The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is one of the most historically significant accredited independent schools of art and design in the nation located in one of the greatest American cities. Our accolades are many, including recognition by Columbia University’s National Arts Journalism survey as “the most influential art college in the United States,” and our consistent ranking among the top three graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

SAIC is distinct in the way that it provides graduate, post-baccalaureate, and undergraduate students a multidisciplinary curriculum and the necessary freedom to develop as artists, designers, and scholars. At the same time, we strive for a level of rigor, investigation, and cultural relevance that makes SAIC truly special. Our students translate the most complex ideas into tangible forms—paintings, sculptures, films, performances, books, installations, inventions, buildings, community projects, and, more often than not, a combination of the above. Few schools in the U.S. provide such a broad range of possibilities.