Meet SAIC Undergraduate

"See SAIC Day" On Campus: Monday, October 9

Session I: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT 
Or 
Session II: 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. CT 

RSVP 

You will have the opportunity to learn more about our acclaimed interdisciplinary curriculum, tour our state-of-the-art facilities including our residence halls, see what we look for in an admission and merit scholarship portfolio, and learn more about financial aid at SAIC.   

We also highly encourage you to bring your portfolio for a one-on-one conversation about your work with one of our admissions representatives.

SAIC Days are special three-hour events that take place in select cities from September to November. These events are a perfect opportunity to get one-on-one feedback on your portfolio, meet with SAIC faculty and staff, and learn more about our interdisciplinary curriculum.           

One-on-one meetings give you individual time with an admissions counselor to get feedback on your portfolio, or just ask any questions you may have!

National Portfolio Days (NPDs) take place throughout the year, and SAIC participates in all of them. Representatives from SAIC are ALWAYS available to provide 10–15 minute portfolio reviews of prospective students' work, give you valuable feedback and guidance on your portfolio before you submit it as part of your application, and to speak about SAIC's curriculum.

2023-2024 Events

Brazil

Cambodia

China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

Colombia

India

Indonesia

Malaysia

Mexico

Mongolia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Korea

Thailand

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

Vietnam

Portfolio Tip Tuesday: Artist Statement A to Z

Tuesday, October 10, 5 p.m. CT          
RSVP          
Have you run into a case of writer's block? You've made some awesome artwork, but how do you write about it? Join us to learn everything you need to know about constructing an artist statement. We will explain the purpose of an artist statement and offer tips for getting started and editing your statement.

Transfer Week - The Transfer Process 

Wednesday, October 18, 5 p.m. CT    
RSVP      
This webinar is specifically for students wishing to transfer to SAIC. For this session, we'll cover:    
• Assistance with application completion    
• Portfolio advice for admission and merit scholarship    
• Transfer credit policy deep dive    
• Academic resources and next steps review

Transfer Week - Understanding SAIC's Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Thursday, October 19, 5 p.m. CT   
RSVP   
Meet with faculty and learn more about what it means to study within an interdisciplinary curriculum.

Portfolio Tip Tuesday: What to Include and NOT Include when Editing Your Final Portfolio

Tuesday, October 24, 5 p.m. CT         
RSVP         
How do you know what different schools are looking for in a portfolio? Is it the same for every degree program? Join us to learn how to research and follow portfolio requirements. We will review specific requirements for SAIC's 5 different degree programs.

Portfolio Tip Tuesday: Don't Panic! Moral Support Before You Hit Submit

Tuesday, November 7, 5 p.m. CT         
RSVP         
SAIC Admissions is here to help with any questions you have leading up to our Early Action deadline on November 15th. Don't panic - we're hosting this live Q+A session to help you hit the "Submit" button with confidence.     

If you would like to meet with us or have us review your portfolio virtually, you may schedule an appointment online or contact us at ugadmiss@saic.edu or 1.312.629.6100. All appointments are in central time, please schedule accordingly.

During these 20–30 minute virtual sessions, faculty, alums, and admissions counselors will provide valuable feedback on your work for both admission and merit scholarship consideration. Have sketchbooks, finished pieces, and your questions prepared.

You will present images of your work live via screen-share. You can also share links with the reviewer utilizing the Zoom chat box. You don't need to upload anything in advance.

Virtual National Portfolio Days

Representatives from SAIC are available to provide 10-15 minute portfolio reviews of prospective students' work, give you valuable feedback and guidance on your portfolio before you submit it as part of your application, and to speak about SAIC's curriculum.

Take a live tour of our campus and residence halls with our current students and ask any questions you have! Virtual tours take place on Wednesdays at 4:00 pm CT.

• Schedule a virtual tour 
• Check out our self-guided virtual tour
• Take an on-demand tour of our residence halls

Brazil

Cambodia

China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

Colombia

India

Indonesia

Malaysia

Mexico

Mongolia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Korea

Thailand

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

Vietnam

SAIC Presents: SAIC Overview and Portfolio Guidance for International Students

Saturday, September 9, 6 a.m. Chicago Time / 7 p.m. China Standard Time          
Watch Recording 

Join the International Admissions Team for an overview of SAIC, plus get guidance on preparing your application and portfolio for admission and merit scholarship consideration.

