How to apply for art and design at SUNY Purchase: BFAs in Graphic Design, Painting and Drawing, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture and a BS in Visual Arts, a shared foundation year, a traditional 12–20 piece or non-traditional portfolio, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

SUNY Purchase is a public college in the State University of New York system, in Westchester County about 30 miles from New York City, with a School of Art+Design. This guide summarises the college’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): Graphic Design (fall admission only, with an illustration concentration), Painting and Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Visual Arts (Interdisciplinary), declared in the sophomore year. The interdisciplinary BFA combines two concentrations from Graphic Design, Painting and Drawing, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.
• BS in Visual Arts: a four-year degree distinct from the BFAs, split equally between a visual arts concentration (Painting and Drawing, Photography, Printmaking or Sculpture, chosen after the foundation year) and one or more areas outside the School of Art+Design; double majors and minors are possible.
• Graphic Design: a four-year BFA covering web and interface design, media design, motion graphics, print and publication design, illustration and branding.
• Choosing a major: submit only one portfolio, to the Art+Design major of your choice; the portfolio does not need to match your intended major.

2. Foundation year

• Students in all majors spend the first year in a visual arts foundation program covering drawing, printmaking, photography, coding, digital media, performance, time-based media, sculpture, design and visual communication.
• Courses include ComX (Community Experience, with an upper-level peer mentor), Extended Media, Visual Language, Foundation Drawing, 3-D Processes and Lens and Time, plus art history, College Writing and two spring electives.
• The pages read do not say how students move into a major after the foundation year or how to change majors; ask the School of Art+Design.

3. Portfolio

• Two options:
  • Traditional portfolio: for painting and drawing, photography, graphic design, illustration, printmaking, sculpture and similar. 12–20 works, which can include assignments, self-directed work, and planning or sketchbook work. Purchase strongly encourages you not to include work that directly copies others, including anime, cartoons, video game characters or existing designs.
  • Non-traditional portfolio: for activism, community projects, video, animation, sound, performance, digital media, zines, installation, social practice, conceptual or experimental work. 2D, 3D or 4D work or writing; six still images and no more than three minutes of video in up to three files, one of which is a narrative video of 90 seconds or less about yourself.
• Painting and Drawing: if you plan to study in this department, include one self-portrait in any medium and two drawings from direct observation (not from photos).
• Submitting: upload individual images through the Admissions Portal (a pre-made PDF is possible), labelled with title, media, dimensions and a description; detail shots and multiple views are allowed. There is a $5 non-refundable portfolio fee.
• The application pages read do not mention an interview; program pages such as Graphic Design link to a portfolio review sign-up.

4. How to apply and deadlines

• Application: the SUNY Application with the Purchase Supplemental, or the Common Application; $50 for either.
• Materials: academic transcripts, portfolio and one letter of recommendation. Test scores are optional for first-year applicants (with exceptions; review the policy).
• Fall 2027:
  • priority application November 15, 2026, priority portfolio December 1, 2026;
  • general application February 15, 2027, general portfolio February 22, 2027.
• Spring 2027: application November 15, 2026, portfolio December 1, 2026. Graphic Design admits for fall only.

5. International applicants

• Process: submit the application, then after receiving your portal email complete the International Supplemental Form so admissions can customise your checklist.
• Credential evaluation: all foreign transcripts must be evaluated course by course by a credential evaluator, at your own cost. Purchase lists TEC (with a discounted Purchase application), WES, ECE and NACES members. American and Canadian transcripts must come directly from the school’s registrar.
• English: non-native speakers need TOEFL (new 2026 test 4.5 or above; iBT before 2026 80 or above; paper 550 or above), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 105 or better, sent directly by the testing agency; applicants below the minimum are not eligible. A completed English Proficiency Report is also required, though eligible students can have their counselor submit a TOEFL Waiver Request Form; admissions may still require the report. Admitted non-native speakers take an English placement exam before their first semester.
• Other documents only if requested: educational data, letters of recommendation (one required, more optional), passport ID page, visa copy.

