RISD Acceptance Rate and SAT/ACT Scores

Rhode Island School of Design Admission Requirements and Statistics

[updated for 2024-2025 admission data]

How hard is RISD to get into?

This page provides the latest information on Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)'s admission process, acceptance rate, and student profile. RISD's acceptance rate is 18.66% for 2024-2025 admission. A total of 6,692 students applied and 1,249 were admitted to the school. Its acceptance rate is low, making it difficult to get into RISD.

To apply to RISD, recommendations and personal statement (or essay) are required to submit. The SAT and ACT score is not required, but considered for admission. In addition, english proficiency test score is also considered (required).

RISD's acceptance rate places 2nd out of 11 Rhode Island colleges with competitive admission.
The median SAT score is 1480 and the ACT score is 32 at RISD. RISD's SAT score ranks 2nd out of 9 Rhode Island colleges that consider SAT score for admission.
RISD's yield rate is 41.47%, which is moderately lower by 7.70 percentage points (approximately 15.7% lower) compared to similar colleges with acceptance rates between 10% and 20% (average yield: 49.17%). You can compare colleges with similar acceptance rates to RISD at colleges with acceptance rates between 10% and 20%.

Admission Statistics

For the academic year 2024-25, RISD's acceptance rate is 18.66% and the yield (also known as enrollment rate) is 41.47%. 1,406 men and 5,279 women applied to RISD and 287 men and 962 women students were accepted.

Among them, 134 men and 384 women were enrolled in RISD. You can explore the RISD's admission rates and SAT score trends over the past decade, including year-by-year data and analysis, by visiting Admission Trends page.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics at RISD
	Total	Men	Women	Another Gender	Gender Unknown
Applicants	6,692	1,406	5,279	7	0
Admitted	1,249	287	962	0	0
Enrolled	518	134	384	0	0
Acceptance Rate	18.66%	20.41%	18.22%	0.00%	-
Yield	41.47%	46.69%	39.92%	-	-

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Rhode Island School of Design 2025 Acceptance Rate By Gender chart

Median SAT and ACT Score

For the academic year 2025, 80 students (15% of enrolled students) submitted SAT scores and 17 students (3% of enrolled students) submitted ACT scores as part of the admission process at RISD.

The median SAT score for admitted students is 1,480, including 720 in SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and 760 in SAT Math. The 75th percentile SAT EBRW score is 750 and the 25th percentile is 688. For SAT Math, the 75th percentile score is 780 and the 25th percentile is 708.

The median ACT composite score is 32, with a 75th percentile score of 34 and a 25th percentile score of 31 at RISD. The median ACT Math score is 30 and the median ACT English score is 35.

How competitive is RISD's score?

The SAT and ACT scores at Rhode Island School of Design are competitive and high compared to similar colleges (SAT: 1,173, ACT: 25 - private (not-for-profit) master's college and university with larger programs).

2025 SAT and ACT Scores at RISD
	25^th Percentile	50^th Percentile (Median)	75^th Percentile
SAT Total	1,396	1,480	1,530
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing	688	720	750
SAT Math	708	760	780
ACT Composite	31	32	34
ACT Math	28	30	33
ACT English	35	35	35

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Rhode Island School of Design 2025 SAT and ACT Score Chart

Application Requirements

It requires to submit High School GPA, High School Record (or Transcript), Recommendations, Formal Demonstration of Competencies, English Proficiency Test, and Personal statement or essay to its applicants.

The SAT and ACT test score is not required, but considered in admission process at RISD. The english proficiency test is required .

The next table summarizes the application requirements to apply Rhode Island School of Design.

For more admission information such as minimum GPA and deadlines, see its online application page .

RISD Admission Requirements
High School GPA	Required
High School Rank	Considered, if submitted
High School Record (or Transcript)	Required
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Considered, if submitted
Recommendations	Required
Formal Demonstration of Competencies	Required
SAT / ACT	Considered, if submitted
English Proficiency Test	Required
Other Test (Wonderlic,WISC-III,etc)	Not Considered
Work experience	Considered, if submitted
Personal statement or essay	Required
Legacy status	Not Considered

General Admissions Information

The following provides general admission information for applying to RISD:

Open Admission Policy: No
Undergraduate Application Fees: -
Graduate Application Fees: -
Admission Information: https://www.risd.edu/admissions
Online Application: https://www.risd.edu/admissions/
Calendar System: Four-one-four plan
Course for High School Students: Not Offered
Credits Accepted: Advanced placement (AP) Credits
Degree Offered: Bachelor, Master

Get Admission Information

What is the acceptance rate at the RISD?

RISD is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of 18.66%.

What SAT or ACT scores are required for admission to RISD?

RISD recommends submitting SAT or ACT scores, but they are not strictly required for admission. The average SAT score required for admission to RISD is 1,480, and the average ACT score is 32. Meeting or exceeding these scores will improve your chances of admission.

Does RISD require essays or personal statements?

Yes, RISD requires applicants to submit a personal essay or statement as part of the application.

Are recommendation letters required for RISD admission?

Yes, RISD requires applicants to submit a recommendation letter as part of the application.

Is there an application fee?

RISD does not require an application fee for undergraduate or graduate admission.

Do I need to submit my high school transcript?

Yes, RISD requires applicants to submit high school GPA, high school record or transcript as part of the admission process.

Are there any specific admission requirements for international students?

Yes, RISD requires international applicants to submit an English proficiency test (like TOEFL or IELTS) as part of the application.

What is SAT code and ACT code for RISD?

The institutional SAT code for RISD is 3726 and 4-digit ACT code is 3812.