Scholarships
We are committed to providing access to outdoor recreation, education, and conservation opportunities for all members and youth in the communities we serve. Thanks to our generous donors, we have scholarships available for all of our courses, programs, and memberships.
Eligibility Guidelines
These eligibility guidelines are in place so that we can serve as many people as possible with the funds we receive from our generous donors.
- Eligibility - Our scholarships are granted on a needs basis, and all are welcome to apply. We take into consideration a variety of factors, including income, student status, and family circumstances.
- 30% to 70% - The Mountaineers typically awards scholarships of 30-70% of the program cost, based on need. In certain cases, we may be able to provide more than 70%, but this is rare. In order for us to serve as many people as possible, we ask applicants to ask for only what they need in order to participate.
- Maximum 3 per year/person - In order to serve as many people as possible, we award scholarships for individuals to participate in a maximum of three courses or programs per fiscal year (October - September).
- Compressed, Hybrid, and Advanced/Specialty Courses & Trips - Our advanced training and specialty courses are eligible for a maximum of 25% scholarship. This allows us to help skilled outdoor enthusiasts continue to grow, and at the same time allows us to focus the majority of donor scholarship funds on those applicants seeking training without which they would not be able to pursue a particular outdoor activity.
- Apply at least two weeks before you wish to register for the course. We will not be able to refund the difference if you receive a scholarship after paying for the course in full.
- First come, first served - While we do our best to provide scholarships throughout the year, in the event that we receive an unusually high number of requests, we may need to stop awarding scholarships until the October course season starts for the next fiscal year.
- Using your scholarships - scholarships can only be applied to programs for which you apply. For example you cannot use a scholarship granted for a membership to pay for a course.
Scholarships for Membership
We offer membership scholarships for individuals with special circumstances. Apply for a scholarship for any type of membership.
scholarships for courses
Our courses are priced to cover our costs, but we know that costs add up quickly, especially when students also need to purchase gear. Apply for a scholarship to participate in a Mountaineers course. Note: scholarships can not by applied to courses or activities for which you already registered.
For more information on gear, please read the course description on the course page and click the Required Equipment tab to see what additional costs may be associated with the course. If you have any questions on gear, contact the course leader listed on the right side of the course page.
The Liesl waldhausen basic alpine climbing scholarship
The Liesl Waldhausen Basic Alpine Climbing Scholarship provides one student per year with a 100% scholarship for any Basic Alpine Climbing course. The awardee will be chosen at random from the pool of qualified scholarship applicants. By opting in for consideration of this scholarship, the applicant agrees to partner with The Mountaineers development staff to meaningfully thank the donor of the Liesl Waldhausen Basic Alpine Climbing Scholarship within three months of completing the course.
Note: Even if you enroll in the random drawing for the Liesl Waldhausen Scholarship, your scholarship application will be processed as normal. If awarded a Mountaineers scholarship, you will receive a code to redeem that scholarship. Because branches vary in their course enrollment periods, you may need to enroll before December 15. Please use your code given to you. If you are the recipient of the 100% Liesl Waldhausen Scholarship, your payment will be refunded to you.
Applications are not open at this time.
group and organization scholarships
Apply for a scholarship for your group.
The map Scholarship fund
The Mountaineers Access Program (MAP) is a scholarship fund that subsidizes individuals or groups who otherwise would not be able to afford The Mountaineers programs.
MAP is made possible by generous contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, including the REI Foundation, Treeline Foundation, and Bradley Foundation. We count on these donations from our members and partners to fulfill this very important part of our mission.