The W20 Student Art Studios receives exceptional interest in studio classes each semester. Because demand significantly exceeds facility capacity, a ranked choice lottery system is used to ensure the fairest possible access for all eligible students. This lottery allows students to rank their class preferences, giving them the best chance of being placed in courses that match their interests, skill level, and schedule.
For the spring and fall semesters, matriculated MIT students receive priority in the lottery. For IAP (Independent Activities Period) and summer terms, the lottery is affiliation-neutral, giving all MIT community members equal standing regardless of their affiliation with MIT.
Stratton Student Center Summer Hours
Mon–Sun unlocked from 6:00am–7:00pm
Mon–Sun card access only from 7:00pm–11:00pm
Building closed for Institute holidays
Juneteenth | Fri, June 19
July 4th Holiday | Fri, July 3 & Sat, July 4
*Summer 2026 classes begin the week of June 15 and end the week of August 3. No classes June 19 or July 3. Student access to the studios ends Friday, August 21, 4pm ET
Monday, August 10 (9am, ET)
Class offerings are posted on the W20 Art Studios website.
Tuesday, August 11 (9am, ET)–Monday, August 17 (12pm, ET)
Need-based tuition waiver lottery is open.
Tuesday, August 18 (by 12pm, ET)
Need-based tuition waiver lottery recipients are notified by email and have until Thursday, August 20 at 12pm ET to confirm their enrollment.
Tuesday, August 25 (9am, ET)–Monday, August 31 (12pm, ET)
Fall class lottery is open. Participants select their top three class choices (one submission per person). Modifications can be made until the lottery closes.
Tuesday, September 1 (by 12pm, ET)
Lottery results sent via email. Winners have until Thursday, September 3 at 12pm, ET to accept their spot and complete payment. Those who are not selected for class will automatically be assigned a position on the waitlist. Unclaimed seats will be released to waitlisted students.
*Fall 2026 classes begin the week of September 14 and end the week of November 16. No classes October 12 and November 11. W20 studios closed the week of Thanksgiving. Student access to the studios ends Friday, December 11, 4pm ET.
Payment & Confirmation: You must accept your lottery spot and pay by the deadline in your email notification. If you experience technical issues with payment but want to claim your seat, email art-studios@mit.edu immediately.
Waitlist: You must register for the lottery in order to get a spot on the waitlist for classes. If your name is not selected to register, you are automatically assigned a position on the waitlist(s) for your preferred class(es). You cannot be added to the waitlist after the lottery is closed, but you’re welcome to register for any classes that become publicly available.
Ceramics Placement: Please review the skill level guide carefully before selecting ceramics courses. To ensure a positive and productive learning experience for everyone, we reserve the right to drop students from the class if they do not yet have the necessary skills to fully engage with the course content.
Questions? Please read our FAQ. Still have questions? Contact us at art-studios@mit.edu
We’re excited to welcome you to the studios this fall!
Day/Time: 10 Mondays starting September 14, 4:30–7:00pm *No class October 12 and November 23 Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Marc Mancuso This class introduces students to the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. You’ll learn fundamental techniques to … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Mondays starting September 14, 7:30–10:00pm *No class October 12 and November 23 Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Marc Mancuso This class introduces students to the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. You’ll learn fundamental techniques to … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Mondays starting September 14, 5:30–8:00 pm *No class October 12 or November 23 Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-429 Instructor: Jacob Geiger Learn how to make and process photographs with a digital camera. This course covers camera controls, exposure … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Tuesdays starting September 15, 7:00–10:00pm *No class October 13 and November 24 Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Darrell Finnegan Take your clay skills to another level while we explore challenging techniques such as altering, stretching, and cutting. … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Tuesdays starting September 15, 10:00am–12:30pm Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Marc Mancuso This course introduces you to the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing while building confidence with fundamental techniques. Whether you’re new to ceramics or … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Tuesdays starting September 15, 4:00–6:30pm *No class October 13 and November 24 Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-431 Instructor: Darrell Finnegan This course is designed to help you improve your throwing and hand-building skills while taking on new and … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Tuesdays starting September 15, 3:00–5:30pm Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-425 Instructor: Timothy Lee This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of drawing. Students will explore a variety of drawing methods such as mark-making, layering, additive/subtractive drawing, and … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Tuesdays starting September 15, 6:00–8:30pm Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-425 Instructor: Timothy Lee This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of oil painting. Students will engage in a series of exercises that help them develop an understanding … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Wednesdays starting September 16, 4:30–7:00pm *No class November 11 and November 25 Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Marc Mancuso This class introduces students to the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. You’ll learn fundamental techniques to … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Wednesdays starting September 16, 7:30–10:00pm *No class November 11 and November 25 Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-431 Instructor: Marc Mancuso This course is designed to help you improve your throwing and hand-building skills while taking on new and … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Wednesdays starting September 16, 5:30–8:00 pm *No class November 11 and November 25 Location: W20Art Studios, W20-425 Instructor: Jacob Geiger Photography started with black-and-white chemical processes, and black-and-white analog photography remains an important medium. During the semester, students … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Thursdays starting September 17, 4:00–6:30pm *No class October 15 and November 26 Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Darrell Finnegan This class introduces students to the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. You’ll learn fundamental techniques to … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Thursdays starting September 17, 3:00–5:30pm Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-425 Instructor: Timothy Lee The perception of color is not a fixed mode of seeing but rather psychological and relative. Understanding the implications of color selection, mixing, and placement … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Thursdays starting September 17, 7:00–9:30pm *No class October 15 and November 26 Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-431 Instructor: Darrell Finnegan This course is designed to help you improve your throwing and hand-building skills while taking on new and … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Thursdays starting September 17, 6:00–8:30pm Location: W20 Art Studios (W20-425) Instructor: Timothy Lee This open-format studio in oil painting is geared towards students who already possess foundational skills in representation and a strong grasp on oil painting techniques … Continued
Day/Time: 10 Fridays starting September 18, 1:00–3:30pm *No class October 16 and November 27 Location: W20 Ceramics Studio, W20-431 Instructor: Darrell Finnegan This class introduces students to the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. You’ll learn fundamental techniques to … Continued
Day/Time: Monday, September 14, 8:00–9:00pm mandatory initial meeting. Final critique and other dates scheduled based on student interest. Location: W20 Art Studios, W20-429 Instructor: Jacob Geiger This course is designed for photographers with extensive experience in either film or digital … Continued