Registration Opens November 1!
Summer 2022 Session Dates:
Session 1: 2-weeks, June 20-July 1
Session 2: 2-weeks, July 4-15
Session 3: 2-weeks, July 18-29
Session 4: 4-weeks, July 4-29
NEW! Session 5: 1-week, August 1-5
One of the key things that distinguishes SAIC from other art and design schools is our belief that meaning and making are inseparable. That means you begin with an idea and choose the media that best helps you realize your vision. We teach you to think and work the way contemporary artists and designers do.
- In a painting class, but want to experiment with installation?
- Want to combine animation and text?
- Passionate about architecture and that is what you wish to do exclusively?
At SAIC, you can do them all.
ECP Summer Institute 2022 At-a-Glance
| Session | Course Dates | Move In/ Orientation | Exhibition/ Move Out | Tuition | Housing/Meals | Incidentals/Supplies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1: Two Weeks | June 20-July 1, 2022 | Move In: Sunday, June 19 Orientation: Sunday, June 19 at 4 p.m. CT |
Exhibition: Friday, July 1at 2 p.m. CT Move out: Saturday, July 2 by noon |
$3,480*—two college credits | $985 | Supplies: approx. $300 Incidentals: approx. $200 |
| Session 3: Two Weeks | July 18-29, 2022 | Move In: Sunday, July 17 Orientation: Sunday, July 17 at 4 p.m. CT |
Exhibition: Friday, July 29 at 2 p.m. CT Move out: Saturday, July 30 by noon |
$3,480*—two college credits | $985 | Supplies: approx. $300 Incidentals: approx. $200 |
NEW! Session 5: One Week |
August 1-5, 2022 | Move In: Sunday, July 31 Orientation: Sunday, July 31 at 4 p.m. CT |
Exhibition: Saturday, August 6 at 10 a.m. CT Move out: Saturday, August 6 by 4 p.m. CT |
$1,740*—one college credit | $495 | Supplies: approx. $150 Incidentals: approx. $100 |
Note: *Includes $100 nonrefundable tuition deposit. Supply costs and incidentals are projected and will vary for each student determined in part by individual projects, material choices, and personal spending.
Classes are Monday–Friday. 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday evenings 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Budgeting for Tuition, Housing, and Meal Plan
1-week Session:
Tuition: $1,740
Housing and Meal Plan*: $495
Supplies: approximately $150
Incidentals/personal spending: approximately $100
2-week Sessions:
Tuition: $3,480
Housing and Meal Plan*: $985
Supplies: approximately $300
Incidentals/personal spending: approximately $200
4-week Session:
Tuition: $6,960
Housing and Meal Plan*: $1,970
Supplies: approximately $450
Incidentals/personal spending: approximately $350
Areas of Study
ECP Summer Institute courses are offered in the following areas of study and reflect SAIC's undergraduate program curriculum. Animation, Architecture, Art and Technology Studies, Comics and the Graphic Novel, Designed Objects, Drawing, Fashion, Fiber, Film, Video, and New Media, Graphic Design/ Visual Communication Design, Interdisciplinary Studies, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Writing. For specific ECP Summer Institute course titles and descriptions, visit the Course listings.
College Credit
Students must be at least 15 years of age and not older than 18 years of age and have completed their sophomore year of high school to enroll in the ECP Summer Institute. Upon successful completion of a course, students will receive college credit that is transferrable to other accredited institutions. SAIC’s credit/no-credit grading policy prepares students for life as a creative professional where the highest value is placed on the relationship between idea and execution.
Faculty and Instructional Support
SAIC is known for its faculty, and many of our ECP Summer Institute instructors also teach in the undergraduate program. Our instructors are teaching artists, designers, writers, and scholars who are passionate about art making and will challenge you to think, question, and discover. In addition, each ECPSI class has at least one SAIC undergraduate or graduate student Teaching Assistant (TA) working with our faculty. With an average class size of 12–18 students, this allows for an average teacher/student ratio of 1:8.
Portfolio Preparation—A Head Start
Not only will you receive portfolio feedback from your instructors and fellow students, you may also meet with our undergraduate degree program admissions counselors to receive one-on-one advice about constructing a portfolio that best represents you. They look at hundreds or portfolios and can provide you with expert advice.
Students entering their senior year who successfully complete the program receive the following:
- Waived portfolio requirement for SAIC undergraduate admission
- Fee waiver for SAIC's application via the Common Application
- Priority consideration for merit scholarship
Rigorous Classroom Experience
Like our undergraduate degree programs, you will be working in the studio all day—allowing you to really experience what it is like to be a practicing artist, designer, or writer. Classes meet from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. And, of course, there is time for lunch and breaks.
Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00–8:00 p.m., you will participate in exciting workshops designed to help you gain new skills and explore new ideas. A few examples of previous workshops are: a field trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (MCA), a photo studio lighting tutorial, 3D printing and laser cutting instruction, working as part of a video crew, building and stretching canvases, and collaborative projects between students. All workshops are created for each specific class and are run by the teaching assistant(s).
Critique-Based Assessment
SAIC's credit/no credit grading system demands self-motivation and self-direction and encourages exploration, experimentation, and risk-taking. This doesn't mean we are not rigorous—our expectations are high and our faculty will motivate you to excel.
Student Work
