Camp El Ranchito

Scholarship Eligibility and Rates

Now Accepting 2026 Summer Applications

El Ranchito was created to serve children and youth from families who may not otherwise have access to a residential nature immersion camp. Ninety percent of our camper families attend on full, bridge, or partial scholarships by qualifying for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program at school or for other financial needs. Campers are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Scholarship and returning campers have priority admittance to camp.

Families that are part of Dell Children’s Health Plan’s CHIP or STAR Medicaid programs during the time of camp receive free tuition with costs covered by Dell Children’s Health Plan.

We ask families that qualify for a full scholarship to pay a tuition fee starting at $50 to attend Nature Discovery Camp or Conservation Corps during the Summer. Camp tuition includes lodging, meals, transportation, supervision, programs, t-shirt, pack, and water bottle, along with all other camp supplies and activities. 

We recognize that many families who register for camp are living under a variety of financial circumstances and constraints, and/or returning camper families may have finances that fluctuate from year to year. To better serve our camper families we offer a tiered pricing structure to meet the needs of our diverse community. For more information on our tiered pricing, visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). 

A small percentage of campers who are not eligible for scholarship tuition rates also benefit from increased access to a nature immersion camp and being in a diverse camp community. Families who are not eligible for scholarships qualify for our competitive and sustaining tuition rates. Non-scholarship families will be asked to pay a tuition fee starting at $800 for Nature Discovery Camp, and $1,200 for Conservation Corps. For more information on non-scholarship tuition rates, visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Tuition is nonrefundable and nontransferable unless the application is denied, or the cancellation of your registration is no later than two weeks before your camp session. No fee will be returned after a camper has been admitted to camp. El Ranchito reserves the right to dismiss any camper, without a refund, whose conduct is not in the best interest of the safety and wellbeing of other campers.

Waitlist

We do offer a waitlist for all our programs. If space becomes available in a camp session, waitlisted applicants will be admitted into camp on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to scholarship and returning campers. 

Families will have until May 31 to submit a complete application. Families will have up to two weeks prior to the first day of their camp session to submit their registration materials (camper tuition, camper physical, and vaccine records or proof of exemption). 

Thank you to our Supporters:

El Ranchito provides access to children and youth from families who may not otherwise have a residential nature immersion camp experience. Camper families pay a modest registration fee. Thank you to our supporters who help make camp scholarships available!