SAE Institute is one of the world’s leading educators in creative media industries. Established in 1976, we now span the globe with more than 50 campuses in 25 countries.
In the United States, SAE Institute provides courses to more than 1,100 students across 6 campuses in major cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, New York, and Emeryville, CA (San Francisco Bay Area), where we operate SAE Expression College offering programs in digital arts.
SAE Institute offers accredited courses including Bachelor's Degree, Associate Degree, and Diploma Programs*. Our programs cover specialist discipline streams:
At SAE Institute, we pride ourselves on delivering programs in professional-quality facilities. We ensure our students receive an education with industry-relevant skills.
*Not all programs are available at all campuses.
SAE Institute North America
SAE Institute was established in Australia as the School of Audio Engineering in 1976, making it the world’s first audio engineering institute. The early success of SAE Institute and the demand for our practical, theory-based and industry relevant training quickly led to the establishment of other campuses across the world. SAE Institute has vastly expanded its curriculum and global network, now offering a diverse array of creative media instruction at more than 50 campuses around the world, to industry and academic acclaim.
SAE Institute first arrived in North America in 1999 with the opening of a campus in Midtown New York City. Today, our United States campuses, which includes SAE Expression College in Emeryville, CA, as well as the recent acquisition of Harbourside Institute of Technology, now SAE Institute Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada, make up SAE Institute North America. This region continues to uphold the proud tradition of SAE Institute, furthering our mission to provide relevant theory and practice in arts and sciences within the creative media industry for talented, creative young minds who are seeking to gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation for their craft.
SAE Institute International
Following on from the success of SAE Institute in Australia, the first foreign SAE Institute campus was opened in London in 1985. As in Australia, in the international arena SAE Institute proved to be highly successful in providing a quality, practical and theoretical curriculum to aspiring professionals in the music industry.
Not long after the London campus was opened, SAE Institute established its Munich campus, which was to be the first of many foreign language SAE Institute locations worldwide. SAE Institute was well established in Europe, Asia and New Zealand by the mid-1990s.
From humble Sydney studio beginnings, SAE Institute today spans the globe with over 50 campuses in 25 countries. Beginning with Audio, SAE International has evolved over the years, and now also offers qualifications in other creative media disciplines – Animation, Design, Film, Games, and Web & Mobile.
All SAE Institute courses follow the founding principles: high quality, industry-focused, practical and theoretical education options for creative and talented individuals.
SAE Institute Chicago is licensed by:
The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)
431 East Adams, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62701-1404
SAE Institute Chicago is accredited by:
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 302
Arlington, VA 22201
Accredited, ACCSC.
