How to apply to art and design at Western Washington University: a 10–12 piece portfolio with observational drawing for the Art Studio BA, and a Design BFA that admits 54 pre-majors each March from a set-assignment portfolio and 36 to the major, with portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

Western Washington University (WWU) is in Bellingham, Washington, which WWU describes as between Seattle and Vancouver, Canada. Undergraduate art and design is in the College of Fine and Performing Arts, split between the Department of Art & Art History and the Department of Design. WWU runs on quarters. This guide summarises WWU’s published requirements for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Degrees

• Art Studio BA: an individual plan of study across ceramics, drawing and painting, fibers, photography, printmaking, sculpture and expanded media, and time-based art, plus art history and professional development.
• Art Studio BFA: a selective expanded program built around a year-long professional body of work, ending in a Western Gallery exhibition and catalog. It is open only to currently enrolled WWU Art Studio BA majors.
• Design BFA: students start as pre-majors and enter the BFA after a second portfolio review, studying graphic design, typography, print, motion, interaction and digital design. WWU says the shortest time to finish the design sequence is three years.
• WWU also offers Art History and Art Education majors, an Illustration certificate and minors such as Museum Studies.

2. Art Studio BA: portfolio with the application

• Who can apply: first-year, current WWU and transfer students; you must also complete the WWU admissions application.
• Deadlines: rolling, 15 October or 31 January.
• Review: academic credentials and a portfolio review.
• Portfolio:
  • A PDF or PowerPoint (ppt or pptx) file under 12 MB, with your name and current academic status (for example High School, or Transfer Student plus your class standing) on the first page.
  • 10–12 of your best original works completed in the past three years, in a range of media (ceramics, drawing, fiber art, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, time-based work).
  • 2–3 works must show direct observational drawing in traditional media (graphite, charcoal or conté): drawn from life, not from photographs or imagination, showing line and/or value; still life, figure, portrait, landscape or architecture.
  • For each work give the title, medium, dimensions (or running time for time-based work) and completion date, and your role in group projects. Do not embed time-based files; use a placeholder image and a link.
  • Include only resolved work, no preliminary sketches or works in progress.
  • WWU says it has no degree or classes in digital illustration or anime, and asks applicants not to submit work geared towards industrial or graphic design.
• To build a portfolio, non-majors can take foundation studio courses such as ART 110, ART 120 and ART 230.

3. Design BFA: two portfolio reviews

• First review: pre-major admission (once a year):
  • The 2027-2028 application opens 6 January 2027 and closes 24 March 2027 at 4pm; decisions come on 14 April and admitted students start that fall. WWU calls it highly competitive and reviews all applications together, so early submission gives no advantage.
  • The department’s target is 54 pre-majors a year; the number varies with applications.
  • Portfolio: seven set assignments (Formstorming, Letterform Composition, Logo Concepts, Ideal Multi-Tool, Graphic Simplification, Instructional Comic, Adjective/Noun Illustration) plus three projects of your choice in any medium, which may include process work from the assignments.
  • Format: one letter-size portrait PDF, 16 MB maximum; images at least 1080 px and 150 px/inch; a candidate statement of up to 150 words on the first page; no name anywhere, for anonymous review; file named lastname_firstname_year.pdf. The brief says the projects are meant to be made with as few digital tools as possible.
  • The application page notes that first-year WWU admission decisions start in March (the page says 2026) and students confirm by 1 May.
• Second review: BFA major: after the 200-level courses (fall and most of winter), pre-majors submit a portfolio of coursework, due 12 March 2027 at 4pm; 36 of the 54 are admitted to the BFA and start upper-division courses in spring. Those not admitted who finish the 200-level courses receive a Design minor.
• Department advice: have a second major or plan B before applying; reapplying the next year is possible but not encouraged.
• Grades: pre-majors and majors must keep a 2.50 GPA overall and in design courses, with C- or better in all design courses.
• Transfer students are strongly encouraged to plan for fall entry, because pre-major courses run in sequence and most are offered once a year.

