How to Apply to HMI Gap
Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 applications are now open! A complete application will include the following:
- A complete online Gap application. You will have the option to begin your application and return to it at any point until you are ready to submit. You will receive a confirmation email from the admissions office at HMI when your application is completed. Note: our online application platform is hosted on a secure, third-party site.
- An interview with one of the HMI Gap program administrators. The interview is intended to get to know you better and ensure that the program is consistent with your interests. You may schedule an interview by contacting gap@hminet.org or by phone (719) 486-8200 ext. 103
- Financial aid application if you intend to apply for need-based financial aid. Financial aid applications will be considered in January for Fall 2025 programs and March for Spring 2026 programs.
Once your application is complete, we will send you a decision letter of acceptance. A $1,500 deposit and signed enrollment agreement are due after receipt of your enrollment packet to reserve your space. The remaining tuition balance is due by July 15th for the fall and December 1st for the spring.
*We are no longer accepting applications Spring 2025 Gap Programs
HMI Gap students are looking to discover more about themselves and the world around them, while thinking critically to address real-world problems. Our outdoor curriculum is designed to go into great depth to develop your technical skills, judgment, and experience in a variety of settings. While no experience is necessary, you should have a strong interest in being in remote and field-based environments. We interact with many different organizations and individuals throughout our journey. We ask that students be prepared to be respectful, professional, and open to differing opinions and worldviews.
HMI Gap semesters are for high-school graduates and current college students, ages 17-21.
For current tuition and financial aid information, visit our Tuition and Affordability page.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply early, as space is limited.
You can view our admissions travel schedule on our Connect With Admissions page. We hope to meet virtually, at a Gap Fair, an admissions event, or for an informal conversation over coffee.
International students can participate in HMI Gap depending on visa availability and requirements. International student financial aid may be available on a case-by-case basis. Per our financial aid policy, international students are not eligible for free flights as part of their financial aid awards.
Meet the Admissions Team
Yanitsa Rodriguez
Yanitsa is from the vibrant city of Houston, TX, deep in the heart of the South. She graduated from Texas A&M University (whoop!), where she majored in Political Science & U.S. Government, with a focus on the critical issue of Latine Immigration, specifically asylum-seeking minors.
Post-graduation, Yanitsa embarked on a transformative path with Teach for America, finding herself in Birmingham, AL, inspiring young minds as a high school Spanish teacher. Her time in the classroom ignited a fierce dedication to educational equity—a cause she champions with unwavering passion.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Yanitsa finds solace and inspiration in sacred ancestral connections to the natural world by recognizing its profound impact on holistic healing and emotional well-being. Whether chasing mountain sunsets, experimenting in the kitchen, finding peace through meditation and yoga, or expressing herself through her singing and performing–Yanitsa embraces a magical life!
Yanitsa Habla Español
Yanitsa is from the vibrant city of Houston, TX, deep...
Yanitsa Rodriguez
Admissions Associate
Jill Gardiner
Jill returned to HMI in 2021 almost exactly ten years after her time as a Semester 26 student. While she’s bounced around from coast to coast (Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, California), she’s thrilled to have landed back in Colorado. After getting a degree in economics from Boston University, she worked at a tech nonprofit in the Bay Area before re-joining the HMI community. She firmly believes in greeting any body of water she meets (no matter how cold!), still hopes that her dog Arlo will become a trail-running buddy, and will happily talk to you about spreadsheets for hours.
Jill returned to HMI in 2021 almost exactly ten years...
Jill Gardiner
Director of Admissions & Financial Aid
Non-Discriminatory Statement
HMI admits students and employs faculty and staff of any gender, race, color, religion, disability-status, sexual preference, national and ethnic origin, and accords them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students, faculty and staff of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual preference, national and ethnic origin or disability status in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics, and other school administered programs.
We want each student to come to HMI because, of all the gap opportunities available, it is best aligned with the student’s goals and dreams for their gap experience. For this reason, we do not pay for third-party referrals, as we believe these payments may interfere with a student’s choice in their gap experience.