Why Study at Rhode Island School of Design?
- Campus: Rhode Island School of Design has a midsize campus with 70 student clubs and organizations. It also has a museum with multiple art galleries and studios. Explore: Campus of RSID!
- Residence: Students are free to choose from the three different housing options and all rooms are equipped with facilities like internet and laundry, social lounge, entry locks, wardrobes, lights, and desk space.
- Programs: Rhode Island School of Design offers 16 programs at the undergraduate level, 18 programs on the postgraduate level, an experimental and foundation program for first-year students, and 1 certificate program. Know in detail about courses at Rhode Island School of Design!
- Cost: The tuition fees for undergraduate and graduate students is 55,220 USD. However, the only difference is between housing facilities in USA. UG housing is available at a cost of 14,790 USD and PG housing is for 18,110 USD.
- Placements: The average salary of Rhode Island graduates is 70,121 USD, while the early career salary of graduates with less than 5 years of experience was 57,300 USD. The top recruiters at university are Ralph and Lauren, USAA, ESPN, Harvard University, Kohler, Adidas, Bose, Airbnb, etc.
Highlights
| University Type | Private |
| Establishment Year | 1877 |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Campus Setting | Urban |
| Annual Endowment | 351.1 million USD |
| Tuition Fee | 53,820 USD |
| Mode of Program | Full-time |
| Total enrollment | 2,501 |
| Total faculty members | 196 (full-time); 421 (part-time) |
| Student-faculty ratio | 9:1 |
| Average class size | 14 |
| Campus accommodation | Available |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Work-study | Available |
| Financial Aid | Not available for international students |
Rhode Island School of Design Campus
- Rhode Island School of Design has a midsize campus with an urban setting in Providence, Rhode Island.
- The college campus features the RISD Museum building which is open for the public to visit and has multiple art galleries and studios.
- It also has on-campus stores, two auditoriums, and multiple design studios for students and faculty to use.
- The Centre for Student Involvement (CSI) manages more than 70 student clubs and organizations that all students are open to being part of.
- Undergraduate and graduate students can explore opportunities in leadership by attending the RISD LEADS workshop and certificate program.
- Providence is easy to navigate in the area with 7 colleges and universities in the neighborhood making it very student-friendly. Getting around the city is convenient with buses, trains, ridesharing, and Zipcar’s. It is well connected to Boston and New York where students usually plan day trips.
Rhode Island School of Design Residence
- Students are free to choose from the three different housing options that Rhode Island School of Design offers which are - Essential RISD, Suite Experience, and Apartment Experience.
- All rooms come with basic facilities such as internet and laundry, social lounge, entry locks, wardrobes, lights, and desk space. The amenities vary across single, double, and shared rooms.
- Students requiring special assistance due to medical conditions must submit medical records to the Residence Life Office. The required documentation is decided on a case-to-case basis.
- The school follows a gender-inclusive housing policy where identity is not the criteria based on which pairings are chosen.
Rhode Island School of Design Courses
- Rhode Island School of Design offers 16 programs at the undergraduate level, 18 programs on the postgraduate level, an experimental and foundation program for first-year students, and 1 certificate program.
- Students also have the option of choosing a specific inter-disciplinary subject of concentration to build on their course experience.
- Some of the most popular majors among students are fine arts, graphic design, sculpture, printmaking, time-based media, photography, painting, and ceramics.
- The RISD Global Exchange program allows students to study off-campus and get an opportunity to study across 43 universities and colleges across the world.
- The college also offers summer and winter foundation level programs for graduates and undergraduates every year. These programs can be accessed online and on-campus.
- BRDD, a one-of-its-kind program in the country, is a dual degree program offered jointly by RISD and Brown that lets students earn a Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree from Brown and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from RISD simultaneously.
- A Masters of Arts in Design and Architecture (MADE) is offered through a partnership between RISD’s Architecture + Design division and Brown's School of Engineering.
- All students applying for master’s courses are required to submit a writing sample representing strong critical and analytical reasoning and send the application by January to be considered for admissions.
Rhode Island School of Design Application Process
Rhode Island School of Design admissions is extremely competitive. The process for admission to Rhode Island School of Design is discussed below:
Application Portal: UG: Common Application; PG: RISD Application
Application Fee: 60 USD
Admission Requirements:
- Official high school/ college transcripts
- English proficiency test scores
- A portfolio with 10-12 samples of their work
- Completed assignment to be submitted on Slideroom
- A personal essay of up to 650 words
- Minimum of one letter of recommendation for undergraduate courses
- Three letters of recommendation for graduate programs.
- Students applying for graduate courses need to have a minimum GPA of 3.0
- A statement of purpose that is up to 750 words
- All portfolios are to be submitted using the Slideroom portal
Note: Starting from students applying in 2021, the school does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission.
