FAQs / Additional Information

It is UAF policy that all minors must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult while on campus. No housing is available for minors without parents or a designated responsible adult. Parents are responsible for the supervision of their minor children while attending the Fairbanks Suzuki Institute classes and activities on the UAF campus.

Tuesday Student Schedule

8:30-9:30

All registrants can pick up Schedule Packets and find classrooms

9:30-10:00

Orientation in the Davis Concert Hall

10:00-10:30

Group T-shirt Photo on the steps in front of the Wood Center

10:30-11:30

Class Time

11:30-12:30

Lunch

11:30-12:30

Lunch

1:00-2:00

Class Time

2:00-3:00

Class Time

3:00-4:00

Class Time & Chamber Rehearsals

4:00-5:00

Class Time & Chamber Rehearsals

5:00

Graduation rehearsal for those who are graduating

Tuesday schedules will be emailed to you the week before the institute starts. If you are arriving from out of town, be sure that you are preparing to pick up your packet class schedules starting at 8:30am.

Typical Student Schedule (Wednesday - Sunday)

8:30-11:30
Classes (50 min. class sessions; students may have one to three hours)
11:40-12:30
Lunch Break/Parent Talks/Lunch Games
12:45-1:45
Recitals; attendance is required for all students
2:00-5:00
Classes (50 min. class sessions; students may have one to three hours)
5:00-6:00
Graduation Rehearsal for students who are graduating (Wednesday – Thursday)
7:00
Evening Recitals

Students will be scheduled for 3 or more hours of class depending on their enrollment level. Elective courses will supplement the core curriculum for students who choose these offerings.

Please Note:

If you have any special scheduling requests please contact the registrar at fsi.alaska@gmail.com at the time of registration. We will do our best to accommodate requests, but requests are not guaranteed.

It is not possible to send individual student schedules prior to orientation on the first day of institute.

If you need to know your schedule in order to plan childcare for siblings, please contact the registrar at fsi.alaska@gmail.com after May 15.

Parent Lunch Talks

We are offering one Parent Lunch Talk on Saturday, May 30 from 11:40 – 12:40 in the Gruening Building. Room TBA. This is a one time opportunity for parents only to come together in a friendly and learning environment to hear one of the faculty give a talk that will inspire and motivate you and your child in your Suzuki journey together. You can sign up for the Parent Talk when you register your child for only $10. The best part is that free child care is provided for all registered students! We will provide games and activities for registered students so you can enjoy a break and have lunch provided by FSI.

Student Recitals

Student recitals will be held daily at 12:45 in the UAF Davis Concert Hall. At the first master class, each student will be asked to play their most memorized and polished piece. This will provide a means for the teacher and student to get acquainted with one another musically. If this piece is performed at the highest quality, the student may be nominated by the teacher to perform it on one of the student recitals.

Students chosen for a recital will show mastery of their polished piece and will have practiced with a piano accompanist prior to FSI. These students will have the opportunity to rehearse with an institute accompanist during FSI. If your selection is not in the Suzuki repertoire, bring the music for the piano accompaniment.

Graduation

A select few students who have reached milestone levels of achievement will be able to participate in a celebratory Graduation Recital. This is a special event with application requirements from each student. More information can be found on the Graduation page.

The first Graduation rehearsal is Tuesday at 5:00. Subsequent rehearsals are at 5:00 on Wednesday and Thursday. The Graduation Recital is on Friday at 12:30 in the UAF Davis Concert Hall. There will be an awards ceremony and reception following the recital.

Housing and Meals

Housing for out-of-town participants/families is available through UAF Res Life. You can arrange your specific needs by contacting them directly at 907-474-7247 or uaf-housing@alaska.edu.

Hotels and several convenient Bed & Breakfasts are also available in close vicinity to the University.

The UAF Wood Center is open throughout the week with a coffee shop and small grocery store with basic foods and snacks. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby and are accessible by public transportation from the University.

Refund Policy

Registration fees are non-refundable. Tuition fees can only be refunded if notice of cancellation is received by April 21, 2026. Faculty clinicians are contracted and schedules are created based on enrollment numbers, making it infeasible to give refunds after this date.

Scholarships

A limited number of scholarships are available for Fairbanks Suzuki Institute. Scholarship criteria and application form can be found here and will be awarded based on available funds and the number of qualified applicants. Applications must be received by February 15. A special thank you to R.L. Ray Violin Shop for their support for our scholarship fund.

Observers

Enrollment of a child in FSI entitles parents to observe all activities except the Teacher Training Courses. Parents who are interested in registering for student classes must get prior approval from the Artistic Director.

Adults who are not attending the institute as Suzuki family members or are not enrolled in a teacher training class are required to enroll as FSI observers at a fee of $50/day. As an observer, one may attend all student classes, noon Parent Talks, and student recitals. The $50 daily fee can be paid at the FSI Office.

Teachers who have four or more students attending the institute may observe without paying the daily fee.

Parking on Campus

All visitors to campus must pay to park during regular business hours. Campus visitors can still park for free after 5:00 pm on weekdays and on weekends. For more information visit https://www.uaf.edu/bursar/parkingservices/.

UAF uses the Passport Parking App

PassportParking is a mobile app that allows users to pay for parking using a smartphone or computer. It is simple and easy to use and is available for free from the iPhone App Store and Google Play for Android. For paying through your computer or mobile device without the app, visit this link https://ppprk.com/park/.

There are shuttle buses available throughout campus. These are very helpful when carrying larger instruments. A current shuttle schedule can be found by going to this link https://www.uaf.edu/fs/services/shuttle-bus.php.