RISD Admission Requirements

Admissions

How hard is it to get into RISD and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at RISD is 27%.  It ranks #2 in Rhode Island and #77 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. RISD is a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Last year, 1,085 out of 4,001 applicants were admitted.

The school has extremely high admission requirements for SAT and ACT scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 16 percent (SAT 1250/1470 ACT 27/32). Rhode Island School of Design typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.6. 38% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

The RISD application fee is $60 and applications are due by Feb 1.

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Rhode Island School of Design. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 73% of students submitted SAT scores and 27% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Rhode Island School of Design?

Rhode Island School of Design typically prefers applicants to be in the top 18 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1250 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1140. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1360 out of 1600. RISD ranks #2 in Rhode Island and #78 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 73 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into RISD?

Admission data indicates that RISD regularly accepts students with ACT's of 27 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 15 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 24 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 30 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 32 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #3 in Rhode Island and #125 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score. 27 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Rhode Island School of Design.

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

What GPA do you need to get into Rhode Island School of Design?

Applicants require very good grades in high school to get into RISD. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Rhode Island School of Design was 3.6 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #2 in Rhode Island for highest average GPA. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to RISD will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.

 What do these ratings mean?

GPA Data Source, Peterson's Data 2021

Admission Statistics

Fall 2022 Application Deadline

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Rhode Island School of Design is $60.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Rhode Island School of Design and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Credits Accepted