The Animation Collaborative's Policies and Procedures

We have the following policies in place to ensure that our students receive the best possible education.

• In order to apply for a workshop at The Animation Collaborative, prospective students must (1) be 18 years or older by the first day of their selected workshop and have basic computer skills on Windows or Mac.
• We require that each registering student submit their birthdate with registration. If we suspect that a student is falsifying information about his or her age, we reserve the right to request a photo ID with birthdate.
• We recommend that animation students have a working knowledge of Autodesk Maya. If you have little or no experience with Maya, we recommend taking Introduction to Maya before starting any animation workshops (when provided).
• We encourage animation students to start with Animation I, but more advanced students are welcome to apply to upper-level workshops. Students must be placed into upper-level workshops.
• Students must supply their own computer hardware and 3D animation software. The Animation Collaborative does not require specific computers for students, but we do require that all animation work be done in Autodesk Maya. Some Autodesk Maya licenses require an internet connection. Autodesk now offers the Maya Indie license for students! Please see their website for more information.

Students are responsible for providing their own computer hardware and software.

The Animation Collaborative is happy to offer a Payment Plan that breaks the tuition into 3 payments as follows:

Please note: If you paid in full when you registered, these instructions do not apply to you.

10-week Sessions

1. First Payment: $200, due with Registration.
   • Should the student not be placed into the workshop for which he/she applied or if the workshop is cancelled by The Animation Collaborative for any reason, the entire first payment is refundable or can be saved as a credit for a different workshop pending space availability and instructor approval if required.
   • Should the student cancel his or her registration at any point until 15 days before the workshop‘s start date, any tuition paid in addition to the $200 will be refunded. The $200 deposit remains non-refundable.
   • Should the student cancel at any point after 14 days before the workshop‘s start date, including once the term has started, there will be no refund issued as the space in the workshop had been reserved and the instructors paid for that term.
2. Payment 2: $466.67, due the Monday of the first week of the term (students will be emailed this date upon Registration)
3. Payment 3: $466.67, due the Monday of the 4th week of the term (students will be emailed this date upon Registration)
4. Payment 4: $466.66, due the Monday of the 7th week of the term (students will be emailed this date upon Registration)

Total: $1,600.00

Students are required to note the dates for Payment Plan payment due dates. The Animation Collaborative is not responsible for sending out individual reminder emails. Should a student fail to make a payment on time, a $35 late fee will be applied.

Registration using a payment plan can be done here:
Workshop Registration Deposit

Instructions on how to make remaining payments or to pay your Payment Plan balance are here:
Make a Payment

Any student on a Payment Plan who wishes to withdraw from The Animation Collaborative is subject to the conditions outlined below.

There are no Payment Plan options for The EPIC: Intensive. There are no Payment Plan options for The Masterclass events.

The Animation Collaborative offers a special discount of 10% for students who take multiple workshops in a given term.

The 10% discount applies to the second workshop and cannot be applied to future terms. If a student is not accepted to one of the workshops, the remaining workshop is full price and no discount will be applied. If a workshop is cancelled, the remaining workshop will be full price and no discount will be applied.

From time to time, The Animation Collaborative offers special rates or discounts on certain workshops. Only one discount can be applied to each workshop. Discounts cannot be combined, unless a student is taking multiple workshops.

For students taking multiple workshops, The Animation Collaborative will aim to give the student the best discount possible.

A $200.00 deposit is required upon application for a workshop. If the workshop is cancelled by The Animation Collaborative for any reason, the deposit and any tuition paid will be refunded in full. Students may also choose to keep a credit with The Animation Collaborative for another workshop for the current term or for a future term.

The $200.00 deposit includes a non-refundable $125.00 registration fee. If a student chooses to withdraw from a workshop at any point, he or she will be charged a $75 cancellation fee and will therefore receive no refund for any portion of the $200.00 deposit.

If a student is not accepted into the workshop for which they originally applied, he or she may choose to apply any deposit and/or tuition paid to another workshop of his or her choosing, pending instructor review (if required) and space availability. If a student chooses not to apply to another workshop, he or she will receive a full refund of the deposit and any tuition paid.

Tuition payments are due in full 4 weeks before the start date of the term. This date will be listed in the student‘s Registration Confirmation email. If a student wishes to withdraw up until 15 days of the workshop starting, any tuition paid less the $200 deposit will be refunded or saved as a credit for future terms.

At any point 15 days before a term starts or during a term, students may withdraw from The Animation Collaborative. Regardless of the payment method, students are obligated to pay for that terms‘s tuition as The Animation Collaborative has already reserved that student‘s seat in the workshop and has employed instructors for the term. If the student has paid for the term in full, they may be eligible for a maximum refund of 1/3 of the tuition for the term, minus the $125 registration fee and a $75 cancellation fee. (For a 12-week workshop with a $1900 fee, this would result in a refund or credit of $567.00. For an 8-week workshop with a $1300 fee, this would result in a refund or credit of $434.00). Refunds can only be processed in the original payment form. If a student registers through PayPal, AnimC is only able to refund to the email address used for the original transaction.

If it is beyond the 5th week of the term (for 12-week workshops), or 3rd week of the term (for 8-week workshops) there is no refund issued. Registration or other fees will not be refunded.

