Apply to Global Summer Studies

The deadline for Global Summer Studies 2024 has now passed.

Azores: Walk and Work with Wood
Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal 2019
France: Gastronomie + Printmaking in Richelieu
Richelieu, France 2015

How to Apply

The deadline for Global Summer Studies 2024 has now passed.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline for Global Summer Studies 2024 has now passed.
Application opens between February 1 - March 15, 2024

Global Summer Studies have a limited capacity of 12 to 14 students per course. The application runs on a first-come-first-serve basis and closes once the maximum number of applications per course is received. The last day to apply to a course (that still has open seats) is March 15, 2024. Please keep in mind, your preferred course may fill up before this final application deadline.

Am I eligible?

If you are a RISD student in any year of study with a GPA of 2.5 and up, or you are a recent RISD graduate, you are eligible to participate. If you are a Brown University student or a college student currently enrolled at another art and design college/university around the world, you are eligible too!

  • RISD Students: All Global Summer Studies students enrolled at RISD must remain in good standing, in terms of conduct and finances, up until and throughout your time on the course. Failure to remain in good academic standing can lead to removal from the course, either before or during the course. If you are a RISD student and your cumulative GPA is lower than 2.5 at the time of registration, you must contact the Registrar at registrar@risd.edu to seek an exception to this academic policy.
  • Students Not Currently Enrolled at RISD: In order to register for RISD Global Summer Studies, you are expected to have a high level of English (speech, writing, and comprehension) as all coursework and critique is delivered in English. For your participation, we will require a recommendation/support form from your institution/workplace.

Attendance Policy

RISD Global Summer Studies comply with the RISD class attendance policy. In case of unexcused or multiple absences, you may be removed from the course, given a grade of “W" (withdrawal) or a grade of “F” (fail).

The application process will be completed using RISD's online application portal.

Step 1: Research

Prior to starting your application, read about each unique and Global Summer Studies course or join an info session hosted by RISD faculty and the RISD Global team. Stay updated on these events here!

Step 2: Reserve your seat with a deposit

Submit your online application and your $500 non-refundable deposit with your debit/credit card. The payment of the course balance will be due March 1, 2024. If you apply on or after March 1, 2024, full payment is required that day.

Step 3: Apply for a scholarship (only if you are a RISD student)

If you’re a RISD or Brown | RISD Dual Degree student in high financial need, you are encouraged to apply for the available RISD Scholarship. Brown University students, as well as students enrolled at other colleges/universities around the world, are not eligible to apply for RISD Scholarships. Learn more – RISD Scholarship.

You may be eligible, too, for external, Non-RISD scholarships. Check the External Scholarships Opportunities page for some available resources.

Step 4: Pay the course balance

Once you have submitted the $500 deposit, you will receive, within a few days, an email confirmation from RISD Student Financial Services with a payment link. Upon receiving the payment link, your payment of the course balance will be due March 1, 2024. If you apply on or after March 1, 2024, full payment is required.

Are there students I can talk with about their experiences?

Throughout the pages on this website, you’ll find quotes and testimonials from RISD students who have participated in our Global Summer Studies. If you still have questions, you can schedule a 1:1 advising appointment with our Global Learning Advisor.

How many students apply? How many students attend?

Global Summer Studies have a limited capacity of 12 to 14 students per course. Application is first-come-first-serve and closes once the maximum number of applications per course is received.

Will there be a waiting list?

Typically Global Summer Studies do not have a formal waitlist as the application is first-come-first-serve and closes once the course has reached capacity. The Registrar’s Office will manage a notification list, however, so please inform RISD Global if you are interested in a course that has been filled, to be notified if spaces become available.

Once I apply, can I defer or withdraw?

Deferral is not possible as Global Summer Studies are different every academic year. Learn more – Withdrawing from a RISD Off-Campus Global Learning Program

Global Summer Studies 2024

Azores | Design with and for Nature

In this 3-week travel course, student learned about design with nature, by designing for nature. The volcanic archipelago of the Azores, situated along the mid-Atlantic Ocean ridge, was the location and context.

