How to apply to art and design at Western Michigan University: every Gwen Frostic School of Art applicant submits 8–12 works through SlideRoom, with a foundation year before BFA portfolio reviews, plus portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

Western Michigan University (WMU), in Kalamazoo, Michigan, teaches undergraduate art and design in the Gwen Frostic School of Art within the College of Fine Arts. WMU states that it is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). This guide summarises WMU’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 and majors

• BA in Art: a 54-credit major within 122 credits, including 12 credits of foundation courses, writing, 12 credits of art history, 12 credits of 2D and 3D studio courses and 15 credits of studio electives.
• BFAs: Graphic Design, Art Education (with K–12 teacher certification), and the BFA in Art with emphases in ceramics, metals/jewelry, painting, photography, printmedia and sculpture.
• BS in Kinetic Imaging: listed as a new program, with tracks in animation, game art and video art; coursework covers world building, character development, virtual production, AR/VR, creative coding and 3D modeling, and intersects with the Multimedia Art Technology program in the School of Music.
• Other: BA in Art History, pre-art therapy and minors.
• Foundation year: all students take Foundation Art in their first year; Object Drawing, Drawing Studio, Form and Surface and Form and Space are prerequisites for all studio art, design and art education majors, and Kinetic Imaging majors also take Time and Process.
• Choosing a concentration: the admissions page says students can apply to a studio concentration (art education, ceramics, graphic design, kinetic imaging, metals and jewelry, painting, photography, printmedia, sculpture) in the latter half of the foundation year; admission to the school does not guarantee a specific concentration.
• Graphic design: the BFA sequence starts in sophomore year with courses in typography, visual systems and design applications in a set order, and includes a Design Center internship in senior year.

2. Portfolio (when applying)

• Two steps: apply to WMU before or at the same time as the School of Art. For any degree or minor, you submit a portfolio through SlideRoom, which charges a $10 fee.
• Size: 8–12 original (not copied) works made in the last two years, from art classes or personal projects, in any media, including photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, video or animation, and GIFs.
• Must include: at least one direct observation drawing or still life; at least one 2D work that is not photography; the rest should be your strongest work in any medium.
• Statement of intent: every applicant writes a 400–600-word essay in SlideRoom on their creative and academic goals at the school.
• Timing: rolling admission, with decisions made monthly and sent by mailed letter. To be considered for first-year scholarships, apply before 1 February.
• No interview or set assignment is mentioned.

3. Second portfolio review for BFAs

• WMU says students are first accepted to the school as Bachelor of Arts candidates and can then apply to a BFA.
• Graphic Design and Art Education BFAs: portfolio reviews through SlideRoom in spring of the freshman year, for entry in fall of the sophomore year; students must then take courses in sequence to stay in the program.
• BFA in Art emphases (ceramics, metals/jewelry, painting, photography, printmedia, sculpture): also through SlideRoom.
• Deadline: BFA applications are due in February each year; the exact date is not given, so check with the school.
• The pages we read do not state the number of works for BFA reviews (Art Education has a separate application PDF); ask the school.

4. Applying and deadlines (international first-year)

• Fall 2027: the admissions page lists Early Action (non-binding) on 1 December 2026, with admissions merit scholarships and priority Honors College invitations, then rolling admission to 1 June 2027.
• International undergraduate deadlines (no year shown): fall 1 June, spring 1 September.
• Application fee: the international page previously listed $100, non-refundable; it did not show an amount when this guide was checked, so check the application system.
• Documents: transcripts, diplomas and exam results from all secondary and post-secondary schools with official grading scales, and certified English translations. Unofficial transcripts are accepted for decisions; official ones must arrive by the end of the first semester. Students from some countries may submit exam results instead of traditional transcripts.
• Testing: test-optional.

5. English

• TOEFL 71 (new scale 4), IELTS 6.0, PTE 48 or Duolingo 100, within two years.
• IB higher-level English 5, IGCSE English A to C and others are also accepted; students below the minimum can start at WMU’s Center for English Language and Culture.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 international estimates (tuition and fees, housing and meals, health insurance): lower level $37,250 a year, upper level (after 55 credits) $39,290, plus about $3,600 for personal expenses, books and supplies. WMU notes that some colleges charge additional tuition and fees; whether the College of Fine Arts does, and how much, is not published.
• Global Education Undergraduate Merit Scholarship: up to $10,000 a year toward tuition; minimum 3.0 GPA, no separate application.
• School of Art entry scholarships: no separate form; your SlideRoom portfolio is the application, and you must apply before 1 February. Awards are presented each March at the senior exhibition reception. Whether international students are eligible, and the amounts, are not published.
• Current students apply for other art scholarships through Scholarship Universe.

7. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao and art exams: WMU does not say how they are used; ask international admissions.
• Portfolio: the requirements are the same for all countries; prepare 8–12 works with an observational drawing and a non-photographic 2D piece.
• Transcripts: add certified English translations and grading scales.

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

• English: Canada is on the exemption list with an asterisk, requiring four years of high school in an English-medium system.
• Grades: grade requirements for BC courses are not published; apply through the international process.

9. Transfer students

• The School of Art encourages prospective transfer students to contact its academic advisor early to discuss transferable credits, an admission timeline and courses to take at their current school; WMU’s transfer guides show course equivalencies.
• University-wide: cumulative college GPA of at least 2.00; courses below C do not transfer; students from two-year colleges need at least 60 credits at four-year institutions; at least 30 credits must be taken at WMU.
• Whether transfer students submit a separate portfolio, and how many works, is not stated on the pages we read; ask the school.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply to WMU and submit 8–12 works plus a 400–600-word statement of intent through SlideRoom
• Apply by 1 February for School of Art entry scholarships
• Prepare IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 71; finish the international application by 1 June for fall
• Ask international admissions how the Gaokao is used

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

• Same portfolio and deadlines
• Check whether you completed four years of English-medium high school; otherwise prepare English scores

Transfer students:

• College GPA of 2.00 or higher; contact the School of Art advisor about credits and timing first

Sources: Western Michigan University, Gwen Frostic School of Art; Art admissions; BFA program admissions; Foundation Art; BFA in Graphic Design; BS in Kinetic Imaging: Animation; BS in Kinetic Imaging: Game Art; BA in Art; Art scholarships; Application deadlines; International applicants and costs; English proficiency; International funding; Transfer criteria. International deadlines do not state a year; costs are 2026-27 estimates. Check WMU’s website for the latest.