How to Apply to Art and Design at York University: Supplementary Evaluations for the AMPD Visual Arts – Studio BFA and Design BDes, with Portfolio Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

York University is in Toronto. Its art and design degrees are offered by the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) at the Keele Campus. This guide covers two degrees that need a portfolio: Visual Arts – Studio (BFA) and Design (BDes). Both require a supplementary evaluation (portfolio and questionnaire) after you apply. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on York’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. The two programs

• Visual Arts – Studio (BFA, OUAC code YM): painting, sculpture, photography, print media and other media. After a common first year you can specialize in one or more areas. Full-time or part-time, with fall, winter and summer entry (first and upper year). Students exhibit in AMPD galleries and Toronto spaces.
• Design (BDes, OUAC code YD): a two-year common core, then a concentration in Interaction Design (UX/UI), Information Design or Visual Communication Design, or a personalized blend. Fall entry, first year only, full-time. Industry placements are part of the program, with a fourth-year exhibition.
• Art History (BA, YN) in the same school has no supplementary evaluation and is not covered here.

2. How to apply

• Step 1: AMPD’s how-to-apply page says to apply to both programs through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC). The fee is $156 (non-refundable).
• Step 2: about 5–10 business days after applying you receive a York Reference ID; use it to log in to AMPD’s supplementary evaluation portal (suppeval.ampd.yorku.ca) and submit your portfolio and questionnaire.
• Supplementary evaluation deadline: February 5, 2027 for guaranteed consideration.
• Application deadlines: Ontario high school students January 15, 2027; out-of-province high school, international and transfer applicants March 24, 2027. For Visual Arts, winter entry closes November 18, 2026 and summer entry April 1, 2027.

3. Portfolio and questionnaire

Visual Arts – Studio (BFA):

• 8 artworks in at least two media (ceramics, collage, digital drawing, drawing, installation, painting, performance art video, photography, print media, projection, sculpture, textiles and so on). Photos are fine for large or awkward pieces, though original work is preferred; class assignments and independent projects both count.
• A current sketchbook, mood board or journal is required and counts as one of the 8 pieces.
• Questionnaire: why you want to study Visual Arts, the strengths you bring, and how York’s program will help you reach your goals.

Design (BDes):

• 10–12 original works showing a range of ideas and skill with different media and tools; at least one should combine words and images to communicate a message.
• Your best work from at least three of these areas (the first five are highly recommended): 2D work (posters, logos, book covers and so on), typography, interactive media, motion graphics, drawing and illustration (ideally from direct observation), photography, painting, and 3D design or sculpture.
• The sketchbook or concept book is very important: 8–10 pages as one file, including quick “notational drawings” exploring layouts and visual ideas.
• Questionnaire: why design, your visual arts or design background, a piece of design from the past year that you found effective and why, a book, film or other work that shaped your thinking, and your extracurriculars.
• Selected applicants may be invited to an interview.

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

• BC: the BC Secondary School Graduation Diploma, English 12 or English 12 First Peoples, and four more Grade 12 academic subjects.
• Ontario: ENG4U plus five more 4U/M courses.
• Averages (worded the same for each province): Visual Arts – Studio says applicants with averages in the mid-70s or higher may be considered, Design says the low 80s or higher; for both, keeping an offer requires a final average of 80%. This is York’s wording; the Visual Arts consideration and final figures look inconsistent, so check with York admissions if unsure.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Diploma: the Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate, plus the supplementary evaluation.
• Grades: the Design page asks for a minimum overall average of 85% on all academic courses in Senior 3 (Grade 12); the Visual Arts – Studio page gives no average for this curriculum, so check with York admissions. Neither page mentions the Gaokao.
• A-Levels: Visual Arts – Studio considers an average of C (and requires C final); Design an average of B (B final). A2 results of C or better earn up to 18 transfer credits.
• IB: 28 points for Visual Arts – Studio and 30 for Design; HL grades of 5+ earn up to 30 transfer credits.
• AP: 4 or 5 earns transfer credit, up to 30 credits.

6. English requirements

• Exemptions: for example, four full years of English-language study at an accredited high school in Canada or a country where English is the official primary language, or four full years of high school taught mainly in English. ESL time does not count.
• Test scores: IELTS Academic 6.5; TOEFL iBT 88 before January 2026 or 4.5 on the new scale after; Duolingo 120; PTE 60. AMPD is not on York’s list of programs needing higher scores.

7. Tuition and scholarships

• Estimated tuition (2026-27, full-time): Design about $40,000 for international students and about $9,200 for domestic students (York notes Design is charged by program rather than per course); Visual Arts falls under “most programs (Arts and Sciences)”, about $40,000 international and $6,200 domestic. Supplementary fees are about $40–50 per credit.
• Automatic international entrance scholarships (posted for fall 2026 and winter 2027 entry, no application): 90%+ earns $15,000 in year one and $7,500 a year after, up to $37,500; 80–89.9% up to $25,000; 75–79.9% a one-time $5,000; transfer students with 24+ credits and 75%+ a one-time $2,500. Fall 2027 amounts are not yet published.
• President’s International Scholarship of Excellence: for international high school applicants, $180,000 over four years; student applications close January 27, 2027, and it cannot be combined with entrance scholarships.

8. Transfer students

• Visual Arts – Studio: from college, a diploma or at least two full semesters of full-time academic study with an overall average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale; from university, at least four full-year courses or one year of full-time degree study with 3.0.
• Design: 3.3 on a 4-point scale for both college and university transfers; Design admits first-year fall entry only.
• Transfer applicants also submit the supplementary evaluation by February 5, 2027 and apply by March 24.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate; 85% Senior 3 average for Design, and check the Visual Arts average with admissions
• IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 4.5 (new scale) or Duolingo 120
• Supplementary evaluation by February 5, 2027; application by March 24

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

• BC: English 12 plus four Grade 12 academic courses, with an 80% final average
• Visual Arts: 8 works including a sketchbook; Design: 10–12 works and 8–10 sketchbook pages

Transfer students:

• 3.0 (Visual Arts) or 3.3 (Design) on a 4-point scale, plus the supplementary evaluation

Sources: York University, Visual Arts – Studio (BFA); Design (BDes); AMPD how to apply and supplementary evaluations; Language requirements; Tuition fees; International scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry; tuition is the 2026-27 estimate, and the international entrance scholarships currently posted are for fall 2026 and winter 2027 entry. Check York for the latest details.