ACBA is licensed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. ACBA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. ACBA is approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to process VA educational benefits.

ACBA offers two degrees: Associate of Applied Sciences in the Building Arts; Bachelor of Applied Sciences in the Building Arts.

Each of these degree programs has a "craft specialization" where students select one of our trade areas as their main focus.

The Associate program offers four areas: Blacksmithing, Heritage Masonry & Stonecarving, Plaster, Wood.

The Bachelor program offers six areas: Architectural Carpentry, Blacksmithing, Classical Architecture & Design, Heritage Masonry & Stonecarving, Plaster, Timber Framing.

The curriculum at ACBA has specialized academic and artistic objectives. In exceptional cases, and upon the recommendation of the faculty, applicants who are deemed to have a satisfactory record of experience and education may be admitted to courses for one term at a time (space permitting) and must be readmitted at the beginning of each subsequent term. Students in this category may take courses from the General Education, Craft Specialization Support, and Elective areas, but are not permitted to take the Craft Specialization courses. Students with non-degree seeking status who desire to become candidates for a degree from ACBA must meet all appropriate requirements for admissions.

ACBA does offer week-long courses that may or may not award credit (depending upon the course) that are open to both students and the public. These courses are regularly craft specialization courses and interested persons should follow our website to view the course offerings in this area.

As a college with both general education courses as well as artisan trades, ACBA has a wide array of faculty members that have backgrounds from both the trades and academia. Please check out our faculty webpage for more information about our team.

Applications from incoming transfer students will be evaluated on an individual basis. The American College of the Building Arts does not automatically award transfer credit for courses taken at other institutions. In order to receive transfer credit for a previously completed course, the course must be substantially equivalent to a course offered at ACBA and fulfill a requirement in the student’s program. Such credit will be awarded only if (1) the course was taken at a regionally accredited institution and was completed with a grade of “C” or better; and (2) the student passes an institutional assessment exam offered by the ACBA professor, where applicable. A student’s GPA is not transferred as part of the transfer credit process.

The curriculum at ACBA has been carefully constructed to ensure the student acquires the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the “educated artisan.” Due to the integrated nature of General Education and Craft Specialization curricula at ACBA, courses are often not exact equivalents to those taken elsewhere. Therefore, to request transfer credit for any previous coursework, a course syllabus, course description, and/or booklist for the original course may be required in order to facilitate comparison.

In certain cases, and only with permission of the Registrar and Chief Academic Officer, an ACBA course may be waived if the student has transfer credit that substantially exceeds the ACBA course. General elective credit may be granted at the discretion of the Registrar for transfer courses that fit the mission of ACBA.

Each transfer credit request is evaluated on an individual basis and credit will be awarded accordingly if it is found to be appropriate. Current students may not transfer any credits into the ACBA program without prior written permission of the Chief Academic Officer and the Registrar.

Advanced Placement Credit earned through the College Board is accepted at the American College of the Building Arts on a limited basis. Students who have taken college-level courses as a part of the secondary school curriculum, and who have achieved the minimum scores listed below on advanced placement exams, will be awarded advanced placement credit at ACBA. Any AP courses taken that are not listed below may be petitioned for credit through the Office of Academic Affairs on an individual basis.

ACBA recognizes credit earned under the International Baccalaureate Program on a limited basis. Students who have taken college-level courses in a secondary school and who have achieved a minimum score of 5 on a higher-level IB exam will be awarded credit at ACBA.

To be considered for baccalaureate programs, applicants must submit:

July 24 is the current deadline for applications.

Early Decision is an application plan for students who view the American College of the Building Arts as their first-choice institution. All applications materials must be received by November 15 for applicants to be considered for Early Decision. An Early Decision program permits students who demonstrate academic promise, craft talent, and who especially desire to attend ACBA have their credentials considered in advance of the regular selection process. Under Early Decision, applicants if accepted are expected to enroll. The notifications of admissions action for Early Decision applicants may include one of the following:

In general, ACBA does not defer undergraduate offers of admission. An offer of admission applies only to the specific year for which the applicant has applied. An offer of admission is not transferable to another academic term. Consequently, a student who was admitted to one term may not necessarily be offered admission in another term. Students who are not able to attend ACBA for the specific term to which they have applied, and have been admitted, will need to reapply for admission. ACBA will keep admissions materials on file, however the student will need to reapply by filling out an application, paying the application fee and writing a personal essay about why he/she is now ready to attend.

