After-School Studio Arts Program for High School Students

Pre-College Programs

This course provides students with the opportunity for enrichment, skills development, and portfolio building in a (mostly) asynchronous online drawing course. 

Students in this program follow an honors-level curriculum through foundation drawing in the great traditions of American art set by Thomas Eakins. This course consists of self-paced lessons on PAFA’s learning management system, Canvas, during which students will learn foundational drawing skills, self-portrait drawing, and how to use color in art.

Each lesson will include: 

  • Recorded demonstration(s)
  • Written resources and images
  • Discussion
  • An assignment that students can submit on Canvas

Students will receive regular written feedback on these assignments from PAFA faculty and graduate students so that they can grow as artists and produce a stellar portfolio. 

For interested students, there is an optional weekly drop-in session available on Zoom on Thursdays at 4pm to share discussion and create a supportive learning experience.

Register Online

The After-School Studio Art Program is funded in part by grants from Mary Gregg and John Ryan, The Brook J. Lenfest Foundation, the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, and the W. Percy Simpson Trust.

Schedule and Tuition

Tuition:

$200 for non-members and $180 for members. 

Select students from the Philadelphia School District will recieve a full scholarship for this course. Students will be contacted if they are awarded this scholarship. 

Additional scholarships are available, with application information below.

Schedule:

Fall 2020: October 5 - December 4

Asynchronous, self-paced. Designed to be completed over 9 weeks. Optional drop-in Zoom session on Thursdays at 4pm.

Spring 2021: TBD

Registration

Register Online

Registration Deadline: October 2
When registering, students are responsible for:

  • Downloading their course materials list from the online course description (if available)
  • Completing and submitting a Parent-Guardian Information and Consent Form  included in the materials list.  This form must be submitted before the first class to permit class participation.

Students will receive an emailed confirmation upon registering and an email reminder with the materials list, class information, and consent form shortly before the course start date.

International students are welcome! However, the registration process is different to support international payment systems. Please reach out to precollege@pafa.org to register as an international student.

Scholarships

PAFA offers a limited number of full- and partial-scholarships for After-School Art Classes, open to all high school students based on merit and need. 

 A scholarship application must be completed and awarded before registering for the course. Scholarships cannot be applied after registration.

Pre-College Scholarship Application Deadline for Fall 2020 After School Art Classes:  September 28.

How to Apply

Scholarship applications for CE Pre-College Scholarships are submitted online via SlideRoom (see directions below).  Applications must be completed and submitted in full by the deadline.  Students will be notified of award decisions via email and must confirm acceptance and submit payment of the tuition balance to complete their registration for their selected courses.

Application Requirements

  • Personal statement: 1–2 paragraphs explaining why you would like to attend After-School pre-college classes at PAFA and why you are requesting scholarship assistance.

  • Portfolio of 5 images.  Portfolios should consist of your strongest artwork and should include drawings or paintings from direct observation (as opposed to referencing photographs). Make sure the photos of your artwork are well-lit, not blurry, and show only the artwork (you may need to crop). A smartphone camera is typically sufficient.

SlideRoom Instructions

  • Log in to SlideRoom using the link below. The scholarship application will be active August 14 - September 28.
  • "Login" to an already existing account, or “Sign Up” to make a SlideRoom account.  (SlideRoom is a free service.)
  • If creating a new account, open the email that was automatically sent to you and click on the activation link.  Log in to your new account.
  • Select Fall 2020 Pre-College Studio Art Scholarship from the Directory. 
  • Complete the application form sections online and upload your personal statement and digital portfolio images.  
  • Once all sections are completed, review and submit your application.  Once submitted, it cannot be altered.  Logout when finished.  Be sure to make note of your SlideRoom login information:  In addition to logging in to complete an application in progress, you can use this account for future SlideRoom applications at PAFA and other participating institutions.

Log In to Slideroom

Contact Pre-College Programs

Studio art classes and education for high school students to develop their artistic passions and prepare for college.