How to Apply to Art and Design at James Madison University: Art BFA, Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Architectural Design Need a Portfolio at Entry and Another Review in the Second Year, While the Art BA/BS Need None, with Portfolio Requirements and Timelines for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, undergraduate art and design is taught by the School of Art, Design, and Art History (SADAH). Here is what you need to know, based on the university’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 majors

• Five undergraduate majors: Architectural Design (BFA), Art (BFA, BA or BS), Art History (BA), Graphic Design (BFA) and Industrial Design (BS). There are minors in Art, Art History, Book Arts and Illustration, plus a PK–12 Art Education licensure program, which is paired with a SADAH major rather than taken as a major on its own.
• Art BFA: SADAH calls it the professional degree in art, for students who want to be practising artists or go on to a master’s, with a chosen concentration. The seven concentrations are ceramics, fibers, metals, painting, photography, printmaking (listed on the Art page as Printmaking & Expanded Media) and sculpture.
• Art BA and BS: broader degrees; the BA leans towards the humanities and the BS suits students interested in maths, the natural sciences or the social sciences. SADAH says many BA/BS students also take a double major or art education licensure.
• Graphic Design BFA: accredited by NASAD, with courses in print design, brand identity, illustration, interaction and web design, UI/UX and package design. SADAH says admission to the program is very selective.
• Industrial Design BS: human-centred, studio-based design covering sculpture and form, drawing, making, materials, research methods and design theory, with exposure to basic engineering, advanced manufacturing and business practice.
• Foundations: every SADAH major starts with Color & Composition, Form & Space, Observational Drawing and Expressive & Expanded Drawing. The FAQ says that because all majors share Foundations, students who switch between SADAH majors within the first two years (for example Graphic Design and Art) can still graduate in four years.
• Laptop: all SADAH programs require a laptop able to run the necessary software; see SADAH’s hardware and software requirements.

2. Two portfolio reviews

• First: artistic admission to SADAH. Applicants for the Art BFA, Architectural Design BFA, Graphic Design BFA and Industrial Design BS submit an additional application and portfolio through SlideRoom when they apply to JMU. Once admitted to the school, they are candidates for their chosen major. The Art BA, Art BS and Art History BA need no portfolio.
• Second: admission to the major. All four of these majors require a second portfolio in the second year; faculty assess Foundations and prerequisite work. The Graphic Design page says students submit sophomore-level work to a juried panel after Foundations, and official admission lets them begin 300-level coursework.
• If you are not admitted: students not artistically admitted to the school can still declare Art History or Art BA/BS, take an art minor, and resubmit a portfolio the next semester. Students not admitted to their major can resubmit once the following semester, and faculty expect improvement based on feedback; otherwise they can declare Art History or Art BA/BS.
• Change of major: submit a change-of-major request in MyMadison, then a portfolio and unofficial JMU transcripts to SADAH. SADAH says programs are competitive and students may be waitlisted.

3. Portfolio requirements

• Number of works: first-year applicants submit 10–12 artworks created in the past two years; transfer and change-of-major students submit 12–16.
• Media: a broad range is welcome, including painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, photography, digital art, design and woodworking; try to include both 2D and 3D work.
• Files: images up to 5MB each, video up to 250MB each, PDFs up to 10MB each, Sketchfab models, and YouTube or Vimeo links.
• Criteria: technical skills, inventiveness, expressiveness, and handling of design or composition. Work copied from the internet, social media or magazines is discouraged.
• Optional items: within SlideRoom, one letter of recommendation, an arts resume and an art & design essay on the merits of one of your pieces are listed as optional, but students seeking SADAH scholarships should complete them (see section 5).

4. Portfolio deadlines and feedback days (fall 2027 entry)

• First-year portfolios: Early Action applicants by Friday 13 November 2026; Regular Decision applicants by Friday 5 February 2027. The FAQ says there is no penalty for an Early Action student who submits by the Regular Decision deadline, though the result comes later; if you miss the deadline, contact SADAH’s Recruitment & Records Specialist.
• Transfer and change-of-major portfolios: spring 2027 by 9 October 2026; fall 2027 by 5 March 2027.
• Portfolio Feedback Days: private sessions in which faculty review your portfolio and give advice; no admission decisions are made. Dates are 24 October and 7 November 2026 (for Early Action) and 30 January 2027 (for Regular Decision), each in person or as a virtual session for out-of-state students; registration closes one week before. Attending is highly recommended for admission and required for SADAH merit scholarship consideration.
• National Portfolio Day: JMU attends the Richmond (3 October 2026) and Baltimore (4 October 2026) events, but only the feedback days above count for scholarships.
• International applicants: SADAH lists first-year portfolio deadlines only by Early Action and Regular Decision and does not say which applies to international applicants (JMU’s international fall deadline is 1 June). This is not published; ask SADAH’s Recruitment & Records Specialist.

