Admissions Requirements

To apply to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), you will need to fill out an application and submit your transcripts and letters of recommendation. And most importantly, we require a portfolio of your best and most recent work—work that will give us a sense of you, your interests, and your willingness to explore, experiment, and think beyond technical art, design, and writing skills.

In order to apply, we must have the following items:

  • Online application
  • Artist’s Statement
  • Transcripts
  • Letter of Recommendation
  • Portfolio
  • Test Scores

View our Portfolio Requirements by Degree Program for more detailed information regarding portfolios.

The portfolio for the Bachelor of Fine Arts with an Emphasis in Writing may consist of one or a combination of the following:

  • 10 Pages of poetry
  • 20 pages of prose (fiction, creative nonfiction, or drama)
  • 10 pages of a graphic novel