Find answers to common questions about our courses, mentorships, enrollment, and policies.
Sierra Division Academy is designed for artists who already have a foundation in game art and are looking to refine their skills, build stronger portfolio work, and master the workflows used by professional game studios.
If you're unsure whether you're at the right level for a course or mentorship, send us a message with a link to your portfolio and our team will be happy to help you find the best fit.
We are a 100% online school and welcome students from around the world. However, enrollment may be unavailable in certain countries due to payment processing or regulatory restrictions. If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact our team.
Yes, you will have access to all pre-corded lessons for 12 months.
Students who successfully complete a course receive a certificate of completion. Mentorships do not include certificates.
Our programs are designed to help you build a stronger portfolio, refine your skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the workflows used by professional game studios, helping you become a stronger candidate for roles in the games industry. We're proud that some of our students have gone on to secure internships and full-time positions at game studios. For many artists, this has been their top priority throughout their studies, and they deserve all of the credit for having done the work. While we can't guarantee employment, our goal is to equip you with the skills, portfolio, and confidence to pursue opportunities in the industry.
YouTube is a great place to learn techniques, but improvement often comes from structured practice and feedback. Sierra Division Academy combines expert instruction, hands-on projects, personalized feedback, and mentorship from leading artists working in the game industry today.
We’re always on the lookout for talented artists to work with. Please contact our team with your portfolio.
Enrollment is straightforward. Browse our catalog and select the course or mentorship that interests you. After completing the sign-up process and purchase, you'll receive an email confirming your enrollment and next steps.
If a course or mentorship is currently unavailable, we encourage you to join the waitlist to be notified as soon as enrollment opens.
Courses: Courses begin as soon as you complete your enrollment, so you can start learning right away.
Mentorships: Once you’re enrolled, you will need to complete an intake form sent via email. Once received, your mentor will contact you to schedule your first session at a time that works for both of you.
Courses: Yes, please reach out to have your start date moved. We can move it up to 3 months in advance.
You should already possess a foundational understanding of game art, tools, and workflows before enrolling. Please contact our team if you are unsure whether you meet the recommended skill level.
Understanding skill levels:
Beginner: Around 1 year of experience. You have a foundational understanding of game art tools, workflows, and production pipelines.
Intermediate: 2–3 years of experience. For example, you're in the final year of a game art program or are a recent graduate looking to break into the industry.
Advanced: You've worked professionally in the game industry, or have completed an internship, and are looking to further refine your skills.
Once enrolled, you'll be eligible to apply for free 12-month educational licenses for:
• RizomUV Virtual Spaces
• Adobe Substance 3D Collection
For any other software, you'll need to obtain your own licenses. We recommend looking into trial options or 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), we do not recommend taking more than one course per quarter.
Courses: Our online courses offer in-depth training in small groups of up to 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 on a miro board via text or recording and support from the instructor throughout the program as assignments are completed.
Mentorships: Our mentorships are fully personalized, one-on-one sessions. Before beginning, you’ll complete a short form to share your interests, challenges, and goals. Your mentor uses this information to create a customized plan tailored to your learning objectives: whether you're building a new environment, strengthening specific skills, or developing a career plan.
There are 2 kinds of access referred to in courses: Pre-recorded content, Miro board and materials; the other is assignment feedback and Q&A’s.
• 1 full year of access to all pre-recorded video lessons, resources, and viewer access of the Miro board (for viewing instructor notes and examples) This gives you plenty of time to revisit the content even after you finish the assignments.
• Access to assignment feedback is limited to the listed length of the courses, by default. Additional access time can be purchased, to allow yourself more time to complete assignments and still receive feedback.
All access time starts at the time of enrollment. If you’d like to start at a later date, please reach out.
Feedback is provided on each of your weekly assignments (e.g., 8 feedback sessions for an 8-week course). Access to Assignment Feedback must be active to receive feedback. Additional time for assignments can be purchased at the beginning of the course.
You have a set window to submit assignments and receive all included feedback sessions. This window matches the length of the course you purchased. Feedback helps ensure you’re grasping the material, so we encourage you to stay on pace for the best learning experience. However, you’re still welcome to complete the work on your own without feedback, if you prefer.
We offer flexible upfront packages so you can choose a schedule that fits your life:
• Standard — Full course length (e.g., 8 weeks) to complete all assignments and receive all included feedback sessions
• Standard + 4 Weeks — Gives you 4 extra weeks (e.g., 8 weeks + 4. 12 total.) to work through the same material and receive the same number of feedback sessions.
• Standard + 8 Weeks — Gives you 8 extra weeks (8 weeks + 8. 16 weeks, total) for maximum flexibility while still receiving all the feedback included with the course.
These extensions only add time to complete the assignments and still receive feedback from the instructor. They do not add extra content or extra feedback sessions. They simply give you more breathing room to complete the assignments at a pace that better matches your lifestyle.
Courses: Our courses are designed to be rigorous and industry-relevant. Students should plan to dedicate 10–20 hours per week on coursework, which includes watching lectures, completing assignments, receiving feedback, and refining their work. This is assuming that you meet the pre-requisites of the course. The exact time will vary depending on the skill level of the artist, complexity of the week’s content, the amount of detail, and the scope of your work. 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.
Mentorships: Our mentorships are entirely designed around your goals, and what you’re looking to achieve with your mentor. Commitment time will vary depending on your goals and what you aim to achieve with your mentor’s guidance.
Q&A’s are held monthly for the courses, and they are intended to be supplementary. They are not mandatory.
Yes, you will have access to all pre-recorded lessons for 1 year (12 months) from the date of purchase. See above for details on access. This is “view” access.
We understand that life happens and sometimes unexpected circumstances can make it difficult to stay on schedule. If you find yourself falling behind, speak with your instructor and reach out to the SDA Staff.
Courses:
• Lessons are pre-recorded, so you can watch them at your own pace. However, we strongly recommend completing each week's lessons during the assigned week to stay on track for assignment feedback.
• Assignment feedback is available for the duration of your course enrollment, once per assignment. If you need additional time to complete assignments and continue receiving feedback, you may be able to purchase an extension.
• Live Q&A sessions take place at scheduled times and cannot be rescheduled. If you miss a session, check with your instructor to see if a recording is available.
Mentorships:
• If you're unable to attend a session, please contact your mentor as soon as possible to arrange a new meeting time.
• All mentorship sessions must be completed within 2 to 4 months (depending on the length of purchase) from your mentorship start date.
Please note that extensions and rescheduled sessions cannot always be guaranteed and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. We strive to be as flexible as possible while respecting the time and commitments of both our students and mentors.
This is a case by case basis. Please reach out for details.
Full payment is due upon enrollment in a course or mentorship. Installments are provided by payments vendors. Please see above.
Yes. If your employer is sponsoring your training, please contact us before purchasing and we'll help coordinate the enrollment process.
Sierra Division Academy does not offer refunds. We are transparent about what our courses cover and what appropriate expectations are in an attempt to avoid any confusion. 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.
Still have questions? We're happy to help.
Find mentorships & courses across Sierra Division Academy