Admissions candidates who submit General Educational Development (GED) credentials in lieu of a high school diploma must be 18 years of age or older. The minimum acceptable GED score for admission is the score used for awarding an equivalent secondary diploma in the state where the test was taken. Official GED scores must be received from the General Educational Development Testing Services.

ACBA recognizes the viability of the home school experience. All home-schooled candidates must be associated with the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools or a similar organization. Out-of-state transcripts will be reviewed on an individual basis. Please submit all verification documents with the official high school transcript.

ACBA holds a number of open houses across the academic year. The dates for current Open Houses may be found on the college website. These events provide students with the opportunity to meet with College personnel, learn about the school and its academics, and, when time permits, to participate in the entrance interview required for admission to ACBA.

For additional information on the ACBA Open Houses or to register for one, contact our Admissions Office, via email or by calling her direct line at 843-266-7835.

To ensure that its programs, activities, and services are accessible to all matriculating students, ACBA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Documented disabilities may include, but are not limited to, a learning disability; attention deficit disorder; a visual, hearing, or mobility impairment, etc. A reasonable accommodation is one that is consistent with the academic standards of the College and does not fundamentally alter the nature of a course or program. The College works with students directly and individually throughout the accommodation process.

Final authority for determining the most reasonable and effective accommodation rests with the College and is based on the nature of a course or program and the individual student’s disability-related need(s). Please note, arrangements for equipment, recorded text, interpreters, and other accommodations require advance notice.

When making a request for accommodations, ACBA requires that you submit relevant documentation. Because the laws guiding eligibility for accommodations in grades K-12 and post-secondary education differ, documentation that includes recommendations corresponding to collegiate-level demands will help to support your transition. If documentation is not current or sufficiently comprehensive, the College may require an updated evaluation, for which the student will be responsible for the cost.

The information you provide will be kept confidential in accordance with state and federal law. It will not be part of your student file, but stored separately. Students who wish to make a request for an accommodation based on a disability must:

Faculty members play an important part in ensuring suggested accommodations are appropriate in the context of their course and evaluation. The student should meet with the instructor during the first week of classes to discuss the implementation of their accommodations. If a student is dissatisfied with an instructor’s decision or the implementation of accommodations, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of Admissions and Student Services who can intervene to attempt to address a student’s concerns. Students may consult with the Office of Admissions and Student Services, their advisers, or the Chief Academic Officer regarding other resources that may be useful to them during their time at ACBA.

ACBA provides housing referrals to apartment complexes near campus to assist students in finding off-campus housing accommodations. The ACBA staff does not inspect any of the facilities advertised through our office nor does it interview or screen landlords, tenants or roommates. ACBA makes no guarantees regarding the adequacy of off-campus rental properties for habitation or for the safety of the premises or surrounding areas. Tenants and landlords enter agreements for their own benefit and at their own risk.

Student services offers a peer mentoring program in which students may be matched with an upperclassman in their trade for mentorship over the course of freshman year. Students who apply to be mentors or mentees will be matched within the first month of each academic calendar year.

The Student Services Coordinator hosts an orientation to cover the externship process and expectations every year. ACBA students complete one (A.A.S. students) or three (B.A.S. students) summer externships that help them expand their skills and gain valuable real-world experience. Most externships last from eight-to-ten weeks and take place in June and July. Students are often compensated for the work during an externship and the externships vary by area of specialization. It is important that every student understand that it is the student’s responsibility to take the initiative to work with a faculty member and the Student Services Coordinator in order to arrange suitable externships to complete their program.

