Enrolled Students Next Steps

Your SAIC email account is the key to accessing Canvas and other student resources. Your instructor will communicate with you through Canvas and your SAIC.edu email address. Check it regularly during the course.

To activate your SAIC email account, you will need to:

• Locate your seven-digit SAIC ID number in your Registration Confirmation email.
  • If you are unable to locate your Registration Confirmation email, you may email cs@saic.edu or call 312.629.6170 during business hours (Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT).
• Go to password.artic.edu
• Select Activate Account
• Enter your seven-digit SAIC ID number
• Enter your last name
• Enter your birthdate using this exact date format: DD-MMM (e.g., 22-FEB)
• Select Activate

Your username is automatically assigned but you will create your own password, which must be alphanumeric and at least six characters. Record your account information for future reference. 

Visit gmail.artic.edu to login to your SAIC email with the username and password from above.

Need Help? Contact the CRIT Help Desk at 312.345.3535 or email crithelpdesk@saic.edu. Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Canvas is SAIC’s online learning platform and will be the central resource for all of your course materials and communication with your instructors and peers. You will need to log in with your SAIC username and password. 

Instructors will make courses viewable in Canvas in the days leading up to the start of class.

Visit canvas.saic.edu or download the app for Android or Apple and log in using your SAIC username and password. Complete the virtual Canvas Student Orientation to get started.

Need Help? 
Contact the Canvas Support Team at canvas-help@saic.edu, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Zoom video conferencing will be used for your course. Download Zoom in advance of the first class.

• Starting the Zoom Desktop Client - Select the download that corresponds with your computer, tablet, or phone.
• Joining a meeting
• Check out SAIC Zoom backgrounds

All live sessions are scheduled in Central Time. Use World Time Buddy to compare Central Time with your current timezone.

NOTE: You will receive the link for the first Zoom session in the Welcome & Next Steps email from saic-youth@saic.edu in the days leading up to the start of class.

Students are responsible for purchasing their own art supplies. Expect to spend $300–450 depending on whether the course meets for a half or full day.

Course Supply Lists: These will be posted June 1.

We recommend that you order these materials as soon as possible to allow for any shipping and handling delays. You may choose to purchase additional supplies depending on your unique projects.

A computer is required to participate in all online classes. 

If enrolled in Animation and Video Projects, Design Projects, 2D Animation, or Visual Communication Design, you will be provided with an Adobe Creative Cloud License for the duration of the course. We recommend that you have a laptop that meets the minimum requirements for Adobe Creative Cloud. You must activate your SAIC email account in order to be given access to an adobe software license. Information on how to access this software will be emailed to your SAIC email account on the first day of your class.

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. Disabled students 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 - To learn more about the DLRC including common accommodations provided by their office, their approach to providing accommodations, and how to schedule an appointment.

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

The virtual orientation is mandatory for all students and will cover the following:

• Program at-a-Glance
• Daily Schedule
• Technology, Safety, and Home Studio Set-up
• Tips for Success
• Added Program Benefits
• Rights and Responsibilities and Student Handbook
• Staff Contact Information

Watch the orientation 2022 here. Check back in June 2023 for new content. 

In addition to attending orientation, please view the Early College Program Rights & Responsibilities and the Culture of Respect: Healthy Relationships and Sexual Misconduct Prevention training.

As part of the program, we will be talking about setting up home studio spaces. Below are common safety guidelines to keep in mind when converting a garage, basement, attic, bedroom, closet, or other space into a studio.

Read the Instructions

All art-making tools and materials should be used according to the manufacturer-approved usages, in accordance with their recommendations and in usage scenarios that follow any/all Safety Data Sheet (SDS) precautions for the product. An SDS will outline details including ventilation requirements, safe storage protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE) needs, and first aid emergency response.

Avoid Toxic and Hazardous Materials 

Do not use toxic substances or processes if non-toxic alternatives are available. Preference no or low VOC products in small quantities and avoid powders and pigments that could contain silica or heavy metals. Do not undertake processes involving sharp tools, high voltages, or intense heat unless you have been explicitly trained to do so.

Protect Yourself 

• Wear all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as advised by Tool or Product manufacturers. 
• When no advice is obvious or explicit, cover your eyes at all times with comfortable, side protecting safety glasses. 
• Do any work with products sold in a can, tube, or other container in a well-ventilated space. 
• Only wear a respirator or dust mask if you have been properly fit for that respirator, and only if you are confident you are in adequate respiratory health to do so.

Exercise Common Sense

• Don’t undertake projects with tools on which you have never been trained.
• Don’t assume the Internet will provide adequate training. 
• Be thoughtful of the people and the environment around you and how your processes might affect them. 
• Avoid doing things with tools or materials that they aren’t meant to do. 
• If you are tired or distracted by something more interesting—go take a nap or pay full attention to the thing that actually has your attention.
• Don’t underestimate small tools. A significant percentage of personal injuries in artmaking result from tools such as Exacto knives, box knives, chisels, hand-saws, small power tools, and even sewing needles. 

Always Have a Safety Plan

No personal studio setup should be without a basic first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and a way to call for help. Additionally, it’s a great practice to always let a parent or guardian know where you are and what you are doing in case of an emergency.

A staff member will be available to respond to emails regarding urgent concerns while ECP Online Summer Institute courses are in session.

Most concerns can be resolved effectively by email. If a phone call is needed, a staff member will reply by phone to your email.

Youth Curriculum and Instruction Team (Programming): saic-youth@saic.edu
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

To expedite assistance, include as much of the following information as you are able to.

• Your first and last name as it appears on your Registration Confirmation email
• Your seven-digit student ID number (included in your Registration Confirmation email)
• The class you are taking, including when it is scheduled to start
• A phone number you can be reached at

Tip: Include your instructor in your email to saic-youth@saic.edu. That way they will be aware that you are working on troubleshooting in order to connect with them for the first class. The contact information for your instructor will be provided to you in the Welcome & Next Steps email sent in the days leading up to the start of class.