High School Programs

Watch our most recent webinar and get a comprehensive overview of the Early College Program Summer Institute (ECPSI) and Early College Program Online Summer Institute (ECPOSI). Learn more about the curriculum, faculty, college credit, special programming, student benefits, living in Chicago, and much more!

We offer high school-aged students multiple ways to engage their creative interests and explore a variety of media. Our programs also provide a great way for students wishing to apply to an art and design school to prepare portfolio-ready work.

  • Taking place during fall, winter, spring, and summer, our Early College Program courses investigate painting, drawing, animation, comics/graphic novels, fashion, DIY printmaking, design, and more. Students who have completed their sophomore year have the option to enroll for college credit! Register here.

  • Our intensive 1-, 2-, and 4-week Early College Program Summer Institute program brings an extraordinary array of students from all over the world to SAIC to create portfolio-quality work, make connections with our world-renowned faculty, experience SAIC’s amazing facilities, and earn college credit. Campus housing is available in our state-of-the-art residence halls in the heart of downtown Chicago.

  • Our Early College Program Online Summer Institute is an immersive program led by our highly acclaimed faculty of artists and designers who have adapted their course content to a virtual platform. You will join peers from around the globe to create portfolio-quality work, deepen your understanding of contemporary art-making, and earn college credit.

Did you know? 

SAIC has full-tuition scholarships available for CPS students and parochial Illinois high schoolers for ECP noncredit courses. 

We offer the Chicago Youth Artist Scholarship for CPS high schoolers and the Smith Scholarship for Illinois high schoolers to cover the cost of noncredit ECP courses every semester. It's easy to apply and no tax documentation or portfolios are required.  

Learn more about our high school full-tuition scholarships.

Contact Us

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!