To bridge the gap between a student’s educational experience and their entrance into the career world, ACBA requires students to engage in three externships in the first three years of their studies with three separate organizations. Trade faculty play a large guidance role in advising students on externship placements that may apply to their specific specialties. Because of the externship program, students build connections at local and distance sites that act as potential employers upon graduation. Involvement in the externship program also allows students to further build their resumes and portfolios for their entrance into their respective fields upon graduation. Trade-specific externship workshops are scheduled for the middle of the school year to provide students with the information necessary for them to build comprehensive portfolios and seek site placement.

ACBA is compiling its first Annual Security and Safety Report in accordance with the United States Department of Education and the Higher Education Act. To access our most recent report, please click here.

We have specializations in Timber Framing, Architectural Carpentry, Stone Carving and Heritage Masonry, Plasterwork, Blacksmithing, and Classical Architecture and Design. We also require students to take courses in historic preservation documentation and material science. We consider projects in those disciplines, both for new commission/new construction and preservation/repair of historic buildings.

We do not take projects in electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, roofing, tilework, countertops, unit cabinet install, or off-the-shelf trim installation. While these are all important trades, our students are studying very specific and high-skill traditional trades.

As an institution of higher learning, our main requirements are that potential projects fit our curriculum, the timing of our semesters and academic year, and that they fit the scope of the students’ skill level and class size.

For example, Sophomore plaster students might undertake a flatwork plaster project but would not be ready for a complicated preservation project for a plaster medallion. Similarly, class sizes are small so we would not be able to timber frame a whole residential building.

Typically, projects must be within a forty-five-minute drive from our campus in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Further distances cut into too much class time and require too much transportation cost.

Unfortunately, we do not provide free consultation work for property owners. On occasion, someone’s repair or preservation needs might fit the scope for a class project, but we cannot make suggestions based on photographs or without site visits. As an academic institution, our faculty’s main focus is teaching, and we cannot provide pro bono guidance and consultation. Many of our faculty have businesses and provide a host of services, but that entails hiring them for fee-based work external of ACBA.

Every state has a SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office) that is a great resource for finding more information about preservation-oriented work. Similarly, most cities with historic districts have a Board of Architectural Review or Preservation Planning Office that are a great starting point. Lastly, the National Park Service posts a great free resource called “Preservation Briefs”, with general information about various historic materials and construction practices: https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs.htm.

Timelines vary, as work must fit into the timeframe of our academic calendar. Our Spring semester runs mid-January to mid-May, and the Fall semester runs mid-August to mid-December. Our students are gone for the summer on externships and summer holiday, so we do not take work in summer or over the Christmas holiday. Similarly, cost varies based on materials needed. External clients pay the cost of materials and a percentage of the overall value of the project, to be determined on a case by case basis.

Unfortunately, we do not have the staff resources to help you find financial support for your external project. But, if it is a historic building, your local preservation group or SHPO office is a great place to start to learn about available grants.

Not through ACBA. Although students are free to take on side projects or external employment at their discretion, we cannot refer current students for liability reasons. We do have a list of alumni-run companies that we can provide.

Not as part of their course work, but if the scope of the work matches the skill level and interests of a student, the company you’ve hired might be interested in hiring our students for summer externships.

To learn more about the externship process, please contact Hannah Whitt at waggonerm@acba.edu

Please contact Barb Antley at antleyb@acba.edu or 843-577-5245 and/or fill out the external project form to begin a dialogue.

Link to form here.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all educational agencies and institutions that receive funds under any program administered by the Department of Education. Additional information can be found by visiting the U.S. Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office website.

The federal government has delineated that student FERPA rights accrue when the following events occur, with a student, for FERPA purposes, being defined as follows:

When a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, they become an "eligible student," and all rights under FERPA transfer from the student’s parents/guardians to the student. FERPA regulations define “student” as any individual who is or has been in attendance at an educational agency or institution and regarding whom the agency or institution maintains education records. Attendance begins the first day the student attends class. The regulations provide that attendance includes, but is not limited to, attendance in person or by correspondence, videoconference, satellite, Internet, or other electronic information and telecommunications technologies for students who are not physically present in the classroom.

