Providence, RI · Private · 2,084 undergraduates · urban
Rhode Island School of Design
Highly selective
RISD admits students to a shared foundation year before specialization, making exploratory studio training central to the undergraduate experience.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in student experience, and exceptional in academic standing.- Admission
- 13.8% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 91.2%
7,126 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$68,140 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets RISD apart
Academic design
Every first-year student completes Experimental and Foundation Studies in Drawing, Design, and Spatial Dynamics before entering a major as a sophomore.
Admission process
First-year applicants submit a 12-to-20-work portfolio through SlideRoom; admission is to RISD generally rather than directly into a specific major.
Defining experience
Experimental and Foundation Studies gives every undergraduate the same intensive first-year studio sequence before disciplinary specialization begins.
Can I get in?
13.8% admitted
First-year applicants submit a 12-to-20-work portfolio through SlideRoom; admission is to RISD generally rather than directly into a specific major.
Recent applicant pool
7,126About 14 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 16% submitted an SAT, and 4% submitted an ACT. Scores were rare in this class, so the SAT and ACT ranges say more about who volunteered one than about who was admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for RISD, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What RISD weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Clear the academic baseline
Every first-year student completes Experimental and Foundation Studies in Drawing, Design, and Spatial Dynamics before entering a major as a sophomore.
Complete the specialized assessment
First-year applicants submit a 12-to-20-work portfolio through SlideRoom; admission is to RISD generally rather than directly into a specific major.
Plan the process early
Build the portfolio around recent work showing thinking, experimentation, and making; applicants do not need to target work toward one intended major.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the portfolio around recent work showing thinking, experimentation, and making; applicants do not need to target work toward one intended major.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
Performing and visual artsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at RISD
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. For specialized training, compare those signals with the professional path you intend to follow.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Fine and Studio Arts
Admits separately
Systems Science and Theory
Design and Applied Arts
Admits separately
Computer Software and Media Applications
Admits separately
Architectural Sciences and Technology
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
RISD beyond the classroom
Beyond first year, RISD students can cross-register at neighboring Brown University while retaining access to RISD’s intensive studio and museum resources.
The academic structure
Every first-year student completes Experimental and Foundation Studies in Drawing, Design, and Spatial Dynamics before entering a major as a sophomore.
The campus rhythm
Beyond first year, RISD students can cross-register at neighboring Brown University while retaining access to RISD’s intensive studio and museum resources.
What changes the experience
Experimental and Foundation Studies gives every undergraduate the same intensive first-year studio sequence before disciplinary specialization begins.