Enrolled Students Next Steps

For students enrolled in an Adult Continuing Education summer one-week intensive on-campus courses, optional campus housing is available.

To request campus housing, please download, complete, and sign the Housing Acknowledgement form. 

Important: After enrolling, it may take up to two business days before you can activate your SAIC account.

Your SAIC email account is the key to accessing Canvas and other student resources. Your instructor will communicate with you through Canvas and your SAIC.edu email address. Check it regularly during the course.

To activate your SAIC email account, you will need to:

• Locate your SAIC ID number in your Registration Confirmation email, sent from cs@saic.edu. If you have an SAIC student ID card, you will also find it there. Your seven-digit SAIC Student ID number is different from the five-digit order number included on the Order Confirmation receipt email sent to you at the time of checkout.
• Go to password.artic.edu
• Select Activate Account
• Enter your seven-digit SAIC ID number
• Enter your last name
• Enter your birthdate the following format: DD-MMM (e.g., 22-FEB or 03-JUN)
  • DD: Two-digit day (01 to 31)
  • MMM: Three-letter abbreviation for the month (e.g., JAN, FEB, MAR, etc.)
  • Note: Use numeric characters for the day and only letters for the month.
• Select Activate

Your username is automatically assigned, but you will need to create your own password. Passwords can be simple sentences (“There were 15 green trees.”), a series of words separated by spaces (“Correct Horse Battery Staple”) or a longer traditional password (“Thisisalongpassword!”). The longer the password, the more secure it is. Pick a password that is easy for you to remember.  

Your new password must meet the following requirements:

• Is case sensitive.

• Must be a minimum of 15 characters long.

• Must not repeat any character more than 3 times consecutively. 

• Cannot include any of the password examples above.

Uppercase, lowercase, special characters, and numbers are allowed but not required when setting your new password.

You will also be prompted to set up four security questions. Be sure to record your account information for future reference.

Visit gmail.artic.edu to log in to your SAIC email with the username and password from above.

Need Help? Contact the CRIT Help Desk at 312.345.3535 or email crithelpdesk@saic.edu. Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

A student ID is required for all students participating in on-campus courses. You will not be able to attend your class on campus until you have requested and picked up your ARTICard. 

You will need to schedule an appointment with the ARTICard Office in order to come in to get your SAIC student ID card. To do so, follow the link below.

ARTICard - Appointments, Contact Information, Office Hours, and Location

You must present a government-issued photo ID or passport to pick up your ARTICard.

Need Help? Contact the ARTICard Office at articard@saic.edu.

Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. + Extended hours for Continuing Studies Students, visit the link above.

Museum Access: Your SAIC student ID card will grant you access to the Art Institute of Chicago while you are a current student. Please note that pencils and pads are allowed into the museum, but do not bring pens or markers. Bags and backpacks larger than 13 x 17 x 4 inches are not allowed in the galleries and must be checked. No food, beverages, flowers, or balloons are allowed inside the museum. Water bottles are allowed.

SAIC is committed to providing opportunities for full participation in all programs for students with disabilities, including Continuing Studies students and Students At Large. Disabled students should first contact the DLRC to request reasonable accommodations. To plan for the most effective accommodations, we ask that you contact the DLRC at least two weeks before the start date for the course. 

Disability and Learning Resource Center - To learn more about the DLRC including common accommodations provided by their office, their approach to providing accommodations, and how to schedule an appointment.

The DLRC can be reached by phone at 312.499.4278 or email at dlrc@saic.edu.

Canvas is SAIC’s online learning platform and will be the central resource for all of your course materials and communication with your instructors and peers. You will need to login with your SAIC username and password. 
  
Typically, instructors make courses viewable one week before the start of class. Please note that not all instructors may use Canvas. 
  
Visit Canvas or download the app for Android or Apple and log in using your SAIC username and password. Complete the virtual Canvas Student Orientation to get started.

Need Help? Contact the Canvas Support Team at canvas-help@saic.edu, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Continuing Studies Orientation website and select your program.

Students are responsible for purchasing their own supplies. 

Supply lists for intensives and weekend workshops can be found at the link below. 

Typically, supply lists for courses with a duration of longer than one week are provided to students during the first class session. However, some instructors may choose to provide a supply list to students in advance if specific materials are required during the first week of class. If your instructor has chosen to release the supply list prior to the start of class, you will find it at the link below. 

Course Supply Lists: These will be posted one week prior to the start of class.

Please note that a computer is required to participate in online classes.

