Undergraduate Admissions
Explore Our Programs
You have the creative freedom to explore and customize your education through curricular paths that may cross departments or concentrate in a single medium.
Why SAIC
It's Your Future
Are you equal parts sculpture and writing? Interested in filmmaking only? At SAIC, we help you navigate a dynamic interdisciplinary curriculum that gives you the freedom to explore new possibilities, guides you professionally, and prepares you for a creative future.
Experience Matters
SAIC student internships offer opportunities in a mindblowing variety of fields, from fashion and tech to media and nonprofits. SAIC's art- and design-focused internship program is one of the oldest and most successful in the US.
Your Curiosity is a Plus
At SAIC, you earn about a quarter of your credits by choosing from an array of fascinating and relevant courses in the liberal arts and sciences. The combination of creative, research, problem-solving, and rigorous thinking skills you gain as a result gives you an unusually strong foundation for life after SAIC, whatever path you choose.
A Top Fine Arts College
SAIC is recognized as one of the top art schools in the US and ranks among the best art and design schools in the world.
Our Museum, the Art Institute
We're one of the only museum schools in America, affiliated with the world-class Art Institute of Chicago since the museum was founded. Don't be surprised if, in the middle of a class, your professor decides to walk the class over to see a specific artwork at the world-renowned Art Institute. You'll have free access to more than 300,000 works of art (the third-largest collection in the world) right in your backyard.
A Creative Center
Chicago is an easily navigable and endlessly inspiring landscape of 77 distinct and richly diverse neighborhoods, and SAIC sits at its creative apex. You’ll learn in the heart of the city’s vibrant art and design scene, supported by a network of faculty and local alums.
Small School, Vast Resources
From the decidedly analog (our foundry) to state-of-the-art (3D printing, laser cutting, a bio lab), there are no limits to realizing your creative vision.
Career Readiness
97% of 2025 SAIC graduates were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation. At SAIC, career readiness is built into everything we do. We don't just teach you to create—we partner with you to turn your vision into a sustainable, meaningful career.
Meet Us Where You Are
Online
Take a tour, have a one-on-one portfolio review, and watch information sessions all from the comfort of home.
On Campus
See our facilities up close, meet current students and staff, and experience our home of Chicago.
Around the World
Events across the US and around the world allow you to meet faculty and staff, have your portfolio reviewed, and hear about the SAIC experience.
Reid Arowood, 2023
Start Here, Go Anywhere
Explore the professional world of art and design alongside some of SAIC's distinguished alums—a community who works around the globe and across industries, at companies like Apple, Disney, Google, CHANEL, Mattel, and many more.
How to Apply
Wherever you are on the journey to an undergrad degree in art and design, we're here to help.
Paying for Your Education
SAIC Scholarships
SAIC awards merit and need-based scholarships and grants to help break down barriers to access.
Federal & State Aid
Federal and state aid assistance is available for our graduate and undergraduate students.
Outside Scholarships
To help finance your education, there’s a wide range of financial aid options available outside of SAIC.
