How to Apply to Art and Design at MacEwan University: No Portfolio for the Bachelor of Design Since 2023, 12 to 20 Works for the BFA Studio Arts Major, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

MacEwan University is in downtown Edmonton, the capital of Alberta. Its art and design degrees are in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications: the Bachelor of Design and the Studio Arts major in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). Here is what you need to know, based on MacEwan’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Degrees

• Bachelor of Design: MacEwan describes it as moving design beyond an applied art to also an applied social science, with more than 45 design courses. You can declare a major in Digital Experience Design (DXD) or follow an undeclared pathway: Visual Communication Design, Marketing, Photography, Video and Motion Graphics, Illustration, or one you build yourself. There is also a diploma exit.
• BFA – Studio Arts Major: after a foundation in the first two years, you choose from two-dimensional, three-dimensional and intermedia/extended media art, focusing on one or combining them from the fourth term. In the final term you complete a project that prepares you for professional practice. Faculty work in performance and sound art, painting, drawing, video, sculpture, fibres and more. The BFA also has Arts and Cultural Management, Music Theatre Performance and Theatre Production majors, which this guide does not cover.

2. How and when to apply

• Application: undergraduate applications go through ApplyAlberta; for Studio Arts, choose Bachelor of Fine Arts and then the Studio Arts Major.
• Opening date: fall applications open October 1.
• Deadlines: the dates table lists June 30 for fall for both the Bachelor of Design and Studio Arts, and no winter intake for either. MacEwan also says that, unless an earlier date is shown, international applicants must apply by May 1 for fall. The table does not show a year, so check it again for fall 2027.
• Documents: for programs closing June 30, evaluation documents are due July 15 (unofficial copies accepted at first) and final documents August 1. Both degrees are competitive, so high school courses must be completed by June 30 to count.
• Fees: CAD 110 per application, non-refundable (the page lists 2026/27). International students pay a non-refundable CAD 1,000 admission confirmation deposit when they accept.

3. Portfolio

• Bachelor of Design: no portfolio. MacEwan says that beginning in fall 2023 a portfolio is no longer an entry requirement and applicants are evaluated on academic achievement; students with a strong arts background are recognized through grades in Art 30, Design 30 or similar courses.
• Studio Arts: portfolio and statement of intent, assessed by a committee of Studio Arts faculty.
  • You must apply and receive a MacEwan student ID before submitting; submissions without an application on file are not reviewed.
  • Submit 12 to 20 examples of your own recent work as digital images or files on SlideRoom. 2D work is required (drawing, painting, collage, digital imagery, photography), including some work done from observation rather than copied from other artwork, anime or cartoons. 3D and time-based work (video, animation, sound and so on) is optional.
  • Statement of intent: answer five questions, up to 150 words each, in a form when you submit the portfolio.
  • For 2027/28 there are three windows: October 1 to January 31 (review begins February 1), February 1 to April 30 (review begins May 1), and May 1 to July 7 (review begins July 8). Seats are limited and MacEwan encourages early submission; if seats remain, submissions are accepted until the last window closes.
  • No interview is mentioned.

4. Admission requirements

Alberta high school courses (same for both degrees): ELA 30-1 (or 75% in ELA 30-2) plus four subjects from Groups A, B, C or D, with an overall average of at least 65% and no grade below 50%. At most two Group B (fine arts) subjects from different disciplines and one Group D subject may be used.

Competitive averages: for the Bachelor of Design, high school admission averages were in the low 70s to mid 80s in both 2025/26 and 2026/27, and 2.5 to 3.3 (4.0 scale) for applicants with previous post-secondary study. Studio Arts is listed as competitive, but no average is given.

BC students: MacEwan’s out-of-province table maps ELA 30-1 to English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, and Group B fine arts to BC courses such as Art Studio 12, Graphic Arts 12, Media Arts 12, Photography 12, Studio Arts 2D 12 and Studio Arts 3D 12; math, science and humanities courses are mapped too (for example, Pre-Calculus 12 for Mathematics 30-1). MacEwan does not list a separate admission average for BC students.

Students from China: international applicants can only be admitted under the regular or previous post-secondary categories; mature admission is for Canadian applicants only. MacEwan’s China document list asks for your senior secondary graduation certificate, a transcript of all three years sent directly by your high school, and your huikao or xuekao results, and says not to upload gaokao results. How Chinese grades are converted to the averages above is not published; ask a MacEwan international recruiter.

English: if English is not your primary language, you must show proficiency. The page currently lists the 2026/27 criteria: IELTS Academic 6.5 (5.5 in each band), TOEFL iBT 86 (21 in each section; 4.5 in each on tests from January 21, 2026), Duolingo 115, PTE 59 (56 in each), CAEL 70 (60 in each). You can also qualify with 75% in Alberta ELA 30-1, IB English A 5 or B 6, AP English 4, or a B in A-Level/IGCSE English. Three or more years of full-time education in English in Canada or another country, including Grade 12, also qualifies. Test scores over two years old are not accepted.

Transfer students: the Bachelor of Design accepts a design diploma, or at least 24 university-level credits with an AGPA of 2.0; the BFA accepts a diploma of at least 60 credits or 24 university-level credits with an AGPA of 2.0. MacEwan notes that admission in this category does not guarantee transfer of credits.

5. Costs and scholarships

• Tuition: MacEwan charges by credit, and international students are billed for at least nine credits in fall and winter. The amount comes from the international cost estimator and is not listed on static pages; see the cost estimate sheet and the Academic Calendar for full details.
• Entrance scholarships: the Chancellor’s Scholarship Series is also open to international students, in four tiers by admission average (95% and up, 90–94.99%, 85–89.99%, 80–84.99%, or equivalent AGPA). Apply for fall admission by March 1 and get admitted, and you are considered automatically. Awards go from the highest averages until funds run out, and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications may also select students for outstanding portfolios or auditions. Amounts are not published on the page.

6. Checklist

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC):

• Apply on ApplyAlberta from October 1; fall closes June 30; apply by March 1 for scholarship consideration
• BC students: English Studies 12 plus four equivalent Grade 12 courses; the Bachelor of Design is competitive on grades with no portfolio
• Studio Arts: after applying, submit 12 to 20 works and a statement of intent on SlideRoom, ideally in the first window (by January 31)

Students at high schools in China:

• International applicants apply by May 1 for fall; apply by March 1 to be considered for scholarships
• Prepare your graduation certificate, three-year transcript (sent by your school) and huikao/xuekao results, not gaokao; meet the English scores listed
• For Studio Arts, include observational work, not only anime or copied images

Transfer students:

• Apply to the Bachelor of Design with a design diploma or 24 university credits (AGPA 2.0); the competitive range is an AGPA of 2.5 to 3.3; credit transfer is assessed separately

Sources: MacEwan University, Bachelor of Design; Bachelor of Design admission requirements; Bachelor of Design degree and pathways; BFA Studio Arts major; BFA admission requirements; Studio Arts portfolio guidelines; Admission dates and deadlines; High school subjects and out-of-province equivalencies; English language proficiency; Documents for China; International steps to apply; Application fee and deposit; International cost estimate; Entrance scholarships. Admission requirements and portfolio windows are for 2027/28; the application fee and English requirement pages currently show 2026/27. Check MacEwan University's website for the latest.