FAQ

GENERAL

• Getting started at Sierra Division Academy

Welcome to Sierra Division Academy — where professional artists from the games industry help you sharpen your craft and push your creative limits. Whether you’re building your first portfolio or expanding your professional skill set, our courses are designed to get you where you want to go.

Courses: Our online courses offer in-depth training in small groups of up to 15-20 students. Each course is project based and includes a mix of pre-recorded lessons, live Q&A sessions, and hands-on assignments. Each student receives personalized feedback and support from the instructor throughout the program.

Mentorships:  Our online mentorships consist of fully personalized, one-on-one sessions. Before you begin, you will complete a short form to share your interests, challenges, and goals. Your mentor will use this and other information you share to create a customized plan that fits your learning objectives. In each session, your mentor will help you work toward your goals, whether you are creating a new environment project, looking to improve skills, or defining a career plan.

Courses: Lessons are pre-recorded, allowing you to watch them at your convenience. Live Q&A sessions cannot be rescheduled.

Mentorships: If you cannot attend a session, please contact your mentor to reschedule. All sessions must be completed within three months of the start date.

Yes. When you’ve successfully completed a course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Sierra Division Academy. Please note that certificates are not available for mentorships.

Yes, for 1 year.

We’re always on the lookout for talented artists to work with. Please contact our team with your portfolio.

Our courses are designed to be rigorous and industry-relevant. Students should plan to dedicate 10–20 hours per week to coursework, which includes watching lectures, completing assignments, receiving feedback, and refining their work. The exact time will vary depending on your skill level, the complexity of the week’s content, and how much effort you put into polishing your work, but consistent weekly engagement is essential for success. Be sure to engage in the discord chat and Miro board. This could be helpful both for development and networking.

ENROLLMENT

• How do I enroll in a course or mentorship?

Enrollment is straightforward. Browse our catalog and select the course or mentorship that interests you. After completing the sign-up process and purchase, you will receive an email confirming your enrollment and next steps.

You should have a basic understanding of 3D art creation before enrolling. Our courses and mentorships are primarily designed for advanced junior and intermediate artists. Please contact our team if you are unsure whether you are at the appropriate skill level to take one of our courses.

Once you enroll at Sierra Division Academy, you’ll receive a 12-month educational license for the following programs:

  • RizomUV
  • Adobe Substance 3D Collection

For any other software, you will need to secure your own licenses. We recommend looking into trial options, or exploring open-source alternatives such as Blender.

Yes! There is no limit to the number of courses and mentorships you can enroll in. However, please ensure you have sufficient time and capacity to manage the workload. Unless you have full time availability (up to 40 hours a week), it is not recommended to take more than 1 course per quarter.

We are a fully remote online academy, allowing artists from around the world to learn with us.

PAYMENT + REFUNDS

• What types of payments do you accept? Do you offer payment plans?

We accept credit card payments through Stripe.  Through Klarna, US based students can apply through checkout. We currently are not able to offer financing outside of the US. Please see Klarna’s terms and conditions for more details on financing options here.

Full payment is due upon enrollment in a course or mentorship unless you are purchasing through Klarna’s financing.

Sierra Division Academy does not offer refunds. We are transparent about what our courses cover and what appropriate expectations are. The same goes for our mentorships. However, in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of SDA staff, a refund may be granted.

If a refund is approved, the request must be submitted no later than six (6) days before the course or mentorship begins. All refunds are subject to a 15% administrative fee.

No refunds will be granted after the start date or once access to course or mentorship content has been initiated, whichever occurs first.

POLICIES

• Code of Conduct

All students must follow and abide by the Student Code of Conduct which can be reviewed HERE.

Our Privacy Policy can be found by clicking here.

Our Terms of Service can be found by clicking here.