Application Schedule
| Term | Application Opens | Priority Deadline | Application |
| Autumn 2025 | January 23, 2025 | April 7, 2025 | Closed |
| No Winter 2026 | |||
| Spring 2026 | October 24, 2025 | TBD | Will open October 24, 2025 |
| Summer A & B 2025* | December 6, 2024 | February 14, 2025 | Closed |
| Training Workshops 2025 | December 3, 2024 | February 1, 2025; Final Deadline March 1, 2025 | Closed |
Our programs are intensive and immersive hands-on experiences. During the academic year, courses run ~8:30 – 5:30 Monday – Friday. Summer courses run ~8:30 – 5:30 Monday – Friday and ~8:30 – 12:30 on Saturdays.
Application Materials Required
Have ready to upload at the time of application
- A copy of your most recent transcript (unofficial is fine) and other transcripts (optional) you feel are relevant to considering your application. Please highlight relevant classes taken and your cumulative GPA.
- A Statement of Purpose – expand the accordion below to see the prompt.
- If you are a non-UW student please provide the name and email of a reference (no reference needed for UW, UWB, or UWT students). A letter of recommendation is not required–you need only provide a reference we can contact if needed.
Statement of Purpose Prompt
Spending a term at Friday Harbor Labs is a unique and special opportunity. The Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to articulate how you will succeed at FHL. Use the following suggestions to help you write a strong, thoughtful, authentic, and clearly written Statement of Purpose. Aim for your Statement to be 300-500 words, do not go beyond 750 words. No AI.
Before You Apply
Read the Course Descriptions to be confident that what you are applying for is right for you. Use what you learn to add specificity to your Statement of Purpose.
Tone
Be personable and share what you are passionate about, but bear in mind that many people “love the ocean” “went to the beach as a child”, etc. It’s fine to say these things but they usually won’t add substantively to your statement.
Prompt
- How is this class/program relevant to your educational and professional goals?
- Be specific about why you want to take this class/program. What do you expect from this class, and how is it relevant to your future goals?
- What courses, previous experiences, or skills do you have that will help you be successful in this class/program?
- If there are any pieces of your application that are lacking (ex. low grades, lack of prerequisite classes, etc.), briefly address why. Have you gained relevant skills elsewhere? What else would you like the review committee to know? Explain.
- As a student at Friday Harbor Labs, you would be living, learning, researching, dining, and socializing with your peers and fellow researchers in a remote and tight-knit community. What qualities would you bring to this type of environment?
FAQs
Questions about living and studying on FHL campus? Look over the pages of information for students under What to Expect at FHL. Then if you still have questions, contact our Academic Services Manager at fhlstudents@uw.edu
Admission decisions are typically made 2-3 weeks after the application’s priority deadline. Instructors are busy people and sometimes take longer–don’t worry. You will hear from the Academic Services Manager once a decision has been made (accepted, waitlisted, denied). Applications submitted after the priority deadline will be considered on a rolling basis and dependent on available seats.
Accepted students will be given ample opportunity to apply to scholarships offered by FHL, but are always encouraged to seek funding outside of FHL as well. To learn more about scholarships and awards specific to Friday Harbor Labs, visit our Course Financial Aid page.
All FHL courses require fieldwork to some extent via boat or rocky coastal shores. If you’re unsure about applying due to the fieldwork aspect of FHL, contact the FHL Academic Services Manager at fhlstudents@uw.edu to discuss accommodation options.
Acceptance Policy for Applicants
Course applications are reviewed and acceptance decisions made by course instructors. Qualifications for acceptance vary with the class, but relevant information includes prior academic performance, relevance of the coursework to the applicant’s career goals, evidence of applicant motivations and positive prior teamwork, and adherence to the FHL Standards of Conduct and UW Student Code of Conduct from previous time spent at FHL or on other UW campuses. FHL also considers the makeup of a class as a whole with an emphasis on fostering a diverse learning environment to the benefit of all students, including diversity of educational background and other relevant life experiences and perspectives. Acceptance decisions are not influenced by financial aid requests, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, disability status, or other demographic information collected during the application process.