If for any reason a student needs to withdraw from a workshop, he or she is required to email immediately to discuss options.

Students must pay full tuition before the workshop begins. Students who fail to make payments by the tuition due date (found in the Registration Confirmation email) will be subject to a $35 late fee. Students who fail to pay tuition within two (2) business days of the late notification are subject to being dropped from the workshop. If the student fails to contact The Animation Collaborative, he or she will be ineligible for applications to future workshops. Unpaid late fees will remain on a student‘s account until paid and may result in a student being ineligible to apply for future terms at AnimC.

No student will be able to attend the first session of a workshop unless tuition has been paid in full. Late acceptance will be granted upon receipt of payment, but The Animation Collaborative staff is not responsible for getting a student caught up. The student is responsible for getting any missed material from his or her instructor.

The Animation Collaborative may cancel a workshop when the number of students scheduled is too small, or the instructor withdraws for any reason. The Animation Collaborative may also retain a workshop but substitute another instructor if an instructor withdraws before the start of the term or during a term.

What does this mean for me? Some scenarios to help you make sense of the policy:

• I‘ve registered for a workshop and paid my deposit, but something came up and I need to drop out. Can I get my deposit back?
  • No. The deposit is non-refundable. It includes a $125 non-refundable registration fee. If you cancel, we charge a $75 cancellation fee, totalling $200. Thus, your deposit will not be returned.
• I‘ve registered for a workshop and paid my deposit, but the workshop was cancelled by The Animation Collaborative. Can I get my deposit back?
  • Yes! We regret that from time to time, a workshop gets cancelled due to low enrollment or other factors. We will of course refund your deposit and any tuition paid. Alternatively, you can apply that deposit towards another workshop or hold it as a credit for a future term.
• I‘ve registered for a workshop and paid my deposit, but the instructor did not approve my reel/portfolio. Can I get my deposit back?
  • Yes! If an instructor decides that a student would do better in a different workshop, we are happy to refund your deposit or apply it to a different workshop pending space availability and instructor approval.
• I‘ve registered for a workshop and paid my full tuition. I need to cancel. Can I get my tuition back?
  • It depends. If you cancel up to 15 days before the term starts, we are able to refund your tuition minus the non-refundable deposit. If you cancel on or within 14 days of the term starting or after the term has begun, you will receive a refund of 1/3 the tuition for the term. This is because we‘ve already paid our instructors for the term and are unlikely to fill your spot on short notice.
• I‘m in a workshop now, but I‘m really not enjoying it. What can I do?
  • Please contact us as soon as possible! We want every student to have the best possible experience at The Animation Collaborative.
• I‘m in a workshop now, but my schedule has changed drastically and I may not be able to complete the term. What can I do?
  • Please contact us as soon as possible! We will do everything we can to find a solution.

If you currently reside outside of the United States and are interested in joining us at The Animation Collaborative, please review the following:

• Our workshops are only offered in English; a general understanding of the language is required for participation.
• Application requirements and tuition prices are the same for international and United States-based students – all prices are listed in USD.

At times instructors may have a planned absence. They will find a qualified replacement instructor and the workshop will continue as scheduled. Instructors may wish to skip a workshop meeting and hold a make-up session at the end of the term. These options will always be discussed with students before arrangements are made. Students may not request a refund or credit of any kind as a result of the instructor substitution.

If an instructor does not attend a scheduled workshop meeting due to any reason, intentional or unintentional, students are entitled to a rescheduled workshop meeting substitution. The instructor or substitute will make every effort to accommodate the students at the most convenient replacement time and day, however The Animation Collaborative makes no guarantee that the substitution will in fact be at a particular time or day necessary for a student to participate. If a student is not able to attend the substitute meeting, they are not eligible for a corresponding fractional refund.

On rare occassions, instructors may withdraw from teaching a workshop due to personal circumstances. In such circumstances, a suitable replacement instructor will be found to substitute for the remainder of the term. Students will not be eligible for a refund as a result of any such circumstance.

Students are expected to maintain professional standards of behavior in their interactions with other students and with instructors. If some conduct is unprofessional, or would be inappropriate in the workplace, students should avoid it. The Animation Collaborative will not tolerate harassment, illegal discrimination, derogatory speech or actions toward another AnimC party or any other person, using The Animation Collaborative‘s communications.

Students should avoid offensive content in the forums, messages, and in their assignments, including crude language, sexually explicit material, or derogatory intention, or jokes that could appear derogatory toward others.

Failure to comply with the standards of conduct may result in probation, up to and including dismissal.

Students who fail to abide by the terms of admission, the standards of conduct, or fail to resolve any non-payment issues may be considered for dismissal by The Animation Collaborative. Students should email to resolve any problems. Depending on the nature of the dismissal, students may or may not be allowed to reapply to The Animation Collaborative at a later time or to take workshops in the future.

The Animation Collaborative administrative offices observe and are closed the following holidays:

• Martin Luther King Day
• President‘s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• New Year’s Eve
• New Year’s Day

The Animation Collaborative is completely closed (no workshops meet) during the week of Thanksgiving. Workshops can be held on all other holidays between January and Thanksgiving, up to the instructor‘s discretion. Students will be notified ahead of time if a workshop is to meet on a holiday or if the instructor and students prefer to reschedule.