How to apply to USC for art and design: the Roski School’s BFA in Art, BFA in Design and BA in Art all require 10–15 images on SlideRoom, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

At the University of Southern California (USC, in Los Angeles), undergraduate art and design is taught by the Roski School of Art and Design. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on official USC information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Three undergraduate degrees

• BFA in Art: an intensive, pre-professional degree in which students largely choose their own studio courses, with emphases in painting and drawing, photography and video, and sculpture and ceramics. Studio work is complemented by critical theory seminars, critique studios, a studio capstone and a senior thesis; professional internships and faculty-led international art study tours are optional. Advanced BFA students are assigned faculty mentors through to the thesis.
• BFA in Design: a four-year pre-professional degree leading to careers in advertising, publication, fashion, sports, entertainment and film design, among others. Roski’s premise is that designers are also artists and makers, so first-year foundation courses include drawing and illustration, a wide range of media, and skills workshops in 2D and 3D design. Later coursework includes critical theory seminars, professional design internships, international design study tours, a senior thesis and a minor in business, advertising, marketing, entrepreneurship or communication.
• BFA/MFA Design progressive degree: design students making exceptional progress may be invited to apply in their junior year; if admitted, they start graduate design courses in their senior year without a formal graduate application.
• BA in Art: a liberal arts degree with a wider range of courses across the university and student-driven art and design choices, suited to students who want to combine art or design with a minor or double major (such as business, neuroscience or game design/animation). It also requires three semesters of a foreign language on top of USC’s general education.
• Admission: USC states that both the BA and the BFA require a portfolio and supplemental materials in addition to the Common App.
• Current USC students: to move into an art or design major, use the internal transfer application on SlideRoom (“Roski Major Application – for current USC students only”); deadlines are 1 October for fall and 1 March for spring.

2. Portfolio and supplemental materials

• Work: upload 10–15 images of work made within the last two years at roski.slideroom.com, in a variety of media or a single area; class assignments, independent work or both are fine. PDFs are not accepted.
• Artist statement: follow the prompt in SlideRoom; up to 500 words.
• List of creative accomplishments: in chronological order, your practical experience in visual art or design, including high school courses, summer art programs, internships, private lessons, collaborative or interdisciplinary projects and other achievements.
• What reviewers look for (Roski’s faculty admissions committee Q&A): work that moves beyond recording the world; bodies of work with ideas behind them; evidence of creative thinking, such as unusual materials, a strong conceptual approach or awareness of art history and contemporary art; work outside class assignments; and the ability to articulate your thinking and influences. If you build on an AP Art concentration, make the concept personal and specific rather than vague.
• Portfolio Forum: the Discover USC Open House includes a Roski Portfolio Forum for high school seniors only.
• Roski does not mention an interview; USC Admission states that it does not conduct admission interviews, though some schools include them as additional requirements.

3. Deadlines and application materials

• First-year: Early Decision and Early Action 1 November, Regular Decision 10 January; submit the portfolio and other materials by the same deadline. ED decisions come by mid-December, EA in late January and Regular Decision by 1 April. The Roski page does not show a year; the dates match the USC first-year page, which lists financial aid deadlines from 1 November 2026 to 3 February 2027 alongside them.
• Transfer: 15 February.
• USC materials: Common App; transcripts; one letter of recommendation from a counselor or teacher; testing is optional for 2027-28 entry (official scores only if you send them; SAT code 4852, ACT code 0470); a mid-year report with fall grades.
• Application fee: the pages read do not state the amount; a fee waiver can be requested in the Common App profile.
• Scholarships: USC merit and departmental scholarship consideration is part of the overall review, with no separate application; Roski also offers scholarships.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Chinese national curriculum: USC says admitted students typically have marks of 90 or above (out of 100) or 135 or above (out of 150). It does not explain how the Gaokao is used and does not mention art entrance exams.
• International curricula: IB applicants usually take the full Diploma with scores of 5 to 7 and predicted grades; A-Level applicants submit IGCSE or GCSE results and all predicted A-Level grades, with competitive applicants predicted at least three Bs.
• English (recommended minimums): TOEFL 5 overall and 4 per section on the scale used from 21 January 2026 (100 overall and 20 per section before); IELTS 7; PTE 68; C1 Advanced 185; or SAT Reading and Writing 650 or ACT English 27. There are no waivers for non-native speakers, the TOEFL ITP Plus for China is not accepted, and Duolingo (minimum 130) is only for students who cannot take the other tests.
• Financial documents: international applicants, including those living in the US, submit the Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support at the time of application, showing they can pay at least the full first year.

5. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• USC’s international guidance does not list Canada- or BC-specific requirements; use USC’s international credentials tool by country or ask Admission.
• Canadian citizens are international students: non-native English speakers submit English scores, financial documents are required and need-based aid is not available.
• The portfolio requirement is the same: 10–15 images on SlideRoom.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 cost (USD, on campus): tuition 75,384, fees 1,952, housing 13,510, dining 8,442, books 670, transportation 1,188 and personal 2,016, for a total of 103,162. 2027-28 figures are not yet published, and the Roski pages do not list separate materials or studio fees.
• No need-based aid for international students.
• Merit scholarships: all international applicants who apply on time are eligible, from a few thousand dollars to full tuition; they are competitive and cannot be used to show ability to pay.

7. Transfer students

• Deadline: 15 February; submit the Roski portfolio, transcripts and other materials in addition to the Common App, with merit and departmental scholarship consideration included in the review.
• Credit: AP, IB and similar credit counts for up to 32 units; at least 64 units must be taken at USC, including upper-division major courses.
• English: international transfer applicants whose first language is not English submit English scores from the past two years.
• Roski does not give a separate image count for transfer portfolios; the page asks transfers for the Roski portfolio as for first-years, so check details with Roski admissions.

Checklists

Students at high schools in China:

• Choose between the BFA in Art, BFA in Design and BA in Art
• Upload 10–15 images from the last two years on SlideRoom (no PDFs), an artist statement of up to 500 words and a list of creative accomplishments
• Submit the Common App and portfolio by 1 November (ED/EA) or 10 January (Regular Decision)
• TOEFL 5 (4 per section) or 100 on the old scale, or IELTS 7; do not use TOEFL ITP Plus
• Submit financial documents with your application

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply as an international student; the portfolio requirement is the same
• BC requirements are not listed separately; use USC’s credentials tool or ask Admission

Transfer students:

• Apply with the Roski portfolio by 15 February
• Non-native English speakers submit English scores from the past two years

Sources: University of Southern California, Roski undergraduate degrees; Roski undergraduate admission; Roski design area; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Scholarships; 2026-27 cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check USC for the latest details.