Financing Your Education

We want to assist all students and families in reaching their shared goal of attending RISD, so you can prepare to make meaningful contributions to the world through art and design. 

RISD offers many types of student aid through various programs, helping qualified students seek, obtain and make the best use of available resources to meet the cost of a RISD education.

More info from Student Financial Services

Applying for financial aid

Domestic applicants (US citizens and permanent residents)

To be considered for financial aid resources, you must complete the following two forms:

  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (to be considered for federal financial aid — available December 2023; use federal school code 003409)*
  • Institutional financial aid form through the Admissions applicant status portal (available October 2023 to prospective students who complete their application for admission)

* Please note that the US Department of Education is making significant changes to the FAFSA form for the 2024–25 academic year. The form will not be available to complete until December 2023. More information for students and families regarding the 2024–25 FAFSA and federal student aid is available from the Federal Student Aid office.

International applicants (Non-US citizens)

Beginning with the 2023–24 academic year, RISD now provides an international student aid application to better support our international student community.

If you are an international applicant and want to be considered for any funding from RISD, you need to complete the institutional financial aid form, available via the Admissions applicant status portal to prospective students who complete their application for admission. This form will be available in October 2023.

Deadlines

You must submit your form(s) by:

  • Nov 15, 2023 for early decision applicants (undergraduate)*
  • Feb 1, 2024 for graduate applicants
  • Feb 15, 2024 for regular decision (undergraduate)

* Domestic students please note: RISD will provide a formal financial aid offer after we receive your completed FAFSA.

Please refer to SFS undergraduate aid for full details about:

  • RISD scholarships
  • federal and state grants
  • loans
  • work study opportunities

RISD scholarships consideration

To be considered for a RISD scholarship, first-year applicants must complete the FAFSA (US citizens and permanent residents) and RISD institutional financial aid form (domestic and international students).

RISD scholarships are awarded based on financial need at the time of admission. These scholarships assume full-time enrollment and are level-funded through the regular length of a student’s program.

Proportionate increases are applied to any increases in tuition costs for future years. For example, if tuition increases 1% from one academic year to another, the RISD scholarship will also increase by 1% from one academic year to the next.