Freshman Applicants
DEADLINES
Applications for freshman admission are accepted beginning on September 1.
Early Decision Deadline: November 1
Decisions are mailed in the second week of December. Please note that applying for Early Decision indicates a commitment to attend if admitted.
Regular Deadline: February 1
Decisions are mailed in the third week of March.
ELIGIBILITY
Graduation from secondary school is a prerequisite, although a high school equivalency diploma may be accepted. Prospective applicants are urged to follow a college preparatory program in secondary school, taking courses in studio art and art history where possible. Courses that develop visual and design skills (such as studio drawing) are strongly recommended. Students interested in our Architecture program must have completed a course sequence in mathematics including algebra, geometry and trigonometry and one year of science, preferably physics.
ITEMS YOU’LL NEED TO SEND
You'll begin and manage your RISD application process using The Common Application. There is a non-refundable application fee of $60 to use this service and eligible students may apply for a fee waiver.
If for some reason you’re not able to use the Common App, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@risd.edu or 800 364 7473.
Academic Transcripts Applicants must provide official transcripts of all secondary academic work through the most recent grading period. If you are attending school in another country, your academic credentials must be translated into English by an approved translator. Your counselor may submit your transcript through the Common App, Parchment, email or mail.
Tests SAT or ACT | All applicants are required to submit the results of the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT (American College Testing program). Subject tests are not required. RISD’s CEEB code number for the SATs is 003726; for ACT the code number is 003812.
TOEFL or IELTS | All applicants who speak English as a second language, including US citizens, must submit results from either TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Since proficiency in English is a prerequisite for acceptance, applicants must attain an acceptable score on either test; RISD requires a minimum result of 93 on the TOEFL or 6.5 on IELTS. Plan to take the TOEFL or IELTS well in advance of the application deadline since it may take six weeks for your scores to be sent to RISD.
Portfolio Your portfolio should show a selection of 12–20 examples of your best recent artwork. We suggest that the work reflect the full range of your ideas, interests, experience and abilities in the arts to date. Work presented can be in any medium (including film or video), in finished or sketch form, and the result of an assigned project or a self-directed exploration. We strongly recommend that you include a few pages from your journal or sketchbook to indicate your process of research, thinking and investigation.
The Assignment We consider this assignment to be as much about process as presentation and encourage you to consider your submissions as exercises in experimental thinking and risk-taking more than as final presentations or examples of technical proficiency. No particular outcome is valued more than another, so feel free to explore the full range of possible expression in these works.
Writing Sample Submit one example of your writing, up to 650 words. Remember, this is the limit, not a goal. Use the full limit if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so.
Letter(s) of Recommendation Although not required, these letters can be very helpful to your application. One letter is suggested, although as many as three may be submitted. Recommendation letters should be written by teachers or other professionals who have firsthand knowledge of your art or academic achievements and can comment on your potential as a student.
Transfer Applicants
DEADLINES
Applications for transfer admission are accepted beginning on September 1.
Deadline for fall (summer) term entrance: March 15
Decisions are mailed the third week of April.
Most transfer students are required to begin their RISD education with the Summer Experimental and Foundation Studies Program, a six-week session that runs from mid June through the end of July. Modeled on the full-year Experimental and Foundation Studies curriculum that all freshmen follow, the summer program is an integral part of the RISD learning experience, offering studios in Drawing, Design and Spatial Dynamics. If you have completed the equivalent of RISD’s first-year program, this requirement may be waived. The Admissions Committee automatically reviews all applicants and issues waivers where warranted.
Deadline for spring term entrance: November 1
Decisions are mailed the second week of December. Note: If you have been considered and denied admission for the spring semester, you cannot be reconsidered for entrance the following fall.
ELIGIBILITY
Fall term If you will have satisfactorily completed at least one full year of study at a college accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the US (or recognized in a similar fashion by an appropriate authority if the college is in another country) by June 2017, you may apply as an upperclass transfer student. A full year of college-level study consists of a minimum of 27 earned credits, including a minimum of 12 credits in the liberal arts.
Spring term If you have completed two years (approximately 60 credits) of college and your visual arts training and accomplishments qualify you to enter a specific RISD program as a second-semester sophomore, you may be considered for admission in the spring semester. Opportunities for spring admission vary by department and mid-year entrance is generally not possible in the architectural studies majors.
ITEMS YOU’LL NEED TO SEND
You'll begin and manage your RISD application process using The Common Application. There is a non-refundable application fee of $60 to use this service and eligible students may apply for a fee waiver.
If for some reason you’re not able to use the Common App, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@risd.edu or 800 364 7473.
Academic Transcripts Applicants must provide official transcripts covering at least the last three full years of academic work completed. This should include all college transcripts and if applicable, your secondary school transcript. If you are attending a school in non-English-speaking country, your academic credentials must be translated into English by an approved translator.
Transcripts can be submitted by school officials through the Common App, Parchment, eTranscript, email or mail.
Tests SAT or ACT | If you are a transfer applicant to Architecture, Interior Architecture or Industrial Design, you must submit results from either the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT (American College Testing program). Submitting these scores is optional if you’re applying to any other department or you’ve already completed at least three years of higher education. RISD’s CEEB code for the SATs is 003726; for ACT the code number is 003812.
TOEFL or IELTS | All applicants who speak English as a second language, including US citizens, must submit results from either TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Since proficiency in English is a prerequisite for acceptance, applicants must attain an acceptable score on either test; RISD requires a minimum result of 93 on the TOEFL or 6.5 on IELTS. Plan to take the TOEFL or IELTS well in advance of the application deadline since it may take six weeks for your scores to be sent to RISD.
Portfolio Your portfolio should show a selection of 12–20 examples of your best recent artwork. We suggest that the work reflect your ideas, interests, experience and abilities in the arts to date. Work presented can be in any media (including film or video), in finished or sketch form and the result of an assigned project or a self-directed exploration. We strongly recommend you to include 2–3 pages from your journal or sketchbook to indicate your process of research, thinking and investigation.
The Assigment We consider this assigment to be as much about process as presentation and encourage you to consider your submissions as exercises in experimental thinking and risk-taking more than as final presentations or examples of technical proficiency. We do not value any particular outcome more than another, so feel free to explore the full range of possible expression in these works.
Writing Sample Submit one example of your writing, up to 650 words, using the prompt indicted below. Remember, this is the limit, not a goal. Use the full limit if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so.
Letter(s) of Recommendation Although not required, these letters can be very helpful to your application. One letter is suggested, although as many as three may be submitted. Recommendation letters should be written by teachers or other professionals who have first-hand knowledge of your art or academic achievements and can comment on your potential as a student.
