How to Apply As a Freshman

*Applications received after these deadlines will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

To apply to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, you'll need to submit:

1. The Common Application. Complete and submit the Common Application form with SAIC questions.
2. Your creative portfolio. Upload your work electronically through SlideRoom, which you will access through SAIC's member screen within the Common Application under the Portfolio section.
3. Additional materials. Send in any additional required materials, such as transcripts and letters of recommendation. 

All requirements must be completed by the application deadline for your desired admission round. Don’t worry, your applicant portal will help you keep track of any outstanding items and how to complete them.

APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID? You must submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by your selected admission deadline to receive your financial package alongside your admission decision. Late FAFSA submission automatically rolls your SAIC application to the next round. Learn how to file your FAFSA.

If you are submitting an application fee waiver from your high school or college, please answer "Yes" in the Common App Fee Waiver Section. Please keep in mind you must meet one of the economic benchmarks set by the Common App, and certify your eligibility.

Submit a portfolio that gives us a sense of you, your interests, and your willingness to experiment, explore, and think beyond technical skills. There is no one “right way” to construct a portfolio—you choose what to present. Visit our Portfolio Requirements by Degree Program page for more detailed information on creating your portfolio, or read our portfolio preparation guide.

We strongly encourage you to meet with us on campus, online, or at one of our events for individualized feedback about your portfolio.

The portfolio you submit for admission is the one that we will evaluate for merit scholarship.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? You'll be offered seven prompts in the Common Application—choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. 

We recommend students respond to this prompt: "Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?"

650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so. (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.) Construct your essay with care, and pay attention to your grammar and spelling.

If you are applying to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing, your essay also needs to address how you imagine a studio arts environment will impact your writing practice.

You may submit your personal essay via the Common Application (within the member-specific questions), or through your SlideRoom ePortfolio submission.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago considers students who have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent for admission. Your counselor may submit your transcript through the Common Application, Parchment, email or mail:

School of the Art Institute of Chicago  
Undergraduate Admissions  
36 S. Wabash, suite 1201  
Chicago, IL  60603  
ugadmiss@saic.edu

If your high school diploma(s), certificate(s), or transcript(s) are in a language other than English, please include officially translated transcripts. We recommend students consider and use credential evaluation services that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

All admission decisions are subject to evaluation of final high school transcripts, which must be received by August 15 for fall and January 15 for spring.

U.S. residents, and international students whose first language is English or are attending US-accredited high schools abroad, or who have studied in an English-language school for 4+ years or earned 12 or more semester hours of college credit from an English-language university are not required to submit ACT, SAT, or language assessment scores. If you believe your scores provide additional insight into your academic abilities, please feel free to submit them.

International students who do not meet the above criteria need to submit a language assessment from any of the following and must meet the designated minimum scores:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):
  • Pre-January 2026: minimum 82 Internet Based
  • January 2026 and later: 4.5
• TOEFL Essentials: minimum 9
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): minimum 6.5
• Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic): minimum 55
• Duolingo: 110  
   

* For the Bachelor of Arts in Art History degree, a TOEFL IBT score of 5 or equivalent is required.

Test scores may be sent directly to us by selecting our school codes when taking the test.

• SAIC's ACT Code: 1136
• SAIC's SAT Code: 1713
• SAIC's TOEFL Code: 1713

Email ugadmiss@saic.edu or mail scores to: 
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 
Undergraduate Admissions 
36 S. Wabash Ave., suite 1201 
Chicago, IL 60603

Submit one letter of recommendation written by an instructor or other professional who can evaluate your motivation, commitment, maturity, and potential to succeed at SAIC. If you are currently not in school and cannot locate an instructor or guidance counselor, you may ask an employer or other individual capable of assessing you from a critical perspective.

Your recommender should reference your full name and date of birth, and may submit in the following ways:

• Electronically through the Common Application
• Email to ugadmiss@saic.edu
• Mail to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Undergraduate Admissions, 36 S. Wabash Ave., suite 1201, Chicago, IL  60603

SAIC accepts up to a maximum of 15 credit hours—the equivalent of five courses—for any combination of the following:

Advanced Placement (AP) Credits: 3 college credit hours for each Advanced Placement (AP) score of 3-5 in ALL academic areas (priority) or studio arts.

International Baccalaureate (IB): 6 college credits for any International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 4-7 at the Higher Level (HL) only.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP): 3 credit hours per subject area. For each subject area exam, students must earn a score of 50 for that subject. CLEP credits are considered transfer credits and must be submitted prior to the start of the semester.

College Credits (earned in high school): Includes early/pre-college programs or dual enrollment courses with the equivalent of a grade "C" or better. Learn more about SAIC's Early College Programs, which offer college credit!

SAIC works to make our world-class art and design education accessible to all students regardless of their economic background. Learn more about tuition, available loans, and how to apply for financial aid on the Cost and Financial Aid section of our site.

Take the next step and schedule a portfolio review.

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