How to apply to Syracuse University for art and design: VPA degrees in illustration and animation, studio arts, communications, fashion, interior and industrial and interaction design require 12–20 works, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

At Syracuse University (in Syracuse, New York), undergraduate art and design is taught by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), mainly in its School of Art and School of Design. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on official Syracuse information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Degrees and majors

• School of Art:
  • Illustration and Animation BFA: from fall 2026, the former illustration BFA and computer art and animation programs evolved into this new degree with an updated curriculum. The illustration BFA no longer accepts applications.
  • Studio Arts BFA: the degree for the professional artist, with intensives in art photography, ceramics, jewelry and metalsmithing, painting, printmaking and sculpture, or an interdisciplinary practice; additional emphases include drawing, craft and material studies, installation and performance.
  • Studio Arts BS: an intensive studio experience alongside a field of academic study.
• School of Design: BFAs in communications design, environmental and interior design and fashion design, the Industrial and Interaction Design BID and the Design Futures BS. The school’s first-year experience is a prerequisite for all undergraduate degrees, building design-studio fundamentals and comparing the design disciplines. Design is taught in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse in downtown Syracuse, and first-year design students may live in the Design Living Learning Community.
• No portfolio needed: the Studio Arts BS and Design Futures BS (and Communication and Rhetorical Studies) require no additional materials; all other School of Art BFAs and all School of Design BFAs and the BID require a portfolio.
• Current Syracuse students: moving into VPA requires meeting intra-University transfer (IUT) requirements, which are on a separate page not read for this article.

2. Deadlines and testing

• Early Action (first-year only): 1 November.
• Early Decision I (first-year only): 1 November.
• Early Decision II (first-year only): 5 January.
• Regular Decision (fall): 5 January.
• Spring entry: very limited in VPA; call the Office of Recruitment and Admissions (315.443.2769) about availability and timing.
• Testing: SAT/ACT are not required for fall 2027 or spring 2028; applicants who do not submit scores are not disadvantaged and remain eligible for merit scholarships.
• Application: meet Syracuse’s general requirements and apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application, then complete VPA’s requirements. The pages read do not state the application fee.

3. Portfolio requirements

• School of Art BFA:
  • 12–20 examples of recent work showing your interests, ideas, technical skills, willingness to experiment and visual expression, ideally in a variety of media and approaches, including work related to your intended program.
  • Applicants to illustration and animation, or those strongly interested in painting and printmaking, are strongly advised to include at least six observational drawings (still lifes, figures, landscapes and so on).
  • Animation, motion or other time-based work can be submitted as video, with a combined running time of no more than five minutes; excerpts are fine, and your role in collaborative work should be clear.
  • Assignment-based work is fine, but include work that reflects your own ideas outside class; descriptions added during image upload are strongly recommended.
  • One writing sample of up to 300 words, choosing from: why you are applying to this program; an artist or designer statement; or the story behind the piece you are most passionate about.
• School of Design BFA and BID:
  • All first-year and transfer applicants submit 12–20 images of recent work, which may include design, typography, textiles, perspective, fashion drawings, footwear and furniture.
  • One short answer of up to 200 words: why you are applying to this program (strongly recommended for communications design) or the story behind your favourite piece.
  • A 500-word writing sample answering: What is design? What can it do in the world? What about design inspires you?
• How to submit: within 72 hours of applying you will receive an email with portal login instructions; the portfolio link is in your Application Checklist, and it is fine to submit a few days after the application.
• Feedback first: book a virtual advisory portfolio review by emailing admissu@syr.edu or attend Virtual National Portfolio Days; Admissions also runs portfolio preparation sessions twice a month.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Credentials: Syracuse’s country table asks for the Upper Middle School Graduation Certificate and a copy of the Gaokao with superior scores if taken; no advanced credit is given. No score threshold is published and art entrance exams are not mentioned. Transcripts need English translations and a grading key.
• English: applicants who live outside the US and whose first language is not English must submit English results. VPA’s preferred scores (shared with Arts and Sciences and others): TOEFL 85 (4.5 on the scale from 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Cambridge 176, Duolingo 125, or SAT EBRW 600 or ACT English 27. TOEFL Essentials, ITP, MyBest and IELTS Indicator are not accepted. Automatic waivers apply only to students who attended US in-person high schools for three full years (grades 10–12); other cases are at the committee’s discretion.
• Conditional admission: academically qualified students without sufficient English may be admitted conditionally through the English Language Institute (ELI); only those with an official TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge or PTE score are considered.
• Financial documents: F-1 applicants complete the Visa/Financial Support Information Form in the portal with a bank statement and a copy of their passport.
• Interviews: optional; book a virtual interview, or in Asia use Vericant; InitialView is also accepted.

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

• British Columbia: submit the Secondary School Diploma and transcript; no advanced credit is given. Other provinces have their own listed credentials.
• Syracuse does not publish Canadian grade thresholds. The English rules above apply: non-native speakers submit scores unless they completed three years at a US high school.
• The portfolio requirements are the same.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 international on-campus estimate (USD): tuition 69,180, housing and dining 20,580, miscellaneous fees 1,869, books 1,847, transportation and travel 1,888, personal 1,294, health insurance 2,868, program and technology fees 1,000, for a total of 100,526. The off-campus total is 98,248.
• Syracuse notes that costs vary by program and some programs carry extra fees; the VPA pages do not list separate materials or studio fees. The School of Design points to a First-Year Design Student Resources page for supply lists and computer recommendations, which was not read for this article.
• Scholarships: international undergraduates can receive merit scholarships, selected by the Office of Admissions on academic credentials and announced at admission.

7. Transfer students

• Deadline: VPA notes limited space in some programs and strongly recommends that transfers follow the first-year deadlines. The university transfer page gives a fall deadline of 1 July with rolling decisions from late February, so check both with Syracuse.
• Portfolio: submitted online and reviewed by a faculty member in your proposed major; include work in that area if you have it. School of Design BFA and BID transfers also submit 12–20 images.
• Extra materials: upload an unofficial college transcript in the portal (in addition to the official transcript for the application) and a paragraph on why you want to study art, design or film, which major and why, what you expect from it and your career goals.
• English: transfers with at least 24 in-person credits at a US college and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (excluding ESL) are automatically waived.

Checklists

Students at high schools in China:

• Choose a School of Art or School of Design degree; the BS degrees need no portfolio
• Prepare 12–20 works; include at least six observational drawings for illustration and animation; design applicants also write 500 words on what design is
• Apply by 1 November (EA/ED I) or 5 January (ED II/Regular), then upload the portfolio in the portal
• Graduation certificate, plus Gaokao results if taken; TOEFL 85 or IELTS 6.5 as preferred scores
• Complete the Visa/Financial Support form with a bank statement

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

• BC students submit the Secondary School Diploma and transcript
• Non-native English speakers submit English scores

Transfer students:

• Aim for the first-year deadlines; submit the portfolio online with an unofficial transcript and a paragraph about your major

Sources: Syracuse University, VPA undergraduate admissions; Art, design and film admission requirements; School of Art; School of Design; Studio Arts BFA; International requirements; International credentials; Transfer applicants; International costs. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Syracuse University for the latest details.