How to apply to Moore College of Art & Design for art and design: 10 BFA majors after a Foundation year, all-gender enrollment from 2027-28, an 8–12 piece portfolio, December early action and rolling admission, automatic merit scholarships for international students — portfolio requirements and timelines for students in China, Canada and transfer students

Moore College of Art & Design, founded in 1848 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an art and design college whose undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA); it also has graduate programs. This guide summarizes the official requirements for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP), students at Canadian high schools (including BC/Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. First: all-gender enrollment from 2027-28

• Policy change: Moore was a women’s art college and began welcoming nonbinary and gender-nonconforming students in 2020. On June 2, 2026, Moore announced that its boards voted to open undergraduate enrollment to students of all genders, planned to take effect in the 2027-28 academic year. The undergraduate admissions policy (approved June 1, 2026) states that admission is open to qualified applicants of all genders.
• The announcement says implementation details and enrollment timelines will be shared later, so fall 2027 applicants should watch for updates.

2. Majors and when you choose

• Degree: all undergraduate majors lead to the BFA.
• 10 majors: Animation & Game Arts, Art Education, Fashion Design, Film & Digital Cinema, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Immersive Experience Design, Interior Design and Photography, plus 15 minors.
• Foundation first: every first-year student takes Foundation and then chooses an academic path. Fall brings Foundation Drawing I and 2D Design; spring brings Color, 3D Design and either Drawing Visual Communication or Creative Design, depending on the intended major.
• A major course in the first semester: each major has a Bridge-to-Major course taken in the first semester, such as Animation I for Animation & Game Arts, Printmaking for Fine Arts and Intro to Fashion Design for Fashion Design.
• More: Foundation students visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to sketch; there is a two-week international study program each year; Moore says it provides a USD 1,000 paid internship for every BFA student. A 4+1 option adds a year for a master’s in Art Education or Socially Engaged Art.
• Changing majors: the site does not publish the rules for changing majors after enrolling; ask admissions or an academic advisor.

3. Portfolio

• How many: 8–12 of your best pieces created in the past 1–2 years; leave out unfinished work.
• Any medium: painting, sculpture, ceramics, graphic design, animation, garments, fashion illustration, photography, film and more. No theme is needed, and design applicants are not required to show design work.
• Observational drawing: 2–3 observational drawings are suggested, drawn from people, objects and spaces around you; copies of photographs or other people’s art do not count.
• Format: high-resolution JPG, PNG or PDF, with an image inventory listing title, medium and dimensions, submitted through Moore’s SlideRoom page, which links it to your application. Moore also strongly encourages presenting the portfolio in person during a campus visit.
• Interior Design and Film & Digital Cinema: the programs page says first-year applicants to these two majors can submit a supplemental essay instead of a portfolio. The portfolio page puts it slightly differently: Interior Design applicants may submit an essay instead, while Film & Digital Cinema applicants may submit a 2–5 minute motion reel or a script or storyboard sample (noting their role in collaborative work) or a standard 8–12 piece portfolio. Both versions are listed here; confirm with admissions.
• Portfolio reviews: get informal feedback during a campus tour, an on-campus event, an online one-on-one or a National Portfolio Day.

4. Application materials and deadlines

• What counts: the quality of the portfolio and the overall academic record, plus motivation and creative potential.
• How to apply: Moore’s own application or the Common App. The application fee is not published; ask admissions.
• Required: the application, transcripts sent by your school counselor and the portfolio.
• Optional: SAT/ACT (a screenshot is accepted for admission review), an essay on why you like to create and your goals, and one or two recommendations from non-family members.
• Early action: submit the application, transcript and portfolio by December 7, 2026 to receive a decision by the end of December.
• Rolling admission and priority date: Moore reviews applications all year as space remains in each program, until orientation begins. It recommends applying by the December 8 priority date; students who complete all materials by December 8 receive a non-binding one-time USD 1,000 grant. The how-to-apply page lists December 7 for early action and December 8 for the priority date; both are given as shown.
• Visit award: BFA students entering in fall 2027 who attend an on-campus event or meet an admissions counselor between June 1, 2026 and August 1, 2027 receive a USD 2,000 Campus Visit Award once they enroll.