Denmark | Design Seminar and Workshop

This course, was based in the heart of Copenhagen, a three-week immersion into the world of Scandinavian design, with a focus on Denmark.

 

Italy | Perspectives on Piranesi

This drawing course explored the work of Giovanni Battista Piranesi, the engraver widely known for his picturesque illustrations of eighteenth-century Rome, and his essential contribution to our contemporary understanding of antiquity.

 

Japan | Design, Degrowth, Demodern

How would we happily degrow?

How do we design a new future?

Japan | Manga Immersion at Kyoto Seika

Manga, a term that represents a style and tradition of comics and cartooning developed in Japan during the late 19th century, has spread in global popularity the last few decades. As the artform increases its profile and influence on popular culture comics, animation, film, and art academics, many Illustrators and academics are becoming interested in learning the craft, and unique aspects of the artform. What better way of exploring the culture of manga and it’s many intricacies than traveling to its birthplace, Japan, and interfacing with an institution that specializes in teaching the craft?

Truth | Beauty | Goodness: Illustrating Mythologies in Contemporary Greece

How is the idea of “Beauty” embodied in the ruins of Athens, and what does it mean to us today? What are contemporary notions of “Truth” and how have they been shaped by the ambiguous concoction of history and myth in Delphi, whose Oracle prophesied for hundreds of years? What impact has the mashup of pagan and Christian belief systems had on modern notions of “Goodness” in the unique Cycladic island culture of Naxos? 
 


This studio course–set against the backdrop of three inspiring sites in Greece–examines the intersection of mythology, literature and visual arts in Athens, Delphi and Naxos. In a partnership between studio and liberal arts faculty, this course encouraged students to consider the development of three interrelated ideas–Beauty, Truth and Goodness–through illustration projects that trace their manifestation in the contemporary Greek visual and literary lexicon. Tours, lectures, journaling and on-site making culminated in independently defined projects in this three-week course.

Tuldok, Linya, Anyo (Point, Line, Pattern) Drawing and Weaving in the Philippines

“The Spanish conquistador called the natives of the Visayas, the first locals they encountered, pintados (painted people) because their bodies conveyed zigzags, diamonds, circles, lines, and other geometric configurations. They appeared to be dressed in a kind of handsome armor engraved with very fine work, a dress so esteemed by them they take it for their proudest attire...By their own resplendence, tattoos project a sense of heightened physical beauty, though they’re worth much more than that. Never just skin-deep, they reflect the Filipino soul.”
-Who is the Pintados, Anita Feleo

Next Steps for Registered Students

Don’t have a Passport?

US Citizens can visit travel.state.gov to apply. International Citizens, contact your local embassy or consulate to renew.

Passport expired or will expire shortly?

Begin the renewal process immediately! US Citizens can visit travel.state.gov to renew. International Citizens, contact your local embassy or consulate to renew.

You are responsible for maintaining your own legal status and applying for your visa (if applicable). Upon request, RISD Global will provide you with a registration letter in support of your visa application. Don’t delay the process of checking your travel documents for validity and applying for your visa. The visa application process can take in excess of 4-8 weeks following your acceptance and your failure to possess valid travel documents may jeopardize your ability to participate in Global Summer Studies.

You are responsible for checking the portal frequently and completing these tasks in a timely manner once accepted to your course.

Scholarships

Increasing financial aid is a central pillar of RISD’s equity, inclusion and diversity commitment. Through partnership with other campus offices, we are working to provide greater support and access to students interested in pursuing global learning experiences at RISD.

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1:1 Advising Session

Have questions? The RISD Global team is available to meet for a 1:1 advising session. We can give you more information about your study options, help you figure out which program makes sense for you, and assist you with the application process.

Schedule an Appointment