Education Program
Fab Academy
Learn to make almost anything. Fab Academy is the gold standard in hands-on digital fabrication education.
What is Fab Academy?
Fab Academy is a fast-paced, hands-on course that teaches students how to use digital fabrication tools to make almost anything. The curriculum covers the full stack of making — from electronics design to 3D printing, from CNC machining to programming and system design.
Developed by Neil Gershenfeld at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, Fab Academy is taught simultaneously at over 150 Fab Labs worldwide using a distributed learning model.
Curriculum Highlights
Over 20 weeks, students complete intensive weekly assignments covering:
- Computer-Aided Design — 2D and 3D modelling with Fusion 360, FreeCAD, and Inkscape
- Electronics Design — PCB design and fabrication using KiCad and the Fab Lab milling machine
- 3D Printing — FDM and SLA printing, design for additive manufacturing
- CNC Machining — Large-format milling, toolpath generation, CAM workflows
- Moulding & Casting — Soft tooling, silicone moulds, composites
- Embedded Programming — Microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators using Arduino and C
- Networking — Wired and wireless sensor networks, IoT
- Final Project — A fully functional, self-designed and fabricated system integrating multiple skills
Who Is It For?
Fab Academy is for anyone who wants to learn how to make things with digital tools — designers, engineers, artists, architects, entrepreneurs, and curious people of all backgrounds.
No prior experience with fabrication or electronics is required. A willingness to learn fast and work hard is.
Outcomes
Graduates of Fab Academy leave with:
- A global portfolio of 20+ fabricated projects
- Hands-on skills across the full digital fabrication toolkit
- A globally recognised certificate from MIT
- Access to the worldwide Fab Lab network and alumni community
Apply to Fab Academy
Applications open each October for the January cohort.