Transfer Admissions

Admission to the School of Art + Design is a two-part process. You must be accepted to the University of Illinois through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions application process and to the School of Art + Design through a portfolio review.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions Application

The University of Illinois application is completed online.  The Office of Undergraduate Admissions evaluates your academic performance and essays with the University requirements for admission to the School of Art+Design.

All transfer Art and Design students apply to one of the following majors in the College of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA): Art Education, Art History, Crafts: Metals, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, New Media, Painting, Photography, or Sculpture.  Undecided majors apply to the Art Foundation curriculum.  

Application Filing Period
December 15 — March 1

• The Office of Undergraduate Admissions: You must submit your application and all supporting materials by 11:59 p.m. CST on March 1.  
• The School of Art + Design Fall 2019 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form must be submitted online by March 8.
• Notification of admissions will be mid-April.

Early Action Filing Period
December 15 — February 1

• The Office of Undergraduate Admissions: You must submit your completed application and all supporting materials by February 1. 
• The School of Art + Design Fall 2019 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form must be submitted online by February 1.
• Notification of admissions will be mid-March.

Transfer Eligibility

Transfer students who meet the admission requirements of the College of Fine and Applied Arts (Transfer Handbook) are eligible to apply to one of the School of Art + Design's B.F.A. degree programs: Art Education, Art History, Crafts: Metals, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, New Media, Painting, Photography, or Sculpture.  Those who have not completed the requisite Art Foundation equivalent courses (see below), will be considered for entry to the Art Foundation curriculum. 

Undecided majors who have not completed the recommended sequence of courses for admission directly to an art major, should apply to the Art Foundation curriculum, which includes courses in drawing, 2D, 3D, and 4D practices.  Undecided majors (Art Foundation) will declare their Art + Design major March 1 of their first year of study. 

Art + Design Transfer Admission Requirements

• 3.0 grade point average on graded transferable collegiate coursework.
• Completion of a collegiate level Art History survey class, comparable to ARTH 110 — Introduction to the History of Art and Visual Culture.
• Completion of a course in each of the required studio categories listed below (2D, 3D, 4D, and Drawing). UIUC courses listed below serve as examples. 

• Art Education applicants must pass the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) prior to admission. However, the Illinois State Board of Education allows prospective candidates to use their ACT (plus Writing) / SAT score in lieu of passing the TAP for admission to an education preparation program. Detailed information can be found at: http://www.cote.illinois.edu/certification/documents/act_procedures_for_admission.pdf. This requirement is in effect for all UIUC students planning to declare Art Education as their major, for community college students wishing to transfer into Art Education, and for graduate students seeking teacher certification in Illinois.

School of Art + Design Admissions Process

The second part of the application process involves submitting a portfolio of your creative work to the School of Art + Design. We encourage you to submit your application form and fees to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the same time you submit your portfolio to the School of Art + Design.

Portfolio Review

Submit your digital portfolio by March 1 using the School's Fall 2019 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form. If you encounter problems with the online form or have questions, contact Mark Avery at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 217-333-6632.

Portfolio Contents

The portfolio is a collection of your recent work that illustrates your ability for advanced study as an art and design practitioner, educator or historian. If you have strong works in a variety of media, consider including that range in your portfolio. Your images and objects tell us a great deal about your ideas and process. That information translates easily across all media, to all programs. The portfolio should consist of 10 examples of your recent work, and may include up to 2 videos (optional).

Portfolio Submission Guidelines

• Required: 10 JPEG images, where, ideally, the pixel dimensions are between 1000 and 1500 in either height or width, and the file size should not exceed 500 KB. IMPORTANT: Check the image file property size (Right click > Properties in Windows, Control+click > Get Info in Mac), and, if necessary, use an image editor (e.g., Photoshop) to adjust the pixel dimensions and the final file size.
• Optional: Enter up to 2 direct video links, using Vimeo or YouTube. Be aware, the admissions committee may not watch more than 1-2 minutes. Configure your submission appropriately (trailer, excerpt, etc…)
• Optional: Enter a Web address for your art work webpage.

Criteria for Evaluation

Portfolios will be evaluated in terms of the quality of the candidate's skills, artistic perception, theoretical knowledge, and their sense of composition, form, imaginative imagery, technical skills, and ability to articulate and communicate ideas.

Optional Art History Writing Sample: In addition to the portfolio submission, Art History applicants may submit a writing sample using the School’s Fall 2019 Transfer Art History Writing Sample Submission Form.  Submit an essay of approximately 750 to 1500 words written for an art history course or any other related social sciences or humanities course.  If you encounter a problem with the form or have questions, contact Mark Avery at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 217-333-6632. 

Notification of Acceptance

All offers for a place in the School of Art + Design depend on you meeting the University's entrance requirements along with a positive assessment of your portfolio. All acceptance notifications will be issued from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Inquiries regarding your admissions status should be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The School of Art + Design will not be able to respond to admissions status questions.

Art + Design Transfer Application Checklist

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

• Submit your University of Illinois Transfer Application.
• Official transcripts are required from each college and/or university you have attended. Official high school transcripts are required to verify graduation. If you received a GED certificate, you will need to submit the GED results.
• Questions — contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

School of Art + Design

• Submit the Fall 2019 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form.
• Art Education: review the Test of of Academic Proficiency (TAP) requirements above.
• Questions — contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., School of Art + Design, 217-333-6632.

Helpful Links

• Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Transfer Handbook
• Additional International Student Requirements
• Estimated Expenses
• Office of Student Financial Aid