How to apply for art and design at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln: the BFA and BA in studio art and the BFA in graphic design need no portfolio for admission, with portfolios used only for scholarships, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

At the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), art and design are taught in the School of Art, Art History & Design in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. Here are the majors, portfolio rules, timeline, requirements for students from China and Canada, and costs.

1. Degrees

• Studio art (Art major): a BFA or a BA, with areas in ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, plus an interdisciplinary option in the BFA. The school says you start in foundation classes and then decide on the BFA or BA with your advisor.
• BFA vs BA: the 2026-2027 catalog says about 45% of BA coursework and about 70% of BFA coursework is in the school. The BFA requires 84 major credits, including 18 in one studio area with at least 3 credits of Studio Thesis; the BA requires 54, with a studio focus or a Studio Arts Option.
• BFA in Graphic Design: 81 major credits, and the catalog says about 70% of its courses are in the major; courses the school lists include Color and Composition, Three-Dimensional Design, Graphic Design I, Critical and Creative Thinking, Interaction Design I and Design & Integrated Brand Promotion.
• BA in Graphic Arts: the school says this BA combines graphic design with a secondary area of study.
• BA in Art History and Criticism, plus minors in studio art and art history.
• Credits: every degree is 120 credit hours; major courses need a C or better.

2. Portfolio

• Not required for admission: the school's How to Apply page says no portfolio is required, and its admission page says you only need the main UNL undergraduate application.
• Declaring the major: the catalog says any student who meets college admission requirements may declare art or graphic design. The pages we read do not mention a later portfolio review to stay in a BFA.
• Portfolios are for scholarships: the How to Apply page says a portfolio is required for scholarship consideration, due February 2, 2026 (last cycle's date; confirm the 2027 date with the school).
• The scholarship page puts it differently: it says admitted freshmen and transfers are automatically considered for school scholarships, and that the online Hixson-Lied scholarship application opens August 1, with review from February 3 and then on a rolling basis. The two pages do not quite match; confirm how to submit a portfolio with the school.

3. Timeline and documents (fall 2027 entry)

• Application: international first-year students can use the Common App or Nebraska's application; international transfers use Nebraska's application. It opens August 1, 2026.
• Priority deadline: November 1, 2026; applicants by then see scholarship offers on February 11, 2027.
• Final deadline: May 1, 2027, also the deposit deadline; later applications may be waitlisted. International students must submit all materials by May 1 to be considered for academic scholarships.
• Supplemental Scholarship Application: due February 1, 2027.
• Fee: $45, paid online by credit card.
• Documents: final secondary school transcript signed and stamped by a principal, secondary school certificate or diploma, and English scores.
• Core coursework: upper-level mathematics 4 units, natural sciences 3, social sciences 3, and English and native language 4.

4. English

• Admissions office, general admission: TOEFL new scale 4.0 (4.0 per section) or old scale 79 (18 per section); IELTS 6.5 (6.0 per band); Duolingo 110 (105 per subscore).
• The catalog says something else: the college's admission section lists a minimum TOEFL of 70 (internet). Both are given here; follow the admissions office.
• Waivers: only graduation from a US high school or 30 transferable semester hours at a US college.

5. Students at Chinese high schools

• Grades: specific requirements for China are not published; you are assessed on the international core coursework.
• Gaokao and art exams: UNL does not say whether they are used; ask admissions.
• English: required, such as IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 4.0 on the new scale.
• Credit: IB and A Level courses may earn credit under the admissions office tables.

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

• Grades: specific Canadian and BC requirements are not published; you are assessed on the international core coursework.
• English: waivers apply only to US high school graduates or students with 30 US college credits, so as written, international students from Canadian high schools also submit English scores; ask admissions if unsure.

7. Transfer students

• College admission: the catalog asks for 12 or more credits with a cumulative 2.0 GPA and a 2.0 in the last semester.
• Credit review: the school evaluates studio and art history courses against NASAD time and credit guidelines, using course descriptions or syllabi.
• Residency: in the graphic design BFA, at least 42 credits of major requirements (36 studio, 6 art history) must be taken at UNL; every major needs at least 9 credits at UNL.
• Grades below C: they cannot count toward the major, and the college accepts no more than 15 such credits from outside the NU system (toward total hours only).

8. Costs and scholarships (USD)

• International estimate for one year: tuition and fees 31,942, housing and food 13,950, health insurance 4,578, books 1,128, flights and transportation 1,094, personal 1,230; total 53,922, which is also the amount to show for an I-20.
• Differential tuition: the admissions office lists business, architecture and engineering courses; it does not mention fine arts.
• Scholarships: you are automatically considered during admission, and the Supplemental Scholarship Application adds departmental, leadership and service awards. The college says fine and performing arts students receive over $1 million in scholarships each year; amounts for international students are not published.

Checklist

Students at Chinese high schools:

• Apply by November 1, 2026 (priority) with the Common App or UNL's application, and no later than May 1, 2027; fee $45
• IELTS 6.5 (6.0 per band) or TOEFL 4.0; no portfolio for admission, but ask the school how to submit one for scholarships

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

• As written, English scores are required; ask admissions how BC grades are assessed

Transfer students:

• 12 or more credits and a 2.0 GPA; keep course descriptions or syllabi for studio courses for credit review

Sources: University of Nebraska–Lincoln, School of Art, Art History & Design: undergraduate majors; How to apply; Undergraduate admission; Undergraduate scholarships; Art major; Graphic design major; Transfer credit evaluation; 2026-2027 catalog: Art; Catalog: Graphic Design; International admission requirements; International dates and deadlines; Cost. The timeline is for fall 2027 entry. Check UNL’s website for the latest.