Thank you for your interest in joining our community of lifelong learners!

Please visit our Course Proposal Portal if you only apply to teach an in-person, on-grounds class during the summer assembly season.

If you are proposing a course for the Online Classroom, please complete the supplemental Online Classroom Application after you’ve completed your main proposal at the Course Proposal Portal.

Applications to teach during the 2025 summer assembly season will open in August and are due by November 1, 2024. 

ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Advance registration is required, and students are encouraged to register for a course as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

AGE LIMITS

Instructors set age limits based on course content, which will be adhered to.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are accepted as payment for phone, internet and in-person orders. Credit cards, cash and gift cards are accepted for in-person registration.

CONTACT INFORMATION

A current email address and phone number are required during registration in cases of course cancellation or important information from the course instructor.

ONE-SESSION ATTENDANCE

No single-day sign-ups are available this year. Registration is for the full session only before arriving at the designated classroom.

FEEDBACK 

Chautauqua has a historic commitment to lifelong learning, and we encourage you to provide us with feedback on learning experiences you would be interested in while visiting Chautauqua. Please assist us in creating an exciting curriculum by emailing your ideas and any other feedback regarding Special Studies to Alyssa Porter, director of community education and youth programs, aporter@chq.org, or visit the Special Studies office at Hultquist Center. 

You are also encouraged to complete the Special Studies survey, which will be emailed upon conclusion of a course. Survey data provides important information to instructors and staff on customer service issues, registration procedures, and future Special Studies offerings. 

WAITLIST 

If a class is full at registration, you may request to be added to a waitlist. If space becomes available, acceptance into the class is made only from this waitlist. You will be notified by phone and/or email if available. A valid email address and phone number must be placed on the waitlist. 

PHOTO, VIDEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA 

Photographs and videos are periodically taken of people participating in Chautauqua Institution programs, classes and events. All persons, including instructors, students or participants and their child/ward, thereby agree that any photograph or video taken by Chautauqua Institution may be used by Chautauqua Institution without limitation, including, but not limited to, advertising, promotional materials, the Chautauqua Institution website, promotional videos, course catalogs, brochures, flyers, social media and other publications, without additional notice or permission and compensation to the participant. All photos and videos are the property of Chautauqua Institution. 

MATERIALS LIST 

Please note that some instructors provide a list of recommended or required materials for students to bring to class. The accompanying materials lists can be found on individual course listings when relevant. 

MATERIALS FEE 

If listed, the materials fee should not be included in tuition payments but instead must be paid directly to the instructor on the first day of class. The materials fee represents the approximate cost to purchase materials from the instructor or independently. Classes with materials fees are noted in the individual course listings. 

COURSE TRANSFERS AND CHANGES 

Students may, if necessary, elect to change or transfer their registration within 24 hours of the first meeting of a course. All such changes or transfers require a $10 transfer fee per course. Because many courses reach maximum enrollment, changes or transfers must be made as soon as possible to allow another student access to that course. 

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY 

If a class is canceled by Chautauqua Institution, we will automatically issue a refund to your original form of payment. Please ensure that Special Studies has your contact information by including it with your registration. 

The following classrooms are accessible by elevator, ramp or are at ground level: 

• Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall 

• Arts Quad, Ceramics Studio 

• Carnahan-Jackson Dance Studios 

• Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall 

• Girls’ Club 

• Fletcher Hall 

• Hultquist Center, Room 101 

• Hurlbut Church, Sanctuary and Marion Lawrance Room 

• McKnight Hall 

• Pier Building Classroom 

• Smith Library Classroom 

• Smith Wilkes Hall 

• John R. Turney Sailing Center 

• Turner Community Center 

Special Studies is committed to providing equal access for all students. Students needing accommodations should contact the Special Studies Office at specialstudies@chq.org or 716-357-6348 at least a week before their first class meeting.