The Illinois Institute of Art – Schaumburg and Chicago closed on December 28, 2018. The Illinois Institute of Art – Tinley Park previously closed on September 30, 2017.
The Illinois Institute of Art is part of the exciting history of Chicago. Founded in 1916 as The Commercial Arts School, The Illinois Institute of Art was one of the first applied art and design colleges in the United States. The school was widely known in the 1930s as Ray-Vogue School, with professional programs in art, design and fashion. The school was renamed Ray College of Design in 1981 and joined The Art Institutes system of schools in 1995. The Illinois Institute of Art offers Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Applied Science, and Associate of Applied Science degrees, as well as diploma programs.
The Illinois Institute of Art – Tinley Park was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago and Schaumburg campuses transitioned to being a candidate for accreditation after previously being accredited. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Board of Trustees voted to impose “Change of Control-Candidacy” on the Institutes as of the January 20 close of their sale by Education Management Corp. to the Dream Center Foundation through Drea m Center Education Holdings. Effective November 1, 2018, the HLC Board of Trustees acted to continue candidacy status for both Institutes thro ugh their announced December 28, 2018 closure date. See the Public Disclosure Notification located on the HLC website for specific information.
For accreditation questions, please contact HLC.
Transcript Instructions:
To order your transcript, follow the process outlined at www.artinstitutes.edu or
tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/ficecode/00887800.
Your transcript will then be processed and mailed to the provided address within 21 days.
Should you have any questions, please email a detailed message to service@dcedh.org, so that we may address your concern. Please include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address, along with the reason for your e-mail/call. Allow approximately one business day for a response.
For enrollment/education requests, please visit www.artinstitutes.edu and follow the process outlined on the page for education verifications.
For diploma requests, please visit www.parchment.com/u/registration/2616773/account. Parchment is the only entity that can provide diplomas for students of closed schools. You will need to set up an account to order.
For financial requests, please send e-mail to service@dcedh.org with the following information:
E-Mail Subject Line: Financial Request
Body of E-Mail: Include the full name used during your enrollment, the campus attended, and a detailed description of the financial request you are making.
For account balance inquiries, please contact your account agency:
Tuition Options at 1-800-423-5513, or email: Servicing.Center@TuitionOptions.com.
Williams & Fudge at 1-800-849-9791, or online at www.paywfc.com
Recovery Management Services at 800-900-3944, or email customer.support@rmscollects.com. Additional information can also be found on www.artinstitutes.edu.
Forms are mailed to all eligible students by January 31 annually. To print a duplicate form, please visit heartland.ecsi.net. If you are unable to locate your 1098-T and need further assistance, please contact Heartland ECSI at 1-866-428-1098. For information on the Taxpayer Relief Act, as well as additional resources to assist you in understanding higher education tax incentives visit: heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/FAQtaxDocuments#understanding1098TForm.
Please contact the Department of Education for additional federal student loan questions:
Commonly Asked Questions: studentaid.gov/help-center/contact
Federal Loan Forgiveness:
IMPORANT NOTE: Visit studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/closed-school to evaluate your eligibility for discharge of Federal Direct Loans, Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) Program loans, or Federal Perkins Loans. This information does not apply to non-federal student loans. Please contact your lenders directly to see your options and understand your repayment obligations:
Students who attended a school who believe they were defrauded or that their school otherwise violated applicable state law may be eligible for discharge (loan forgiveness). Please visit studentaid.gov/borrower-defense for assistance.
Resolving Loan Disputes: studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes
File a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office
File a complaint with the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
Illinois Board of Higher Education
www.ibhe.org
January 2020
Updated April 2024
Updated June 2025