Undergraduate Admissions: Application and Fee

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) only accepts online applications and offers you two ways to submit your application.

SAIC's Online Application

We developed the Undergraduate Online Application to streamline the application process. Submitting SAIC’s application provides you access to an ePortfolio link within 48 hours of completing the first page of your application.

Common Application

You may also submit your application via the Undergraduate Common Application. The Common Application allows you to apply to any of its 456 member schools by inputting your general information only once so you can focus your time on the individual requirements for each school application. SAIC gives equal consideration to Common Applications and those received through our own online application.

In addition to the Common Application’s general questions, you MUST submit SAIC's supplement to be considered for admission to SAIC.

Submitting the Common Application provides you access to an ePortfolio link within 48 hours of completing the entire application (including supplement and fee). 

Fee Payment

When submitting an application, you must pay the nonrefundable application fee as a credit card payment. If you do not submit the fee, your application cannot be processed.

Application Fee Waivers
If you are submitting an application fee waiver from your high school or college, please contact the Office of Admissions at 800.232.7242 or 312.629.6100 prior to submission of your online application.