RISD Pre-College

student draws on paper using charcoal pencil inside an art studio space

Push beyond the expected at Rhode Island School of Design

Whether you attend RISD Pre-College in person or virtually, you’ll follow a college-level curriculum led by accomplished teaching artists. Learn alongside a community of talented students who will inspire you to push your limits and produce your best work.

Pre-College (on campus)

June 27–August 1, 2026

Live on campus or commute from home and immerse yourself in day-long studio classes, visits to the Nature Lab and RISD Museum, critiques, and projects that will forever shape the way you approach art and design.

three students gathered around an easel

Pre-College Online

June 22–July 30, 2026

Be a RISD student from anywhere in the world, with live online classes two days a week and access to virtual resources and events.

Applications for summer 2026 open on November 5, 2025. 

photo of a student on a laptop infront of a large whiteboard

Shape your approach to art and design

Experiment with new materials, tools, and techniques, test your theories, and challenge your ideas. Whether you join us in Providence or virtually, you’ll be part of RISD’s community of dedicated art and design students committed to the concept of critical making.

  • Get a taste of the RISD first-year student experience
  • Learn from teaching artists  
  • Spend time working on homework projects and take part in class critiques
  • Receive a final RISD critique and have a chance to showcase your work
  • Engage with a cohort of like-minded peers who share your passion for art and design
Compare the programs

Build your portfolio while developing as an artist and an individual

Expand your artistic comfort zone as you learn to appreciate critique and refine your work to make it stronger than you ever thought possible. 

student sketching three-dimensional paper display

About RISD

RISD (pronounced “RIZ-dee”) is a nonprofit college and museum founded in 1877 in the city of Providence, RI. Today 2,606 students from 60 countries engage in more than 40 full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, supported by a committed faculty and worldwide network of more than 33,000 alumni.

By cultivating expansive and elastic thinking, RISD equips artists, designers, and scholars to generate and challenge the ideas that shape our world.