QUICK ANSWER
RISD does not publish acceptance rates by department — and for first-year applicants there is a simpler reason they cannot exist: first-years are admitted to RISD, not to a major. They spend the first year in Experimental and Foundation Studies and declare a major during the spring semester. Any “Graphic Design acceptance rate” you see online is an estimate dressed as a statistic.
The figure that is published is RISD’s overall rate: 18.66% for fall 2024, from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS) data. Department matters most for transfer applicants, who are admitted into a specific department and cannot move out of it in their first year.
Families researching RISD often want to know whether one major is “easier” than another. It is a reasonable question, and many websites answer it with confident percentages. The honest answer is different: for first-year applicants, the question is built on a misunderstanding of how RISD admits students. This guide explains how admission and major choice actually work, what the published numbers say, and what our own records show.
RATE CHECK 01
How RISD Admits First-Year Students
| Stage | What happens | What it means for “department rates” |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Common App essay (up to 650 words), one recommendation (up to three), transcripts and a 12–20 piece portfolio via SlideRoom | The portfolio shows the applicant as an artist, not as a candidate for one department |
| Admission | Students are admitted to RISD | There is no departmental admission decision to count |
| First year | Experimental and Foundation Studies: Drawing, Design and Spatial Dynamics studios, each meeting one full day a week | Every first-year follows the shared program |
| Spring of first year | Major declaration during a designated period | Major choice comes after a year of studio work |
| Later changes | A change of major is possible but “subject to review and space limitations” | Space can matter at this point — but this is not admission |
From RISD admissions, Experimental and Foundation Studies and Registrar pages, 2026.
Because the department is chosen after admission, a student who arrives intending Graphic Design and a student intending Glass go through the same admission process. Claims that one department admits 8% and another 25% of first-year applicants have no data source behind them.
RATE CHECK 02
What the Published Numbers Say
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate, fall 2024 | 18.66% | U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS |
| Department-level acceptance rates | Not published | RISD does not release them |
| Common Data Set | Not published by RISD | Many colleges publish one; RISD does not |
Figures from earlier years and private websites vary. Always note the year and the source.
You may see other percentages for RISD — some lower, some higher. They usually come from different years, different calculations or unverified estimates. When a number has no year and no source, treat it as unknown. Our guide to how hard it is to get into RISD looks at selectivity in more depth.
RATE CHECK 03
Where the Department Really Matters: Transfers
Transfer applicants are the exception. RISD’s Registrar states that incoming transfer students cannot move out of the department they were admitted to in their first year. In other words, a transfer applicant applies to a department, and the portfolio should be built for that department.
| Applicant type | Applies to | Portfolio focus |
|---|---|---|
| First-year | RISD as a whole | Range, observation, ideas and process; strong drawing from direct observation strongly recommended |
| Transfer | A specific department | Work that shows readiness for that department’s upper-level studios |
For transfer requirements, see our transfer guide and transfer portfolio strategy.
RATE CHECK 04
What Our Own Records Show
Royal Blue’s results record lists 1,099 acceptances across 95 schools from 2009 to 2026, each confirmed directly with the student. RISD accounts for 68 of them. We do not publish a RISD acceptance rate for our students, because we do not have a reliable count of every application, and we do not break RISD results down by major because the sample by major is too small.
| School | Acceptances | Awards | Award rate | Average award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RISD | 68 | 4 | 6% | Not reported (n=4) |
| Otis | 38 | 31 | 82% | $63,935 |
| MICA | 64 | 51 | 80% | $54,290 |
| Parsons | 63 | 38 | 60% | $53,116 |
| SVA | 140 | 41 | 29% | $58,944 |
Source: Royal Blue results record (2009–2026, 1,099 acceptances, 95 schools), first-notice amounts. RISD’s average is not reported because four awards are too few to produce a meaningful average.
The pattern that does hold is about money, not admission. RISD’s institutional aid is need-based, and the school states that it will not necessarily meet full financial need; international students cannot use the FAFSA. Several peer schools award merit scholarships far more often. For a Korean family, that difference can matter more than any small difference in selectivity. RISD’s published tuition for 2026–27 is $66,460, with a total cost of attendance of $93,776 before health insurance.
RATE CHECK 05
How to Choose a Direction Without a “Department Rate”
- Build the portfolio around the student, not a guess about odds. First-year reviewers see the applicant as a whole artist.
- Show observation. RISD strongly recommends work from direct observation rather than from imagination, photographs or video.
- Show how you think. Up to three slides of research or preparatory work are allowed; use them to show process.
- Use the foundation year. Students often change direction after a year of shared studios — the system is designed for that.
- Plan finances realistically. Compare net cost after aid, and include schools with strong merit awards on the list.
A QUESTION TO ASK ANY ADVISOR
If someone quotes a RISD department acceptance rate, ask where it comes from and for which year. If the answer is “experience” or “industry knowledge,” it is an estimate. Decisions about a student’s direction should rest on the student’s work and interests, not on numbers that cannot be checked.
RATE CHECK 06
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Graphic Design harder to get into at RISD than Ceramics?
For first-year applicants, there is no separate department admission, so this comparison does not apply. Popular majors may face space limits when students later change majors, but that happens after admission.
Should I tell RISD which major I want?
Applicants can indicate interests, but admission is to RISD and the major is declared in the spring of the first year. Show genuine interests honestly; do not try to choose a major for strategic reasons.
What is RISD’s acceptance rate?
IPEDS data report 18.66% for fall 2024. RISD does not publish department-level rates or a Common Data Set.
Does the portfolio need to match a department?
For first-year applicants, the portfolio should show the applicant’s range, observation and ideas. For transfer applicants, it should be built for the department applied to.
Does RISD give merit scholarships to international students?
RISD’s institutional aid is need-based. Its one merit-style award is limited to domestic students, so Korean applicants should plan on need-based aid only. In our records, 4 of 68 RISD acceptances came with awards.
ROYAL BLUE ART & DESIGN
For 19 years we have prepared Korean students for U.S. art school admission from our studio in Apgujeong, Seoul. Our RISD results are part of a public record of 1,099 acceptances confirmed directly with students, and we use official data — not estimates — when we advise families. Consultations are available in person or by video.
Admissions process from RISD admissions, Experimental and Foundation Studies and Registrar pages; acceptance rate from IPEDS (fall 2024); costs and aid policy from RISD, verified 2026. Royal Blue figures from our results record (2009–2026). If something here has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Related reading: How Hard Is RISD? · RISD Early Decision · GPA for RISD · RISD 입시 가이드 · Foundation Year · Royal Blue Results