Students have the right to:

• inspect and review their education record within 45 days of the day ACBA receives a request for access to those records
• request an amendment to their education record
• provide written consent before ACBA discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without student consent
• file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office

FERPA requires the College of Charleston to designate which information about students will be considered directory information. Directory information may be released without consent. The College of Charleston has designated the following information as directory information that may be released to third parties upon their request:

• Student Name
• Mailing Address
• College issued email address
• Image/photgraph of student
• Major field of study
• Class standing/grade level (e.g. sophomore)
• Dates of attendance
• Degree(s) received
• Awards and honors received
• Enrollment status (e.g. undergraduate full-time)

Yes, students who do not wish the College to disclose directory information from their education records without prior written consent must submit a request to the Office of the Registrar to have this information withheld.

Students should consider very carefully the effect of a decision to withhold directory information. If that decision is made, any requests for such information from non-College persons or organizations will be refused unless the student has subsequently removed the restriction via the Registrar’s Office. If a student does not specifically request the withholding of directory information, as indicated above, the College assumes that he or she approves of the disclosure of such information. The College disclaims any and all liability for inadvertent disclosure of directory information designated to be withheld.

Upon receipt, your request to withhold directory information will remain in effect until such time as you inform us.

Note: When you graduate, your name will appear in the Commencement Program even if you have requested the withholding of Directory Information. If you wish to exclude your name on the Commencement Program, you must provide your signed, written request to the Registrar’s Office no later than March 1st.

Disclosure of a student's confidential education records requires prior written consent of the student (unless disclosure is permitted under certain exceptions to FERPA set forth in Section 99.31 of the FERPA Regulations). A student's written consent may be obtained from the Registrar's Office.

The form can be signed by the student to authorize a one-time release or it can be signed to allow a standing order for release until official revocation in the department where the Consent Form was filed. The student indicates on the form the exact records which can be released by which office and to whom they may be released. (NOTE: Only the form which is on file can be used for the release of information and not a copy of a form brought in by a third party.)

If the student wishes to release their records from more than one Office (e.g., the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Student Affairs) then a separate form will need to be presented by the student and kept on file in each Office.

The College assumes a standing order is to be honored until the student revokes it. If a standing order for release is given, it is the student’s responsibility to revoke that order at the time the student no longer wishes to release his or her records to the third party(ies) noted.

When a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, they become an "eligible student," and all rights under FERPA transfer from the student’s parents/guardians to the student. This means that all academic information regarding the student goes directly to the student unless the student has provided written permission to release the information to a specified party.

ACBA may, at its sole discretion, disclose education record information to parents/guardians, without the written consent of the eligible student, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes under IRS rules (as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986). The parent(s)/guardian(s) must complete the Parent Verification of Student Dependency and Request for Educational Record Information (PDF) form and provide the appropriate Federal Income Tax Return documentation (please contact the Bursar's Office for those forms). Parent(s)/Guardian(s)s may submit this form in person with a valid state or U.S. government issued photo identification. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) who are unable to bring a form in person may submit the form via postal mail. The College reserves the right to request further evidence to authenticate identity for all submitted requests, which may include notarized signatures and an affidavit. All requests may be subject to review. Please note, the quickest way to receive information about your student's grades or academic progress is for the student to provide it to you.

Solomon Amendment is a federal law that allows military recruiters to access some address, biographical and academic program information on students age 17 and older.

The Department of Education has determined the Solomon Amendment supersedes most elements of FERPA. An institution is therefore obligated to release data included in the list of “student recruiting information,” which may or may not match the College's FERPA directory information list. However, if the student has submitted a request to the Office of the Registrar to restrict the release of Directory Information, then no information from the student's education record will be released under the Solomon Amendment.

When determining financial aid, ACBA uses what is called a total cost of attendance. This includes tuition and fees, but also things like room & board, books & tools, and personal costs. Please use the net price calculator to determine your total cost of attendance.

Any 529 plan requires that you use ACBA's assigned OPE ID number from the Department of Education which is 04283000.

ACBA recommends completing the FAFSA asap for all students due to the first-come first-served nature of Pell Grants. However, as a deadline, all students must complete the Online Financial Aid Interview prior to the first day of classes.

