VASI Tuition and Costs
Residential
Room & board rates for summer 2023 are listed below.
Tuition 2023 – $3,600
Room & Board 2023
Room and 14 meals/week – $1,992
Room and 19 meals/week – $2,192
Activity Fee 2023 – $250
Total 2023 – $5,842 – $6,042
Commuter
Tuition 2023 – $3,600
Activity Fee 2023 – $250
Total 2023 – $3,850
Students will be responsible for bringing and/or purchasing some of their own art supplies. Supply costs are estimated to be $300, and students will be provided with a supply list prior to the start of the program.
Scholarship Opportunities
VASI Scholarships
VASI is able to award a limited number of need/merit based scholarships each year. These awards, which generally are for 10% to 25% of the overall program cost, are awarded to students who demonstrate financial need, artistic promise, and a strong desire to develop an exceptional portfolio. To be considered for a scholarship, students should submit 5 images of their work, including a self portrait, and a statement of financial need. The images and statement should be emailed to buvasi@bu.edu.
Boston Arts Academy Scholarship
The Boston University School of Visual Arts offers one full scholarship to VASI to a Boston Arts Academy junior who exhibits strong artistic and academic promise. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, and art supplies for the 4 week program.
To be considered for the BAA scholarship, applicants must submit a portfolio of 5 images, including a self portrait. The portfolio should be emailed to buvasi@bu.edu. Applicants are expected to be in good academic standing, and should have the support of their faculty.
Raw Art Works Scholarship
The Boston University School of Visual Arts offers one full scholarship to VASI to a student involved with RAW Art Works who exhibits strong artistic and academic promise. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, and art supplies for the 4 week program.
To be considered for the RAW scholarship, applicants must submit a portfolio of 5 images, including a self portrait. The portfolio should be emailed to buvasi@bu.edu. Applicants are expected to be in good academic standing at their high school.
Other Scholarship Opportunities
Prospective students may consider applying to the Naomi Rabb Winston Scholarship in Two-Dimensional Art, a scholarship that supports young artists ages 16-22. The scholarship awards up to $10,000 each year for supplementary art education programs like VASI. Learn more about the scholarship.
Past VASI students have also found scholarship opportunities through their school districts, local arts councils, chambers of commerce, and other such organizations.
College Credit
After successful completion of VASI, students earn 3 college credits, transferrable to most institutions the student will later attend. For comparison, one (1) Boston University credit in 2021-2022 costs approximately $1,830.
Withdrawal Refund Schedule
The withdrawal refund schedule, of tuition only, for the Visual Arts Summer Institute is as follows:
- 100%: Before the start of class (excluding the $75 application fee and $300 deposit)
- 80%: During the first week of class
- 0%: After the first week of classes
