Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is an independent art school in Providence offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in art and design. Applicants submit a portfolio of 12-20 works via SlideRoom and non-native speakers meet IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo requirements.
Providence, United StatesIndependent art schoolrisd.edu
Schools and subjects
- Apparel Design
- Illustration
- Graphic Design
- Industrial Design
- Architecture
- Ceramics
Listed under: fashion design schools, architecture schools, illustration schools, graphic design schools, product and industrial design schools.
Undergraduate requirements
BFA, BArch
Submit 12-20 recent works via SlideRoom, accessed after the Common Application; direct-observation drawing/sketching is recommended; up to 3 research or preparatory sheets may be included; recommended formats jpeg/png/gif/mp4/mov.
Non-native English speakers (including US citizens) must submit one of: TOEFL minimum 5 (previously 93) / IELTS 7 / Duolingo 120. SAT Reading and Writing 600 or ACT English and Reading each 25 may substitute.
USD66,460/year (2026-27 academic year); same tuition for international and domestic students. Also an activity fee USD308 and an academic and technology fee USD908.
ED: 1 November; RD: 20 January.
No interview requirement is mentioned on the official website (portfolio submitted via SlideRoom, no formal interview).
Postgraduate requirements
MFA, MA, MArch, MDes, MAT, MS
Studio graduate programmes require 10-20 visual works submitted via SlideRoom; individual programmes have more specific requirements (e.g. Digital + Media 10 works; Landscape Architecture at least 10 pages / maximum 20 pages; MAT 20 images).
Non-native English speakers (including US citizens) must submit one of: TOEFL minimum 5 (previously 93) / IELTS 7 / Duolingo 120.
USD66,460/year (2026-27 academic year); same tuition for international and domestic students. Also an activity fee USD308 and an academic and technology fee USD908.
Graduate application deadline: 5 January (fall entry only, no spring intake).
No interview requirement is mentioned on the official website.
Other notes
The first undergraduate year is Experimental and Foundation Studies (EFS), shared by all undergraduates, after which students choose a major. Pre-college programme: RISD Pre-College (summer, 5 weeks on-campus or online, for high-school students in grades 10-11, aged 16-18, modelled on EFS, no portfolio required, supporting the college application portfolio).
International students apply for RISD institutional aid through the institutional financial aid form (within the application portal); RISD Promise is need-based and rises with tuition. Graduate students may also receive the Society of Presidential Fellows (full-tuition funding, automatically considered upon admission).
RISD recognises ethical use of AI in the creative process; however, any AI-assisted or AI-generated work in the portfolio must describe the creative process and tools used, and must be declared in SlideRoom.
Sources for this page
- https://www.risd.edu/
- https://www.risd.edu/admissions/first-year/apply-risd
- https://www.risd.edu/admissions/first-year/portfolio-preparation
- https://sfs.risd.edu/financial-aid/undergraduate/cost-of-attendance
- https://www.risd.edu/admissions/graduate/apply-risd
- https://www.risd.edu/admissions/graduate/faq
- https://sfs.risd.edu/financial-aid/graduate/cost-of-attendance
Taken from the school’s website and checked on 2026-10-27. Schools change their requirements every year; open the official pages above to confirm the current version before you apply.