Frequently Asked Questions
Below you’ll find answers to some common questions, but please feel free to contact us with any specific questions that aren’t answered here.
We welcome all students who have a strong desire to learn and who demonstrate an interest and aptitude in science as evidenced by their teacher recommendation. Due to the extensive work in the field and on board boats, however, students with severe emotional, physical, or learning issues will have difficulty with the program. Though many students with ADD, ADHD and other mild learning disabilities have done very well at AIO, we are not equipped to appropriately handle more severe issues. We are not staffed for one-on-one services for any student. Since we want to ensure a memorable experience, academically and personally for all students, we ask that you seriously consider what is best for your child before registering.
Students can be driven by a parent, take a bus into Bar Harbor or Bangor, or fly into the Bar Harbor or Bangor Airports. We will pick students up from the bus stop or airport for no additional charge so long as the students arrive/depart within our stated times. Arrival and departure days are those listed as the first and last days of each session.
AIO is located at 9 Lower Dunbar Road, Seal Harbor, ME 04675.
Students should plan to arrive between 12:00pm–4:00pm on the first Sunday of their session, and depart on the last Friday between 9:00am–2:00pm (airplane arrivals and departures should fall between these times, as well). Please don’t plan to arrive before noon on arrival Sunday as there are no staff on duty until 12:00pm. On departure Friday, most students who are not flying out will stay and leave with their parents after the family cookout offered from 11:30am–1:00pm. Any arrivals or departures outside of these times will incur an additional fee (see refund policy).
No, our sessions are broken into Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced sessions that correspond to where students are in school. The Introductory Session is for students entering 5th and 6th grades (10–12 years old), the Intermediate Session is for students entering 7th, 8th, or 9th grades (12–14 years old) and the Advanced Sessions are for students who are entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grades, or students who have just graduated high school (15–18 years old).
Yes!
We can accommodate many food allergies and special diets but please read the following carefully.
- Students will receive two home-cooked meals each day (breakfast and dinner). For lunch, students are given choices of many different items to make their own sandwiches and we bring fruit, cookies, crackers, juice, and water for a picnic lunch eaten near the end of the morning activity. At breakfast, we always offer a hot meal option, cereals, fruit, bagels/toast, milk, juice, and water.
- If you have checked any box on the registration indicating a food allergy or restriction, we will purchase food for the session accordingly. For this reason, it is assumed the child will follow the menu created for their allergy. For example, if you have checked “peanut-free” then we assume they will eat the peanut-free meal prepared for you. It is very difficult to make last-minute changes once food is ordered for the program so please let us know no fewer than four weeks before the start of your session. Changes made after that time may require you to bring special meals.
- Though we are able to accommodate food allergies and many food restrictions, you will need to discuss them with the Director before attendance. We are able to offer vegetarian alternatives at meals.We cannot, however, control the food that is sent to students in care packages or the food they purchase while away from the building. We have also found that peanut butter is a staple food for many people, especially vegetarians so it is offered as an option for lunch. Still, we can, and have, successfully included students every summer in our program with life-threatening allergies to nuts by strictly controlling where the peanut butter is used and by separating the allergic student’s lunch from others.
- If the participant is choosing to limit gluten in their diet, please plan to bring two loaves of their favorite gluten-free bread and two weeks of snacks (such as cookies and crackers) that can be used in their picnic lunches. Since meals are made fresh each day, there will only be one hot gluten free option available at breakfast and dinner. It is assumed that participants will make the best dietary choices for their health and choose to eat the gluten-free option offered. A gluten free cereal and fruit will be available at breakfast in case the hot meal isn’t gluten free.
- We are not a kosher facility.
- Due to the number of individual meals already required to accommodate allergies, we are unable to offer a strict vegan diet.
- “Picky eaters” are encouraged to try our food (which is quite good). We do not provide special meals for picky eaters, but, generally speaking, our meals are loved by all students and tend to be recognizable easy eating dishes such as spaghetti and garlic bread with an optional salad.
- 7am–8am: Students wake up for showers or morning lab
- 8am–9am: Breakfast
- 9am–1pm: Morning activity and lunch (usually academic: boat trips, tide pool, etc.)
- 1pm-2pm: Free time
- 2pm–5pm: Afternoon activity (recreational or academic)
- 5pm–6pm: Pre-meal seminar or free time
- 6pm–7pm: Dinner
- 7pm–8pm: Recreation (e.g. volleyball, basketball, arts and crafts, board games, etc.)
- 8pm–9pm: Evening lectures to prepare for the next morning activity
- 9pm–10pm: Free time, showers, prep for bed, lights out
Yes, but most students come on their own. We often discourage attending with a friend from home so that students have an easier time getting out of their comfort zone and an easier time making new friends. If you are attending with a friend, let us know if you want to be in the same dorm or group split by writing it on the application in the appropriate space. The dorms are separated by gender and the splits are created according to age so we’ll do our best to accommodate your request. But requests are not guaranteed. Once the dorm arrangements and splits have been organized, it’s impossible to change it without affecting several other students so please make your requests before the start of the session.
- The tuition includes room and board and transportation during the session. It does not include transportation to and from the program at the beginning and end of a session though we will pick up students, free of charge, from the Bangor airport, bus station or Bar Harbor airport. Students typically bring about $100–$120 for a two-week session or $75–$100 for a one-week session for spending money (laundry, ice cream, souvenirs, Bar Harbor shopping, or AIO merchandise).