English Language Requirements
The minimum English language proficiency test score requirements are as follows:
| Test | Minimum Requirements |
|---|---|
| TOEFL | 93 |
| IELTS | 6.5 |
| Duolingo English Test | 115 |
Rhode Island School of Design Cost of Attendance
The estimated cost of attendance of Rhode Insland School of Design is as listed below:
| Expense | Undergraduate (USD) | Graduate (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee | 55,220 | 55,220 |
| Activity Fee | 270 | 270 |
| Academic Fee | 800 | 800 |
| Estimated Housing and Dining Fee | 14,790 | 18,110 |
| Books and Supplies | 2,700 | 3,965 |
| Transportation | 1,000 | 1,550 |
| Others | 2,500 | 2,575 |
Rhode Island School of Design Scholarships
- Rhode Island School of Design is not offering any scholarships to international undergraduate students currently.
- International students are supposed to bear the complete cost of education for attending the university.
- There are several scholarship opportunities for studying in the U.S. for international students. Some of these have been specifically designed to offer scholarships to Indian students.
- Students can refer to websites like IEFA, eduPASS, Fullbright, EducationUSA, International Scholarships Online, etc.
- International students may also opt for work-study to finance their education. Students are authorized to work only on-campus. To work off-campus, students must acquire an Employment Authorization.
Rhode Island School of Design Alumni Network
- Rhode Island School of Design has a 30,465 member strong alumni network.
- Members of the RISD Alumni Association are entitled to receive several benefits from their membership. These include:
- Discounted membership to the RISD museum
- Free access to the Fleet Library at RISD
- Receive a 20% discount to enroll in RISD summer programs
- 10% discount on continuing education programs
- Free access to unique trips around the world that are curated for the RISD Alumni.
- A professional network and platform to receive career opportunities and display your work.
- Some notable alumni from RISD are:
- Nicole Miller - American Fashion Designer
- Seth MacFarlane - American Producer
- James Franco - Actor
Rhode Island School of Design Placements
RISD and Brown University organize a joint career fair annually to allow students to discover internship and job opportunities after graduation. The major subjects across which placements are offered are in Arts, Graphic Design, Architecture, and Fine Arts. The school also organizes various workshops across the year which are open to undergraduate and graduate students to polish their skills. The RISD career center offers potential employers to hire students through the online portal where students can showcase their work and apply for jobs.
According to Payscale, the average salary of Rhode Island graduates is 70,121 USD, while the early career salary of graduates with less than 5 years of experience was 57,300 USD.
99% of the recent graduates were professionally engaged after graduation in full-time, part-time jobs, internships, or freelance. Over 350 companies participated in career fairs. Some of these include Ralph and Lauren, USAA, ESPN, Harvard University, Kohler, Adidas, Bose, Airbnb, etc.
FAQs
Ques. What is the acceptance rate of Rhode Island School of Design?
Ans.The admission acceptance rate of Rhode Island School of Design in term 2020-21 for freshmen, transfer students, and graduate students respectively are 20%, 22%, and 33%.
Ques. What GPA is required for admission to Rhode Island School of Design?
Ans.An average GPA of 3.6 is required for admission to Rhode Island School of Design.
Ques. What is the average SAT score required for Rhode Island School of Design admissions?
Ans.The average SAT score for Mathematics is 688 and 655 for evidence-based reading & writing for admissions at Rhode Island School of Design.
Ques. Does Rhode Island School of Design provide residential facilities to its admitted students?
Ans.Yes. About 60% of total admitted students live on campus while 40% live out of campus.
Ques. What is the tuition fee for Rhode Island School of Design?
Ans.The tuition fee for the Rhode Island School of Design is 53,820 USD.
Ques. Does Rhode Island School of Design offer a scholarship opportunity to its students?
Ans.Yes. About 36% of total admitted students receive need-based financial aid at Rhode Island School of Design.
Ques. Is Rhode Island School of Design a good school in the U.S.?
Ans.Rhode Island School of Design is the world’s preeminent college of arts and design. Several courses of RISD have been ranked in the top by U.S. News and QS World Ranking. Yes. It is a very good college for students who want to study arts & design.
Ques. What is the total enrolment of Rhode Island School of Design?
Ans.The total enrolment of students is 2,227 while undergraduate enrolment is 1736 out of the total in a session of 2020-21.
Ques. What are some major courses offered at Rhode Island School of Design?
Ans.Some major courses offered here are painting, printmaking, photography, design, fine arts, sculpture, graphics design, and film/video making, etc.
Ques. As an international student, will I feel comfortable in the study environment at Rhode Island School of Design?
Ans. Rhode Island School of Design is very diverse in terms of the student population. About 37% of the total population are international students. There are several students from Asia. It has a student presence from more than 60 countries.
