How to Apply to Art at the University of Denver: Students in the School of Art and Art History Start in a BA, Submit a Portfolio After Admission for Scholarships and Apply or Go Through Review for the BFA on Campus, with Portfolio Requirements and Timelines for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Denver (DU), undergraduate art is taught by the School of Art and Art History (SAAH). Here is what you need to know, based on DU’s website and the 2026-2027 Undergraduate Bulletin, 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. We could not access the school’s own website this time, so school-level details follow the bulletin.

1. Degrees

• Studio Art: BA and BFA; both include ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.
• Pre-Art Conservation: BFA. Besides art, it requires 24 credits of chemistry (including the organic chemistry sequence) and 24 credits of language, with a senior project done with a conservator.
• Art, Culture & Technology: BA, 48 credits, with courses such as programming for play, tabletop game design, 3D modeling and sound cultures.
• Art History: BA, with a 4+1 BA/MA option.
• A 4+1 option with the College of Education pairs a Studio Art BA or BFA with a master’s and K–12 art teaching licensure.
• Quarter system: fall, winter and spring quarters. BA degrees require 183 credits (60 in the Art BA major); the Studio Art BFA requires 189–192 (110–135 in art, including at least 70 in studio art).
• Foundations: 2-D, 3-D, Drawing and Concepts (ARTS 1100, 1200, 1250, 1300) come before upper-level studio courses. Some studio courses carry a lab fee; amounts are not published.

2. When the portfolio is due and how to enter the BFA

• No portfolio to apply: the bulletin says students admitted to the university and the school for fall receive instructions on submitting a portfolio for merit scholarship consideration. The number of pieces and format are not published.
• Two descriptions of BFA entry in the bulletin:
  • The school overview says all admitted students enter as a BA in Art History or Studio Art; those interested in the Studio Art or Pre-Art Conservation BFA apply under faculty guidance once enrolled.
  • The Studio Art and Pre-Art Conservation sections say students may enter as a BA or BFA, and BFA students go through the BFA Review after the foundations sequence, seeking studio faculty guidance in their first quarter.
  Both appear in the bulletin; follow the school’s instructions after you enroll.
• BA students may combine majors or minors within the school, with no reduction in total credits.
• Distinction in the Major needs a 3.3 major GPA, a 3.5 cumulative GPA and a project completed with distinction.

3. Deadlines and materials (international first-years)

• Deadlines: 1 November for Early Decision I and Early Action; 15 January for Early Decision II and Regular Decision. The page does not state an entry year; check DU’s website. ED is binding.
• Application: Common App with an essay; US$65 fee, with case-by-case hardship waivers.
• Recommendation: one letter from a teacher or counselor, ideally with your class standing and other academic measures; extra letters are optional.
• Testing: optional. Submitted SAT/ACT scores count for admission and merit scholarships; writing and subject tests are not considered; students from non-graded schools must submit SAT or ACT.
• Reference figures: admitted students for fall 2025 averaged a 3.76 GPA and a 1310 SAT (middle 50% 1230–1410); about 67% applied test-optional. There is no minimum GPA.
• Interview: optional, through Vericant or InitialView, or an information interview with an admission counselor.

4. English requirements

• TOEFL: tests from 21 January 2026, total 4 with 4 in each section; earlier tests, total 80 with 18 in each section.
• IELTS 6.5 with no band below 5.5; Duolingo 115 (Literacy and Comprehension at least 105, Conversation and Production at least 115); Cambridge CAE grade C or higher.
• All scores must come from one sitting; superscores (including TOEFL MyBest) are not accepted. Scores are valid for two years.
• Possible exemptions (not guaranteed): completing the final three years and graduating from an English-medium high school; SAT EBRW 600 or higher; ACT English 25 or higher.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Documents: current students send transcripts for grades 10–11; graduates send grades 10–12 and the graduation certificate. Transcripts in another language need certified English translations.
• Gaokao and art exams: DU does not say how they are used.
• DU reviews grades in the context of your home country’s system.

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

• Documents: BC students still in school send grades 10–11; graduates send grades 10–12 and Ministry of Education results.
• English: completing the final three years at an English-medium high school may qualify you for an exemption (not guaranteed).
• No BC score requirements are published.

7. Transfer students

• The bulletin encourages prospective transfers to contact the school before applying about degree programs and transfer credit; admitted students also start in a BA, with the BFA applied for after enrolling.
• Deadlines: rolling, with dates for each quarter: fall, 1 April priority and 1 June final (later as space allows); winter, 17 October; spring, 1 February; summer, 1 May.
• Credit: courses must reasonably match DU courses, with a C- (1.7) or better; semester hours are converted to quarter hours. Applicants with fewer than 30 semester credits also send high school transcripts.
• English: 30 semester credits at an English-medium university, or a C or better in English 121 and 122, exempts you from testing.

8. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-2027 international estimate (US$, three quarters): tuition 63,720, student fees 1,584, housing 11,283, meals 7,532, health insurance 3,998, books and supplies 1,000, personal 1,782, transportation 627; total about 91,526. Every student must also have a laptop.
• Aid: no need-based aid for international students; DU says it is need-aware in admission decisions.
• Merit scholarships: automatic at application, US$15,000–40,000 a year for first-years and US$12,000–25,000 for transfers, mostly renewable; DU says almost none cover the full cost.
• Art school scholarships: by portfolio after admission (see section 2); amounts are not published.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through Common App by 1 November (ED I, EA) or 15 January (ED II, RD), with essay and recommendation
• IELTS 6.5 or new-format TOEFL 4; testing optional
• After admission, watch for the art school’s portfolio instructions for scholarships

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

• Same deadlines; graduates of English-medium high schools (final three years) can request an English exemption
• Send grades 10–12 as instructed

Transfer students:

• Contact the art school first; fall deadlines 1 April (priority) and 1 June (final); C- or better to transfer credit

Sources: University of Denver, 2026-2027 Undergraduate Bulletin: School of Art and Art History; International first-year applicants; Admission standards and English proficiency; Academic credentials by country; International tuition and scholarships; International transfer applicants. The deadline page does not state an entry year; costs are 2026-2027 estimates. Check DU’s website for the latest.