How to Apply to Art and Design at Georgia Tech: The College of Design’s B.S. in Industrial Design (BSID) with Eight Design Studios, Three Tracks and an Optional Portfolio, with Portfolio Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), undergraduate design is in the College of Design, where the School of Industrial Design offers the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design (BSID). Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on official Georgia Tech information, for students at Chinese high schools, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Degree and curriculum

• Degree: B.S. in Industrial Design; the school says it is a STEM-designated program. The catalog says it is the only industrial design degree in the University System of Georgia.
• Credits: 130 credit hours in the 2026-2027 catalog, including industrial design courses, 12 hours of ID electives and 9 of free electives, plus writing, calculus (MATH 1551, 1552), linear algebra (MATH 1553), 8 hours of lab science, Media Computation (CS 1315), social sciences and humanities.
• Eight design studios: the school describes a sequence of eight studios, one each semester. Year 1 covers ID fundamentals, introduction to ID, graphic communication, and sketching and modeling; year 2 has two ID studios plus digital design methods, 3D modeling, user-centered design methods, human factors and smart products.
• Junior-year tracks: Product Innovation and Manufacturing, Health and Well-Being, or Interactive Products and Intelligent Systems, each with a two-semester studio. Seniors take capstone studios, with options such as the ID/ME collaborative studio or the Invention Studio.
• Grades: every required ID course needs a C or higher; without it you cannot enter the next studio and may have to delay a year. Studios are taken in sequence starting in fall. Only free electives may be pass/fail, up to 9 hours.
• Other: co-op, internships and study abroad are available, and there is an Industrial Design minor.

2. First-year applicants: no direct admission to a major, optional portfolio

• No direct admission to a major: you do not apply to a specific major or college, but on the Common App you choose a primary intended major and may add a secondary one. Reviewers look for evidence of your interest in and preparation for that major, and major is an important part of review.
• Portfolio is optional: the College of Design says the School of Industrial Design welcomes portfolios (not required). College of Design faculty review portfolios and essays and give input to admissions. Only Music Technology requires a portfolio.
• Industrial Design portfolio guidelines:
  • after you apply, a Design Portfolio link appears on your Georgia Tech status page; submit by the document deadline for your round;
  • at least 10 high-quality reproductions of your best and most recent work, preferably original rather than copies: drawings (especially from observation), painting, 2D and 3D design, photography, woodworking, sculpture and more;
  • mechanical and architectural drawings are not necessary; if included, they should emphasize design and creativity;
  • label each item with original size and medium (or software), whether it was a class assignment or done on your own, and a one- or two-sentence note on your design intentions.
• Scholarships and major: Stamps President’s and Gold Scholarship consideration uses the primary major on your application; recipients may not change major before enrolling or until the last day of their first spring term.

3. Dates and materials (2026-2027 cycle)

• Early Action 2 (non-Georgia students, including international): apply by November 2; documents and self-reported scores by November 16; decisions in late January.
• Regular Decision: apply by January 6; documents and self-reported scores by January 22; decisions in mid-March.
• Early Action 1 (October 15) is for Georgia students. Early Action is non-binding, and the deposit is due May 1. All deadlines are 11:59 p.m. in your time zone.
• SAT or ACT required: every first-year applicant submits at least one SAT or ACT (self-reporting allowed); AP, IB, CLT and others are optional.
• Application fee: USD 85 for international applicants, non-refundable.

4. Students at Chinese high schools

• Gaokao and art exams: Georgia Tech does not say how they are used (not published); ask admissions.
• Transcripts: the international first-year page asks for transcripts for every year of secondary school; if your high school is fewer than four years you must submit a fourth year before enrolling. Its example: students finishing high school in China (grades 10–12) also submit a grade 9 transcript before enrolling.
• A-Level and IB: A-Level students send IGCSE/O-Level and AS results and predicted A-Levels; competitive applicants are on track for at least three full A-Levels. Predicted IB scores are strongly recommended, and competitive applicants mostly have 6s and 7s.
• English: proficiency must be shown using a University System of Georgia approved method. Georgia Tech also welcomes the Duolingo English Test and encourages an InitialView or Vericant interview; these do not satisfy the USG requirement but are considered in holistic review and are due by the document deadline.

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

• Georgia Tech lists no specific requirements for Canadian or BC curricula (not published); applications are reviewed in the context of your school and region.
• The SAT or ACT is still required; whether Canadian students need English scores is not stated separately, so ask admissions.

6. Transfer students

• GPA: College of Design transfer applicants need at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; the average for the 2025 transfer class was 3.7.
• Deadlines: the fall application window is January 18 – March 1 and spring is August 1 – September 15. The international application fee is USD 85.
• Portfolio: transfer applicants can complete the Design Portfolio as part of the application, before submitting (same guidelines as above).
• Course requirements: the transfer page lists required courses by major, but the Industrial Design row uses icons that were not readable for this article; check the transfer course requirements page.
• Credits: a full transfer credit evaluation, including whether design studio courses transfer, happens after admission.
• Current Georgia Tech students: the Industrial Design transfer page points current students to the ID minor; conditions for changing into the BSID are not stated (not published), so contact the School’s academic advisor.

7. Costs and aid

• 2027-2028 first-year Out of Country estimate (USD): tuition 34,572, mandatory fees 1,696, books and supplies 800, plus housing, food, personal and transportation, for a total of 56,194 on campus or 59,970 off campus. Whether Industrial Design charges extra materials fees is not stated.
• International aid: the pages read do not list Industrial Design scholarships; see the financial aid office’s international page for what international students can receive.

Checklist

Students at Chinese high schools:

• List Industrial Design as your primary major on the Common App; apply by November 2 (Early Action 2) or January 6 (Regular Decision)
• Submit the SAT or ACT; meet the USG English requirement; prepare grade 9–12 transcripts
• Prepare a portfolio of at least 10 pieces and upload it by the document deadline after applying

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

• Same deadlines; the SAT or ACT is required
• No Canada-specific requirements are published; ask admissions whether you need English scores

Transfer students:

• GPA 3.0 or higher; apply by March 1 for fall
• Check the Industrial Design row of the transfer course requirements; complete the portfolio before submitting

Sources: Georgia Tech, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design; BSID portfolio guidelines; College of Design portfolio guidance; Industrial Design transfer students; 2026-2027 Catalog; First-year deadlines; Standardized tests; Major selection; Application fees; International first-year; Transfer GPA requirements; Transfer deadlines and fees; Transfer course requirements by major; Undergraduate costs. Dates are for the 2026-2027 cycle (fall 2027 entry) and costs are 2027-2028 estimates; check Georgia Tech’s website for the latest.