Summer Session

Scholarships, Tuition & Fees

All Ox-Bow summer classes are available as for-credit or non-credit enrollments. Students who complete a for-credit course will receive credit through the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ox-Bow’s for-credit tuition is the same as SAIC’s per credit. Students may also be able to use their financial aid award from SAIC toward degree credit tuition for courses.

An essential part of the magic of Ox-Bow is getting to know its domestic architecture, sharing meals, and living amongst fellow students, faculty, and staff. Room and Board fees cover lodging during the session and three meals per day. Both single and shared rooms are available.

Scholarships

Merit Scholarship funds can apply toward any core course for-credit or non-credit enrollment. Applications are submitted through the Ox-Bow website, are based on the prospective student’s portfolio and response to short essay questions, and are reviewed by a panel of diverse arts professionals with experience at Ox-Bow. Awards are typically partial and communicated to the student at least one-week prior to open registration so that they can claim their spot in class. 

The Merit Scholarship deadline is Sunday, March 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The Ox-Bow Need Based Scholarship
The Need Based Scholarship can apply toward any core course for-credit or non-credit enrollment for students who demonstrate financial need. If awarded, this scholarship will offset the cost of room and board. Applications for this scholarship are informational, not portfolio based, and are reviewed by the Ox-Bow Scholarship Committee on a rolling basis.

If a student is interested in a Need Based Scholarship for their summer 2025 enrollment, they should submit that application by Sunday, March 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Awards will be communicated to the student at least one-week prior to open registration.

Ox-Bow Work Scholarships: Ox-Bow will award a number of work scholarships on a first-come, first-served basis to students enrolling in Ox-Bow classes for-credit. The work scholarship is equivalent to 50% of the cost of shared room and board while attending Ox-Bow. Work Scholarship students work 13 hours per week while on campus in one of the following jobs: kitchen, housekeeping, grounds and maintenance. 

Work scholarships can only be claimed in person at Ox-Bow's in-person registration event held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. You can find the Ox-Bow programming team onsite at SAIC March 31, in the Neiman Center (37 S. Wabash in Chicago, Illinois) starting at 8:30 a.m. CT.

Tuition

Ox-Bow’s for-credit tuition is the same as SAIC’s per credit. Students may also be able to use their financial aid award from SAIC toward degree credit tuition for courses.

Other Fees

*Lab fees are only associated with in-person classes and are listed with course descriptions. They cover essential class materials supplied by Ox-Bow, including fuel costs (if applicable), and the cost of maintaining the studios. Please note that students may incur other material costs, depending on the scale and scope of their projects. All fees are due at the time of registration.

Room & Board

Room and Board costs are available in two tiers to accommodate those who would prefer a single room. Single Rooms are limited and we encourage those interested to register quickly.

Please note: Ox-Bow’s registrar does not work from Ox-Bow’s campus in Saugatuck, Michigan and will not be available via the campus phone. Any questions regarding registration should be directed to our main email, ox-bow@oxbow.org.

Drop Policy

For–Credit Drop Policy: If a for-credit student drops their course from the time of registration until four weeks before the start of their course, they will receive a tuition and room and board refund minus a $350 drop fee. If a for–credit student drops within four weeks of the start date of their course, no refunds will be given. 

Requests to drop must be submitted in writing to the Ox-Bow registrar via email (oxbow@ox-bow.org) by 5:00 p.m. ET on the last day of the drop period. It is not possible to drop an Ox-Bow course through the SAIC Self Service, through the SAIC registrar, or to use scholarships granted by Ox-Bow to cover the costs of drop fees.

Non-Credit Drop Policy: Non-credit enrollments are non–refundable. Non-credit students who drop their enrollment from the time of registration until two weeks before the course will be issued a credit to be used within the same calendar year of the original transaction that can be used for any registration, event, rental, or retail item at Ox-Bow. If a non-credit student drops within two weeks of the start date of their course, no credits will be given.

Expanded Drop Policy Details: Students who register for an Ox-Bow course assume the risk that they may need to leave Ox-Bow due to testing positive for respiratory or other illnesses and are encouraged to consider insurance options. Ox-Bow does not provide refunds for students who leave campus prior to the completion of their course for any reason.

Ox-Bow is dedicated to providing students with the experience described in the catalog, but cannot guarantee the listed faculty. In the rare event that a faculty cannot instruct their course due to an emergency, a replacement of similar expertise will be provided. Faculty replacement does not make a student eligible for a refund.

Ox-Bow reserves the right to adapt this drop policy after the publication of the catalog, per evolving guidelines and recommendations.

Please contact Ox-Bow’s registrar at oxbow@ox-bow.org for the refund review forms and information. Ox-Bow reserves the right to adapt this drop policy, per evolving COVID-19 Guidelines and recommendations.