How to Apply to Art and Design at the University of Miami: Three BA Tracks and the Studio Art BFA in the Department of Art and Art History, and a 15–20 Image Portfolio for BFA Applicants Who Skip Test Scores, with Portfolio Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Miami, undergraduate art and design is taught in the Department of Art and Art History in the College of Arts and Sciences. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on the university’s website, for students at high schools in China (including A-level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Degrees

The Academic Bulletin says the department offers two undergraduate degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA), with three tracks: Art (General Study, combining studio and art history), Art History, and Studio Art (not the same as the BFA). It needs at least 36 credits in the department with C or higher in each, a minor outside the department (15 credits, per the department site) and about 18 credits of free electives.
• BFA in Studio Art: primary and secondary concentrations in painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography/digital imaging, graphic design/multimedia and ceramics (the BFA worksheet adds figure drawing as a secondary option). It needs at least 72 credits in the department with C or higher in each course, a 3.0 average in departmental courses and a group exhibition; BFA students automatically minor in art history and need no outside minor. No more than 21 credits may be taken in any one studio area.

The department site names its areas as ceramics; glass + sculpture; graphic design, illustration + multimedia; painting + drawing; photography; and printmaking. The graphic design and multimedia page says BFA students are expected to produce a design and multimedia portfolio and exhibit at the end of their course sequence.

2. Curriculum

• Shared foundation: the Studio Art BA, the General Study BA and the BFA all require ART 101 Introduction to Drawing I, ART 104 3D Design, ART 109 Introduction to Electronic Media, and ARH 131 and ARH 132 Survey of Western Art.
• BA in Studio Art: adds one art history course at the 200 level or above and six studio classes; the General Study BA allows any combination of six studio or art history classes.
• BA in Art History: two studio classes, ARH 131 and 132, seven art history classes at the 200 level or above and one 400- or 500-level seminar.
• BFA credits (the pages differ):
  • The department site and BFA worksheet: 15 credits of art history, an 18-credit primary concentration, a 9-credit secondary concentration and 21 credits of studio electives.
  • The Bulletin’s course list: six courses (18 credits) each for the primary and secondary concentrations and 12 credits of studio electives outside your area, totalling 123 credits; the suggested four-year plan on the same page totals 120.
  Both are on the university’s site, so follow the Bulletin for your entry year and check with the department advisor. The Bulletin’s BFA table also lists a “Portfolio Review” but gives no timing or criteria; these are not published.

3. Applying: the BFA portfolio can replace test scores

• How to apply: the Common Application with a US$75 non-refundable fee; one letter of recommendation (counsellor or teacher); a Common App personal statement of up to 650 words. There is no supplemental essay.
• Testing: the University of Miami generally requires SAT or ACT scores. These applicants may choose whether to submit them: BFA applicants in the College of Arts and Sciences, students graduating from a high school outside the United States, and applicants to Frost School of Music performance programs and the School of Architecture.
• BFA portfolio: first-year BFA applicants who do not submit ACT/SAT scores must upload a portfolio to the Applicant Portal: a PDF booklet of 15 to 20 images of your best work with a one-page (maximum) artist statement. Each image should list the title, medium, year and size.
• BA applicants: none of the pages we read asks BA applicants for a portfolio.
• Changing major: the final credentials deadline is also the last date to switch to a major in another school or college.

Fall 2027 first-year deadlines:

• Early Decision I (binding): apply by 1 November, credentials by 13 November, decision in mid-December.
• Early Action (non-binding): apply by 1 November, credentials by 20 November, decision in late January.
• Early Decision II (binding): apply by 5 January, credentials by 25 January, decision in late February.
• Regular Decision: apply by 5 January, credentials by 5 February, decision on 1 April.
• Early Decision I and Early Action applicants are considered for Premier Scholarships; incomplete early files roll into Regular Decision. The spring first-year deadline is 1 November.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Academics: the requirements-by-curriculum page does not list the Chinese national curriculum or say how the gaokao or art exams (美术联考/校考) are used; this is not published. For the British curriculum, competitive applicants typically sit 3–4 A-levels with predicted Bs or higher; for the IB there is no minimum, but competitive students typically score 5–7 across subjects.
• Transcripts: sent directly by your school; non-English transcripts need an English translation from a school official or an accredited agency (such as IEE, Josef Silny or TEC) sent directly to the university. Self-translations are not accepted.
• English: non-native speakers submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo; competitive applicants generally score above TOEFL 80 (4.5 for tests after 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 120, within two years. Waivers include three years at an English-medium high school outside the US; C or better in IGCSE/O-level or A-level English as a first language; a final A or B in AP or IB HL English; or official SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650 or ACT English 27, among others. Academically qualified applicants who fall short in English may be offered admission for the following year if they complete level five of the university’s Intensive English Program within one year.

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

• The requirements-by-curriculum page does not list Canada, and BC grade requirements are not published.
• English depends on your native language and language of instruction: three years at an English-medium high school outside the US qualifies you to request a waiver through the Applicant Portal.

6. Transfer students

• Deadlines: 1 April for fall and 1 November for spring, with rolling decisions; late files are reviewed as space allows.
• Materials: the Common Application with a US$75 fee and a 250-word essay on why you are transferring; all college transcripts; a College Report from each US institution; an optional recommendation. Students with fewer than 24 college credits by their first semester must also send a final high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores.
• The transfer page lists supplemental requirements for the Frost School of Music, Theatre Arts BFA and Architecture, but not the Studio Art BFA; whether transfer applicants need a portfolio is not published.

7. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27: tuition US$66,312, fees US$2,030, on-campus housing US$16,958 and meals US$9,400, for direct costs of US$94,700.
• International estimate: a total of US$104,091, including the mandatory university health insurance (US$4,483) and a higher transport allowance.
• Scholarships: all applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships with no separate application; international students must submit the CSS Profile to be considered for need-based institutional aid.

8. Checklist by applicant type

Students at high schools in China:

• Decide whether to submit SAT/ACT; BFA applicants who don’t should prepare 15–20 images as a PDF booklet with a one-page artist statement
• To be considered for Premier Scholarships, apply Early Decision I or Early Action by 1 November
• Have TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo results ready; transcript translations must come from your school or an accredited agency

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

• How BC grades are reviewed is not published, so check with admissions
• If you have three years at an English-medium high school, you can request an English waiver in the Applicant Portal

Transfer students:

• Apply by 1 April for fall; with fewer than 24 credits, add your high school transcript and test scores
• The BFA requires a 3.0 average in departmental courses; ask the department early whether studio courses from your current school will transfer

Sources: University of Miami, Department of Art and Art History undergraduate programs; Graphic Design, Illustration + Multimedia; BFA worksheet; Academic Bulletin: Art and Art History; Academic Bulletin: Studio Art BFA; Admission plans and deadlines; First-year application requirements; English proficiency requirements; Requirements by curriculum; Transfer requirements; Cost of attendance; Scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs for 2026-27). Check the University of Miami’s website for the latest.