Computing Recommendations for Fine Arts Students

While Fine Arts students are not absolutely required to have a personal computer, it is strongly recommended that you own one for your expected needs for the two years of your MFA study. A personal computer would not only support your academic and creative work, especially for those whose art is digitally or computationally focused, but it would be of service to you for several years beyond your graduation. Having a personal computer is an investment that would greatly enhance your studies and your post-graduate professional path.  

If you have specific questions about computing requirements at Weitzman, please send us an e-mail at ithelp@design.upenn.edu. 

We understand these are important decisions, and we are here to help guide you through the process. 

Should you choose to order your laptop through the University’s preferred vendors, you can log into the Dell for Students portal to order. It is important that you secure your laptop and other peripherals with a cable lock. If you plan to purchase a system elsewhere, or want to evaluate a system you already own, please contact ithelp@design.upenn.edu and someone from the IT staff will be able to consult with you. We encourage students to place their technology orders as quickly as possible taking into account any supply chain delays. 

If you plan to purchase one of the configurations* from Dell, it is important to create a Dell Account first to access educational pricing. See steps below:

1. Visit Dell’s new student portal: https://www.dell.com/students
2. Sign in or create an account. 
3. Register for Dell Rewards by clicking the Dell Rewards box when you create your My Account.
4. Verify your student status with a valid student email address.
5. Your student discount will be automatically applied to applicable items, and you will see the discount applied within cart. 
   • You must be signed into the Dell student account before clicking on any links to recommended models in order for the discount to be applied.

*All configurations are adjustable. While students are encouraged to customize their systems with additional features and benefits, they should use the baseline specifications as a starting point.

For the 2025-26 academic year Weitzman graduate and PhD students will have access to a free subscription of Adobe CC. Please see our Software Availability page for more information. 

A free download of Microsoft 365 is available to students at Campus Express. Microsoft 365 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and more. For a complete list of available software, see our Software Availability page.  

If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, have filed a 2025-2026 FAFSA, and are eligible for US federal student loans, you can request a federal loan budget increase from the University’s Office of Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS) to assist you in the purchase of your computer. Download their Application for Educational Budget Adjustment form and return the completed form to them along with a receipt from the computer you’ve purchased or an estimate of the computer you plan to purchase. For more information, contact the Weitzman School of Design Office of Financial Aid at fin-aid@design.upenn.edu. Please note: the request for federal loan budget increase is only necessary if you are borrowing your full loan eligibility for other educational expenses in the 2025-2026 academic year.