5. SADAH scholarships

• Art BFA, Architectural Design, Graphic Design and Industrial Design applicants must apply to JMU through Admissions, attend the Portfolio Feedback Day for their timeline (in person or virtual), submit the SlideRoom application in the matching Early Action or Regular Decision window, and complete the recommendation letter, arts resume and essay.
• Art History, Art BA and Art BS students seeking scholarships should contact the Recruitment & Records Specialist.
• Award amounts and whether international students are eligible are not published on the SADAH pages.

6. University application (international first-year)

• Deadlines (no year stated): international fall 1 June, spring 1 October, summer 15 February, with all materials in by the deadline. U.S. first-year deadlines are Early Action 1 November (non-binding) and Regular Decision 15 January.
• Materials: online application; complete secondary transcripts in English; English scores; one recommendation letter; copies of visa documents; financial documentation form; USD 70 fee.
• Testing: JMU does not require the SAT or ACT.
• English: IELTS 6.5 (6.5 or higher in three bands and at least 6.0 in one); TOEFL 81, or 4.5 on the new scale for tests after 21 January 2026; Duolingo 120 (with subscores); PTE 58 (56 in each). Graduating from an accredited high school in a native English-speaking country after four years’ residence is one of the alternatives.

7. Students from China

• Grades: an average of at least 80 (out of 100), or a U.S.-scale B average / GPA 3.00; students below this can contact Admissions to explain their circumstances.
• Interview: JMU recommends a third-party interview for Chinese applicants, submitted before the 1 June deadline.
• Gaokao and art exams: neither the China page nor SADAH mentions them; not published. Ask international@jmu.edu.

8. Students in Canada (including BC and Vancouver)

• BC: an average of at least B or 73, or a U.S. GPA of 3.00; students below this can contact Admissions.
• English: the BC page does not say Canadian students are exempt; ask Admissions.

9. Transfer students

• University deadlines (no year stated): fall 1 March, spring 15 October, summer 1 February. The page also lists international deadlines (fall 1 June, spring 1 October) without saying which applies to international transfers; ask International Admissions.
• University requirements: a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 to be competitive; all college transcripts and a final high school transcript.
• SADAH requirements: for the four portfolio majors, submit 12–16 artworks and unofficial college transcripts; see section 4 for dates. SADAH does not say how much credit transfers or whether transfers can start upper-level major courses; ask SADAH.

10. Costs

• 2026-2027 tuition schedule: non-Virginia residents pay USD 16,288 per full-time semester in tuition and comprehensive fee (tuition USD 13,177, comprehensive fee USD 3,111).
• International estimate (2026-2027): tuition and insurance USD 33,862, living costs USD 15,088, books and personal USD 4,300; I-20 funding USD 53,250.
• Course fees: the tuition page says each department sets its own course fees; we did not find art and design course fees, so they are not published here. SADAH points to a Cost of Attendance Calculator by program.

Checklist

Students from China:

• For the Art BFA or a design major: prepare 10–12 works from the past two years for SlideRoom; ask SADAH which portfolio deadline applies to international applicants
• For SADAH scholarships: register for a virtual Portfolio Feedback Day and complete the recommendation, arts resume and essay
• University materials by 1 June; IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 81 (or 4.5) or Duolingo 120; an average of 80 or above

Students in Canada (including BC and Vancouver):

• BC average of B or 73; same portfolio requirements
• Ask Admissions whether English scores can be waived

Transfer students:

• Prepare 12–16 works and college transcripts; fall 2027 portfolios are due 5 March 2027
• Expect a second portfolio review for the major in the second year

Sources: James Madison University, School of Art, Design and Art History; SADAH admissions; Prospective freshmen; Portfolios; Transfer students; Change of major; SADAH FAQ; Undergraduate programs; Art major; Graphic Design; Industrial Design; Foundations; International applicants; International admissions process and English; Requirements for China; Requirements for British Columbia; Transfer applicants; Dates and deadlines; Undergraduate tuition. Portfolio dates are for fall 2027 entry; the university deadline page does not state a year; costs are for 2026-2027. Check JMU’s website for the latest.