Requirements | Ark Institute | Online Education Requirements

Is Ark Institute For You?

Ark Institute is designed for:

Homeschooling Families – Families seeking a structured yet flexible curriculum that complements their homeschool approach, providing engaging, project-based learning experiences.
Traveling Families/Students with Unique Schedules – Families who travel frequently due to work, lifestyle, or young athletes, artists, performers, who require high-quality, asynchronous education that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
Traditionally Enrolled Students Seeking Advanced Extracurricular Learning – Students in public, private, or charter schools who want cognitively stimulating, interdisciplinary courses that go beyond standard curricula.
Districts, Public/Private Schools – Schools and districts looking for innovative, high-level courses to enhance their curriculum, or supplement their gifted and talented programs.
Self-Directed Learners – Independent learners who thrive in a flexible, student-centered environment where they can explore their interests and take ownership of their education.
Students Who Love Interdisciplinary, Project-Based, and Expansive Learning – Learners who are naturally curious and eager to explore a vast range of subjects through hands-on, experiential learning that makes meaningful connections across fields of study.
Students with Dyslexia and Other Learning Differences – Learners who may struggle with traditional reading and writing-heavy curricula but can thrive with the use of technology, including text-to-speech, speech-to-text, audiobooks, and multimodal learning strategies that remove barriers to comprehension and expression.

We recognize that every learner’s needs, goals, and circumstances are unique. While our project-based, mastery-focused approach empowers many students to thrive, we understand it may not be the ideal fit for everyone. We encourage families to review our program details carefully and reach out for a discovery call to determine whether our learning model aligns with their child's learning style and educational objectives.

Requirements and Tuition

Technical Requirements:

Reliable high-speed internet connection
Reliable Computer (laptop or desktop)

Student Requirements:

Ages 11-17 (grades 6-12)
Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to manage time (typically upward of 15 hours per week required for full-time students)
Resilience and ability to persevere through challenges
Basic technology skills (ability to navigate online platforms, record and upload media, basic troubleshooting)
Ability to effectively utilize language translation software (for non-English speakers), both for understanding coursework requirements, as well as submitting work in English
Be at least on 6th grade-level in Math and English for middle school students and 9th grade-level in Math and English for high school students
Commitment to academic integrity

Family Requirements:

Compliance with local homeschool regulations if applicable (if enrolling as full-time student)
Parent/caregiver availability for regular check-ins and support
Ability to maintain consistent communication with Ark Institute

Tuition:

Full-Time

For learners ready to make our school their academic home and graduate here. These students follow the diploma track, taking a full slate of core and elective courses each term for a comprehensive, well-rounded education built on long-form projects and mastery of every Human-Essential Skill.
Load: 5 courses per trimester
Tuition: $8500 annually or $2900 per term
For families enrolling multiple children full-time, we provide a 10% sibling discount for each additional student.

Part-Time

Part-time enrollment is perfect for homeschoolers or traditionally enrolled students who want an academically solid resume. While this pathway on its own does not confer a full Ark Institute diploma, every competency you master is banked in your Mastery Transcript and showcased through a curated digital portfolio you can share with future schools, internships, or extracurricular programs.
Load: 2-3 courses per trimester
Tuition: $4500 annually or $1600 per term

Course-by-Course Enrollment

Also perfect for homeschoolers or traditionally enrolled students looking to enrich or upskill one subject at a time — whether it’s coding, digital art, or a deep dive into history. Courses are taken purely for personal growth, portfolio building, or supplemental learning.
Load: 1 course per trimester
Tuition: $600 per term.

The Ark Experience

Interdisciplinary, Project-Based Courses
Live Instructor Support (individual and group)
Interactive Digital Mastery Transcript
Student Success Coach
Tutor Support
E-Portfolio
Virtual Clubs and Extracurricular Experiences
Problem-Solving Hub
Monthly Fitness Challenges
Local Meetups (when applicable)
Local & International Field Trips (optional)

Begin Your Journey

Working with Schools:

We partner with public and private schools to expand their curriculum through our project-based courses. Students remain fully enrolled at their regular institution while accessing our mastery-driven curriculum online, earning competencies that can be recognized for credit or enrichment. Integration is simple, support is built-in, and the result is a turnkey pathway for inspiring future-ready problem solvers—no extra staffing or infrastructure required.

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