The Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) is a private, independent, four-year college of fine arts and design founded in 1885. Ranked among the nation's top 10 art schools by U.S. News and World Report, KCAI is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) and the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools .

KCAI is comprised of nearly 600 students (representing more than 45 states and several foreign countries) and approximately 75 talented artists and educated scholars who serve as KCAI's faculty.

Students pursue the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, in which a comprehensive liberal arts program is complemented by emphasis in one of the following studio majors: Ceramics, Design, Fiber, Illustration, Painting, Photo & New Media, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Majors in Art History as well as Studio Art with an Emphasis in Creative Writing are also available.

KCAI's scenic 15 acre (61,000 m²) campus is located in Kansas City, Missouri. Students benefit from proximity to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, one of the top art museums in America, and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and Design .