Frequently Asked Questions

The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains program is designed for and open to students in grades 9-12 across the world, as well as motivated rising 9th grade students. For more information about how to apply, visit our Applications Process page here.

Trip cancellation insurance (including a Cancel For Any Reason benefit) is available at an additional cost and is strongly recommended. Each year, a small number of students must withdraw from their program for medical or related reasons, and families who purchase trip insurance are thankful to receive a tuition refund when their cancellation was due to a covered reason. We have worked with TII/United States Fire Insurance Company/Crum & Forster to design a plan specifically for Putney Student Travel. This plan is available for U.S. residents only. You will be able to purchase the Travel Protection Plan when you pay your invoice in your digital locker. International students are welcome to pursue their own travel insurance.

Upon successfully completing the Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains program, students will receive a certificate of participation from the Columbia Climate School, signed by the Climate School Dean. Please note that this is a non-credit Pre-College program.

The Green Mountains program cost does not include the $200 Application Fee, international or domestic transportation to and from the program destination, baggage fees, visa and entry/exit fees, laundry, communication home, health care, gifts, snacks, or other personal expenses.

We recommend that you consult the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your healthcare provider to make the right decision for your family. Once a student has been accepted to the Green Mountains program, we will provide information on general wellness for students.

We strongly encourage, but do not require, all students, leaders, and experts to be up to date with their vaccinations against COVID-19 prior to their program, according to current recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additional information about vaccinations and boosters can be found on the CDC’s website. These policies are subject to change in response to the ever-changing environment.

The best way to stay healthy during your program is to start your summer well-rested and to pay attention to your eating, sleep, and hygiene habits. Program staff provide guidelines and reminders about the importance of hygiene and how to stay healthy during the program.

It is important to be open and tell your program staff if you are feeling unwell. For any situation that we feel requires professional medical attention, program staff take students to a nearby clinic or hospital. Health decisions are made as a team based on input from the student, family, leaders, and the Putney home office in Vermont. All students are required to carry their own medical insurance.

Our food providers are able to accommodate many medical and dietary needs. Please call Putney Student Travel at 802-387-5000 to discuss your specific situation before applying.

Our program staff and students keep a program blog where they post updates and photos of the group’s activities once or twice each week. We encourage you and your family to bookmark the blog and check back every few days for new posts.

For all essential health and safety communications during the summer, program staff will be in touch with Putney headquarters staff who will then be in direct communication with family at home. Our home office in Vermont can be reached 24 hours a day during the summer months. For absolutely essential communication, families can call our emergency line and we can reach leaders in the field.

Non-U.S. citizens need a passport valid for at least six (6) months and may require a U.S. visa for travel to the Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains program. For Non-U.S. citizens, please check your local visa requirements for entering the U.S., including requirements for countries passed through in transit. Students traveling to the U.S. for the sole purpose of attending this program do not require a student visa;, a tourist visa is sufficient. If you require a visa to attend the program, we recommend that you begin this process as early as possible to ensure enough time before the program start date.

Castleton’s rural, natural, and collegiate environment make this campus the ideal place to host a climate-focused summer experience. In addition to ample learning spaces, from classrooms to labs and studios, lecture halls and theaters, there are a wide range of campus facilities available for our exclusive use including a beautiful outdoor covered pavilion, sports fields, tennis courts, fantastic hiking and biking trails, and more. The location allows for ample access to Vermont’s small communities and larger towns or cities, providing opportunity for learning experiences beyond the classroom with potential site visits or meetings with local experts and state leaders, and extracurricular excursions to nearby lakes, galleries or museums, and more. 

We stay in dormitories at the heart of the Vermont State University campus. Rooms are spacious singles and doubles, with shared bathroom facilities on the floor. Dormitories are equipped with large social common areas, as well as laundry facilities and a small kitchenette. Staff reside on the dormitory floors with students.

Each day we take our meals in the campus dining hall, with the occasional lunch in town or picnic on a field trip. The campus kitchen and our program staff are able to accommodate many medical and dietary needs. Please call us at 802-387-5000 to discuss your specific situation.

Days are filled with movement—walking around campus with your fellow students and staff, participating in a hands-on activity, or enjoying an afternoon swim or hike.

Program content will be delivered in a variety of formats and modalities throughout the program to maximize every student’s learning potential. A variety of off-campus experiences will be offered throughout the program to help students solidify their classroom-based learning experiences with real world examples of climate impacts and climate action. In addition, students will experience all that Vermont has to offer beyond the scope of climate by exploring the local area, networking and interacting with community members, and immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the Green Mountains.