Financing Your Education
Toward advancing your career in art and design, we want to assist you in making a graduate education at RISD possible. By providing many types of graduate aid through various programs, we help qualified students seek, obtain and make the best use of all available resources to meet the cost of the education offered here.
Graduate aid opportunities
Fellowships
Graduate fellowships are awarded by the academic department in conjunction with Student Financial Services, and may be determined based on need, merit or a combination of both.
Assistantships
You may also receive a graduate assistantship or apply for grants or research assistantships in your area of study.
Loans
The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is taken in a student’s name as part of your financial aid award package. This is merely one loan option for you to consider. Student Financial Services (SFS) provides more complete loan information.
Work Study
Work Study jobs are available for qualified students through both federal and RISD programs. Opportunities are administered by SFS.
Scholarships
Outside scholarships provide an excellent way of reducing your need to work and/or take out student loans while at RISD. To help match you with outside funding opportunities, we partner with Scholarship Universe, an online portal that can provide you with info on scholarships you may be eligible for.
How to apply
Domestic students (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; use federal school code 003409)
- Institutional financial aid form through the Admissions applicant status portal (available to students who complete their admissions application)
International students
Starting with the 23–24 academic year, RISD will provide an international student aid application to better support our international student community. If you are an international applicant you will need to complete the following:
- Institutional financial aid form through the Admissions applicant status portal (available to all applicants who have completed their application for admission)
Once you complete the admissions application you will have access to the institutional financial aid application.
Deadlines
- FAFSA for domestic students: February 1
- Student aid application for domestic and international students: February 1
- FAFSA for current students: May 25