About Our Courses
Our courses are intended for students 18 and older. Typically, no prior experience is required to participate. If a course has a prerequisite, it will be clearly outlined in the course description. We are always happy to talk with you to determine which course is the right fit for your goals and experience.
For our short-form (2 day-2 week) courses, we typically open registration at least 6 months in advance and space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend registering at least 2-3 months in advance; although we will continue to accept registrations on a space-available basis until a class reaches its capacity. When there is space available, we can accept registrations up until the day before the class begins. Most classes have a maximum between 6 and 15 students.
Waitlist
If the class you hope to take is full, you can add your name to the waitlist and we will notify you when a space is available. There is no fee to add your name to the waitlist and there is no obligation to attend if you are accepted. We cannot predict if a space will become available and may not be able to respond to inquiries about your place in line (in the summer months, we get a lot and it's hard to keep up!). If a space becomes available in a course within a week of the start, we may email the entire waitlist and offer the seat on a first-come, first-served basis.
Payment options
Securing your spot in a course requires putting down a 20% nonrefundable deposit. Remaining payments can be made in any amounts and increments, with the full balance due 30 days prior to your class start date.
When registering you have the option to pay by credit card or e-check. Choosing to pay with an e-check helps us save thousands of dollars a year on credit card fees, so we encourage using that option if you can. We also provide the opportunity to cover your credit card fees at check out should you choose to offset that cost. Thank you for helping us keep our expenses down!
Cancellation Policy
Yestermorrow reserves the right to cancel classes due to inadequate enrollment or other circumstances beyond our control. In the event of a cancellation on our end, we will refund all payments - including deposits. Whenever possible, we make our cancellation call 20 days in advance.
Student Cancellation Policy
Deposits are always non-refundable. Refunds and credits for other payments depend on the timing of your cancellation:
30+ days before course starts
Deposits are not-refundable. After the deposit, any remaining payments you made for tuition or meals and lodging are refundable.
You may transfer your registration to another course one time. There is a fee of 5% of your tuition. Transfers must be made at the time of your cancellation request.
7-29 days before course starts
Deposit are not-refundable. After the deposit, any remaining payments you made for tuition will be held as credit. Meals and lodging are refundable.
You may transfer your registration to another course one time. There is a fee of 10% of your tuition. Transfers must be made at the time of your cancellation request.
0-7 days before course starts
No refunds, nor transfers this close to the start date of a course.
Financial Aid
Sliding Scale Tuition
As a continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Yestermorrow offers a 5 tier sliding scale for tuition. The sliding scale is a tool that allows students to personally assess their ability to contribute and select the price point of tuition that will allow them to access our programs. Our programs are designed for both professional and personal development and we feel strongly that investing in yourself should be accessible to all, regardless of income level. The implementation of a sliding scale is part of our commitment to economic justice and continued equity within education.
Students may select from the first two reduced tuition tiers, pay the middle tier level which reflects the true cost of the course, or select from the fourth and fifth tiers to pay it forward to another student. Paying according to one’s resources creates a more equitable, diverse and sustainable community.
Certificate applications are not eligible for the sliding scale. Please fill out the scholarship application for financial assistance for Certificate programs.
Consider paying less if one or more of these apply to you:
- are receiving public assistance
- are supporting dependents
- have significant debt –medical, education, etc
- have immigration related expenses
- are on a fixed income
Consider paying more if one or more of these apply to you:
- own your own home
- have generational wealth, property, or investments (for example contributing to a 401K)
- have a high degree of earning power due to education, race, or gender privileges
- travel recreationally
Tuition Assistance - Tier 1
- Paying for this course presents a significant financial hardship. Tier 1 is 65% of the full tuition.
Tuition Assistance - Tier 2
- Paying full price for this course presents somewhat of a financial hardship. Tier 2 is 85% of the full tuition.
Full tuition - Tier 3
- Paying this price may be a sacrifice, but I can find the resources to do so.
