Low-Residency MFA

The Low-Residency Master of Fine Arts (Low-Res MFA) program is a transdisciplinary course of study designed for 21st-century artists, writers, and educators looking for rigorous engagement, artistic community, and the flexibility of a self-directed schedule.

Over the course of the seven-semester MFA program, a rotating core of SAIC faculty delivers on-campus and online instruction.

• Students attend three consecutive six-week summer sessions in-person in Chicago structured around weekly seminars, colloquia, and studio visits with faculty and visiting artists.
• During the spring and fall semesters between summer residencies, students work remotely from their home studios, and participate in asynchronous online courses and one-on-one advising.
• The degree culminates in a written thesis, and an exhibition, lecture, or performance presented to the public in the final summer. 

As a program that brings together artists of all disciplines, the Low-Res MFA is primarily a deeply conceptual and discursive program that emphasizes dialogue in community. The curriculum is scaffolded through the concept of “poetics,” from the Greek poiema, meaning “a made thing.” What unites students and faculty in the Low-Res MFA is the exploration of what it means to make things: conceptually, materially, and relationally.

The Low-Res MFA prepares makers of all kinds to chart their own unique professional trajectories. Our alumni receive prestigious awards such as Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellowships; exhibit and perform at major international exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale; found residencies, galleries, and collectives; publish across genres; and are tenured at art schools and universities across the country.

2026 Summer Residency Dates
In-person attendance is mandatory for the entire six-week residency period as well as orientation.

Mandatory Orientation: Friday, June 12, 2026
Classes: Monday, June 15–Friday, July 24, 2026