School of Art Institute of Chicago Admission 2022

  • Programs and Student Population: School of Art Institute of Chicago offers around 60 programs to the international students. Students can pick from more than 45 undergraduate programs and nearly 15 graduate programs at School of Art Institute of Chicago.
  • Acceptance Rate: The university exhibits a lightly selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of 70%. Students meeting the eligibility criteria stands a good chance of getting selected in the decision process.
  • Admission Deadlines: The university accepts Early Action applications on November 15 and the regular application deadline is on April 15 for the fall semester.   
  • Admission Requirements: The admission requirements for SAIC include academic transcripts, completed application, artist’s statement, portfolio, and LOR for USA. Undergraduate applicants need to display satisfactory scores in SAT or ACT exams. Submission of GRE score is not mandatory for the graduate students.

Highlights

Application portal Common Application  or University’s application portal
Application fee International applicants: $85
Domestic applicants: $65
Acceptance rate 70%
ACT range 22-30
SAT range 1110-1340
Required Transcripts High school transcript, GED, or equivalent
Academic Calendar Semester – based
Mode of payment Credit card
Financial aid Available
Intake seasons Fall and spring

School of Art Institute of Chicago Admission Deadlines

Fall Spring Deadline Type
Nov 15 N/A Early Action and Priority Merit Scholarship Deadline
Apr 1 Nov 1 Final Merit Deadline
April 15 Jan 1 Final Application Deadline*

*Applications received after these deadlines will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

School of Art Institute of Chicago International Student Admissions

School of Art Institute of Chicago is one of the most prestigious art schools in the world, which has welcomed international students to campus since its founding in 1866. International students come to SAIC to pursue UG and PG degrees, post-baccalaureate certificates, and pre-college studies while in high school.SAIC defines an international student as a non-US citizen or a non-US permanent green cardholder. International students usually need an F-1 student visa or a J-1 exchange visitor visa to study in the United States.

Application Portal: Common Application or University Application Portal.

Application fee: $85

Admission Requirements:

  • A completed application
  • Portfolio
  • Artist’s statement
  • Official high school transcript
  • SAT and ACT scores are required as mentioned below:
    • SAT score of 560 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing component
    • SAT score of 500 for Critical Reading component
    • ACT Reading score of 21
  • LOR

English Proficiency Requirements

International applicants are required to submit TOEFL, ESL, and/or SAT scores to demonstrate English proficiency. The minimum required scores by the university are:

Test Minimum Required Score
TOEFL 82
IELTS 6.5
PTE Academic 55
Duolingo –110 55

Visa Process for International Students

International applicants can apply for the visa by the two most common ways:

  1. The F-1 Student Visa to study in the USA, which is used by most students.
  2. The J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa

The US government requires that all international applicants provide SAIC with evidence of your ability to pay a full year of tuition and living expenses before a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) may be issued. To apply for your I-20, you will need to prepare the following documents:

  • Completed immigration and financial matters packet
  • Bank statement showing the full year of available financing
  • Copy of your passport biographical page
  • International declaration of intent

School of Art Institute of Chicago Undergraduate Admissions

Undergraduate freshmen and transfer students have the same requirements except for the application portal. School of Art Institute of Chicago offers Undergraduate Admissions in Architecture, Art and Technology Studies, Ceramics, Fashion Design, Fiber and Material Studies, Painting and Drawing, Performance, Photography, Print Media, Sculpture, Sound and some other programs.

Application Portal: Applicants can apply through the Common Application Portal or Transfer Application Portal.

Application fee: $65

Undergraduate applicants need to submit the following requirements:

  • Transcripts: Submit your high school transcript, GED, or equivalent transcript. Submit your transcript through the Common Application, email, or mail at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Undergraduate Admissions, 36 S. Wabash, suite 1201, Chicago, IL 60603.
  • Standardized test scores: SAT or ACT scores are required for UG admission.
  • Portfolio: Submit a portfolio that gives us a sense of you, your interests, and your willingness to experiment, explore, and think beyond technical skills. It is used for providing merit scholarships.
  • Artist's Statement: Applicants are required to submit an essay in 250-500 words. Applicants have to write about why university enrolls them in the program and applicants can tell about themselves and their work with the help of essays.
  • Letter of Recommendation: Submit a letter of recommendation written by an instructor or other expert who can evaluate your motivation, commitment, maturity, and ability to succeed at SAIC. It should contain the applicant’s full name and date of birth. Your recommender may submit in the following ways:
    • Electronically through the Common Application
    • Fax to 312.629.6101
    • Email to ugadmiss@saic.edu
    • Mail to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

School of Art Institute of Chicago Graduate Admissions

School of Art Institute of Chicago offers Graduate Admissions in Architecture, Arts, Design, Fine arts in studio, science, and some other graduate programs.

Application portal: Online graduate application portal

Application fee: $90

The application consists of two parts.

Application Form: Includes basic information, transcripts, test scores (if applicable). You will also select programs of interest. Payment will be collected at the end of this section and will cover the cost of each program you apply for.

Courses Master of Architecture MA in New Arts Journalism MA in Visual and Critical Studies Master of Design in Fashion, Body, and Garment Master of Science in Historic Preservation (MSHP)
Official college transcript Required Required Required Required Required
Statement of purpose Required Required Required Required Required
2 letter of recommendation Required Required Required Required Required
ePortfolio Required Required Required Required Required
Interview Required Required Required Required Required
Resume Required Required Required Required Required
English Proficiency Tests Scores TOEFL-100
IELTS-7		 TOEFL-100
IELTS-7		 TOEFL-100
IELTS-7		 TOEFL-85
IELTS-6.5		 TOEFL-85
IELTS-6.5

For each program you selected in the application form, you will have a corresponding e-portfolio of requirements based on that program. The generation of E-Portfolios may be delayed by up to 20 minutes so you may need to reload the page. GPA is not significant for admission but standardized test scores are necessary for admission.