CE FAQs
We offer a variety of classes, ranging from one-day workshops, weekend intensives, multi-week classes, and a three-month intensive for furniture making. Community Education currently offers classes in the following disciplines: book arts, carpentry, jewelry, musical instruments, and woodworking.. View all classes and register here.
To stay informed of CE updates, please sign up to receive emails from NBSS.
Students must be ages 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Please visit our class calendar to register online. Registration is complete once payment is received in full. Payment is due at the time of registration. For classes that offer payment plan options, full payment must be received three weeks before the class start date. To pay by check or another source of funding, please email ce@nbss.edu. Class registration fees are per person.
We accept all major credit cards for purchasing a CE class.
Checks may be sent to the School “Attn: Community Education.” Please make checks payable to: North Bennet Street School Community Education. Include class title, class start date, and your phone number and email with the check.
Registration is not complete until payment is confirmed.
Currently, Community Education is not able to issue gift cards or class credits with our new registration platform. If you have a preexisting gift card or class credit that you would like to use when registering for a class, please contact ce@nbss.edu to redeem.
Gift cards to the North Bennet Street School Store can be purchased here but are not redeemable towards a Community Education class.
NBSS gift cards are valid for 7 years from the purchase date.
There are currently no scholarships for NBSS Community Education classes. If you have been awarded a scholarship or have funding that you think may be applicable, please contact ce@nbss.edu. Some examples are:
- Veterans Association Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Benefits.
- Veterans Association Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits (for the Three-Month Furniture Making Intensive only).
- AmeriCorps Education Award Funding.
Directions and transportation information can be found on our Visit page. We do not offer parking onsite.
We recommend checking for alerts and updates before you travel on the MBTA’s website.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer individual or group tours of our Community Education workspaces. Please visit us online through our virtual tour.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer private lessons at this time. To express interest for future private lessons, or private group classes, please email ce@nbss.edu.
NBSS does not have any accommodations. Tips on where to stay can be found on our Visit page. Affordable short and long term housing can be found on websites like AirBnb.
Occasionally, classes require students to bring some of their own tools and supplies. The online class listings will either have a link to a Supply List or will note that all supplies are provided. We recommend saving your receipts for supplies in the event that a class is canceled or the incorrect supply is purchased.
This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact the Community Education Office if you have any questions.
- Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
- No loose clothing
- Long pants suggested
- No loose jewelry
- Long hair must be tied back
Generally, classes break for about an hour for lunch. Shorter breaks are taken as needed throughout the day. You are welcome to bring your own food for snacks and lunch. Ask your instructor if they have any restrictions about when food can be eaten during class.
There are many options to purchase food, coffee, and snacks nearby. The North End of Boston is most well known for Italian food and pizza, but being located in downtown Boston, there are options for just about every type of food within a short walk. Here are some of our community favorites.
Classes that do not meet 50% enrollment ten calendar days before the class starts are canceled. Students are notified and will receive a full refund of their class tuition only should this occur. Occasionally, a class will run at less than 50% enrollment.
Please note that inclement weather cancellations will be based on conditions in the Greater Boston area. If you intend to travel from outside the Greater Boston area to attend a class please review our full refund policy.
Community Education inclement weather cancellations are announced no later than 5:30 am on the day of the scheduled class. Students will be notified by email of inclement weather cancellations using the email address provided during registration. Students can also check local news stations for school closings or call 617-227-0155 x300 for a recorded message.
In the event a Community Education class or session is canceled by NBSS, we will work to reschedule a makeup session(s). If that is not possible, students will be provided a prorated refund for the canceled class session(s).
Please email ce@nbss.edu to cancel your registration and provide a reason for doing so. Cancellation requests for in-person classes received at least 14 days before the class start date will be refunded less a $45 fee. Refunds are not given for cancellations received within 14 days of the class start time. NBSS does not issue class credits.
Cancellation policies for our Three-Month Furniture Making Intensive classes are listed separately in each class description.
Once class is in session, NBSS does not offer refunds or make-up class sessions for missed classes due to student circumstances, including illness, travel, and family or work commitments.
Registration for Community Education classes is non-transferable. Students may not transfer registrations to another section of the same course, to a different course, or to another individual to attend in their stead.
Waitlists are managed for each individual class event, and if a spot opens up, everyone on the waitlist for that class event will receive a notification, and the spot will be filled on a first come, first-served basis. To join the waitlist for a class that’s full, find the waitlist sign-up for that specific class. If you want to be on the list for other dates that the class is being held, please sign up for each instance individually.
In the event you can’t attend class due to illness, please let us know immediately by emailing ce@nbss.edu. Due to the variety of conditions under which this may take place (timing, class length and duration, symptoms, etc), all instances of illness will be handled on an individual basis. In general, we will adhere to our standard refund policies.
Once class is in session, NBSS does not offer refunds or make-up class sessions for missed classes due to student circumstances, including illness, travel, and family or work commitments.
For more information and guidance on respiratory illness (Covid-19, influenza, RSV, etc) please visit our Health & Safety page.
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