Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning

The Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning is located in Fromm Hall at the University of San Francisco and offers educational programs for adults over fifty years old. Classes are held both on campus and online, covering a range of university-level subjects.

The institute was founded in 1976 by Hanna and Alfred Fromm, German refugees who came to the United States in 1936. Their vision established a model that other universities would later adopt for similar educational programs.

The institute offers courses in humanities, arts, and sciences where participants learn without grades or exams, creating space for people to gather driven by curiosity rather than achievement pressure. This approach shapes a community focused on intellectual growth for its own sake.

Classes run across several terms throughout the year, with each term lasting about eight weeks. It helps to check the course offerings ahead of time since the program changes regularly by term.

The institute served as the model for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, which now operate at more than 120 universities across the United States. This network spread the concept of education for older adults across the country.