How to Apply to Art and Design at Oregon State University: Art and Graphic Design Students Start with Core Studio and Need No Portfolio to Apply, and Graphic Design Students Apply Competitively for the Professional Program After a Pre-Professional Year, with Portfolio Requirements and Timelines for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

Oregon State University (OSU) is based in Corvallis, Oregon. Undergraduate art and design are offered by the School of Visual, Performing and Design Arts (SVPDA) in the College of Liberal Arts. OSU uses quarters, and bachelor’s degrees generally require 180 credits. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027, based on OSU’s website and catalog, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Programs

• Art: BA, BS and BFA (honors versions through the Honors College).
  • BA/BS options: Art History, Photography and Digital Studio, and Studio Art;
  • BFA options: Studio Art (painting, drawing, sculpture, installation arts, printmaking and expanded media) and Photography and Digital Studio.
• Graphic Design: BFA (HBFA through the Honors College).
• Arts, Media, and Technology: BA and BS, and a BFA with a Visual Studies option, plus a Media Arts option.
• Core Studio in the first year: BA, BS and BFA students in Studio Art, Photography and Digital Studio, Graphic Design and Art History all begin with the same foundation courses, including an introduction to art, 2-D design and color, 3-D design, digital media and drawing.
• Studio Art BFA grades: courses below C- do not count, and a 3.00 GPA must be kept in the art courses used for the BFA.
• Students have 24-hour access to campus studios, and upper-division painting students have individual studios. The department mentions need- and merit-based scholarships.

2. When the portfolio is due

• Applying to OSU: the art and graphic design pages and international first-year requirements we read do not list a portfolio at application; admission follows university-wide requirements.
• Graphic Design: new students enter as Pre-Graphic Design. The pre-professional program usually takes a year, after which admission to the professional program is competitive; professional graphic design courses are closed to others. To apply, students must be declared Pre-Graphic Design and have a C- or better in all pre-major courses by the end of spring term. The pre-major includes GD 126 Graphic Design Pro Application, where requirements are set; OSU does not publish a piece count separately. Once admitted, the professional program takes three more years regardless of transfer credit.
• Studio Art BFA: the catalog lists no separate portfolio review, only the grade requirements above.

3. Deadlines and testing (Corvallis campus, fall 2027)

• Early Action: 2 November 2026; complete files hear by mid-December.
• Priority deadline: 1 February 2027 for full consideration and the widest scholarship options; later admission and scholarships depend on space and funds. Documents for 1 February applicants are due 12 February.
• Deadlines also apply to changes of term, major and campus. Winter 2027 closes 8 December 2026 and spring 2027 on 3 March 2027.
• Testing is optional.

4. International requirements

• Academic: direct admission needs a 3.0 high school GPA, an IB Diploma of 26, or five IGCSE subjects averaging 3.0 on the NCAA scale (including maths, English, science and two electives).
• English: TOEFL iBT 70, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 100 and others; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, ACT English, IB or AP English results can also qualify.
• Pathway: applicants below direct-entry standards may be offered International Year One (IYO) with INTO OSU, with lower thresholds (for example a 2.5 GPA and IELTS 5.5); its credits count toward the degree.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao and art exams: OSU does not say how they are used; applicants are assessed on high school grades (GPA 3.0).
• An IB Diploma of 26 qualifies for direct admission; AP and IB scores can meet subject requirements and earn credit.
• OSU advises applicants educated abroad to apply early, as international review takes about two extra weeks.

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

• OSU publishes no Canada- or BC-specific grade requirement; applicants are assessed against the international 3.0 GPA standard.
• English: OSU says applicants who completed much of their education outside the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, English-speaking Canada or New Zealand may be asked for English scores; English-speaking Canada is on that list. Students from French-speaking Canada should check with international admissions.

7. Transfer

• Who is a transfer: students with at least 24 quarter (16 semester) graded transferable credits; current high school students apply as first-years.
• International transfers: a college GPA of 2.25 to 2.49 with college maths, or 2.50 without; English of TOEFL 80 (16+ in each section), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 110.
• Deadlines: for fall 2027, priority (scholarship) 20 March 2027 and final 25 August; winter 8 December 2026 and spring 3 March 2027.
• Graphic Design: transfers with an associate degree in graphic design or a related field may contact the program coordinator to submit a design portfolio for junior-level entry; space is limited.

8. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 non-resident undergraduate estimate (US$, three terms): tuition and fees 42,459 (15 credits a term), food and housing 18,066, books, personal and transportation 4,488; total about 65,013. Tuition varies by program, credits and residency.
• International program prices (2025-26): first-year undergraduate tuition and fees 41,110 for three terms, housing and meals 15,840, insurance 2,880.
• Scholarships (2025-26): the Provost’s Scholarship for Excellence is US$6,000 a year for up to four years with no separate application, for first-years with a 3.5+ GPA (or IB 30+, or A-levels of two Bs and a C) and transfers with a 3.25+ college GPA. Regional awards are automatic by country of residence, and the regions listed do not include mainland China or Canada.
• Whether international students can receive art department scholarships, and studio course fees, are not published.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Early Action by 2 November 2026 or priority by 1 February 2027; documents by 12 February
• GPA 3.0, TOEFL 70, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 100; testing optional; no portfolio to apply

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

• Same deadlines; English requirements for English-speaking Canada are in section 6

Transfer students:

• Fall priority 20 March, final 25 August; graphic design transfers with a related associate degree should contact the coordinator first

Sources: Oregon State University, Catalog: School of Visual, Performing and Design Arts; Art major; Studio Art BFA option; Graphic Design BFA; Arts, Media, and Technology; Core Studio; Studio Art; Admission deadlines; International first-year requirements; International transfer requirements; Cost of attendance; International program prices; International undergraduate scholarships. This covers fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 estimates; international program prices and scholarships are for 2025-26). Check OSU’s website for the latest.