Summer Session

Scholarships & Funding

Students can be awarded funding from Ox-Bow to take a course via the Merit Scholarship, the Work Scholarship, and the Need-Based Scholarship. Awards for all three scholarships are partial in nature but can be combined to cover costs associated with an Ox-Bow enrollment. Ox-Bow hires a diverse panel of artist professionals to review applications whose intersectional perspectives help identify merit in applications, to build a diverse student body and expand equity in aid awards. Please see below for details and instructions.

The Ox-Bow Merit Scholarship

Merit Scholarship funds can be applied toward any core course enrollment. Applications are submitted through the Ox-Bow website, are based on the prospective student’s portfolio, 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 before open registration, so that they can claim their spot in class. 

The Merit Scholarship deadline is Sunday, March 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Apply for a Merit Scholarship

The Ox-Bow Need-Based Scholarship

This scholarship is available to students enrolling in an Ox-Bow course who demonstrate financial need. Awards are partial in nature. Applications for this scholarship are informational, not portfolio-based, and are reviewed by the Ox-Bow Scholarship Committee on a rolling basis.

The Need-Based Scholarship priority deadline is Sunday, March 15, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. ET 

Apply for a Need Based Scholarship

The Ox-Bow Work Scholarship

Ox-Bow will award several work scholarships on a first-come, first-served basis to students enrolling in Ox-Bow classes. The work scholarship is equivalent to 25% of the cost of shared room and board while attending Ox-Bow.

Work scholarship students work thirteen hours per week while on campus in one of the following jobs: kitchen, housekeeping, and grounds and maintenance. Each work scholarship field is unique and requires teamwork with other Ox-Bow staff members in their departments. Tasks specific to these departments may change based on the time of year or priority projects, but general descriptions are as follows:

  • Kitchen: tasks may include dishwashing, cleaning the dining room, or prepping ingredients for meals.

  • Housekeeping: tasks may include cleaning bathrooms, sweeping floors, and turning over bedrooms.

  • Grounds and Maintenance: tasks may include raking leaves, setting up tables and chairs for events, and trash removal.

Students can rank their preferred department at the time of registration and will receive confirmation of their department when they arrive on campus.

Work schedules are dynamic, based on the current needs of each department and students will be scheduled to work, at times, during class. Faculty are aware that they may have a student who is working toward their work study scholarship and will keep them caught up with the syllabus. Failure to complete any of the hours assigned will result in the removal of the scholarship.

Work Scholarships are first-come, first-served, and you can indicate that you are interested on the Ox-Bow registration form.

Note to SAIC Students

Financial Aid from SAIC: Undergraduate and graduate students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago may be able to use their financial aid award and merit scholarships from SAIC toward for-credit tuition costs at Ox-Bow. Students interested in this should reach out to Student Financial Services to ensure their funding will be applied to the summer term and refer to their deadlines. In addition, SAIC students are welcome to apply for Ox-Bow’s scholarships.