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New students

Welcome to ID!

Congratulations on your admission to the Institute of Design at Illinois Tech, the only US design school devoted entirely to graduate students. By uniting science and rigor with creativity and rapid iteration, we’re recognized around the globe as pioneers in human-centered design, systems design, and other methods that apply design to the real world.

At ID, we prepare leaders to take on thorny, complex challenges in areas like sustainability, healthcare, education, business innovation, and urban life. Your time here will prepare you for your future, however you decide to make an impact.

Explore the resources on this page as you prepare to get started at ID. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our admissions team at admissions@id.iit.edu.

ID students at orientation week

First Steps for New Students

1. Log in to Access Illinois Tech: access.iit.edu.

Please refer to your admission letter for your credentials to log in. For more information on account setup, see the instructions on this page: Access Illinois Tech setup.

2. To access your new email account, click on the Gmail icon in the dashboard. Please communicate with all Illinois Tech departments, including faculty and staff, with your new Illinois Tech email account.

A $500 deposit is required to reserve your spot at the Institute of Design. Please note that this deposit will be applied to your first tuition payment. To submit a deposit:

1. Log into access.iit.edu.

Your username is your Illinois Tech email address before the @ symbol, which was sent to you in your admission letter.

2. Click on the MyIIT application, then click on the “Manage My Account” icon at the top of the page.

3. You will be redirected to TouchNet. Click on the eDeposit tab from the top menu and make your deposit payment. (Make sure you have selected the Institute of Design from the drop-down menu.)

4. You may submit an ACH payment (electronic check) for no additional charge, but all credit card payments incur a 2.7% fee.

Please contact ID directly at admssions@id.iit.edu if you have any trouble with your deposit.

After being notified of admission to the Institute of Design and you have paid your enrollment deposit fee, you will receive access to the ISSS Portal where you will submit your documents for an I-20 form. We cannot issue you an I-20 form until we’ve received and verified all of your support documents including:

  1. A Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form signed by the student and any personal sponsors
  2. Proof of Funds (bank letters, bank statements, award letters, etc.)
  3. Copy of unexpired passport (identification page)

Please note: Additional documents are required for students with dependents and for transfer-in students.

The Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) requires that all F-1 and J-1 students show proof of financial support for their first year of each program of university study in the United States.

In computing your expenses, you should remember that Student (F) or Exchange (J) visa holders are not authorized to work off campus as a means of support during their first two consecutive semesters at the Institute of Design.

Please note that for your I-20 or other visa-related documents, the Master of Design (MDes) program is classified as “Human Computer Interaction” with the CIP code 30.3101.

Please also note you are likely to need original copies of all documentation when applying for a visa with the United States Consulate or Embassy. We suggest, therefore, that you request two copies of each official document and keep one for yourself.

Before the start of your first semester, you will need to complete your immunization requirements. See this page for the latest instructions: immunization requirements.

Fall 2024 semester:

  • Orientation starts the week of August 12, 2024
  • Classes start on August 19, 2024

Spring 2025 semester:

  • Orientation starts the week of January 13, 2025
  • Classes start on January 21, 2025

You can see the full academic calendar for Illinois Tech here.

Guides

Many students are eager to start their journey. We suggest you review some of the information for incoming students to get your feet wet and get ready to dive in. Please take a peek at our various student guides.

You will find these documents and many other resources you will use at ID on our GuideID website, which students created for students. You must log in to your new Illinois Tech account to access this site (instructions are above).

Financial Aid

ID offers several fellowships and scholarships to offset the cost of tuition. All newly admitted MDes and PhD students are automatically considered for fellowships and scholarships (no separate application needed), with early admissions considered first.

Housing

Most ID students choose to live off campus in the many neighborhoods of Chicago. Explore these handbooks and guides for more resources about various neighborhoods, expected rental rates, and apartment-hunting sites.

Living on campus is also a convenient option for students new to Chicago. Please visit the Illinois Tech Office of Residence Life site to learn more about the on-campus housing options, availability this semester, the application process, and more. They can be reached directly at housing@iit.edu and +1-312-567-5075.

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Follow ID on these social media platforms for news, updates, and inspiration.

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