6. Notes for students in China and Canada

• Students in China: Chinese transcripts need a course-by-course evaluation. The pages read do not say how the Gaokao, Huikao or art exams are used or what grades are needed; this is not published, so ask the International Admissions Advisor.
• A-Level, IB, AP: requirements and credit rules are not on the pages read.
• Students in Canada: Canadian transcripts must be sent directly by the school registrar. The exemption criteria are in the waiver request form, and the pages read do not say whether Canadian students are exempt from English testing; BC grade or diploma requirements are not published, so ask the International Admissions Advisor.

7. Costs

• Full-time undergraduate, per semester (no year given): out-of-state tuition $9,010, fees $973, average housing $5,764, average meals $3,710, for a yearly on-campus total of $38,914; New York residents pay $3,535 tuition per semester ($7,070 a year).
• The pages read do not say which rate international students pay; ask Student Financial Services (sfs@purchase.edu).
• Other fees: orientation $210 and ID $30 (one time); some labs and art classes carry course fees, listed in the course search.

8. Scholarships

• Talent-based scholarships: for students who submit portfolios or auditions, based on faculty evaluation and recommendation, with no separate application: complete the portfolio review by the deadline. Funding is limited; awards typically range from $500 to $5,000, with roughly the top 5% of submissions considered, and decisions by April 1. Art+Design is an eligible program.
• Rules: students entering a talent-based program are eligible only for talent-based awards, not other admissions scholarships; you may receive only one institutional scholarship; scholarships are not awarded on high school GPA alone.
• Whether international students are eligible is not stated on the pages read; ask admissions.

9. Transfer students

• Deadlines: the same Art+Design BFA dates as first-year (fall priority November 15, 2026 with portfolio December 1; general February 15, 2027 with portfolio February 22; spring November 15, 2026 with portfolio December 1).
• Documents: official transcripts from every college attended (undisclosed colleges’ credits can never be transferred); a recommendation letter is encouraged and required by some programs; with fewer than 24 college credits, also a high school transcript and any test scores. International transfer applicants need a TEC Divisional Course Analysis to receive credit for prior college work.
• Graphic Design transfer portfolio: 12–20 works, including four pieces with typography (one showing typographic hierarchy) and two works from open prompts (an independent project, a research-based visual piece, a piece showing harmony or one showing contrast). That page also says the self-portrait and observational drawings are required of all applicants, while the main Art+Design page asks for them from Painting and Drawing applicants; both are on the official site, so confirm with the school.
• Admitted transfers receive a Degree Progress Report (DPR) showing completed and remaining requirements, usually within three weeks; credit evaluations can be appealed.
• The two transfer awards (LAS Transfer Merit and the Westchester Community College Transfer Scholarship) exclude BFA programs.

Checklist

Students in China:

• Choose a traditional (12–20 works) or non-traditional (six images plus up to three minutes of video) portfolio; add a self-portrait and two observational drawings for Painting and Drawing
• Prepare TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 105 and the English Proficiency Report
• Arrange a course-by-course transcript evaluation early
• Priority application by November 15, 2026 and portfolio by December 1; general deadline February 15, 2027
• Ask whether the Gaokao is used, which tuition rate applies and scholarship eligibility

Students in Canada (including BC/Vancouver):

• Have your school registrar send transcripts directly
• Ask about English test exemption and BC grade requirements

Transfer students:

• List every college attended and send official transcripts
• For Graphic Design, prepare the typography and prompt pieces in the transfer portfolio

Sources: SUNY Purchase, Art+Design admissions; Portfolio for Graphic Design transfer; Visual Arts (BS); Graphic Design; Foundations program; International students; First-year applicants; Transfers; Tuition and aid; Scholarships; Talent-based scholarships. Deadlines are for spring and fall 2027 entry; check SUNY Purchase’s website for the latest.