Policies & FAQ

Students enrolling in Adult Continuing Education courses must be 18 years of age or older and have received a high school diploma or equivalent. Continuing Studies accepts credit cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, VISA). 

Students in the Adult Continuing Education program are expected to adhere to the Rights and Responsibilities for ACE Students.

A 100 percent tuition refund may be issued one week prior to the session start date. No refunds will be issued after this date. All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to cs@saic.edu and include the student’s name, 7-digit ID number, and course information. Refunds take four to six weeks to process.

Note: Non-attendance does not constitute an official withdrawal, nor a cancellation of tuition and fees.

Continuing Studies reserves the right to cancel or alter the fees, schedule, or staffing of courses when circumstances warrant. If a cancellation or change is necessary, students will be notified prior to the first class, and students enrolled in canceled courses will have the option of taking another class or receiving a full refund.

Note: Courses with low enrollment may be canceled a week or more prior to the start date, thus early registration is encouraged.

If you are interested in registering for a course that is full, we encourage you to add yourself to the wait list by filling out the wait list form for the individual course on our online registration website. We will make every attempt to notify you if a spot does become available in your preferred course for purchase online.

A prerequisite or its equivalent is a course or other requirement deemed necessary to ensure the greatest possible likelihood for student success. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of and meet any course prerequisite(s) prior to registration. 

The Adult Continuing Education program reserves the right to enforce prerequisite requirements and may deny or permit enrollment accordingly. Students may be administratively dropped from any course for which they have not met the prerequisite(s). 

A student that does not meet the prerequisite(s) for a specific course but feels that they are academically prepared to take the course may request permission from the Adult Continuing Education program. 

Students may not enroll in a course and its prerequisite(s) in the same semester.

ACE courses are not offered for credit. 

SAIC measures and sets standards for individual student academic progress utilizing an academic standing process that does not rely upon GPA and does not assign letter grades. This system best facilitates the education our institution aims to provide—an education that fosters creativity, risk-taking in the context of creative making and scholarship, and an emphasis on iterative evaluation of growth and progress. Non-degree-seeking students must achieve at least average performance in the course (the traditional grade equivalent of a C) in order to earn P (pass).

Students who require proof of enrollment for an employer or other reimbursement program can make a formal transcript request.

SAIC welcomes many international students to campus each semester, but does not issue immigration support documents for international students participating in non-degree Continuing Studies programs, including Adult Continuing Education courses and certificate programs, and degree program courses for non-matriculated students.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is committed to providing opportunities for full participation in all programs for students with disabilities, including Continuing Studies students and Students At Large. Students with disabilities should first contact the Disability and Learning Resource Center (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 your course.

Disability and Learning Resource Center

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

How do I know what supplies I need for my online course?

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 your course, 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.

What is Canvas and how do I access it?

Canvas is SAIC’s online learning platform and will be the central resource for all of your course materials and communication with instructors and peers. Visit Canvas or download the app for Android or Apple and login using your SAIC username and password.

The Dashboard is the first thing you will see when you log into Canvas. The Dashboard helps you to see what is happening in your current courses. For more information, visit How do I use the Dashboard as a student? If you are not familiar with Canvas, it will be important to do at least one of the following:

• Complete the virtual Canvas Student Orientation. You will need to login with your ARTIC account credentials.
• Visit the Canvas Student Guide
• Watch selections from the Canvas Video Guides for Students, including:
  • 101 - User Setting & Profile Picture
  • 102 - Notification Preferences
  • 200 - Canvas Overview for Students
  • 207 - Discussion Overview

For additional resources, review the information available online about Canvas at SAIC. You may also contact our Canvas support team at canvas-help@saic.edu. 

How large are ACE online courses?

ACE online courses typically have between 10 and 14 students.

If my online class is scheduled to meet at specific times, does that mean I will be in a Zoom meeting for the duration?

Not necessarily. Course participation and activities will be structured in a way that best suits the course content and students enrolled. In addition to lectures, presentations, and group discussions, instructors may provide independent or small group sessions during the scheduled class meeting.

Continuing Studies staff members are available Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT at 312.629.6170 or cs@saic.edu to answer your questions. We are here to help!