RISD Pre-College

RISD Pre-College is a five-week summer program in Providence where high school students follow a college-level art and design curriculum at the Rhode Island School of Design. Students choose a major, and Fashion Design is one of them: fashion majors learn how color, form, and proportion relate to the body, move from concept development and fashion illustration to construction, and develop a garment for the closing exhibition. The program involves about 40 hours of work a week, with day-long studio classes and critiques. The 2027 program runs June 26 to July 31, with classes from June 28 to July 30. It costs $9,860 for commuters and $12,865 for residential students, plus a $60 application fee.

Open to students ages 16 to 18 who have finished 10th or 11th grade; rising juniors who will be 16 by October 1, 2027 may also apply. Applications for 2027 opened November 4, 2026 and are reviewed on a rolling basis. The scholarship deadline is January 29, 2027, and accepted students pay a $1,100 deposit, with the balance due March 10, 2027.