- The only additional fees might include:
- Returned check: $40 per incident
- The cost of the college credits for the College Credit Advanced Sessions (if you registered for that program): this was $596 in 2025 but is likely to be slightly higher for 2026. This fee is paid directly to the University of Maine
- Any requested refunds given within the refund time frame will incur a cancellation fee commensurate with the fee on CampMinder.
No. Cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices have become a part of everyday life but they have also become a big distraction. For this reason, we have instituted a NO ELECTRONICS policy. If you have a cell phone with you when you arrive, we’ll keep it in a safe in our Program Director’s office until the end of the session. This includes: cell phones, ipods, Kindles and other digital readers, video game consoles, etc. Students are allowed to bring dedicated digital or film cameras to take pictures (although staff members will be taking lots of pictures that will be given to students and families at the end of the session). There are no exceptions to our no electronics policy.
Students are housed in our bunkhouse style dorms in our building. We have overnight dorm space for those presenting and identifying as female and dorm space for those presenting and identifying as male. We also have two shared bathrooms and shower facilities that accommodate students who present as either male or female. Unfortunately, our building (built in 1931) prevents us from adding non-binary residential dorms and bathroom facilities at the moment.
Each year, a few students choose to attend our program as non-residential participants and live offsite. For our non-residential participants, we can provide a space and bed to rest, change, and keep a limited amount of personal belongings on site. These students also receive and participate in the same meals, activities, and resources as our residential students. Therefore, AIO tuition is the same for residential and non-residential participants.
The Directors reserve the right to make initial and final dorm assignments. Participants are allowed to attend AIO as non-residents and will have access to the same resources and activities as residential participants. Students and families can make requests to be in the same dorm as a sibling or friend and we will try to accommodate those requests, however, we cannot guarantee placement.
There are only 22 slots available in each session for credit. Credit students will be required to get a teacher recommendation for AIO and a separate guidance counselor recommendation for UMaine.
Students attending the Advanced Session for credit will receive a link in the spring to create an account through UMaine and will receive a bill directly from the University. Beside participation in the existing AIO program, you will be expected to attend some additional labs, lectures, and be given an end-of-session lab practical exam and final exam
- Withdrawal or changes to registration must be made in writing (via mail or email) and be received by the date(s) below for AIO to honor the listed policy. Any requested refunds given within the refund time frame will incur a cancellation fee commensurate with the fee on CampMinder.
- Withdrawal before March 1st: full refund of money paid
- Withdrawal March 1st–April 30th: full refund minus the deposit ($400 for an Introductory Session, $600 for all other sessions).
- Withdrawal May 1st–31st: refund minus deposit only if the space can be filled by another student.
- Withdrawal starting June 1: No refunds
- Because of the brevity of the program, it is unlikely that UMaine will be able to provide a refund if a student wished to withdraw from the college credit program.
- Full tuition must be received by May 1st, or the student may be replaced by someone on the waitlist.
- Participants are expected to report to all scheduled activities on time, to abide by all rules of conduct explained upon arrival at AIO, and to behave in a manner to bring credit upon AIO, the island community, and themselves. This conduct includes but is not limited to:
- Following the rules given by the Director at the first night’s orientation.
- Treating staff and fellow students with proper respect including, but not limited to, not bullying, belittling, ostracizing, threatening, unwanted touching and stealing.
- Using appropriate language.
- Refraining from inappropriate romantic relationships with other students or staff.
- Not possessing tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol, or any illegal substances (including substances that contain THC).
- Courteous interactions when encountering members of the general public.
- Never leaving the AIO property without a staff member.
- Respecting the property of AIO and other students. You must replace property willfully destroyed or stolen.
- Infractions of the above guidelines could result in immediate dismissal without refund at the discretion of the Directors and any cost incurred for travel are the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Dismissal from the program requires parents to pick up their child or arrange for travel within 24 hours of the dismissal.
All families need to submit an up-to-date doctor’s physical from the current school year in order to attend AIO. You will be able to submit this through our registration system on CampMinder. You will also be required to fill out several forms pertaining to your child’s health history, current medications, and other information specific to our residential summer program.
AIO follows Maine’s Immunization Requirements for Schools, Child Care, and Camps. Students attending AIO are in close quarters with other students and staff members for the duration of their stay and, therefore, need to be as healthy as possible when attending for their session. We ask that all students have up-to-date immunizations or provide us with a signed exemption as outlined by the state of Maine.
Immunizations remain the single most effective way to protect against many diseases and some cancers. The immunization schedule is designed to provide immunity (protection) early in life before children are likely to be exposed to serious, potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious diseases.
Although the COVID-19 vaccination is not part of the Maine immunization schedule, we highly recommend students attending AIO take this vaccination as it is highly effective, safe, and helps prevent the spread of COVID-19.
AIO is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for all students. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination or harassment based on race, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or national origin. All students are expected to treat one another with kindness and dignity throughout the program.
Housing assignments are made based on a conversation with the student and their family to understand how the student is identifying and/or presenting, and where they would feel most comfortable within our existing male/female dormitory structure. Each dorm houses up to 18 students, and there is a separate Women’s and Men’s bathroom, each with two shower stalls. While our facility does not currently offer dedicated gender neutral dorms or bathrooms, we have welcomed many non-binary and transgender students.
We recognize that our setup may not be a perfect fit for everyone, and we do our best to make thoughtful and appropriate arrangements within the limitations of our 1931 schoolhouse building.