4. University application (international students)

• First-year deadlines (no year given): fall early action 1 November and regular decision 31 January; winter 15 September; spring 1 January.
• Application: the WWU Application or the Common App (submit only one); $70 non-refundable fee. Essays and an activities list are optional.
• Documents: official secondary school credentials (with certified English translations when needed); WWU says an official evaluation from an approved organization may also be required; English scores; the Declaration of Financial Responsibility and financial documents.
• IB, Cambridge International and AP: up to 45 credits.

5. English

• TOEFL iBT 4.0 or higher from 21 January 2026 (79 before that); IELTS 6.0; Duolingo 105; SAT reading and writing 550; or B (3.0) or higher in two college English composition courses at a US institution. Scores must come directly from the testing service by the priority deadline.
• Exemption: secondary education in the US, Australia, the English-speaking provinces of Canada, Ireland, the UK or New Zealand. Applicants educated in English elsewhere can ask for a waiver with an official letter from their school.

6. Students at high schools in China

• Grades: WWU says admission is selective and cumulative academic achievement matters most, but it publishes no minimum GPA or conversion for Chinese high school grades; ask International Admissions (admissions@wwu.edu).
• Gaokao and art exams: not published.
• English: submit TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or another accepted score (section 5).

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

• English: secondary education in an English-speaking province of Canada meets the requirement.
• Grades: requirements for BC or other provinces are not published; ask admissions.
• Portfolios: the Art Studio BA and Design pre-major pages list no country-specific requirements.

8. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall priority 1 March and regular 1 June; summer 1 March; winter 15 September; spring 1 January.
• Documents: official transcripts from every college attended, issued within the last year; a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES member (WWU suggests WES or IEE) for study outside the US; secondary credentials for those with fewer than 45 transferable quarter (30 semester) credits.
• Art Studio BA: transfer students apply by 15 October or 31 January and mark “Transfer Student” and their class standing on the portfolio.
• Design: transfer students go through the same pre-major review and are strongly encouraged to start in fall.

9. Costs and scholarships

• International estimate (no year given): tuition (10–18 credits) $27,717, fees $1,974, housing and meals $16,893, books and supplies $1,224, transportation $2,691, personal $1,968, health insurance $1,502, total $54,419, plus a one-time $450 new student enrollment fee. International students pay the out-of-state rate.
• International Achievement Award (IAA): up to $10,000 a year for up to four years for first years, based on the application (including optional essays and activities), transcripts, GPA, English proficiency and applying by the priority deadline, with no separate scholarship application. A 3.0 GPA is required and must be kept for renewal. It is available only to students who apply with WWU’s own application, not the Common App. A transfer version runs up to two years and needs at least 45 quarter credits.
• Department scholarships: WWU is moving to a single scholarship application. Art & Art History lists a departmental tuition waiver (up to $1,800, full-time) and the George W. Keagle Art Scholarship ($400–800, with a portfolio and a statement of artistic intent), among others; the Department of Design awards scholarships to majors each spring. Eligibility of international students is not stated.

Checklists

Students at high schools in China:

• Use the WWU Application (needed for the IAA) by 31 January for fall regular decision; $70 fee
• TOEFL 4.0 (79 on the old scale), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105
• Art Studio: 10–12 works including 2–3 observational drawings by 15 October or 31 January
• Design: seven set assignments plus three projects by 24 March 2027; have a plan B major

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

• English-speaking provinces are exempt from English tests; ask admissions about BC grades

Transfer students:

• Fall priority deadline 1 March; WES or IEE course-by-course evaluation for study abroad; plan for the 24 March Design pre-major deadline

Sources: Western Washington University, Art Studio; Apply to Art; Art Studio BA application; Art & Art History scholarships; Design admissions; Design program; Design FAQ; 2027 Design pre-major portfolio assignments (PDF); Design BFA pre-major application; Applying as an international student; International tuition and scholarships. Design dates are for the 2027-2028 application; the university deadline and international cost pages give no year. Check WWU’s website for the latest.