GETTING STARTED AT SMFA - Undergraduate Students

June 5                           Student E-mail Accounts Created
June 26                         Housing Assistance Day
Aug. 6–20                     New Undergraduate Student Advising
Aug. 15                         Undergraduate Payment Deadline
Aug. 21–28                   Undergraduate Registration on mySMFA
Aug. 28                         Residence Hall Move-In
Aug. 29 –31                  New Undergraduate Student Orientation

GETTING STARTED AT SMFA - Post Bac and Graduate Students

June 5                          Student E-mail Accounts Created
June 26                        Housing Assistance Day
July 5–24                     MFA Advising
July 7–24                     Post Bac Advising
July 25–Aug. 1             MFA and MAT Registration on mySMFA
Aug. 1–8                      Post Bac Registration on mySMFA
Aug. 15                        Post Bac Payment Deadline
Aug. 26                        MFA and MAT Orientation at Tufts University
Aug. 27                        MAT Meeting at the SMFA
Aug. 29, 31                  Post Bac and MFA Orientation at SMFA

Advising
Advising for new undergraduate students is provided by an advising team made up of professional staff advisors who are also professional artists. Advisors work as a team and students are not assigned to a specific person. Advising appointments will take place from August 6 through August 20 on weekdays only and may be conducted over the phone for students who are not yet in Boston. Students must meet with an advisor in order to be cleared for registration, which begins on August 21. To schedule an appointment, call (617) 369-3612. Students who do not schedule an appointment prior to July 25 will be automatically assigned a time. Appointments will also be available during the registration period from August 21 through August 27.

Registration for Courses
New students will register for courses at the end of August, prior to Orientation. Information about your online registration account will be sent to you during the Summer. For more information about online registration, please contact mySMFAHelp@smfa.edu.

New Student Orientation for Undergraduate Students
New Student Orientation for undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Art Education, Combined Degree, and Studio Programs will take place during the last week of August. Those students who are awarded space in the Artist Residence Hall will move in on August 28. Three days of Orientation will follow on August 29, 30, and 31. Students are expected to participate in all three days while parents are invited to participate for just one day on August 29. A full Orientation schedule will be available later in the summer. Please check back for details.

2008–2009 Academic Calendar
Click here to download the full 2008–2009 academic year calendar.

School E-mail Accounts
All new students are issued a School e-mail account once they have deposited with the Admissions Office. E-mail accounts will begin to be assigned in early June. Students who deposit after the beginning of June will receive their e-mail account information roughly three weeks after depositing with the Admissions Office. E-mail accounts are the primary means by which the School communicates information to students. If you have any questions about your account, please e-mail studentaffairs@smfa.edu.
Click here for more detailed information about using and maintaining your account. 

Computer accounts, lockers, and mailboxes will be assigned when you register for classes.

Computers
The School is equipped with several Macintosh computers to which all students have general access. Nevertheless, some students may opt to purchase a personal computer. The SMFA does not make a formal recommendation regarding the best type of personal computer to purchase. Many students find it is best to wait until they begin taking classes before deciding which computer type will best suit their needs. Faculty members are also able to advise students on appropriate computers for specific applications and class needs.

Housing
Housing information is mailed to all accepted students informing them of the proper housing application process. There are limited on campus housing spaces. To be considered for on campus housing please go to our on-campus housing page and fill out the appropriate forms. E-mail Holly Gould if you have any on-campus housing questions. 

The majority of SMFA students live off campus in the city of Boston. We offer a number of resources to help you find a place to call home, including Housing Assistance Day, which will be held prior to the new semester. Housing Assistance Day is for students looking for an apartment in Boston, a roommate, or both!

Housing Assistance Day

The Office of Student Affairs would like to invite you to attend Housing Assistance Day on Thursday, June 26, 2008. Housing Assistance Day is an event that covers the essential points of locating housing in the Boston area. This event brings together all of the elements of the housing search, giving students a chance to meet potential roommates and talk with Realtors, as well as learn something about the rental market and neighborhoods before beginning the actual search.

If you will attend, please RSVP Holly Gould at hgould@sfma.edu. If you are unable to attend but are still interested in finding off-campus housing, please contact Holly Gould at the above e-mail to request information.

Housing Assistance Day Itinerary

9–9:30 am Check-In
Location: Weems Atrium
Fill out a roommate questionnaire and have your picture taken. This information will be used to facilitate roommate connections and will be posted for other attendees to view.

9-9:45 am Breakfast
Location: Anderson Auditorium
Enjoy a continental-style breakfast while meeting other new students and reviewing roommate information.

9:45–10:45 am Welcome Session
Location: Anderson Auditorium
This session will offer an overview of the off-campus housing search. Topics will include: roommates and how to identify potential roommates, the ins and outs of the Boston rental market, and an introduction to local neighborhoods.

10:45–11:30 am Roommate Session
Location: Anderson Auditorium
This will be an opportunity for students to get to know one another better and to consider potential roommates.

10:45–11:30 am Parent Q & A Session
Location: B-311
This will be an opportunity for parents to meet with School staff members from the offices of Academic Affairs, Admissions, Bursar, and Financial Aid to ask any questions they may still have about the School or Boston in general.

11:30 am–3 pm Housing Search
Location: Weems Atrium
Local Realtors will be available to meet with students and their parents to discuss available rentals.

Dining
Whether you live on-campus or off, food is available for purchase at the School's Café des Arts. A meal plan through Chartwells, located at Massachusetts College of Art, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Wentworth Institute of Technology is also available. More info...

Resources for Students
For more resources for students, including student handbooks, helpful links, and a peek at the student Bulletin Board, click here.

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

Forms and Surveys
Before you arrive, you will need to submit a final official high school transcript and Immunization Form. If you require special classroom or learning accommodations, complete and return the confidential Disabilities Survey.  Click here for information on how to apply for special disability accomodations.

Transfer Students
Transfer students must also send a final official college transcript to be evaluated for transfer credit. For more information on transferring credit, click here. Deferment Forms submitted to the Registrar's Office will be processed after the last day of add/drop at SMFA and Tufts.

Health Insurance
Students who do not have health insurance outside of the School must enroll in the SMFA plan. Students who do not purchase the health insurance plan at SMFA must provide us with proof of health insurance by completing the School’s health insurance waiver by August 15 (check back soon for waiver forms and information). For more information and to enroll in the School's health insurance plan go to Consolidated Health Plans, Inc.

Tuition Refund Plan
A Tuition Refund Plan is available to protect against tuition loss if illness or accident requires that you leave School mid-semester. The deadline to sign up for the Tuition Refund Plan is August 15. Contact the Business Office for a brochure and enrollment form.