How to apply to Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design: six bachelor’s degrees with direct admission and no portfolio at application, a Studio Art B.F.A. entered after a sophomore portfolio review and interview, and portfolio-based school scholarships — requirements and timelines for students in China, students in Canada and transfer students

At Indiana University Bloomington (IU), undergraduate art and design is in the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Its key feature: no portfolio is needed to apply to IU. A portfolio comes in only twice — for entry to the Studio Art B.F.A., and for the school’s first-year scholarships. Here is what you need to know, based on IU’s official websites, for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Six bachelor’s degrees

• Comprehensive Design (B.S.): the intersections of interiors, architecture, public art and the urban environment;
• Interior Design (B.S.);
• Fashion Design (B.A.): designing and constructing garments, or the history, culture, economics and law of fashion;
• Merchandising (B.S.): product development, sourcing, branding and consumer behavior in fashion and retail;
• Studio Art (B.A.): focus on one studio area or study broadly; a focus is not required;
• Studio Art (B.F.A.): intensive work in one studio area, with an individual work space, an average class size of eight and a final-semester solo thesis exhibition.

The nine studio areas are Ceramics, Digital Art, Fibers, Graphic Design, Metals + Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture. The school’s architecture degree is the graduate M.Arch; none of the six bachelor’s degrees is in architecture.

2. Direct admission, no portfolio

• Freshmen apply to IU Bloomington and list an Eskenazi major; once admitted to IU they start directly in that program, with immediate access to the school’s advising and career resources.
• No portfolio: the school says incoming students do not submit a portfolio with the IU application.
• Creative Core: all majors take these courses in the first two years — an introduction to art, design and merchandising, Color, Drawing, 3D Design and cross-disciplinary workshops.
• Laptop: students must have their own laptop. Interior Design and Comprehensive Design software is Windows-based, and the school states that a Mac will not meet the requirements; it lists minimum to recommended specifications (for example 16GB RAM and up, a dedicated graphics card).

3. Studio Art B.F.A.: B.A. first, then portfolio and interview

• No direct admission: freshmen choose the Studio Art B.A. and can apply to the B.F.A. after two to three semesters of studio courses on the Bloomington campus.
• Review: a portfolio review and an interview with the faculty of the area you apply to; admission is competitive and space is limited, so some students apply more than once and receive faculty advice if not admitted. The B.F.A. is generally a four-semester commitment.
• Dates: fall 2026 — priority deadline 23 October, interviews 30 October, notification 2 November; spring 2027 — 12 March, 26 March and 29 March.

4. Eskenazi first-year scholarships (portfolio required)

• Eligibility: complete your IU application by 1 November and list an Eskenazi major; after admission you are invited to submit the scholarship application by 1 February.
• Portfolio: required for every scholarship, regardless of major; instructions come with the invitation, typically 5–10 pieces of any discipline and level, combined into one PDF with a description of each piece.
• Amounts: for example the Lois Eskenazi Scholarship, US$12,000 over four years (US$3,000 a year, any Eskenazi major), and the Susan Barker Yeley Scholarship, US$16,000 over four years (Interior Design); two Studio Art scholarships total US$11,420 and US$10,000 over four years. The number of awards depends on funding.
• Timing: decisions roll out from March to recipients only; if you hear nothing by 1 May you were not selected, and recipients accept by 1 May. Switching to a major outside the school ends eligibility.
• The page does not say whether international students are eligible; confirm with the school.

5. IU deadlines and applying

• Early action (non-binding): complete by 1 November for a response by 15 January; this is also the threshold for IU and Eskenazi scholarships.
• Regular decision: complete by 1 February for a response by 15 March; 1 February is also the Global Engagement Scholarship deadline for international students. Later applications are considered as space allows.
• Admitted students confirm by 1 May with a US$100 nonrefundable deposit credited to first-semester tuition. The international deadlines page does not show a year.
• Testing: test-optional; you choose whether IU considers SAT/ACT. Recommendation letters are optional.

6. Students at high schools in China

• Courses and grades: IU recommends at least 34 credits (semesters) of college-preparatory courses across English or native language, math, social science, lab science and world language; students typically have the equivalent of a B average or higher.
• Transcripts: Grades 10 and 11 transcripts in the original language with the school’s original ink seal, and later the graduation certificate (毕业证书) with the seal.
• English: TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, PTE 53, SAT EBRW 560 or ACT English 21; IB HL English A 4+, A-Level First-language English A–C or AP English 3+ also count. Scores are valid for two years. After admission, students need a higher level (for example TOEFL 100, IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 130) or another criterion, or may take English courses.
• IU publishes no Gaokao policy.

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

• Transcripts: BC Grades 10 and 11 transcript, then the BC High School Diploma; Canadian schools must send records directly to IU.
• English: Canada is on IU’s list of English-speaking countries; Canadian citizens or students with three full years of secondary school there are exempt.
• BC grade requirements are not published.

8. Costs

• International undergraduate nine-month estimate (no academic year shown): tuition and mandatory fees US$44,339, housing and food 12,431, health insurance 1,916, miscellaneous 2,470, total US$61,156. IU charges flat tuition for up to 40 credits across fall, spring and intersessions; some programs add costs.
• International students who complete their application by 1 February are automatically considered for international merit scholarships.

9. Transfer students

• Apply to IU Bloomington first (international students through the Office of International Services) and use the credit transfer tool to check how courses transfer.
• For the Studio Art B.F.A., you also need studio courses on the Bloomington campus — usually two to three semesters — before applying for the review.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• List an Eskenazi major (Studio Art B.A. if you aim for the B.F.A.); complete by 1 November
• For school scholarships: submit 5–10 works by 1 February after the invitation
• TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5; sealed Grade 10–11 transcripts

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

• Same deadlines; your school sends Grade 10–11 transcripts directly; Canadian citizens or three years of Canadian high school are exempt from English tests

Transfer students:

• Apply to IU first; for the B.F.A., take studio courses at Bloomington and then apply for the portfolio review and interview

Sources: Indiana University Bloomington, Eskenazi School: how to apply; Undergraduate majors; Studio Art B.A.; Studio Art B.F.A.; Applying to the B.F.A. program; B.F.A. application dates; Creative Core; Eskenazi School scholarships; Laptop requirement; International application deadlines; International freshman admission standards; English proficiency; Transcripts and credentials; International undergraduate costs. Costs are the figures currently published (no academic year shown); check the IU website for the latest.