Two individuals in a dark room watch a screen with a cityscape with neon wires wrapped around it

Pre-Registration Day and ARTBASH

Details

On-Campus: Saturday, April 1, 2023

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago MacLean Ballroom
112 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603

We invite you to join us on campus for the opportunity to pre-register for classes, view the work of current first-year students in our annual ARTBASH exhibition, tour the campus and our residence halls, get all of your questions answered, and more!

We’ll also have special programming and representatives available from Admissions, Student Financial Services, Residence Life, Campus Life, and our Career and Professional Experience office to help answer all of your questions. Details will be coming to you via mail and email.

Pre-Registering for Fall 2023 Classes?

  • Appointments are available on a first come, first served basis (pending availability). 
  • Check out our course listings and prepare a list of classes you're interested in!
  • Appointments last approximately 30 minutes.
  • Counselors will explain requirements and sign you up for classes.

On Demand Presentations

A Guided Tour of the 2020 BFA Show with Undergraduate Dean Dawn Gavin (25 minutes)
Dawn Gavin, Undergraduate Dean and Smith-Buonanno Family Director of Contemporary Practices

Chicago: Our Campus 
Learn about the amazing city of Chicago and why artists, designers and cultural producers consider it one of the most important and accessible U.S. cities from which to launch a creative career. We’ll introduce you to our campus, the city’s amazing venues, and discuss campus safety.

Life on Campus: Student Affairs + Resources
An art school experience is more than just critiques and studio time! We’ll be featuring housing and residence life, and our museum, the Art Institute of Chicago. We’ll also introduce the many departments that are here to serve you as an individual including: Academic Advising, International Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, Campus Life, Student Employment and our Wellness Center (Health Services, Counseling Services, & the Disability and Learning Resource Center).

Life Inside the Classroom: SAIC's Curriculum
Faculty members from Contemporary Practices, Liberal Arts and Art History will be on hand to delve into what makes an SAIC education distinct — from our interdisciplinary curriculum to critique based assessment and integrated advising. We’ll talk about what the first year looks like for students and give you a peek at our exciting departments and areas of study.

What Can I Do with an SAIC Degree? Careers and Alumni
We mean it when we say that life after art school begins when you first join us on campus. We’ll share the many resources that our Career and Professional Experience (CAPX) office offers, as well as discuss our internship program — the oldest and most successful one of its kind in the U.S. We’ll also showcase our alums — to give you an idea of the possibilities open to you with an SAIC degree.

Financial Aid and Next Steps
Our Student Financial Services and Admissions experts will be on hand to discuss all things related to financing an SAIC education. In addition, we will provide a step-by-step review of the things that are “next” on your list to do in order to join us in the fall — from making your deposit to securing housing.

Academic Access Program (AAP) 
The Academic Access Program (AAP) is a first year college program designed to prepare selected undergraduate students for success in required courses in art history and liberal arts. The AAP consists of a set of intensive courses that focus on students' advancement of critical thinking, analytical reading, and college writing skills. Learn more about SAIC's Academic Access Program with coordinator Jennie Berner.

Want to take a campus tour?

Schedule a tour here. In-Person and Virtual options are available. All campus tours are led by current students.

Watch an On-Demand Virtual Campus Tour with Student Ambassadors

Want to Schedule Your Fall 2023 Registration Appointment for Another Time?

Call us at 312-629-6100 to schedule your appointment (available after April 1).

Want to Speak Individually with Student Financial Services?
Contact us M–F, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to make an appointment at 312.629.6600 or saic.sfs@saic.edu, or schedule an SFS appointment online.

Make Your Enrollment Deposit

In order to accept your admission and secure your place in our class, we require that admitted students pay a non-refundable $300 enrollment deposit. You may make your deposit as soon as you are committed to SAIC, but no later than May 1, 2023. The deposit is not an extra fee, and will be applied toward your tuition charges. Learn more