How to apply for art and design at Herron School of Art and Design (IU Indianapolis): get admitted to IU Indianapolis, then submit 10 works and a 250–500-word essay, with a shared foundation year, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

Herron School of Art and Design is the art school of Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). It is a different campus from IU Bloomington, with its own application and requirements. This guide summarises Herron’s official information on its art and design majors, portfolio and admission requirements for students from China (Gaokao, A-Level, IB, AP), students at Canadian high schools (including BC/Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Majors and degrees

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): Ceramics, Drawing & Illustration, Furniture Design, Integrative Studio Practice, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Visual Communication Design.
• Other bachelor’s degrees: Bachelor of Art Education (B.A.E.) and BA in Art History; Herron also offers BS degrees in music technology and music therapy, which this guide does not cover.
• Minors and certificates: the program pages list minors such as art, art history, book arts, graphic design, photography, and studio art and technology, plus certificates such as interior design and design thinking.

2. Foundation year

• Foundation Studies is a shared first year that prepares students for any Herron art and design major.
• It covers drawing, 2-D and 3-D design, visual culture, color theory, digital technology and fabrication, and time-based media, with extensive studio work.
• The courses and credits are in the IU Indianapolis Campus Bulletin. The pages read do not say when or on what conditions students enter a major after foundation; ask Herron’s Office of Admissions and Student Services (hadmit@iu.edu).

3. Portfolio

• Who needs one: BFA and Bachelor of Art Education applicants. If you are admitted to IU Indianapolis but do not submit a portfolio, you cannot declare a Herron major or register for Herron courses, and Herron warns this may mean taking longer than four years.
• Content: 10 images of your most recent original works, which may include 2-D and 3-D work, video and time-based media, animation and digital renderings, process sketches, and up to two writing samples.
• Labels for each piece: title, year, medium, size (height, width, depth) and description.
• Formats: images up to 5 MB each (jpg, gif, tiff, bmp, tga and others), videos up to 250 MB each, PDF documents up to 10 MB each; links to Vimeo, YouTube and Sketchfab are accepted.
• Essay: 250–500 words, open-ended (for example how you see yourself as an artist or designer, experiences that shaped you, how you use creative processes to understand the world, or your goals), submitted with the portfolio.
• How to submit: apply to IU Indianapolis first, then upload the portfolio and essay to Herron’s SlideRoom. The transfer page lists a $10 SlideRoom fee (non-refundable, cannot be waived).
• Herron looks for creativity, problem solving, conceptual development, composition and a readiness to explore, as well as technical skill and craftsmanship. The pages read do not mention an interview.

4. How to apply and deadlines

• Two steps: apply to IU Indianapolis (Apply IU or the Common App; submit only one), with a $65 non-refundable fee; then submit the portfolio on SlideRoom, at any time after applying.
• Fall entry for first-year students (Herron freshman page):
  • Aug. 1: application and portfolio submission open;
  • Nov. 15: Honors College scholarship deadline and priority date for full merit scholarship consideration;
  • Feb. 15: Herron scholarship deadline and IU Indianapolis first-year and competitive scholarship deadline;
  • May 1: application and enrollment deposit deadline.
• Spring entry: the page lists application and portfolio submission opening in January and a Nov. 1 deadline (also the Herron scholarship deadline).
• Summer entry: March 15 for Summer Session I and May 1 for Summer Session II.
• No years are given: confirm the dates for fall 2027 entry with Herron.
• Testing: the IU Indianapolis international steps say sending SAT/ACT scores is optional.

5. International applicants

• Deadline: the international first-year steps still show a fall deadline of May 1, 2025, not updated for 2027; confirm with International Admissions.
• English (one of): TOEFL iBT 60 (3.5 on the new scale from January 2026), IELTS 5.5, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 410, ACT English 17, Duolingo 90 (fall 2026 applications) or 95 (spring 2027 applications onward); or three years of upper secondary school in a listed English-speaking country, GCSE/O Level English C, or IB HL English A1 or A2 certificate grade 4. Scores must be no more than two years old.
• Placement: depending on your proof and scores, you may need the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) placement test at orientation.
• Records: send records from every secondary school and college attended, including courses in progress, in the original language with an English translation by an official translation agency; IU Indianapolis says credential evaluations are not necessary. Electronic copies can be uploaded to the applicant portal for the decision, with official originals required after admission. If your college credits would transfer as fewer than 26 credit hours, secondary school transcripts are also needed.
• Funding: students needing a visa must document funds for tuition and living costs for nine months (fall and spring).

