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 + Design students apply to one of the following majors in the College of Fine and Applied Arts: Art Education, Art and Art History, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Photography, Studio Art (BA), or Studio Art (BFA). Studio Art concentrations (general studio art, new media, painting, printmaking, and sculpture) are declared in the first year of study. Undecided students apply to Art Undeclared. Art Undeclared students will declare their Art + Design major by December 1 of their first year of study. Art Undeclared students' first-year coursework will include courses in drawing, 2D, 3D, and 4D practices.
Fall 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. CDT on March 1.
- The School of Art + Design Fall 2021 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form must be submitted online by March 1.
- Notification of admissions will be mid-April.
Fall Priority 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 2021 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form must be submitted online by February 1.
- Notification of admissions will be mid-March.
Spring Application Filing Period
September 1–October 15
Please note Graphic Design is at limited capacity for Spring 2021 Transfers.
- The Office of Undergraduate Admissions: You must submit your completed application and all supporting materials by 11:59 p.m. CDT on October 15.
- The School of Art + Design Spring 2021 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form must be submitted online by October 15.
- Notification of admissions will be November to mid-December.
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 BFA degree programs: Art Education, Art and Art History, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Photography, Studio (BA), or Studio (BFA).
Undecided students apply to Art Undeclared. Art Undeclared students' first-year coursework will include courses in drawing, 2D, 3D, and 4D practices. Art Undeclared students will declare their Art + Design major by December 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 college-level Art History survey class, comparable to ARTH 110 — Introduction to the History of Art and Visual Culture.
- Completion of a college-level studio course in each of the categories listed below (2D, 3D, 4D, and Drawing).
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.
Fall 2021 Portfolio Review
Submit your digital portfolio using the School's Fall 2021 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form. If you encounter problems with the online form or have questions, contact Melissa Pokorny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 217-333-0855.
Spring 2021 Portfolio Review
Submit your digital portfolio using the School's Spring 2021 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form. If you encounter problems with the online form or have questions, contact Melissa Pokorny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 217-333-0855.
Please note Graphic Design is at limited capacity for Spring 2021 Transfers.
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. Individual image files 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 might 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.
Fall 2021 Optional Art and Art History Writing Sample: In addition to the portfolio submission, Art and Art History applicants may submit a writing sample using the School’s Fall 2021 Transfer Art and 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 Melissa Pokorny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 217-333-0855.
Spring 2021 Optional Art and Art History Writing Sample: In addition to the portfolio submission, Art and Art History applicants may submit a writing sample using the School’s Spring 2021 Transfer Art and 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 Melissa Pokorny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 217-333-0855.
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 2021 or Spring 2021 Transfer Portfolio Submission Form.
- Questions: contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., School of Art + Design, 217-333-6632.