Your tuition & help another - Tier 4
- Paying for this course does not present a significant financial sacrifice. I have the ability to redistribute resources and increase access for others (115% of full tuition price).
Your tuition & help another - Tier 5
- Paying for this course does not present any financial sacrifice. I have the ability to redistribute resources and increase access for others (140% of full tuition price).
To determine your place on the scale, we encourage people to honestly assess their resources and consider the difference between a sacrifice and a hardship. If attending the course would be difficult, but not detrimental, that qualifies as a sacrifice. You may have to cut back on spending in other areas to prioritize your participation in the course. If attending the course would be detrimental to your financial health and affect your ability to meet basic needs, that is considered a hardship. A sliding scale requires honest and thoughtful consideration of the complexities of income, wealth, class, race, and other forms of inequity that affect an individual’s ability to pay. We do not require income verification for our sliding scale. We trust participants to choose a payment amount that reflects both their means and their desire to support others.
Thank you to the following organizations who helped us shape and articulate our policy:
Scholarships
Yestermorrow offers several scholarship opportunities. Our General Scholarship fund is intended for those who would not otherwise afford to attend Yestermorrow. We offer scholarships specifically for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and Women. Scholarships are only awarded for certificate programs. All short form programs have a sliding scale tuition model. When possible, we offer scholarships for select short-form courses via grants. These opportunities are noted on our list of current courses.
Other Financial Aid Resources
AmeriCorps Segal Awards
Recipients of an Americorps Education Award can apply those funds toward Yestermorrow course tuition, materials fee, lodging, and meal plan. Recipients must process their award through a Title IV institution. By processing your award through a Title IV institution, you earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) at a rate of 1 CEU/15 contact hours. We are able to accept AmeriCorps Education Awards for any Yestermorrow course through our academic partnership with Sterling College. There is a fee of $130/CEU for processing your award through Sterling. This fee for CEUs is in addition to the Yestermorrow course tuition, materials fee, lodging, and meal plan, which can be covered by the student's AmeriCorps award.
To use your AmeriCorps Education Award, you will first register online for the desired course and put down the required 20% deposit. The deposit will be refunded to you once Yestermorrow receives payment from AmeriCorps. You will indicate on your registration form that you intend to use an AmeriCorps award and we will contact you when we've processed your registration.
529 College Savings Plans
All 529 plans are different. Please check with your plan administrator to find out if you can apply funds directly to Yestermorrow. If your 529 College Savings Plan requires you to process your funds through a Title IV institution, you do so through our partnership with Sterling College and earn Continuing Education Units at a rate of 1 CEU/15 contact hours. Sterling charges a $130/CEU administrative fee to process CEUs. This fee for CEUs is in addition to the Yestermorrow course tuition, materials fee, lodging, and meal plan. Please contact your plan administrator to inquire if meals and lodging can be covered through your 529 plan.
To use your 529 plan, you will first register online for the desired course and put down the required deposit. The deposit will be refunded to you once Yestermorrow receives payment from your plan. You will indicate on your registration form that you intend to use an 529 and we will contact you when we've processed your registration.
Standby for Locals
Residents of Washington County are eligible for our Standby for Locals Program. By adding your name to the standby list for a course, you may be eligible for 50% off tuition. Exclusions apply.
AIA Learning Units
Yestermorrow is a Continuing Education Systems Registered Provider through the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Our AIA/CES courses are specifically designed for current and future design professionals. Architecture students are eligible for 0.15 IDP units per Learning Unit. Courses offered with CEUs are listed on our website.
Continuing Education Units
Continuing education units are available for all Yestermorrow programs through Sterling College at the rate of 1 CEU per 15 contact hours. Sterling College charges a $130/CEU fee. The fee is charged to the student in addition to Yestermorrow tuition.
College Credits
Participants can earn 15 college credits in the Semester in Design/Build offered in partnership with UMass Amherst’s Architecture + Design Program. Participants may also earn 6 college credits in the Collaborative Design/Build Intensive.