How to apply to art and design at the University of Ottawa: the Department of Visual Arts BFA and Major in Visual Arts, with an OUAC application by 1 March and a SlideRoom portfolio of 15 works plus five sketchbook images by 1 April, fall entry only; portfolio requirements and timelines for students in China, Canadian high school students and transfer students

At the University of Ottawa, Visual Arts is taught by the Department of Visual Arts in the Faculty of Arts. Undergraduates can take a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or a Major in Visual Arts, in English or French, full or part time. This guide covers these two visual arts options. It sets out September 2027 entry for students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), students at high schools in China, and transfer students, based on the University of Ottawa's website.

1. How the two options differ

• BFA: four years, studio-focused with art history and theory; traditional disciplines (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography) plus media arts and new technologies. Graduating students run a week-long Grad Show each year in the department building at 100 Laurier Avenue East.
• Major in Visual Arts: the same kinds of required studio and theory courses, but more electives, and it can be combined with a minor or second major; the university suggests it for careers such as art education, arts organisations, communications, curating or conservation.
• Facilities include photography and media art labs (CoFab) and painting, drawing and sculpture studios.

2. Two steps, fall entry only

• Step 1: apply through OUAC. The department gives 1 March each year as the OUAC deadline for fall.
• Step 2: submit a portfolio on the department's SlideRoom portal by 1 April; you can start building it from mid-September. SlideRoom charges a US$17 fee.
• Early review: portfolio evaluations begin in mid-December; early submissions may be reviewed sooner and offers may be sent before the deadline.
• Fall only: there are no January admissions in Visual Arts.
• University-wide dates: applications for fall 2027 opened on 17 September 2026, with a recommendation to apply before 15 January 2027 and to complete documents and test results by 15 February 2027 or within 30 days of applying. Visual Arts is listed as a competitive program that can close when full. Most programs close in June for Canadian applicants and in May for international applicants. Both the department's 1 March date and these university dates appear on the website, so plan around the earlier ones.
• Application fee: OUAC charges its own fee; in some cases (such as former uOttawa students) you must use the university's own form, which costs CAD 104.

3. Portfolio: 15 works plus five sketchbook images

• Who submits: the program page says the BFA requires a portfolio; the admission requirements page says applicants to the BFA or the Major in Visual Arts must submit one. The pages differ, so Major applicants should confirm with the department.
• Artwork: 15 digital images of completed work, of which seven are self-initiated: not school assignments, conceived and made by you without outside influence.
• Suggested themes for self-initiated work: space/movement, skin, change, urban environment, memory, failure, archives, dreams, colour, gender, classification, liquid, texture, social or political issues, circulatory systems, life's dilemmas.
• Any medium: video, sound, painting, photography, performance, sculpture and drawing are all accepted.
• Sketchbook: five more images of recent sketches, ideas or experiments; several pages can go in one image.
• Files: JPEG, GIF or PNG up to 5 MB each; video, performance video and sound works up to 3 minutes; video in WMV, FLV or MOV up to 60 MB; audio in MP3 up to 10 MB.
• Submitting: you can edit until the deadline; you must click submit to be reviewed, cannot change it afterwards, and incomplete portfolios are not reviewed.
• The department wants to see what you think about, how you solve problems, your abilities and how you communicate ideas, and suggests your best and most recent work.

4. Students at Canadian high schools

• Admission page: high school average in the mid-70s; prerequisite English 4U or Français 4U, nothing else; plus the portfolio.
• British Columbia: BC course equivalents are shown by the search tool on the program prerequisites page (choose your level, system and program). They are not written on static pages and this guide could not read them; BC students should search for British Columbia there or contact admissions.
• Prerequisites are normally completed in the final year of high school; minimums do not guarantee admission and competitive programs ask for more.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Qualifications: a Senior High School Graduation Diploma (obtained or in progress) and at least five subjects passed in the final year, including prerequisites.
• Gaokao and Huikao: the China page states that Huikao and Gaokao results are not considered in admission.
• Average: the same page gives two figures: a minimum average of 75% (higher for some programs) in the text, and 70% for all Faculty of Arts programs in the table below it. Both appear on the website, so confirm with admissions; the department's own page says mid-70s.
• English: submit a language test; for English-language programs the senior-year English prerequisite is mandatory.
• Students in French lycées, IB, British or American curricula follow the requirements for that system.

6. Language requirements

• Exemption: three years of full-time study in an English-only institution in a country where English is an official language (for example Grades 10–12), or post-secondary study in English. The country of study counts, not citizenship.
• Direct-entry scores: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing; TOEFL 86 (writing 22) for tests before 21 January 2026, or 4.5 (writing 4.5) on the new scale; Duolingo 120 (literacy 120); PTE 60 (writing 60); CAEL 60 in reading, speaking and listening; Cambridge 176.
• IELTS 6.0: allows you to start your program with extra ESL courses.
• Note: applicants to the BFA (Visual Arts) are not eligible for conditional admission through the English Intensive Program (EIP).
• Tests must be taken within two years of the start term; only the latest scores count, and IELTS results must be sent electronically by the test centre.

7. Tuition and scholarships

• Tuition: the international fee table loads by script and could not be read for this guide. The university says international undergraduate tuition for 2026–27 is unchanged from 2025–26, and fees for Canadians from outside Ontario generally rise by 2%. Check the international and out-of-province tuition pages for figures.
• International English Admission Scholarship: for international students on a study permit newly admitted to an English-language undergraduate program (including Arts) with an admission average of 80% or more, full time and not in French immersion; automatic and unlimited, CAD 7,500 per term, up to 12 instalments (CAD 60,000), renewable while enrolled full time in an eligible faculty.
• International English Academic Excellence Scholarship: admission average of 95% or more, 100 awards of CAD 10,000 (CAD 5,000 per term), not renewable but can be combined with the admission scholarship. The university says international students can receive up to CAD 70,000. Only for students paying international fees; dual Canadian citizens are not eligible.
• University of Ottawa Admission Scholarship (2027–28): automatic CAD 1,000–3,000 for averages of 85–100%, including CAD 3,000 for 95–100% and CAD 2,000 for 90–94.9%; mature applicants and university transfers are not eligible. The general criteria for admission scholarships require Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or protected-person status unless otherwise indicated.

8. Transfer students

• The admission page has separate categories for Canadian college students and Canadian university transfers; the department says all applicants submit the portfolio.
• If you have attempted or completed college or university study, your admission average is calculated from your post-secondary courses, even when applying to first year.
• Transfer averages and credit rules were not shown on the pages read for this guide; see the transfer credits page and your applicant category.

Checklist

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

• Apply through OUAC, ideally before 15 January and no later than the department's 1 March date
• Take Grade 12 English; BC students check equivalents on the program prerequisites page
• Submit 15 works (seven self-initiated) and five sketchbook images on SlideRoom by 1 April, and click submit

Students at high schools in China:

• At least five final-year subjects, aiming for the 70% or 75% average given by the university; Gaokao results are not counted
• IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.5), TOEFL 86 or 4.5 on the new scale, or Duolingo 120; the BFA cannot go through the English Intensive Program
• Apply through OUAC and submit the portfolio by 1 April; an 80% average brings the automatic International English Admission Scholarship

Transfer students:

• Your average comes from post-secondary courses, and you also submit the portfolio; see the transfer credits page

Sources: University of Ottawa, Visual Arts program page; BFA admission requirements and portfolio; Portfolio; How to apply; Application deadlines; Program prerequisites; Applicants from China; Language requirements; International tuition; Scholarships and awards overview; International English Scholarships. Information is for September 2027 entry (2027/28). Check the University of Ottawa for the latest details.