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: bookbinding & book arts, woodworking & carpentry, jewelry, musical instruments, and weaving & textiles. View all classes and register here.

Since bringing in-person CE classes back to NBSS in Winter/Spring 2022, we have returned to a full class schedule.

For online classes, we launched a limited offering in summer and fall 2022, with more being planned in the future. To stay informed of CE updates, please sign up to receive emails from NBSS.

Students must be 18 years old at the time of the class. No students younger than 18 are permitted at this time, even with a guardian present. We do not currently offer any classes for ages under 18 years old, outside of our existing high school partnership programs.

For those under 18 years old, the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts in Jamaica Plain frequently offers youth classes. Please check out their website at eliotschool.org/classes.

Please visit our class calendar to register online. Registration is complete once payment is processed, and you should receive a confirmation email with all of the information you need in advance of your first day of class.

We accept all major credit cards for purchasing a CE class or Gift Certificate. You can simply add your card information at checkout while online.

• 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 on the check. Registration is not complete until payment is confirmed.
• If you received a paper Gift Certificate, please call or email ce@nbss.edu to redeem. If you received a Gift Card Code, you may apply it at check out online for each type of gift certificate, additional balances may be paid by credit card.

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:

• Veteran’s Association Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Benefits.
• Veteran’s 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.

Please note the following travel alerts for visiting NBSS:

• There are many current and planned closures on various lines of the MBTA due to maintenance. We recommend checking for alerts and updates before you travel on the MBTA’s website.

We apologize for any disruption this may cause. Please contact us at ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions. 

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.

For classes from June through August, students can often stay in the dormitories at Massachusetts College of Art for a fraction of the cost of a hotel. Download this info sheet for 2023 rates, or check out massart.edu/summer-housing for more information.

Occasionally, classes require students to bring some of their own tools and supplies. The online descriptions will either have a link to a Supply List or it will note that all supplies are provided. We recommend saving your receipts for supplies in the event that a class is cancelled 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 specific questions or needs.

• 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. There are many options to purchase food nearby.

Classes that do not meet 50% enrollment one week before the class start date are often cancelled. Registered students will be notified and will receive a full refund. Occasionally, a class will run at less than 50% enrollment.

Occasionally, classes are cancelled due to inclement weather for the safety of our staff and students. Check local news stations for school closings or call 617.227.0155 x300 for a recorded message. Cancellations are announced by 5:30 am. Classes are made up as scheduling permits.

Please email ce@nbss.edu to cancel your registration and provide a reason for doing so. Cancellation requests 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. Registrations are non-transferable and NBSS does not issue credits. 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.

Cancellation policies for our Three-Month Furniture Making Intensive and Private Instruction classes are listed separately in each class description.

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. Cancellation requests received at least 14 days before the class start date will be refunded less a $45 fee.

We currently are not offering online CE classes—all our Community Education classes take place in-person at the School.

Please check back for updates, and sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know when we offer online classes.

Please view these here: Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

As of May 31, 2023 all Community Education students and instructors who participate in an in-person class must follow the protocols outlined below. Note that these are the same policies that apply to our Career Training program students, faculty, and staff.

• Covid-19 vaccination and booster shots are strongly encouraged for all students, faculty, and staff.*
• Masks are currently optional but encouraged at the School.
• Building filtration systems are MERV 14, which can trap smaller particles and viruses. 
• All School spaces are frequently professionally cleaned, among other disinfection measures.

Please view our Health & Safety Plan for more information on our School protocols. For any questions, please contact ce@nbss.edu.

* For our Community Education (CE) students only, full Covid-19 vaccination is required through the end of our summer 2023 term. Beginning in September, we will no longer require vaccination for CE students.

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, but we recognize this is an uncertain time and will work with you on a case-by-case basis.

Should you receive a positive Covid-19 test result and can’t attend class, 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 will be handled on an individual basis.

In the event a CE instructor cannot teach class due to Covid-19, we will contact all registered students immediately and let them know of the class status: whether it is canceled, will be rescheduled, and/or will be taught by a different instructor.

In general, we will adhere to our standard refund policies, but we recognize this is an uncertain time and will work with you on a case-by-case basis.

Cancellations requests, for any reason, received at least 14 days before the class start date will be refunded less a $45.00 fee. Refunds are not given for cancellations received within 14 days of the class start time, or anytime after the class starts. Registrations are non-transferable and NBSS does not issue credits. 

Note that cancellation policies for our Three-Month Furniture Making Intensive are listed separately, due to the nature of the course.