How to Apply to Art at the University of Guelph: No Portfolio for the Studio Art Major, Admission Based on High School Grades, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Guelph (U of G) in Guelph, Ontario, art is taught by the School of Fine Art and Music in the College of Arts, and the major is Studio Art. Its main feature: no portfolio is required for admission, and Guelph welcomes students without formal art training. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Guelph’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Program structure

• Two degrees: Studio Art is a major in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and is also offered in the Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness (BCAHW).
• What you study: drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, computer graphics and experimental studio, plus required art history.
• Honours major (Undergraduate Calendar): at least 9.00 credits, including Foundation Studio (SART*1050), Core Studio (SART*1060), an introductory art history course, one of Drawing I, Painting I or Printmaking I, one of Sculpture I, Photography I or Experimental Studio I, 4.00 more Studio Art credits (1.50 at the 4000 level) and 2.50 Art History credits.
• Declaring the major: students not admitted directly to the major need a cumulative average of at least 70% in those first-year courses; the honours program requires a 70% cumulative average in all Studio Art and Art History attempts. The calendar says the Studio Art minor has been suspended since May 1, 2024.
• BCAHW: a four-year honours degree that Guelph calls the first of its kind in Canada. Students choose Music, Theatre Studies, Studio Art or Creative Writing, then add required Psychology courses and degree-specific CREA core courses linking the arts to health and wellbeing.
• Materials: students pay for most supplies; some are bought through the School with a per-semester lab fee.
• The School also offers Art History, not covered here.

2. How to apply

• Route: students at Canadian high schools, and high school graduates not currently enrolled, apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC). Students at high schools outside Canada and transfer students follow the “Apply Now” instructions on Guelph’s apply page.
• No portfolio; admission is based on grades.
• Canadian high school students: apply by January 15 (later applications are still considered); students outside Ontario send official transcripts by April 15; the Student Profile Form is due April 1.
• Students at high schools outside Canada: submit documents by February 1 for early admission consideration; proof of English by March 1 (soft deadline); apply for fall 2027 by May 15 and send documents by May 22.
• Scholarships requiring an application: April 15.
• The deadlines page is headed “2026-27 calendar year”; the international and transfer sections state fall 2027 entry, while the Canadian section gives no year, so check Guelph’s site.

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

• BC: a high school diploma and five Grade 12 academic courses, including English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 plus four other acceptable Grade 12 courses.
• Estimated cut-off range: 75–80%, based on previous years; actual cut-offs depend on applications and space, and meeting the range does not guarantee admission.
• Ontario: OSSD with at least six 4U/M courses including ENG4U; same estimated range.
• Guelph recommends a Grade 12 academic math course for social science majors; Studio Art itself has no math requirement.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Diploma: a secondary school graduation certificate that would admit you to a recognized university at home is normally acceptable.
• Transcripts: grades 10, 11 and at least the first semester of grade 12, plus passing (“qualified”) Huikao (Academic Proficiency Test) results in the required subjects.
• Gaokao: students who have already graduated submit Gaokao results, including required subjects, with a minimum of about 500. Gaokao and Huikao results must be verified by CHESICC through the CHESICC-Parchment service; final transcripts and the diploma go directly from the school to intdocs@uoguelph.ca.
• Subjects: English plus five additional courses.
• Students with predicted or mid-year grade 12 results may receive a conditional offer if prerequisites are complete or in progress and meet the minimum.

5. English requirements

• You need proof if you have completed fewer than four years of full-time study in an English-language secondary school or post-secondary institution; Francophone Canadian citizens educated in Canada are exempt.
• Scores: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6; TOEFL iBT 89 with no section below 21, or from January 21, 2026 4.5 with no section below 4.0; Duolingo 110; PTE 60 with 60 in each; CAEL 70; Cambridge C1/C2 176 with no band below 169.
• Scores must be no more than two years old at the time of application.

6. Tuition and scholarships

• International tuition (2025-26 estimate, full-time): CAD 46,780 for both the BA and the BCAHW, plus compulsory fees of CAD 1,748–2,297. Later increases are capped at 5% a year. A non-refundable CAD 2,000 tuition deposit is required after admission.
• Canadian tuition: not checked for this guide; see Guelph’s Registrar tuition pages.
• Automatic international entrance scholarships (by admission average, no application, paid over four years): 95%+ CAD 42,500; 90–94.9% CAD 38,500; 85–89.9% CAD 35,500; 70–84.9% CAD 32,500. Renewal needs an 80% full-time average each year.
• By application: two Dr. Franco J. Vaccarino President’s Scholarships of CAD 42,500, due March 8, 2027.
• International transfer students admitted for winter or fall 2027 automatically receive a one-time CAD 10,000.

7. Transfer

• From a university (BC example): English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 and a cumulative average of at least 65%. Applicants with at least 2.0 credits are considered; those with fewer are typically considered for fall only.
• From a college (BC example): at least one year of a two- or three-year diploma with a cumulative average of at least 70%, plus the English requirement.
• Entry in fall or winter. Fall 2027 transfer applications are due April 1; winter 2027 applications are due November 1, 2026, with documents by December 1.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Diploma, transcripts and Huikao results; graduates also submit Gaokao results (about 500+), verified by CHESICC
• IELTS 6.5 (6 each), TOEFL 4.5 on the new scale or Duolingo 110
• No portfolio; documents by February 1 for early admission; apply by May 15, 2027

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

• BC: English Studies 12 plus four Grade 12 courses; estimated cut-off 75–80%
• Apply through OUAC by January 15

Transfer students:

• University average of 65% or college diploma average of 70%; fall entry applications due April 1

Sources: University of Guelph, Studio Art program; Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness; Undergraduate Calendar (Studio Art); BC high school requirements; Ontario high school requirements; China requirements; University transfer requirements (BC); College transfer requirements (BC); How to apply; Dates and deadlines; English proficiency; International costs and scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry; international tuition is the 2025-26 estimate. Check the University of Guelph for the latest details.