Pre-College Information, Scholarships, and Policies

Visit our website for the latest information about classes, events and special offers. 

Contact Us 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for questions, concerns, or course advice.  

E-mail: precollege@pafa.org (Fastest response time).

Phone: 215-972-7630

Eligibility:  

Pre-College program is open for students 14-18 years old, entering or completing grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 (including summer after the 12-grade completion).

International students are welcome to participate! However, we cannot award college credit. Also the registration process is different. Please reach out to precollege@pafa.org to register as an international student.

Registration Timeline:

Registration Deadline: One business day before class    

Scholarship Application Deadline: 7 Business Days before class, unless stated differently. (See course listings or contact us for details about scholarships) 

Use of Images

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts reserves the right to reproduce without notification any photographs of students or artwork produced by students while attending Pre-College Programs at PAFA. This reproduction will be for non-commercial purposes only, and may include print publications, institutional websites, e-communications, multimedia presentations, and documents about PAFA for admission, recruitment, fundraising, or institutional informational purposes.  

Self-Dismissal Policy

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts will dismiss pre-college students at the end of class. Registration acknowledges release of PAFA and its representatives from all liability resulting from injury sustained by student after they exit the classroom setting.

PAFA offers a limited number of need and merit-based scholarships options open to all high school students! 

Spring 2024 Classes scholarship application is available! 

Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. APPLY EARLY TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY.

Applications must be submitted at least 7 days before the first class, after the deadline your application will not be reviewed.

Submit your application early to ensure space availability! 

A scholarship application must be received by the Pre-College office before you register for the course. The scholarship decision will be announced within 5-10 business days after we receive your fully submitted application. 

DO NOT REGISTER BEFORE RECIEVING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION OUTCOME LETTER.  Scholarships fund cannot be applied to your registration after the fact.  Your award letter will provide specific registration link with scholarship code and information.

Apply now

Studio Arts Scholarship Application Requirements

• Online Application form on SlideRoom (free service, see instructions below.) 
• Personal statement: 1–2 paragraphs explaining why you would like to attend Studio Arts course at PAFA
• 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 

• Go to SlideRoom (or copy/paste the link https://pafacademy.slideroom.com/#/Login)
• Select Pre-College Saturday Studio Art Scholarship Application from the Directory. 
• "Login" to an already existing account, or “Sign Up” to create a SlideRoom account.  
• 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.
• Complete the online  application form sections. Add 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.  

Incomplete applications will not be processed, please make sure all sections are filled out and that the application is fully submitted! 

Registration to PAFA classes happens through the CourseStorm Portal.  
Note that your registration confirmation and other communication may come from Museum Education at PAFA <notifications@coursestorm.com> (Please check your spam folder)
Your CourseStorm Account allows you to update personal information, change password, remove or change a stored credit card, and see what classes you have registered for. Please save your login information, you can also recover it via email.
 

If you need to make any changes to your registration, such as personal information, you may do so via your CourseStorm account or email us, and we will change it for you. 

• Withdrawals must be made in writing via email (precollege@pafa.org) to the Pre-College Programs office
• Fees may be incurred for withdrawals at any time after registration (including same-day). The minimum charge covers fees incurred to the Pre-College program by registration and credit card processing.  
• In lieu of a withdrawal before a course start date, a student may transfer into another course OR have tuition retained as credit for a future class or course. Payment of additional tuition must be made at time of transfer if a balance is due; there is no transfer fee.  No further refunds are available for a subsequent withdrawal from the transferred class.  
• Credits are available on a limited basis when serious illness or injury prevents continuation of a class in-progress.  Credits are not available for withdrawals prior to course start dates or for non-medical reasons.  A doctor’s note or other documentation may be required.  Credits may not be transferred to another individual.

No Refunds will be granted for failure to provide required documentation (if any). 

REFUND SCHEDULE:

Withdrawal from any course 14 days before class have the following options (excluding Summer Academy):

• Option A: Cancel with Credit.  100% of tuition will be retained as a credit for a different Youth and Family Program with equivalent price range. No processing fees.
• Option B: Cancel and Donate. Converted your paid tuition to a tax-deductible donation to PAFA.  
• Option C: Cancel with Refund. If canceling at least 14 days before program start day, a refund will be issued minus a processing fee of 10% of the payment made to the program. 

Ten-Week or Longer Courses (excluding Summer Academy)

• 14 days before the 1st class:  100% refund of tuition paid (minus a processing fee of 10%)
• 7 days prior to the 1st class:  75% refund of tuition paid 
• 3 business days before second (2nd) class: 50% refund of tuition paid 
• After the 2nd class:  No Refunds 

Less than 10 Weeks, Condensed/Short Courses (excluding Summer Academy)

• 14 days before the 1st class:  100% refund of tuition paid (minus a processing fee of 10%)
• 7 days prior to the 1st class:  75% refund of tuition paid 
• 3 business days before second (2nd) class:  50% refund of tuition paid 
• After the 2nd class:  No Refunds 

Workshops 

• 14 days before the program:  100% refund of tuition paid (minus a processing fee of 10%)
• 7 days prior to the program:  50% refund of tuition paid
• After 7 days:  No Refunds  

Important Notes:

• All withdrawals and refunds must be requested in writing (by email).
• No Refunds will be granted for not meeting the eligibility requirements.
• No Refunds will be granted for scheduling conflicts or no-shows.
• No Refunds will be granted to participants who leave or do not attend programs by their own choice.

Refunds will be applied to your card provided at the registration. You may also be issued a check refund. Please allow 6-8 weeks (about 2 months) for checks to arrive by mail.

COURSE CANCELLATIONS

If a program is under-enrolled or canceled by PAFA, you will be notified by email and may choose to transfer into another program or receive a tuition credit or refund. Early registration helps prevent programs' cancellation! 

*Your health, and that of the entire PAFA community, is our priority:  If COVID-19 health risk concerns or illness prevent, or make inadvisable, attendance or completion of course work, please do not hesitate to contact us to cancel your class, and we will accommodate you as best we can.

GENERAL PAFA COLLEGE POLICIES  

Complete information about the policies, procedures, and services offered at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, including general campus policies, expanded classroom regulations, disciplinary procedures, and sexual harassment and misconduct policies and resources is outlined in the PAFA Student Regulations and Policies, are located at https://www.pafa.org/school/student-life/student-policies-procedures.  

GENERAL YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS POLICIES 

To review other policies, go to Youth and Family Programs Policies | PAFA - Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

General Youth and Family Policies cover the following areas: 
•    PHOTO AND VIDEO IMAGES  
•    DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 
•    CONDUCT 
•    HEALTH 
•    ONLINE COMMUNICATION AND PRIVACY GUIDELINES 

If you have any questions email museumeducation@pafa.org