Take a live tour of our campus and residence halls with our current students and ask any questions you have!

In-Person 

Tours take place daily, Monday through Friday and select Saturdays. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes in advance for check-in. A maximum of three people are allowed per party, including the prospective student. Advance registration is required.

Schedule an in-person tour.

We offer you the opportunity to meet with an admission counselor before or after our on-campus tours to have your portfolio reviewed or just get more information about SAIC. Reservations are required due to a strict capacity limit. 

Tour guests should arrive at the LeRoy Neiman Center at 37 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL, 60603, 15 minutes in advance of the scheduled tour time. Tours typically last 90 minutes.  

Our tours include the following:

• A brief presentation providing an overview of SAIC’s campus and curriculum
• A look inside our campus buildings (2) and facilities, including our Contemporary Practices department
• Visiting one of our residence halls
• Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago museum
• Introduction to our downtown campus—wear comfortable shoes!  
   

Virtual

Portfolio Tip Tuesday: How to Apply & Submit Your Portfolio

Tuesday, September 26, 2023       
Watch Recording

You've created artwork, documented it, and made your final selections. Now, it's time to apply! We'll show you how to access the Common Application and walk you through the steps to complete and submit your application and SlideRoom portfolio.

Tuesday, September 12, 2023    
Watch Recording

How can you go beyond what's expected when working on an assignment? How have artists previously incorporated assignments and prompts into their creative practices? SAIC Admissions Counselors give you the inside scoop on how to approach assignment-based work so you can include it in your portfolio.

Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Watch Recording

Applying to art school usually means providing images of your artwork in the form of a portfolio. But how do you get started? How do you know what to include and what to leave out? And how do artists use this important tool in their professional lives? Join us to find out!

Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Watch Recording

Taking great photos of your work is just as important as making it! In this hour-long workshop, SAIC faculty will walk you through how to capture and edit high-quality photos for your application. We'll also cover tips for using household materials and a smartphone in this process. 

Tuesday, July 11, 2023 
Watch Recording

Are you currently contemplating the age-old question of "Is it okay to submit anime, fan art, or comics in a portfolio for art school?" We'll do a deep dive exploring the topics of authorship, originality, and appropriation in art to help you decide how to move forward if you have an interest in this style of work.

Thursday, March 23, 2023 
Watch Recording

Representatives from SAIC's Student Financial Services department will discuss SAIC award packages, completing the budgeting worksheet, and outside scholarships. There will be time during and after the presentation to ask questions.

Friday, January 6, 2023 
Watch Recording

Join us to learn more about transferring to SAIC, and get an optional portfolio review with an admissions counselor to get valuable feedback on your work.

Thursday, December 1, 2022
Watch Recording

SAIC's Student Financial Services office is hosting an online information session to assist you in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applying for scholarships and identifying other sources of funding, and understanding your award. There will be time after the presentation to ask any questions you may have.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Watch Recording

SAIC Admissions is here to help with any questions you have leading up to our Early Action deadline on November 15th. Don't panic - we're hosting this live Q+A session to help you hit the "Submit" button with confidence.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Watch Recording

How do you know what different schools are looking for in a portfolio? Is it the same for every degree program? Join us to learn how to research and follow portfolio requirements. We will review specific requirements for SAIC's 5 different degree programs.

Thursday, October 20, 2022
Watch Recording

Meet with faculty and learn more about what it means to study within an interdisciplinary curriculum.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Watch Recording

Join us online to learn more about transferring to SAIC, and get detailed information on how your credits will transfer.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Watch Recording

SAIC's Student Financial Services office is hosting an online information session to assist you in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applying for scholarships and identifying other sources of funding, and understanding your award. There will be time after the presentation to ask any questions you may have.

Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Watch Recording

Have you run into a case of writer's block? You've made some awesome artwork, but how do you write about it? Join us to learn everything you need to know about constructing an artist statement. We will explain the purpose of an artist statement and offer tips for getting started and editing your statement.

Friday, October 7, 2022
Watch Recording

Join us online to learn more about transferring to SAIC, and get an optional portfolio review with an admissions counselor to get valuable feedback on your work.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Watch Recording

Sketchbooks and journals are essential companions for artists. Together, we'll look at interesting ways to use them and how they can help you build a strong portfolio.

June 9, 2022
Watch Now
Faculty representatives will discuss SAIC's interdisciplinary curriculum and how it informs the creative process as they practice it and as they teach it.