How to Apply to Art at the University at Buffalo: The Department of Art BFA with Seven Pathways and the BA in Studio Art with Three, Choose Art on the Application with No Portfolio Listed, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University at Buffalo (UB), undergraduate art is taught by the Department of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences. Here is what you need to know, based on UB’s website, for students at high schools in China (including A-level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Degrees and pathways

• Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA): more studio-oriented than the BA, 120 credits. The BFA page lists seven pathways: General Studio, Art and Technology, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Print Media and Sculpture. The department’s applicant info page lists seven concentrations with Emerging Practices instead of Art and Technology; both versions are shown, so check the catalog.
• BA in Studio Art: a liberal arts degree with 53 credits in the major and 120 in total, leaving room for a minor or double major. Three pathways: General Studio, Graphic Design and Photography.
• The department also offers a BA in Art History and a minor in Studio Art.
• Foundations: Freshman Foundation courses are required for all Art BA/BFA degrees, and students are encouraged to take them before upper-level courses; the BA page says the first years focus on art history and foundations, the basis for all 300- and 400-level courses.
• Detailed requirements for each pathway are in the UB Undergraduate Catalog, which we did not read.

2. Getting into the major and the portfolio question

• Choose the major when applying: first-year and transfer applicants interested in art must first apply and be accepted to UB, indicating the intended major on the application. The department says all entering first-year students with an interest in art are listed as “approved” majors.
• Portfolio: UB Admissions lists majors with additional requirements (theatre and dance performance, music, engineering, pharmacy and others), and art is not among them; the department’s applicant info page does not mention a first-year portfolio either. Whether a portfolio is needed or can be submitted is not published, so ask the department’s undergraduate director.
• Pick the right school: the Common App and SUNY application list two SUNY Buffalo institutions; choose “University at Buffalo (SUNY)” or “Buffalo, University at.”
• Recommendations: the department page says UB requires one teacher or counselor recommendation (up to three allowed), while the admissions office says recommendations are not required but at least one is strongly encouraged. Both are shown; follow the admissions office.

3. Dates and materials (international, fall entry)

• Admissions office table: opens 1 August; Early Action 1 November; Honors College priority 15 December; Regular Decision materials due 1 February, with applications accepted afterwards until capacity is reached; deposit by 1 May (or 10 days after acceptance, whichever is later). The table has no year, so check before applying.
• Department page: Early Action 15 November, scholarship consideration 15 December, Regular Decision 1 February. The Early Action date differs from the admissions office; follow the admissions office.
• How to apply: ApplySUNY, the Common App or Coalition, with a $50 fee.
• Testing: SAT and ACT are not required for admission or scholarships, but can be submitted.
• Grades: UB expects international first-year applicants to have the equivalent of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (a B, or 83 on a 100-point scale).

4. English

• Admissions minimums: TOEFL iBT 70 (4 on the new scale), IELTS Academic 6.0, Duolingo 105, PTE 50, ACT English and Reading 18, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 500.
• IB English A (Language and Literature) 5, AP English Language and Composition 4 or a B in the course, IGCSE First Language English C, or A-level/AS English C also qualify.
• The department page only mentions TOEFL for non-native speakers; follow the admissions office.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Required academic documents are listed by country on the international first-year page (via a drop-down), and we did not read the China entry; non-English documents need English translations.
• Gaokao and art exams: whether they are considered is not published; ask UB International Undergraduate Admissions.
• AP: the department gives studio art or open elective credit for AP depending on the score, but this does not waive departmental requirements.

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

• UB does not publish grade requirements for Canadian or BC courses; documents are listed by country on the same page. Students needing a visa apply as international students; U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying abroad apply as domestic applicants with foreign credentials.

7. Current students and transfers

• Current UB students: those with at least a 2.5 GPA can apply to the Department of Art’s BA or BFA by submitting the CAS Major/Minor Change Request form.
• Transfer students: after being accepted to UB, apply to and be accepted by the Department of Art, with at least a 2.5 GPA to be eligible; transfer courses are evaluated for the major. The department does not say whether transfers submit a portfolio; ask the department.
• International transfers: Regular Decision for fall is 1 February; UB expects college grades equivalent to a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and those with fewer than 24 credits also have their high school record reviewed. Bring course descriptions and syllabi to help departments evaluate credit.

8. Costs and scholarships

• Estimated annual cost for F-1/J-1 students: tuition $29,070, fees $6,466 (including the international student fee and health insurance), housing and dining $18,606, and related expenses $6,888 (a 2026-27 estimate covering books, supplies, transportation and personal costs), for a total of $61,030. Material or studio fees for art majors are not stated on the pages we read.
• Scholarships: admitted international first-year students are automatically considered for Flagship Scholarships, in varying amounts and renewable for up to four years with good grades; Presidential Scholarships require a separate Honors College application. International transfers are considered for transfer scholarships based on transfer GPA.

Application checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Select art (BFA or BA in Studio Art) on the application and choose “University at Buffalo”; apply Early Action by 1 November, with all materials by 1 February at the latest
• Prepare IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 70; check the China entry on the international first-year page for required documents
• Ask the Department of Art whether a portfolio is needed

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

• Apply as an international student or a domestic applicant with foreign credentials; check documents by country on the international first-year page

Transfer students:

• Have a 2.5 GPA or higher; apply to UB first, then to the Department of Art; international transfers submit by 1 February

Sources: University at Buffalo, Department of Art undergraduate overview; Undergraduate applicant info; BFA; BA in Studio Art; International first-year applicants; International transfer applicants; Dates and deadlines; Majors with special requirements; Tuition and costs; Scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 estimates). Check UB for the latest details.