Fall 2027 Early Action and Priority Merit Scholarship Deadline: November 15
The undergraduate Fiber and Material Studies program is the largest in the world and offers a progressive curriculum taught by distinguished and innovative faculty who are leading working artists and scholars in the field. At the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), we teach Fiber and Material Studies in a contemporary fine arts context, emphasizing materiality, experimentation, and innovation.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) students considering a concentration in Fiber and Material Studies, we encourage can enroll in beginning-level classes such as Introduction to Fiber and Material Studies, Drawn to Print, Woven Structure Basics, Papermaking I, To Dye For, and Stitch I. From there, Fiber and Material Studies faculty will help you determine the sequence and selection of upper-level courses best suited to your practice and interests. Those classes include Os + 1s Jacquard Weaving, Print Into Sculpture: 3D Screens, The Unpainted Picture, Time, Material, and the Everyday, Micro/Macro: Artist Research, and advanced weaving, print, dye, and papermaking classes.
We encourage you to seek connections and crossovers between Fiber and Material Studies and other studio and design areas at the school. Our curriculum practices a broad range of concerns incorporating and informed by several key areas:
You and your peers will develop a wide range of 2D and 3D work through concerns of hands-on making, concept and content articulated on the surface, in the structure, and through mixed media (crossover disciplines).
Students interested in pursuing the BFA in Studio with the Thesis Option (Liberal Arts or Visual Critical Studies) should contact their academic advisor for details about eligibility, program requirements, and the application process.
To apply to SAIC, you will need to fill out an application and submit your transcripts, artist's statement, and letters of recommendation. And most importantly, we require a portfolio of your best and most recent work—work that will give us a sense of you, your interests, and your willingness to explore, experiment, and think beyond technical art, design, and writing skills.
In order to apply, please submit the following items:
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Portfolio:
Submit 10–15 pieces of your best and most recent work. We will review your portfolio and application materials for merit scholarship once you have been admitted to SAIC.
When compiling a portfolio, you may concentrate your work in a single discipline or show work in a breadth of media. The portfolio may include drawings, prints, photographs, paintings, film, video, audio recordings, sculpture, ceramics, fashion designs, graphic design, furniture, objects, architectural designs, websites, video games, sketchbooks, scripts, storyboards, screenplays, zines, or any combination of the above.
Learn more about applying to SAIC's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio, or view our portfolio preparation guide for more information.
Review the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio curriculum and degree requirements. Note: This is information for the current academic year. Any future curricular changes will be made when the new catalog is published.
Visit the undergraduate admissions website or contact the undergraduate admissions office at 800.232.7242 or ugadmiss@saic.edu.
Meet with us, learn more about SAIC and our curriculum, and get feedback on your work. LEARN MORE.
Learn more about our undergraduate curriculum, tour our facilities & residence halls, see what we look for in an admission and merit scholarship portfolio, and learn more about financial aid. Bring your portfolio for a one-on-one conversation about your work with one of our admissions representatives!
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