Regardless of a student's EFC, the US Department of Education will allow students to utilize their unsubsidized student loan eligibility to offset EFC amounts (up to each student's Direct Loans cap).

Private student loans are available through South Carolina Student Loan at rates typically below federal loans. Please view their website for more information. These are available to all borrowers.

ACBA will allow student's to pay their tuition bill (interest free) over, at most, twelve months. This allows students and their families the flexibility to budget for tuition when they would otherwise be unable to cover the upfront costs.

Please keep in mind that though tuition can be paid by over twelve months, any payment for fees such as the shop fee (due each semester) is due at the beginning of the semester and cannot be extended.

ACBA understands that things change, jobs can be lost, and simply because an EFC may have said a student can pay one thing does not mean it remains true throughout an entire year. If something should happen that requires a revisitation of a student's EFC or repayment plan, please come to the financial aid office as soon as possible!

Failing to make payments results in adverse actions, but preemptively coming to the finance office and addressing changes needed avoids this entirely. Do not be afraid to come and ask for help.

Any student who has failed to properly arrange payment terms (or adhere to them) will be unable to attend classes until they are cleared by the finance office.

Students who have already separated from ACBA will be unable to receive their transcript or diploma.

Any student loan amounts borrowed above the cost of tuition will be issued to the student's for utilization on their cost of living expenses. Students can also borrow private student loans from South Carolina Student Loan to increase this amount.

Students who require additional assistance should seek out organizations like Palmetto Community Action Partnership who has helped a number of students receive some financial assistance for books and supplies.

ACBA completes annual reports for the National Center for Education Statistics which publishes this report.

There are two main types of scholarships: those offered nationally (generally competitive across schools), and those offered solely by ACBA to ACBA students.

If you receive a nationally competitive scholarship, ACBA will accept proceeds toward your tuition bill. Please note, that generally scholarships go toward a student's total cost of attendance, and that may mean the scholarship can cover non-tuition expenses. This is what allows students to keep some of their scholarship award to help defray their costs of living or books and supplies.

The second type of scholarships is what most refer to when asking about our scholarship program. All scholarships administered by ACBA follow the guidelines of the donor who established the scholarship. This typically means scholarships are awarded on needs-based criteria, however there are a few scholarships that have additional stipulations.

Any ACBA-administered scholarship received will go toward a student's tuition bill at no cost to the student. The amount of scholarship aid is capped at the student's tuition bill to more evenly allocate scholarship funds across the student body.

The Scholarship Committee meets during the 1st week of August. This is because ACBA's fiscal year ends July 31st and we want to ensure any donors who give to the scholarship fund are appropriately included at the Scholarship Committee meeting.

Students must complete their interview on ACBA's virtual financial aid office by June 30 to be eligible for scholarships. Completing the interview will require students to have already completed their FAFSA.

The general methods for students across the US is to head onto google and frantically begin their search. ACBA would recommend beginning your search with a visit to this scholarship search website. It has a great search filter and will find thousands of scholarships available to college students throughout the US.

A large number of our students have also had success with many local organizations in their home towns. Groups like the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Exchange Club, Garden Club, DAR, etc all typically view an ACBA education as a wonderful opportunity and are happy to help fund a student with a small scholarship. Typically the number of people who even approach their local organizations is woefully lacking as well, making the return on your time investment far more valuable than the normal google searches.

Charleston Scientific and Cultural Education Fund

AmericanTrucks Student Scholarships

As a potential student, you may schedule a tour with the Admissions Office, via email or by calling her direct line at 843-266-7835.

Please call in to our main phone line at 843-577-5245 or complete this form to setup a tour for you and/or your group. Tours typically last 30 minutes.

ACBA offers free booking to local non-profits who need additional meeting space provided the meeting can work around our class schedule when classes are in session.

We also offer event bookings, but these must also work around our class schedule. For event bookings (whether non-profit or otherwise) please contact Ms. Ginna Waddell at 843-577-5245 or by completing this form.

Please head over to our Events Page to view any upcoming on-campus events.