To confirm the location of your course visit continuingstudies.saic.edu/all-courses and enter your course number in the field under Current On-Campus Courses.

Occasionally course locations change prior to the start of class. We also encourage you to check the location at the link above in the days leading up to the start of class.

AIC-FRONT: Front lobby of the Art Institute of Chicago, 111 South Michigan Avenue
280: 280 Building, 280 South Columbus Drive
LV: Lakeview Building, 116 South Michigan Avenue
MC: MacLean Center, 112 South Michigan Avenue
SC: Sullivan Center, 36 South Wabash Avenue
SP: Sharp Building, 37 South Wabash Avenue

View a campus map here.

Lockers are made available at the start of classes on a first-come, first-served basis and must be officially registered through the Office of Student Affairs each semester. Students who have registered a locker during the current term must provide their own lock. If an unregistered locker is found locked, the lock will be cut and the contents disposed of. Locks and personal belongings not removed at the end of the semester will be disposed of.

It will take up to two business days for locker registration to be completed.

Student​ ​Locker​ ​Registration​ ​Checklist

• Email​ student affairs at studenthelp@saic.edu.
• Use Subject line: Locker reservation request - ACE student
• Include​ ​the​ ​following​ ​information​ ​in​ ​the​ ​body​ ​of​ ​the​ ​email. Failure to provide all information will cause a delay in completing the registration.
   
  • Full name and SAIC ID number
  • Location of your course - building, floor, and classroom number
  • Dates of your course

You may not be assigned the exact locker you request. However, if an alternative is assigned, it will be based on the preferred locker number you provide.

SAIC provides guest wifi in limited areas on campus. If you would like to connect to the School’s wifi network for students, faculty, and staff, follow the instructions here. You must activate your SAIC account first. 

Please note that the process requires an internet connection: SAIC Guest (available in the MacLean Ballroom, Neiman Center, and 280 S. Columbus Drive Building), Hot Spot, or Off Campus Network.

Important Dates:
 

• June 19, 2025, Juneteenth, no classes
• July 4, 2025, Independence Day, no classes
• July 5-6 2025, NASCAR, pre- and post-road closures
• TBA, Lollapalooza, pre- and post road closures

**Please be aware that classes are held in downtown Chicago and occasionally, we may be impacted by protests and other events. While we will make every effort to notify you via email, there may be instances where these events occur unexpectedly.**

Road Closures:
 

Due to NASCAR Chicago & Lollapalooza, there will be road closures in and around the vicinity of the SAIC campus. Roads leading into and around downtown may become blocked as the city prepares for, and cleans up from the event.

We strongly advise students to use public transportation. Details regarding road closures will be sent closer to the event.

Information on public parking can be found at saic.edu/visit/directions-campus.

You will receive a Welcome & Next Steps email from saic-ace@saic.edu in the days leading up to the start of class. The subject line will include Welcome & Next Steps.

In this email you will find:

• A reminder to complete the steps outlined on this page
• The contact information for your instructor

First Day of Class: Need Help?

A staff member will be available to respond to emails regarding urgent concerns one hour before the start of class through the first hour of the first class meeting.

Most concerns can be resolved effectively by email. If a phone call is needed, a staff member will reply by phone to your email.

ACE Curriculum and Instruction Team (Programming): saic-ace@saic.edu
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 
+ Extended hours: One hour before the start of class through the first hour of the first class meeting

To expedite assistance, include as much of the following information as you are able to:

• Your first and last name as it appears on your Registration Confirmation email
• Your seven-digit student ID number (included in your Registration Confirmation email.)
• The class you are taking, including when it is scheduled to start
• A phone number you can be reached at

TIP: Include your instructor on your email to saic-ace@saic.edu. That way they will be aware that you are working on troubleshooting in order to connect with them for the first class. The contact information for your instructor will be provided to you in the Welcome & Next Steps email sent in the days leading up to the start of class. 

Important: After enrolling, it may take up to two business days before you can activate your SAIC account.

Your SAIC email account is the key to accessing Canvas and other student resources. Your instructor will communicate with you through Canvas and your SAIC.edu email address. Check it regularly during the course.

