Photosensitive polyimide compositions include a photosensitive additive and a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1 comprises an aliphatic group, an alicyclic group, an aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, or combinations thereof, R2 comprises an aliphatic group, an alicyclic group, an aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, or combinations thereof, R3 represents hydrogen or an organic group comprising a hydrophilic group, an acid-cleavable group, a base-cleavable group, a cross-linkable group, or combinations thereof, and h represents an integer of 1 or more. The photosensitive compositions may be formed by combining a precursor polymer with a processing solvent, followed by a relatively low-temperature cyclization process in which the precursor polymer is converted to the final polymer. The resulting polyimide may be separated from the solution and purified. It may then be combined with a casting solvent and a photosensitive additive.