Graduate Cost of Attendance

2024–25 cost of attendance

Expense	Academic year	By semester
Tuition	$61,564	$30,782
Activity fee	$284	$142
Academic and technology fee	$840	$420
Estimated housing	$15,830	$7,915
Estimated food	$4,510	$2,255
Estimated books and supplies	$4,500	$2,250
Estimated transportation	$1,626	$813
Estimated health insurance	$2,045	$1,022.50
Estimated total cost of education	$91,199	$45,599.50

Understand your costs

The estimated housing, food and other items in the chart above reflect the typical cost of attending RISD. These amounts can vary based on several factors, including costs related to your degree program or whether you choose to enroll in our health insurance as opposed to a comparable plan.

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Learn more about student housing, including information about room and board plans and rates on our Student Hub.

If you choose to reside off campus and do not take a RISD meal plan, we do not charge housing and dining charges. Room and board figures rather become an estimate of possible non-RISD housing and dining costs.

If you reside on campus, you must leave your room in the same condition as you found it when you moved into your room. If it is found in lesser condition than it was when you moved onto campus, you could be subject to residence hall damage charges. These charges are assessed for violations of the housing contract, which include but are not limited to damages and vandalism.

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At RISD, we require that all students have health insurance. You may waive our student health insurance if you are enrolled in a comparable, comprehensive, US-based health insurance policy. For questions regarding our insurance coverage, or to complete the online waiver, please consult University Health Plans for more information.

Unless you have submitted a waiver, enrolled students are charged $2,045 in the fall for the health insurance plan. If you have comparable coverage, you must submit the waiver by the September 1 deadline for each year you attend RISD.

Learn more about student health insurance

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Through RISD’s laptop program, you can submit a request to use your loan funds towards purchasing a computer that meets your department’s software requirements. We will then adjust your loan amount if needed and add this to your total cost of attendance.

Learn more about the program and find your department’s laptop requirements and recommendations through the link below.

Laptop program

Net price calculator

To assist you with early financial planning for college, our net price calculator helps estimate the total cost of attending RISD and provides a preliminary assessment of your financial aid eligibility.

Estimate your total cost

Summer 2024 programs and fees

Certain graduate programs begin in the summer before your first academic year. Summer charges apply to all whose program is listed below.

Summer on-campus housing and dining cost information is available from Residence Life. Books and supplies, transportation and other expenses are budgeted items that RISD does not directly bill; rather they are estimates of your possible expenses.

At RISD, we require all students to have health insurance. We charge all students enrolled in a summer program an insurance fee of $515 for summer coverage. Visit our student insurance page for more information on your health insurance options.

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Expense	Summer fee
Tuition	$9,819
Orientation fee	$300
Housing	$962
Estimated food	$630
Estimated books and supplies	$780
Estimated transportation	$435
Summer health insurance coverage	$515
Estimated personal expenses	$503
Estimated total cost of summer program	$13,944

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Expense	Summer fee
Tuition	$9,819
Orientation fee	$300
Housing	$962
Estimated food	$630
Estimated books and supplies	$780
Estimated transportation	$435
Summer health insurance coverage	$515
Estimated personal expenses	$503
Estimated total cost of summer program	$13,944

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Expense	Summer fee
Tuition	$9,819
Orientation fee	$300
Copenhagen housing	$3,500
Estimated food	$1,500
Estimated books and supplies	$314
Estimated transportation	$1,174
Estimated personal expenses	$1,443
Estimated total cost of summer program	$18,050

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Expense	Summer fee
Tuition	$9,819
Orientation fee	$300
Housing	$962
Estimated food	$630
Estimated books and supplies	$780
Estimated transportation	$435
Summer health insurance coverage	$515
Estimated personal expenses	$503
Estimated total cost of summer program	$13,944

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Expense	Summer fee
Tuition	$6,546
Orientation fee	$300
Housing	$640
Estimated food	$420
Estimated books and supplies	$520
Estimated transportation	$289
Summer health insurance coverage	$515
Estimated personal expenses	$335
Estimated total cost of summer program	$9,565

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Offered each summer, this optional, one-credit language intensive offers incoming multilingual and international grad students with a vital linguistic, cultural and academic foundation for advanced study in the US.

Tuition: $654

Learn more about the graduate language intensive

Get to know RISD

Find information you need to succeed and thrive at RISD through our Student Hub.

A group of RISD orientation leaders in pink shirts with a print that says "Hi" standing on a green with trees and a brick campus building behind them.

New and incoming students

Find key dates and deadlines for what you need to do as an incoming RISD graduate student, as well as information about summer events, info sessions and other valuable resources.