon after registering.
Q. When is the application deadline for these programs?
Q. I tried to register online, but my preferred program is full. What are my options?
Q. My student is accelerated or gifted. Can they attend a program for a grade level beyond the one they are entering?
Q. I'm interested in a financial scholarship for my student. How do I apply?
Q. What is the refund policy?
A. Please choose your programs carefully. The refund policies are as follows:
Q. My student has a friend or relative registered in the program. Can you arrange for them to be in the same section?
Health and Other Questions
A. Tell us your concerns in the Health Information section of the registration form. We cannot allow students with acute contagious conditions to attend our programs, but students with conditions such as asthma or ADHD can attend and enjoy our programs. Students with Epi-pens and inhalers are required to carry their own medication. Our nurse is on duty at the IMSA campus in Aurora. Other personnel are trained in first aid. A. We do not administer prescription medications during day programs and will only provide children with over-the-counter medications (i.e. ibuprofen) if you permit the nurse to do so. If your child has a prescription that they need during the day, they must carry it and administer it themselves. Requests for accommodations will be considered. If your child requires a narcotic prescription during the day, a parent/guardian will need to come to campus to administer this unless advance, specific arrangements are made directly with the IMSA health office. For residential programs, campers will turn in their prescription medications to the Residential Counselor (RC) upon arrival on campus. The nurse and RC will coordinate prescription medication dispensing. .
Q. What should I do if my student has health issues or concerns?
Q. How should I handle medication?
Day-to-Day Procedures
A.For Aurora day programs, students may bring a refillable water bottle. Campers change classrooms frequently, so we recommend a backpack if needed because losing or leaving things behind is easy. Materials and equipment for all camp activities are provided. For the Aurora-based Avantor Integrated Science residential program, here is a suggested packing list. All meals, materials, and equipment will be provided. For Metro East programs, students may bring a refillable water bottle. Materials and equipment for all camp activities are provided. A. Our device policy is similar to many schools—they are not allowed during the program day (except at lunch for Avantor residential program students). Teachers may confiscate phones if they are being used inappropriately. A. You will receive a more detailed email with additional information approximately one week before the start of the program. For day programs, be prepared to check in with program personnel and meet your students’ group leader on the first morning. For residential programs, students arrive after dinner on Sunday. There will be a short meeting for families to review the program expectations and meet program staff, and then campers will move into the residence hall. No - identical camp sessions will run in the morning and afternoon for all 5th/6th and 7th/8th grade camps. Children interested in these camps may only register for either the AM session (8:30-11:30am) or PM session (12:30-3:30pm). This applies to Aurora-based programs only as program times vary across program locations. A. We do not provide extended care. Please be timely and prompt with drop-off and pick-up for the best and safest experience for every participant. IMSA programs conclude daily with a parent pickup window of 15 minutes past the communicated program end time. Any parent/guardian picking up a child late will be assessed a fee of $15 per child for any pickup 15 minutes late and $5 per 5-minute period after that (i.e., 15-19 min. late = $15, 20-24 min. late = $20, 25-29 min. late =$25, etc.). Late fees are due on the child’s next day of camp. A. We cannot give out personal information about other participants. In the past, parents have introduced themselves to others to connect and form carpools. A. Please authorize the other driver on the Emergency Contact and Health form during online registration. It’s also helpful to speak to your child's group leader so they are aware that a different person may be picking up your child.
Q. What items should my student bring to the program each day?
Q. What is your policy on devices?
Q. What should I expect on the first day of the program?
Q. Can I sign my student up for the AM and PM session of camp? (for Aurora day programs)
Q. Is extended care available before or after hours?
Q. I’d like to carpool with someone; can I have information on other participants in my area?
Q. My student is going to be picked up by someone else, how do I authorize that?