To activate your SAIC email account, you will need to:

• Locate your SAIC ID number in your Registration Confirmation email, sent from cs@saic.edu. If you have an SAIC student ID card, you will also find it there. Your seven-digit SAIC Student ID number is different from the five-digit order number included on the Order Confirmation receipt email sent to you at the time of checkout.
• Go to password.artic.edu
• Select Activate Account
• Enter your seven-digit SAIC ID number
• Enter your last name
• Enter your birthdate the following format: DD-MMM (e.g., 22-FEB or 03-JUN)
  • DD: Two-digit day (01 to 31)
  • MMM: Three-letter abbreviation for the month (e.g., JAN, FEB, MAR, etc.)
  • Note: Use numeric characters for the day and only letters for the month.
• Select Activate

Your username is automatically assigned, but you will need to create your own password. Passwords can be simple sentences (“There were 15 green trees.”), a series of words separated by spaces (“Correct Horse Battery Staple”) or a longer traditional password (“Thisisalongpassword!”). The longer the password, the more secure it is. Pick a password that is easy for you to remember.  

Your new password must meet the following requirements:

• Is case sensitive.

• Must be a minimum of 15 characters long.

• Must not repeat any character more than 3 times consecutively. 

• Cannot include any of the password examples above.

Uppercase, lowercase, special characters, and numbers are allowed but not required when setting your new password.

You will also be prompted to set up four security questions. Be sure to record your account information for future reference.

Visit gmail.artic.edu to log in to your SAIC email with the username and password from above.

Need Help? Contact the CRIT Help Desk at 312.345.3535 or email crithelpdesk@saic.edu. Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

SAIC is committed to providing opportunities for full participation in all programs for students with disabilities, including Continuing Studies students and Students At Large. Disabled students should first contact the DLRC to request reasonable accommodations. To plan for the most effective accommodations, we ask that you contact the DLRC at least two weeks before the start date for the course. 

Disability and Learning Resource Center - To learn more about the DLRC including common accommodations provided by their office, their approach to providing accommodations, and how to schedule an appointment.

 The DLRC can be reached by phone at 312.499.4278 or email at dlrc@saic.edu.

Canvas is SAIC’s online learning platform and will be the central resource for all of your course materials and communication with your instructors and peers. You will need to login with your SAIC username and password. 

Typically, instructors make courses viewable one week before the start of class. Please note that not all instructors may use Canvas.

Visit Canvas or download the app for Android or Apple and log in using your SAIC username and password. Complete the virtual Canvas Student Orientation to get started.

Need Help? Contact the Canvas Support Team at canvas-help@saic.edu, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Continuing Studies Orientation website and select your program.

If your course will be holding live video conferencing sessions, you will need to download Zoom in advance of the first class.

• Starting the Zoom Desktop Client - Select the download that corresponds with your computer, tablet, or phone.

• Joining a meeting

All live sessions are scheduled in Central Time. Use World Time Buddy to compare Central Time with your current timezone.

NOTE: You can join the first class Zoom session even if you have not finished activating your SAIC email and logged into Canvas. You will receive the link for the first Zoom session in the Welcome & Next Steps email from saic-ace@saic.edu in the days leading up to the start of class.

Students are responsible for purchasing their own supplies. 

Supply lists for intensives and weekend workshops can be found at the link below. 

Typically, supply lists for courses with a duration of longer than one week are provided to students during the first class session. However, some instructors may choose to provide a supply list to students in advance, if specific materials are required during the first week of class. If your instructor has chosen to release the supply list prior to the start of class, you will find it at the link below.

Course Supply Lists: These will be posted by one week prior to the start of class.

Please note that a computer is required to participate in online classes.

You will receive a Welcome & Next Steps email from saic-ace@saic.edu in the days leading up to the start of class.

The subject line will include Welcome & Next Steps.

In this email you will find:

• A reminder to complete your next steps as outlined on this page
• The link to the first class Zoom session (synchronous online courses)
• The contact information for your instructor

First Day of Class: Need Help?

A staff member will be available to respond to emails regarding urgent concerns one hour before the start of class through the first hour of the first class meeting.

Most concerns can be resolved effectively by email. If a phone call is needed, a staff member will reply by phone to your email.

ACE Curriculum and Instruction Team (Programming): saic-ace@saic.edu 
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.  
+ Extended hours: One hour before the start of class through the first hour of the first class meeting

To expedite assistance, include as much of the following information as you are able to.

• Your first and last name as it appears on your Registration Confirmation email
• Your seven-digit student ID number (included in your Registration Confirmation email.)
• The class you are taking, including when it is scheduled to start
• A Phone number you can be reached at

TIP: Include your instructor on your email to saic-ace@saic.edu. That way they will be aware that you are working on troubleshooting in order to connect with them for the first class. The contact information for your instructor will be provided to you in the Welcome & Next Steps email sent in the days leading up to the start of class.