Fab Academy
A global program for learning digital fabrication
What is Fab Academy?
Fab Academy is an intensive six-month program that teaches students how to conceptualize, design, and prototype projects using digital fabrication tools and machines.
The program is hosted by Professor Neil Gershenfeld of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and approximately 200 students from Fab Labs around the world participate each year. They learn various techniques for making things, including 2D/3D CAD, 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining for cutting wood and circuit boards, electronics, programming, molding, and more.
Fab Academy offers a decentralized education model, where students learn in local workgroups with peers and instructors, while connecting with the global community through shared content and online lectures.
Course Overview
Lectures
Weekly lectures, held every Wednesday, are the core of the course.
- First 90 minutes: Presentation of the previous week's assignments (students present what they worked on in English)
- Second 90 minutes: Lecture for the current week
Assignments
Students use digital fabrication machines at Fab Labs to complete their assignments and update the documentation on their personal websites.
Final Project
Based on their own ideas, students take on the challenge of designing and creating a prototype that doesn't exist in the world, integrating the skills they learned over the six months. This is (mostly) done independently and presented in the final presentation.
Language
English only
Program Details
The final program is confirmed after the announcement for the enrollment year. There are slight variations each year, but here's a reference.
Program Duration
- From late January to early June: Weekly lectures & assignment production/documentation
- From late June to around July: Final project presentation
How to Enroll in Fab Academy at Fab Lab Westharima
Contact Us
Contact us through our Contact Form.
Tour & Information Session
Based on the content of your inquiry through contact form, we will provide you with a tour of Fab Lab Westharima, followed by an information session and interview, either offline or online.
Course Registration
Once you and we have decided to attend a course at Fab Lab Westharima, you will be asked to register for the course at Fab Academy's STUDENTS REGISTRATION.
Attention: When selecting Fab Lab/Node, choose "West-harima"
Boot Camp
For those enrolling at Fab Lab Westharima, we will hold a free Boot Camp prior to the start of the program in January. This will help reduce the burden during the actual course by adjusting to the student's skill level in advance.
- Instruction on the operation of machines and software used in the course
- Consultations in preparation for the final project
Use of Equipment and Materials for the Course
- Basic equipment and materials required for Fab Academy lectures and assignments will be provided by the lab.
- For the final project, any additional materials may be at the student's expense, depending on the situation.
Application Deadline
Fab Lab Westharima accepts applications until the Student Application submission deadline. For any inquiries after the deadline, please contact us.
Fab Lab Westharima Graduates
Fab Lab Westharima has produced several Fab Academy graduates who have gone on to make significant contributions to the digital fabrication community.
Koharu Takeda
🏆 2025 First GraduatorCompleted Fab Academy 2025 with exceptional performance, becoming the first student worldwide to graduate in 2025.
View Portfolio →Two 2023 Graduates
*Both graduated from Fab Lab Kitakagaya and now contribute to nurturing the next generation at Fab Lab Westharima