Classes FAQS

If you do not find the answer to your question or need more detailed information, please contact the Student Liaison at [email protected].

Why are there fees for some classes?

Fees for classes (both lecture and workshop classes) range from $1.00 to $100.00+.  The fee for the class is set by the teacher.  The class fees are strictly to cover the costs of materials the teacher provides to the students. The fee may be for something as simple as handouts, or you may end up making a corset or other garment. The amount of the fee is not under the control of Costume College and is solely determined by the individual instructors.

Who are our Teachers?

Our Teachers range from the costuming hobbyist to professionals, all of whom volunteer their time to share their knowledge, skills, and talent with other like-minded individuals.  Many of our Teachers have taught at Costume College before, while others will be teaching for the first time this year.  The classes taught by our Teachers range from short (1 to 2 hour) lectures to all day workshops.  Many of our Teachers choose to register for Costume College as a student so that they may attend classes taught by others.  However, registering for Costume College is not required to volunteer to teach.

How are the classes/teachers selected?

Each year we select from a list of classes that have been submitted by the individuals wishing to teach them. Many factors go into the selection process; everything from popularity of the topic to the length of the class and format (workshop, lecture, demo) to teacher availability.  The schedule is created at the Wall Party – named for the large grids placed on the walls so that the classroom, time, and class information can be seen together.  The Wall Party is attended by Programming (Teacher and Student Liaisons), the Dean, Assistant Dean, Hotel Liaison, and CGW President.

How can I teach at College?

By submitting a teacher volunteer form (available on this website) to the Programming department! In December the Teacher Liaison for Programming will ask you submit a class proposal form which will need to be returned by the middle of January. You can submit proposals for more than one class.  We cannot guarantee that everyone who submits a proposal will have one or all of their classes put on the schedule.

For more questions about the class submission/proposal process, or to get on the teacher list if you have never taught before, email the Teacher Liaison at [email protected].

What are workshop classes, and how are they different?

Workshop classes are usually workshops that have a materials fee attached to them.  In these classes you will often leave with a finished or close-to-finished item, along with a new skill set to take home and enjoy.  These classes have a maximum number of students, and require a separate registration.

How do I sign up for workshop classes and/or Tours?

There is a separate registration for workshop classes and/or tours, which can be found on this website.  You can also register for some of the workshop classes on-site at Costume College, Thursday evening.  And there are plenty of lecture classes!

For more information about how to register for workshop classes and tours, please email the Student Liaison at [email protected].

Are Workshop Class and/or Tours transferable?

NO!  Workshop Classes and Tours are NOT transferable to anyone at any time.

What is the “bonus track”?

The bonus track is a special track of classes that are based on the following year’s theme thus allowing students to focus on specific topic and display what they learned the following year. These are the same as the other classes, in that they are a mix of lecture, demo and workshop classes. We generally devote around 10% of the classes to the bonus track, so if you are completely uninterested in the bonus track, there are still plenty of other classes to take on large variety of costuming topics.

I tried to sign up for a workshop, but was told it was full.  But someone else said they registered for it later.  What gives?

It's rare, but students sometimes cancel their Costume College registration, including any workshops they signed up for.  This may create openings in classes that were previously sold out.