5. International applicants

• Category: international students meet the first-year or transfer requirements.
• English: applicants whose first language is not English and who are not U.S. dual citizens need TOEFL iBT 79 (paper 550, computer 213), IELTS 6.5 or SAT critical reading 500; transfers may instead complete two semesters of college English composition with a C or better at an accredited U.S. institution. Duolingo is not listed.
• Transcripts: official secondary credentials (and any college transcripts), with official English translations, mailed directly by the issuing institution; student copies are not official. The international page suggests contacting WES for credit evaluation, while the how-to-apply page says Moore uses WES to evaluate foreign transcripts and that transcripts and diplomas must be authenticated before admission.
• I-20: issued after admission once admissions receives documents showing full funding for the first year. The required amount is not published.
• Credit: up to 3 studio elective credits from IB (SL 7 or HL 4+) and up to 9 liberal arts credits (HL 4+ only); 3 credits per AP English, Art History or History exam at 4+, and up to 3 credits from AP studio art at 4+. A-Level credit is not published.

6. Notes for students in China and Canada

• China: the site does not say how the Gaokao or art exam (联考/校考) results are used. Prepare as an international applicant: English scores, translated and authenticated transcripts and graduation certificate, and the portfolio.
• Canada: there are no published BC grade requirements and no country list for English waivers; the page only says applicants whose first language is not English must show proficiency. Ask admissions how BC transcripts are reviewed and whether you need an English test.

7. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 BFA costs: tuition USD 54,018, general fee 1,852, technology fee 266, estimated class fees 300, plus a one-time orientation fee of 148 and a commencement fee of 249; on-campus housing and food 21,058, books, supplies and computer 3,000, personal 900. Moore’s first-year on-campus total is USD 81,622. Tuition is the same for international and domestic students.
• Housing: housing is guaranteed for all four undergraduate years. The transfer page lists exemptions such as living with a parent in listed nearby counties, being 22 or older, entering as a junior/senior transfer or being married.
• International students: automatically considered for all merit scholarships with no separate application; not eligible for need-based aid from the college or the U.S. government.
• International Scholarship: up to USD 20,000 a year based on portfolio, academics and TOEFL score; renewal requires a cumulative GPA of 2.5–3.0 depending on the award.
• Other merit awards: Innovator up to 19,000 a year (renew at 3.0), Creator up to 17,000 (2.75), Maker up to 15,000 (2.5) and Admissions Scholarship up to 10,000 (2.5), each renewable for four years.
• Visionary Honors Program: a competitive four-year honors program paying USD 25,000 a year, which replaces other Moore merit scholarships.

8. Transfer students

• Materials: the application, official transcripts from every college attended, an 8–12 piece portfolio and English proof if English is not your first language and you are not a U.S. citizen.
• Credits: up to 76 credits. To enter as a sophomore, Foundation-equivalent courses (Drawing I, 2D Design, 3D Design, Drawing II or another design course, Color, two art history courses, two writing workshops and the Bridge-to-Major course) passed with a C or higher transfer easily.
• Spring start: first-year or transfer students who need Foundation can start in January and finish both Foundation semesters by the end of July; contact Moore two semesters ahead.
• Scholarships: transfer scholarships range from USD 10,000 to 22,000 a year, and the transfer page says a 3.5 GPA makes you eligible for a USD 25,000 scholarship.
• Articulation agreements: Moore has agreements with several community colleges in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and elsewhere for advanced-level transfer.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Prepare 8–12 pieces from the past 1–2 years, ideally with 2–3 observational drawings, plus a title/medium/dimensions list
• Take TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5
• Have transcripts and the graduation certificate translated and authenticated (Moore mentions WES), sent directly by the school
• Aim to complete everything by December 7, 2026 for early action
• After admission, prepare proof of first-year funding for the I-20

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

• Use the same portfolio guidelines and book an online one-on-one review
• Ask admissions how BC grades are submitted and whether an English test is needed
• Complete by December 7 for early action, or by the December 8 priority date

Transfer students:

• Send official transcripts from every college and an 8–12 piece portfolio
• Book a preliminary credit evaluation with the transfer counselor (up to 76 credits)
• Consider a January start if you still need Foundation courses

Sources: Moore College of Art & Design, Undergraduate studies; BFA programs; Foundation; Undergraduate admissions and admissions policy; How to apply; Portfolio requirements; International students; 2026-27 BFA cost of attendance; Scholarships; Transfer students; All-gender enrollment announcement. Costs are 2026-27 figures; check Moore’s website for the latest.