MDes in Graphic Design
at The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago

3.9 /5

(11 Reviews)

Shiksha popularity ranking

#310 in World

#64 in USA

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MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Overview

The The University of Illinois at Chicago is a popular destination among international PG students interested in starting MDes in Graphic Design from abroad. The program lasts for a duration of 2 years. The MDes in Graphic Design program is considered part of the top ranked courses in USA. Candidates interested in pursuing the course must meet the eligibility criteria & secure valid scores in exams such as IELTS, TOEFL and PTE. The interested students should fill the form as soon as possible because the application window opens for a short time only. The first year tuition fee for MDes in Graphic Design at The University of Illinois at Chicago is around USD 32,344 (INR 3,104,701). Students must also plan for some other additional costs over the duration of studies such as rent, groceries, books, health insurance, etc. The average estimated cost of living at The University of Illinois at Chicago is around USD 14,379 (INR 1,380,240).

Duration	2 years Get Curriculum
Tuition & Fees	₹30.99 Lakh Get Fees details
International Students Admission Website	Go to Website
Official Career Service Website	Go to Website
Course Level	PG Degree

MDes in Graphic Design

Table of contents

Overview
Fees
Curriculum
Entry Requirements
Application Process
Rankings
Highlights
Scholarships

MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Fees

Students can pursue The University of Illinois at Chicago MDes in Graphic Design at an affordable cost. The university tuition fees for the program is USD 32,344 (INR 3,104,701). Apart from tuition fees, students also manage additional costs such as Hostel & Meals, Transportation, Books and Supplies, Personal Expenses, etc. The total expense may vary at the university, depending on the additional charges levied by the The University of Illinois at Chicago.

International students have to make a budget to manage the cost of living, which is USD 14,379 (INR 1,380,240).

Students can check the table below for The University of Illinois at Chicago MDes in Graphic Design fee breakup:

1st year tuition fees

Fees components	Amount (for 1 year)
Tuition & fees	INR 30,99,218

Other expenses in 1st Year

Fees components	Amount (for 1 year)
Hostel & Meals	INR 13,77,803
Insurance	INR 1,33,574

Calculated at the exchange rate of 1 USD = INR 95.8205 | Tuition & expenses were last updated on 26ᵗʰ August 2026

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MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Curriculum

Students can download the PDF for getting access to the university's curriculum by clicking on the green symbol below. This PDF contains all of the aspects about MDes in Graphic Design course offered by The University of Illinois at Chicago, including the subjects taught, program credits, electives, and the semester-by-semester course structure. Get it now!

Download exam sample paper

MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Entry Requirements

Requirements for 12th grade Lock Icon

No specific cutoff mentioned

Graduation Lock Icon

CGPA - 3/4
Applicants must hold a Bachelors's degree

At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study

Applicants must demonstrate an advanced level of competence in graphic design through their portfolio submission

India specific:

4-6 year bachelor

master following completion of 3 year bachelor

completion of a bachelor followed by certain postgraduate diplomas

Postgrad diplomas are all evaluated individually
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GPA

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CGPA

3 year degree accepted

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Convert your CGPA to GPA

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TOEFL

Marks - 4.5/120
with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21

Register for TOEFL iBT® Test Today and get Rs 500 Off. Use code SHIKTOEFL to avail the discount. Hurry Register now for TOEFL
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PTE

Marks - 54/90
with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56

IELTS

Marks - 6.5/9
with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores

Get a Full FREE IELTS Prep Course with Shiksha Study Abroad – Limited Seats for Weekend & Weekday Batches! Register now for IELTS
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Which exams out of the above do I need to give?

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MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Application Process

Step one

Prepare documents for application

LOR

Three Letters of Recommendations are required

CV/Resume Required

Step two

Additional documents required

Unofficial Transcripts
Personal Statement Required
- This statement of purpose should outline the applicant’s current or previous work as relevant to plans and objectives for advanced study; describe professional goals and how these goals were developed; and state why the applicant would like to study in a research-oriented design program
Portfolio
- Applicants must submit a portfolio of no more than 20 images of current work demonstrating proficiency in the area of industrial design
English language proficiency scores
Declaration and Certification of Finances Form
Copy of Passport

Step three

Start your online application

https://admissions.uic.edu/apply-now

Step four

Application fees for this course

USD 70 = INR 6.7 Thousand

Mode of payment: Credit card

The University of Illinois provides an optional Payment Plan that allows parents/students to spread payment of anticipated tuition, mandatory fees, room, and board expenses over 6 installments for the Fall and Spring semesters
A non-refundable enrollment fee of $40 will be charged per semester

Step five

Application deadline

Fall (Aug): 1st Apr

*The dates specified are tentative dates as per the previous year records. Our expert counselors can help with exact deadline date. Connect with the expert now!

MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Rankings

University Ranking

Rank	Rank Publisher
#56	USA Ranking QS, 2026
#84	National University US News & World Report, 2026
#201	University THE (Times Higher Education), 2026

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The University of Illinois at Chicago
Students Ratings & Reviews

3.9/5

7 Verified Reviews Info Icon

Student Views (Based on Reviews)

18% students never faced discrimination in this university

Vibe of Campus

Multi-dimensional

Friendly

Academically oriented

Sporty

Internships2.9

Part time work3.4

Post study jobs4.1

Quality of faculty4.4

Student Life4.4

Value for money3.6

Public transportation4.9

Safety3.7

Indian Food4

Permanent Immigration3.1

Anonymous

MA in Political Science - Batch of 2027

3.9

Student life in Chicago.

Tips: There was a slight cultural shock in terms of body language, pace of life and even how classes are conducted here. There is a lot more student autonomy here than I am used to, but the class registration and academic advising are a bit chaotic and rent is expensive as well. You'll have better luck networking outside of campus as compared to the student centres for placements. Good country to live in and work in.

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 2400

Prepping time for classes34 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD 103725

Reviewed on 16 Oct 2025Read more

Anonymous

BS in Computer Science - Batch of 2025

3.9

Awesome place and great opportunity.

Tips: It's good about being in middle of the city. You should be outgoing to network and meet more and more people. And beware of the weather. It changes quite quickly and goes really coud. Easy to score a great Goa but be up to date with assignments and stuff.

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 2000

Prepping time for classes12 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD 90000

Reviewed on 11 Oct 2025Read more

Anonymous

MS in Business Analytics/MS in Management Information Systems - Batch of 2025

3.1

The college is good but the quality has deteriorated over time.

Tips: The University of Illinois at Chicago is good. The faculty works hard to give students the best education possible, even though fee waivers have been removed and the dean of CBA has changed, which has affected funding a lot. On-campus positions are good, and every student gets one in the end. The campus atmosphere is excellent. Overall, I am quite satisfied with my experiences.

Likes (Public transportation): The public transportation system here is excellent. There is no place you can't reach with the public transport. With both metro and buses, things only get easier. The only downside is that safety is a concern. There are too many homeless people and gun violence is very high, so you have to be on your toes at all times.

Dislikes (Internships): The market is bad right now, and students are having a hard time getting internships. Even experienced students are finding it difficult to land one. The college doesn't provide much support to help students get internships, but the market has improved recently and is looking positive at the moment.

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 1275

Prepping time for classes20 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD 89850

Reviewed on 25 Nov 2024Read more

Shobhit Srivastava Verified Icon

BS in Computer Engineering - Batch of 2021

4.4

It’s a fun filled and academically driven college.

Tips: Students should know that there are a lot of facilities there on campus for students to access. Ranging from academic to non academic and extracurricular so as to be involved in any of them the students should know that they can reach out to the faculty.

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 3457

Prepping time for classes30 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD 75957

Reviewed on 4 Apr 2023Read more

Rohan Rajesh Wangikar Verified Icon

MS in Mechanical Engineering - Batch of 2024

4.4

Moving here has been smooth

Tips: The transition from India to moving here has been good. I experienced no cultural shift as there are many Indians here as well. The staff provides no special facilities as such for Indian students but there are orientations. One should know where to stay and what areas to avoid in Chicago. What courses to go for is an important decision. Also, an internship requires extra fees. College students should know about the UIC global situation. No prior courses are required to settle into this course.

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 873

Prepping time for classes9 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD

Reviewed on 10 Mar 2023Read more

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MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC
Highlights

The Master of Design (MDes) in Graphic Design is a two-year degree program focused on an independent master's research project that offers students the opportunity to identify and explore a topic of inquiry with the potential to contribute to broader disciplinary knowledge
The program is equally concerned with thinking and making, Through project-oriented activities that foster analytical competence in research, writing, design history, and image theory, the curriculum is designed to deepen process-oriented skills as applied to typographic form/systems, image-/form-making, documentation/publication design, and digital media design
The MDes in Graphic Design is an international program delivered in Chicago and Basel, Switzerland. Chicago-based students participate in the Basel School of Design summer workshops. The program culminates in a public exhibition of the master's research paper and project

MDes in Graphic Design
at
UIC

Scholarships

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