6. Notes for students in China and Canada

• Students in China: the pages read do not say how the Gaokao, Huikao or art exams are used or what grades are required; this is not published, so ask IU Indianapolis International Admissions. Chinese transcripts need an official translation.
• A-Level, IB, AP: GCSE/O Level English C or IB HL English A1/A2 grade 4 can prove English; credit rules for A-Level, IB and AP are not on the pages read.
• Students in Canada: Canada is on the list of countries where English is the predominant language. Three years of upper secondary school in a listed country meets the English requirement for admission and exempts you from the EAP placement test. Quebec is not listed separately. Requirements for BC grades or diplomas are not published; ask International Admissions.

7. Costs

• International undergraduate estimate (nine months): tuition and fees $36,110, housing and food $14,006, health insurance $2,044, books and supplies $1,290, transportation $378, personal $2,430, total $56,258. The table has no year label; the page gives the 2026–27 rate of $1,144.10 per credit above 18 credits.
• Tuition is the same for 12–18 credits per semester; rates are updated each summer and IU Indianapolis says increases may range from 3–5% a year. F-1/J-1 students pay an International Services Fee of $165.61 per semester, included in the figure above.
• Herron’s tuition page points to the IU Indianapolis cost calculator; art course material fees are not on the pages read.

8. Scholarships

• How to apply: be admitted to IU Indianapolis with a Herron major selected, submit your portfolio, then complete the “General Scholarship” application at one.iu.edu.
• Herron awards for incoming students: for example the David K. Rubins Scholarship (scholastic record, financial need and a portfolio; a separate application and five extra images of drawing from life rather than from photographs), the Frank A. Vietor Scholarship (scholastic record, portfolio or competition performance) and the Joseph L. Van Sickle Scholarship.
• IU Indianapolis awards: admission-based scholarships are awarded automatically on high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores; Honors College scholarships require applying by Nov. 15.
• Herron Nonresident Award: eligible out-of-state students pay no more than 150% of in-state tuition; requires the IU Indianapolis scholarship application and the FAFSA.
• Conflicting dates: the scholarships page gives Feb. 1 for the Herron scholarship deadline, while the freshman and transfer pages give Feb. 15; both are on the official site, so confirm with Herron.
• The pages read do not say which awards international students can receive; ask Herron admissions (hadmit@iu.edu, 317-278-9400).

9. Transfer students

• Transfer students must be unconditionally admitted to IU Indianapolis to attend Herron; BFA and B.A.E. applicants must submit a portfolio.
• Dates match first-year: May 1 for fall and Nov. 1 for spring; materials must arrive by the priority deadline for full consideration.
• Fees: $65 application (may be waived) and $10 SlideRoom.
• Articulation: Ivy Tech Community College students can apply credits toward Herron’s BFA requirements; the agreement does not cover the BA in art history or the B.A.E. The full list of transferable courses is on the IU Indianapolis Center for Transfer and Adult Students website.

Checklist

Students in China:

• Apply to IU Indianapolis, then submit 10 works and a 250–500-word essay on SlideRoom, labelling each piece with title, year, medium, size and description
• Prepare TOEFL 60, IELTS 5.5 or Duolingo 90/95 (by term)
• Have Chinese transcripts officially translated into English
• Confirm the fall 2027 deadline, whether the Gaokao is used, and which scholarships international students can receive

Students in Canada (including BC/Vancouver):

• Three years of high school in Canada meets the English requirement
• Ask International Admissions about BC grade requirements
• For Herron scholarships, confirm whether the deadline is Feb. 1 or Feb. 15

Transfer students:

• Get unconditional admission to IU Indianapolis, then submit your portfolio
• Ivy Tech students should check the articulation agreement

Sources: Herron School of Art and Design, Undergraduate admissions; Art + Design applicants; Freshman applicants; Transfer applicants; Submit your portfolio; Undergraduate degree programs; Foundation studies; Tuition and fees; Scholarships and financial aid; IU Indianapolis, International applicants; Steps to apply (international undergraduate); English requirements for undergraduates; English-speaking countries; International undergraduate academic records; International cost of attendance. Check the official websites for the latest.