How to Apply to Art and Design at UT Austin: Studio Art BFA/BA with a 12–15-Piece Portfolio Including 2 Observational Works, Fall Entry Only and No Early Action, and Portfolio Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), undergraduate fine art is offered by the Department of Art and Art History in the College of Fine Arts. Its undergraduate majors are Studio Art, Art Education and Art History; Studio Art is the one that requires a portfolio. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on official UT Austin information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

Note: UT Austin’s design majors are not in the Department of Art and Art History; they are offered by the School of Design and Creative Technologies. See its website for requirements; they are not covered here.

1. Degrees and curriculum

• Two Studio Art degrees: the B.F.A. Studio Art and the B.A. Studio Art. UT says the BFA prepares students for an independent professional practice, while the BA suits students with interests beyond studio work; many BA students add a second major or a certificate.
• No single-medium degrees: there are no separate Painting or Photography degrees. Students take courses across five areas: Painting & Drawing, Photography & Media, Printmaking, Sculpture & Extended Media, and Transmedia. The major page says students can explore widely or focus on fewer areas; the FAQ says students select a track combining three disciplines. UT notes it has no photography program, so it is not a fit for students who want only a photography degree.
• First year: all incoming students take the department’s First-Year Core Program before advanced study.
• Course structure: both degrees include 14 university core courses, 4 First-Year Core studios and 4 art history courses; the BFA adds 16 studio art courses and 2 electives, and the BA 6 studio art courses plus 2–4 foreign language, 5 liberal arts and 3–5 electives.
• Art Education: the department also offers a B.F.A. Art Education; first-year applicants do not need a portfolio for it.
• One major only: the FAQ says you can apply to only one major; you can add a second major or a minor after earning 30 hours at UT.

2. Portfolio and artist statement

• How many: 12–15 works, two of them made from direct observation (no photographs or outside references); the rest can be anything. Observational work can be still lifes, figure drawings, self-portraits or landscape and architectural studies.
• Artist statement: 1–3 paragraphs on the art you make and why, which may cover your experience, instruction in and out of school, and goals.
• How to upload: 2–3 business days after applying you receive a UT EID; you then complete the College of Fine Arts supplemental application in MyStatus. Each file is one artwork and must be uploaded separately, with space for title, dimensions, medium and description; combine a series or detail shots into one PDF. Video can be an mp4 or a public YouTube or Vimeo link; Google Drive links are not accepted. A résumé is optional.
• UT’s advice: a strong portfolio balances technique, creativity and what makes you unique, and the department values concept and experimentation as much as technical skill. All media are welcome; photograph work well lit, sharp and cropped to the edge. Limit celebrity portraits and avoid copies of copyrighted anime, superhero, video game or cartoon characters.
• Review: each program’s faculty committee reviews the portfolio, essays and application holistically; UT calls the portfolio one of the most important parts of the application. The department does not offer one-on-one reviews but runs portfolio and application workshops in the fall.
• Selectivity: UT says its programs are highly competitive and admit rates vary by year; no figures are published, and Texas automatic admission does not guarantee a place in a major in this department.

3. Fall 2027 timeline

• Fall only: the College of Fine Arts admits for fall only.
• No Early Action: Fine Arts is exempt from UT’s 15 October Early Action timeline; all first-year applicants are reviewed on the regular timeline, so applying early gives no advantage.
• Apply through the Common App from 1 August, listing B.A. or B.F.A. Studio Art as your first choice, by 1 December;
• submit the portfolio and artist statement in MyStatus between 1 September and 10 December, when other required materials are also due;
• decisions by 15 February 2027.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Application: Common App, at least one essay and the required short answers; the international fee is USD 90 and cannot be waived.
• SAT/ACT required: at least one official SAT or ACT score (CLT also accepted) sent by the testing agency (SAT code 6882, ACT code 4240).
• Transcripts: secondary records equivalent to US grades 9–12. UT does not say how Gaokao or Chinese art exam (联考/校考) results are used and publishes no A-level or IB requirements for art; ask the department’s admissions team (adctadmissions@austin.utexas.edu).
• Optional: résumé and up to two recommendation letters.
• English: China is not on the exemption list; submit TOEFL iBT 79 (4 on the 1–6 scale), IELTS Academic 6.5 or Duolingo 115.

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

• English exemption: Canada (except Quebec) is on the exemption list; students who completed at least three years of high school and graduated in an exempt country are also exempt.
• SAT or ACT is still required, as are the portfolio and artist statement.
• UT publishes no grade requirements for the BC curriculum.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 estimate: non-resident tuition ranges from USD 42,554 to 51,106 depending on college; with housing and food, transportation, books and personal costs, the total is 64,204 to 72,916. Which tier applies to Fine Arts is not published; use UT’s cost estimator.
• Department scholarships: a limited number of merit awards go each year to incoming freshmen and transfer students based on portfolio and application materials; no separate application is needed. Amounts and international eligibility are not published.

7. Transfer

• External transfer: fall only; apply by 1 March and submit the portfolio, artist statement and résumé by 10 March; complete at least 24 transferable hours before 1 June, with priority for a transfer GPA of 3.0 or higher; decisions in early summer. International transfer applicants cannot count in-progress courses toward the 24 hours, and the fee is USD 90.
• Internal transfer or simultaneous major: apply in spring by 1 May with a portfolio and statement; internal transfer applicants may have no more than 60 hours in residence by the fall term and must not have completed four fall or spring semesters; a simultaneous major requires 30 hours in residence (AP, IB and transfer credit excluded); preference goes to a GPA of 3.0 or higher; you may apply to this department at most twice, and recommendation letters are not reviewed. The deadline carries a note for fall 2026 applicants to check UT’s updates, so confirm 2027 arrangements with UT.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through the Common App by 1 December with B.F.A. or B.A. Studio Art as your first choice (no Early Action for Fine Arts)
• By 10 December, upload the artist statement and 12–15 works, including two observational pieces, in MyStatus
• Official SAT or ACT required; TOEFL 79 (new scale 4), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115

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

• Graduates of Canadian high schools outside Quebec are generally exempt from English tests
• SAT or ACT required; the same portfolio requirements apply

Transfer students:

• External transfer is fall only, due 1 March, with 24 transferable hours and priority for GPA 3.0+, plus portfolio, statement and résumé
• Current UT students apply in spring by 1 May, at most twice

Sources: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Art and Art History admissions; Apply to undergraduate Studio Art; Preparing your portfolio; Undergraduate FAQ; Tuition and scholarships; Apply to undergraduate Art Education; Studio Art major; Freshman applicants; International freshman applicants; International student information and English; International transfer; 2026-27 cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (2026-27 cost estimates). Check UT Austin for the latest details.