RISD Student Laptop Program Policy
Participating Academic Departments:
Apparel (APPAR), Architecture (ARCH), Digital + Media (D+M), Experimental and Foundation Studies (EFS), Film Animation Video (FAV), Furniture Design (FURN), Graphic Design (GD), Industrial Design (ID), Illustration (ILLUS), Interior Architecture (INTAR), Jewelry + Metalsmithing (J+M), Landscape Architecture (LDAR), Photography (PHOTO), and Textiles (TEXT).
Overview:
Recognizing the need for individual computing power in many of our disciplines, RISD has initiated a laptop program which includes fourteen academic departments. RISD believes immersing students in new technologies (and even new uses for older technologies) will serve its graduates for the duration of their professional careers. This integrated technology program is designed to support the individual curricula and educational objectives of each discipline, and to provide connectivity between traditional technologies and existing resources and materials. The mobile computing environment is tailored to individual use in the studio, classroom, workshop, or library. This integrative computing program allows for sophisticated forms of interactive and networked communication, and is designed to support conceptual ideation and invention as well as the representation, refinement, and prototyping of ideas. Having individualized, portable computing readily at hand, allows students to combine and connect the rich learning facilities of the College in productive ways.
The hardware and software requirements are evaluated annually and recommended by faculty, Department Heads, the administration of the participating Academic Departments, and RISD’s Information Technology Services (ITS). Any questions regarding the selection of hardware and software chosen to support the academic program should be directed to the appropriate Head of the Department.
Requirements:
Students entering a department participating in the Laptop Program are required to have a MacBook Pro laptop or Windows PC Laptop which meets or exceeds the specifications indicated on the Recommended Systems Tests have been performed on this equipment and required software applications have been verified on these systems in accordance with the needs of the academic program(s).
Laptop Hardware Selection:
Several factors come into play in the hardware selection process. Industry and educational standards for each discipline have been researched. Department faculty has developed the curriculum with regard to the department-selected platforms. The manufacturer's reputation, warranty and support services also play a role in the determination of hardware.
Careful consideration has been taken to ensure the selected laptop system requirements will have sufficient computing power to grow with the curriculum and remain functional for the 3 or 4 years of degree program curricula. Standardization of platform and format allows RISD to provide our students with a well tested and proven hardware and software package with the most effective level of service and support.
Software Requirements:
The software required for RISD’s students is often very expensive and changes rapidly. RISD strives to provide students with use of the latest technology and software at the lowest possible cost. Software packages are selected based on the curricular needs of each department. Please refer to the 2025/2026 Hardware and Software Requirements for your department’s specific purchasing details/location and to plan the timing of your academically required laptop program software purchase(s).
Software Updates & Renewals:
Laptop Program software titles eligible for annual updates are limited to the Autodesk products, which is distributed annually via a self-registration and download. The Adobe Creative Cloud software suite is distributed and licensed on a subscription basis and therefore upgrades will be available as they are released as long as an Adobe subscription is maintained by you. Apple currently makes operating systems upgrades and updates available to all users of Apple products as long as your specific hardware remains supported by Apple. Other select titles may also be eligible for free or discounted upgrades through the software manufacturer. Please refer to the 2025/2026 Hardware and Software Requirements document for your specific software requirements.
Program Costs:
Cost of participation in the Academic Laptop Program varies according to each department’s specific hardware and software selection and requirements. Please refer to the 2025/2026 Hardware and Software Requirements document for details.
Financial Aid:
The required costs of the laptop program are considered necessary educational expenses and as such – may be – eligible for various forms of financial aid. Students wishing to inquire about aid/loans to help cover the costs of their required RISD Laptop Program laptops are advised to inquire directly to RISD’s Financial Aid Office.
Insurance Requirement:
To guard against theft or major accidental damage not covered under the system warranty. RISD highly recommends that each student adequately insures their laptop computer annually. Although a homeowner’s policy rider, renter’s policy rider, or other personal property insurance coverage is fully acceptable, RISD’s recommended insurer is National Student Services, Inc. College Student Property Insurance (NSSI). Please visit NSSI on the web at https://www.nssi.com/individual-quote to open your insurance policy. Minimum recommended insurance coverage is a $3,000.00 Replacement Cost policy.
Theft & Insurance Coverage:
The computer is solely the student’s responsibility. Laptop computers are small, mobile, and thus easily subject to theft. For this reason, all students are highly recommended to purchase insurance to guard against theft, vandalism, and accidents.
In the event a laptop is stolen, the student-owner should immediately contact the local police department to report the theft. (If the theft occurs in Providence the phone number to call is 401-272-3121.) If the theft occurs on the RISD campus, RISD Public Safety should also be immediately notified. Filing a theft report with RISD Public Safety does not excuse the need to file a report with the local police department. Responsibility for reporting any laptop theft or vandalism lies solely in the hands of the victim. Please note: RISD Public Safety is not responsible for reporting thefts to local police regardless of whether the theft occurs on or off campus.
After filing and obtaining copies of the necessary police reports, the student should notify their insurance provider of the theft and open an insurance claim. A temporary replacement computer may be checked out from Media Resources while the student is in the process of purchasing a new computer.
Student Responsibility of Care:
Students participating in an academic laptop program assume responsibility for the care and maintenance of their computer. Insurance will only cover certain forms of major damage to hardware but not mishandling, misuse or neglect. Insurance will not cover cosmetic damages or normal system “wear and tear”. It is highly recommended students consistently maintain backup copies of any critical documents and files. Maintenance of a proper system backup will insure the student against loss of crucial data in the event of laptop system corruption, damage or theft.
Program Support:
Students in RISD’s Laptop Program who purchase a RISD required/recommended MacBook Pro or Windows PC Laptop are entitled to a very high level of comprehensive laptop support and service during their matriculation at RISD. This support includes:
- Assurance of full system compatibility within the RISD campus network,
- Laptop configuration, support, diagnostics and repair of all program issued software applications
- Diagnostic evaluation of hardware problems or malfunctions
In an effort to minimize system downtime, loaner laptops may be checked out through Media Resources.
Diagnostics & Repair:
If a laptop is not working properly, the student owner should bring the problem to the attention of their department’s assigned computer technician for troubleshooting, diagnosis, and repair: Department Technicians. If the problem is determined to be hardware related, or if it requires a warranty or insurance related repair, the student will be directed to an appropriate certified service center/repair facility for the facilitation of any warranty or insurance related repairs. The manufacturer’s representative (Apple, HP or other manufacturer), (not RISD), decides whether any given repair is covered by the warranty. The student will be responsible for any costs associated with repairs or replacements not covered by the manufacturer's warranty or their insurance policy.
In the event laptop software or other configuration problems exist, the technician may determine it necessary to completely “refresh” the computer to its original configuration. All student data will be lost in the refresh process.
A Backup reminder: It is highly recommended students maintain a current backup of all critical documents and files. If the computer needs to be refreshed or returned to its "original state" all data will be lost without exception. It is solely the student’s responsibility to back up all of their critical student documents and data to a removable disk device or cloud storage/backup service. RISD is not responsible for recovering lost or corrupted student data or programs.
Temporary Laptop Replacement Systems:
In the unfortunate event a student finds that their laptop computer is stolen, severely damaged, or is in need of a time consuming warranty repair, the student may check out a loaner laptop through Media Resources.