Graduate Student Dates and Deadlines
Below you’ll find important deadlines, to-dos and milestones as you make your way to RISD.
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We will update this page over the coming months with additional deadlines and tasks. If you are an international student please make sure to also refer to our international student support content. If you are considering deferring your admission, please refer to our deferral policy.
Apr 15
Enrollment deposit due
Submit a nonrefundable enrollment deposit of $500 to reserve your space. (This deposit will be applied to your first tuition bill.) To pay by credit card or debit card, please use the link below to go to our secure online site. In order to access the deposit link, you will need to log into your applicant status portal.
May 31
Health forms due (for summer programs)
RISD Health Services requires all new students to submit health forms. Your registration is not considered complete until we receive your completed and signed health forms.
Jun 1
Transcript due (for summer program participants)
In order to take part in one of our summer programs, you must confirm satisfactory completion of your undergraduate education. To do so, arrange for Admissions to receive your final, official transcript by June 1.
Jun 1
Deferral request due
Requests to defer graduate admission are reviewed by Admissions and the department to which you have been admitted. All requests should be sent to your graduate program director and admissions@risd.edu. You will be informed of the outcome in your applicant status portal. Review our deferral policy for details.
Jun 16–Jul 27
MA in Interior Architecture / Adaptive Reuse summer program in Denmark
This immersive summer session focusing on adaptive reuse takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark. The program runs from mid June through late July.
Jul 8–Aug 2
Graduate Language Intensive (online)
Graduate Language Intensive (GLI) is a one-credit summer course that provides incoming graduate students with a linguistic, cultural and academic foundation for advanced study. It connects students across all disciplines and introduces you to academic culture in the United States.
We offer the course both virtually and in person. Either option provides one credit and both conclude with a final gathering of all GLI students.If you are interested in taking the Graduate Language Intensive, please contact us for more information.
Jul 8–Aug 2
Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) summer program
All students entering our MLA I and II programs are required to attend a summer program, Design Foundations/Field Ecology. The summer preparatory course introduces studio-based conceptual design thinking and skill development, like drawing and model making, while gaining knowledge of foundational ecological principles through immersive field experiences and observational learning. The course offers students building blocks for the fall semester studios, lecture courses and seminars.
Jul 8–Aug 16
Master of Architecture (MArch) summer program
Master of Architecture (MArch) study begins in the summer with required full-time coursework beginning in early–mid July. The in-person summer term emphasizes physical making, digital skills and the language of architectural discourse. The three, interrelated courses taught in the summer (Drawing, Design and Spatial Dynamics) aim to expand the range of ideas, techniques and media that constitute the discipline of architecture.
These courses, taken simultaneously for a total of nine required credits, are designed for graduate students both with and without prior experience working in an architecture studio. Over the course of the summer students make use of the Architecture department's digital fabrication facilities, flexible studio space, wood shop and gallery. If you have any questions about the summer program, please contact archgrad@risd.edu.
Jul 8–Aug 16
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) summer program
Students entering the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program begin their studies with a summer session. Enrolling students will receive a program handbook with details before the start of your studies. There are no additional costs or supply purchases required by incoming MAT students.
Jul 8–Aug 16
Master of Design (MDes) summer program
MDes programs begin with a study of the fundamentals of design in an immersive summer program in Providence. This program runs from July 8–August 16, 2024.
Jul 15
Health forms due (for fall semester)
RISD Health Services requires all new students to submit health forms. Your registration is not considered complete until we receive your completed and signed health forms.
If you do not submit completed health forms, you will not receive a course schedule and will not be able to begin attending classes.
Aug 19–Aug 23
Graduate Language Intensive (in-person)
Graduate Language Intensive (GLI) is a one-credit summer course that provides incoming graduate students with a linguistic, cultural and academic foundation for advanced study. It connects students across all disciplines and introduces you to academic culture in the United States.
We offer the course both virtually and in person. Either option provides one credit and both conclude with a final gathering of all GLI students. If you are interested in taking the Graduate Language Intensive, please contact us for more information.
Sep 4
Fall semester classes begin
Fall semester runs from September 6–December 11.
Get to know RISD
Visiting RISD ahead of your arrival and want to know what’s going on? Please visit involved.risd.edu to discover events happening on campus.
Our Graduate Studies info sessions feature faculty, staff and current students sharing information and answering questions about the graduate experience at RISD.
Review items that RISD supplies for new students, along with mailing guidelines on how to ship packages to campus.