Application Requirements
1. A Fully Completed Application
Applications can be completed online here. When you fill out the application online, you will also be able to upload many of the requirements listed below, like your transcripts, portfolio and essays.
2. Application Fee
A nonrefundable application fee of $50 is required when submitting the online application. You may apply for a fee waiver through the College Board or provide a letter from your guidance counselor or teacher to admissions@artcenter.edu.
3. Transcripts
Transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended are required. Unofficial transcripts that clearly list your name and the institution’s name can be uploaded through the online application or submitted through the applicant portal. While unofficial transcripts are accepted during the application process, if you are admitted, your enrollment will be contingent upon receipt of official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended by one week prior to the start of the term.
When submitting official transcripts prior to enrollment, please make sure they are sent in a sealed official envelope from each institution you have attended, or electronically via secure electronic transcript service like Naviance, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, Scribbles, or eTranscript.
Students must have graduated high school or completed the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) prior to their enrollment. All students, except those who have completed a bachelor's degree at the time of application, must submit their high school transcripts or GED.
ArtCenter considers applications from home-schooled students. Home school transcripts should include course titles, grades (with an explanatory scale if not letter grades), credits and signature of the home school administrator (the parent or other person who organized, taught and evaluated your home school coursework). Include transcripts from any work completed at the college level while in the home school program. College transcripts should be submitted from each school attended; records of previous college work will not be accepted in a condensed form on one transcript.
Transcripts from international schools that are not provided in English directly from the issuing institution must be presented both in the original language form and translated into English by a translation agency, official translator or World Education Services (WES).
If you have attended a non-degree school or program, be sure to list it on your application under Activities and Experiences.
Please be aware that once submitted, all documents become the property of the College and cannot be returned to the applicant.
4. Portfolio Requirements
Your portfolio is the single most important aspect of your application. Your portfolio must be oriented specifically to the one major for which you are applying.
In addition to your portfolio, a Video Essay is required for certain majors along with your portfolio submission.
Portfolio requirements by major
5. Essays
In addition to the portfolio, one short answer essay and two essays are required for all students and some majors have specific prompts. Essays can be submitted as Word or PDF documents. Please make sure to label your essays as Essay 1 or Essay 2.
View essay requirements by major
6. English as a Foreign Language Proficiency
ArtCenter welcomes international students and values cultural diversity in the classroom. Undergraduate applicants who have not completed a high school diploma or bachelor's degree in which the language of instruction was English must take the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT), IELTS or Duolingo English Test. The Committee may request testing from students who took ESL or English Language Acquisition classes (including English/Writing for Multilingual Speakers) in high school or college. In addition, the Committee may review the individual scores on each section of the test. The Committee may request testing and/or an interview from any student whose command of English is in doubt.
- TOEFL: a minimum score of 80 is required on the iBT. ArtCenter’s School Code is 4009. Effective August 1, 2019, the TOEFL “My Best” scores may be considered, but only in relation to the most recent score report section and composite scores. The overall performance on all tests will be considered when evaluating the test outcomes, and therefore the “My Best” scores will be part of the considerations.
- IELTS: a minimum score of 6.5 is required on the Academic IELTS.
- Duolingo English Test: a minimum DET score of a 115 is required (for Fall 2023 applicants forward).
- The score must be sent directly from the testing service and must have been taken within two years prior to the time of application. Institutional versions of the test are not accepted.
Official scores must be received directly from the testing agency. Visit TOEFL.org, ielts.org, or englishtest.duolingo.com for information on testing dates and procedures.
Optional: SAT or ACT Scores
Effective with applicants for Spring 2019 and forward, the submission of SAT or ACT scores is optional. We are happy to receive copies of your scores if you choose to provide them. However, submission of scores is not required for either students applying directly out of high school or who are in college.
