How to apply to art and design at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV): the Abbotsford campus Visual Arts BFA, Graphic and Digital Design BFA and Bachelor of Media Arts all need a portfolio (up to eight visual pieces plus a personal statement), with September and January starts; portfolio requirements and timelines for students in China, Canadian high school students and transfer students

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is in BC's Fraser Valley. Its art and design degrees are taught by the School of Creative Arts on the Abbotsford campus. This guide covers three portfolio-based degrees: the Visual Arts BFA, the Graphic and Digital Design BFA and the Bachelor of Media Arts (BMA). It sets out 2027 entry for students at Canadian high schools (especially BC and the Vancouver area), students at high schools in China, and transfer students, based on UFV's website.

1. The three degrees

• Visual Arts BFA: four years, as a Visual Arts major or two extended minors (choose two of Visual Arts, Art History, Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Media and Communication Studies, and Theatre). Majors start with Foundation studios (drawing, material process, video production, photography, and space, form and time), then specialise in three of painting and drawing, sculpture, print media, new media and photography, ending with a BFA graduation exhibition. Co-op work terms of four, eight or twelve months are optional.
• Graphic and Digital Design BFA: four years, as a major, minor or extended minor, with a practicum and co-op semesters.
• Bachelor of Media Arts: four years with a required concentration: Digital Entertainment Arts (concept art, motion design, animation, visual effects, interactive media and games, taught with Unreal Engine 5), Digital Performance, Film or Interactive Media. You declare after 15 credits of lower-level core and before 60 credits.
• All three start in September or January. UFV also has a Visual Arts diploma; applicants who do not meet BFA requirements are considered for the diploma or Qualifying Studies.

2. How to apply and deadlines

• Platform: both Canadian and international applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC. The international fee is CAD 150; the domestic fee is not stated on the how-to-apply page and is shown when you apply.
• Portfolio page dates: fall (September) application deadline 30 April, with international applicants advised to apply by 1 April; winter (January) deadline 30 September, international by 1 September.
• International page dates: fall application period 1 October to 1 June, tuition deposit by 15 June; winter 1 May to 1 November, deposit by 15 November.
• The two pages give different dates; international applicants are safer working to the earlier ones and confirming with UFV.
• Review: the calendar says you receive portfolio dates and requirements once your application is processed; the portfolio is not needed at the time of application, and reviews run regularly through the application period, with decisions after review.

3. Portfolio: a personal statement and up to eight visual pieces

• Programs requiring a portfolio: Visual Arts BFA, Bachelor of Media Arts, Graphic and Digital Design BFA or diploma, and the Indigenous Arts Certificate.
• Personal statement (mandatory): which program, why you are applying and what you hope to gain; you may also cover how your life experiences led you here, support you may need, and the creative areas you most want to learn (visual art, creative writing, graphic design, performance, film, animation, gaming and so on). One written page or a recording of up to three minutes.
• Creative portfolio (mandatory): work from your current practice, up to eight visual pieces, three minutes of video or audio and six pages of writing. Examples include images of 2D or 3D work (painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, print, photography), process documentation (experiments, sketches, storyboards), creative writing, video monologues, storytelling or dance videos, digital media, film, audio, and animation or game design samples.
• Narrative (optional): the stories behind your pieces, as one page or a recording of up to three minutes.
• Submitting: apply to UFV first, then submit through SlideRoom by the deadline. The portfolio page has separate disclosure rules for tools used in your work; read them before submitting.
• Exemption: graduates of a Vancouver Film School diploma do not need a portfolio.
• Assessment: whether you already engage in creative practice, explain why the program suits you and what you hope to learn, and show curiosity, openness to growth and readiness to join a creative community.

4. Students at Canadian high schools

• BFA entrance (2026/27 calendar, Option 1): BC secondary school graduation or equivalent; degree/diploma-level English proficiency; and a portfolio review. No minimum average is published.
• Degree-level English: English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, or English 12, English Literature 12 or English 12 First Peoples, each at C+ or higher; or IB English A (SL or HL), AP English or equivalent.
• UFV is in BC, so the calendar is written around BC graduation; students from other provinces are assessed on equivalents.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Qualifications: international applicants need upper secondary study equivalent to Canadian Grade 12. The international requirements page mentions a complete list of equivalent qualifications but gives no link; how Chinese diplomas and Gaokao results are used is not stated on the pages read, so ask UFV International.
• English (degree level): IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0; TOEFL 88 with no section below 20; PTE 61 with 60 in writing; Duolingo 110 (accepted "until further notice"); Cambridge CPE C or CAE A. IELTS Indicator is not accepted.
• Below the bar: IELTS 6.0 (5.5 bands), TOEFL 80 (19 sections), Duolingo 100 and similar scores can lead to Qualifying Studies; completing it with C+ or better opens degree study.
• Admission is not guaranteed, and UFV advises applying early because study permits take weeks.

6. Tuition and scholarships

• Canadian students (2026–27): tuition CAD 169.94 per credit; with ancillary fees, about CAD 570.99 per three-credit course and CAD 2,283.96 for 12 credits a semester, plus student union fees.
• International students (2026–27): CAD 797 per credit for students starting in September 2026 or later, about CAD 7,658 in tuition and fees for a nine-credit semester, plus health insurance and other fees. 2027–28 figures are not published.
• Note: the calendar says Graphic and Digital Design and Media Arts courses carry differential tuition; see program-specific fees.
• International entrance scholarships (apply after receiving an offer, with a letter of intent; limited and not guaranteed by GPA):
  • International Excellence Entrance Scholarship: CAD 20,000 (5,000 a year for four years), four-year bachelor's applicants with a final-year GPA of 3.75, renewable with a UFV GPA of 3.0;
  • International Regional Entrance Scholarship: CAD 5,000, final-year GPA 3.00, international students living outside Canada;
  • International BC High School Entrance Scholarship: CAD 5,000, GPA 3.00, international students at a BC high school or a BC-certified offshore school.
• Entrance scholarships for Canadian students were not shown on the pages read; see UFV's scholarships page.

7. Transfer students

• Option 2 (BFA-related credit): CGPA of 2.00 on all post-secondary credit plus one of: 15 credits in BFA-related disciplines (Art History, Film, Graphic and Digital Design, Media Arts, Media and Communication Studies, Scholarship of Creative Arts, Theatre, Visual Arts, and listed creative writing courses) at a GPA of 2.00; a UFV diploma in Visual Arts, Graphic and Digital Design or Theatre; or a UFV Associate of Arts with a Theatre or Media and Communication Studies option. These applicants are admitted in order of application date, and the calendar does not require a portfolio for them.
• Option 3 (unrelated post-secondary credit): CGPA of 2.00, degree-level English and a portfolio review.
• At least 60 BFA credits, 30 of them upper level, must be completed at UFV. See UFV's transfer between institutions page for credit assessment.

Checklist

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

• Apply through EducationPlannerBC; for fall, work to the portfolio page's 30 April deadline
• BC graduation with English Studies 12 (or English First Peoples 12 or similar) at C+ or higher
• Once you receive the portfolio instructions, submit your statement and up to eight pieces on SlideRoom

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through EducationPlannerBC (CAD 150), ideally by 1 April for fall
• IELTS 6.5 (6.0 bands), TOEFL 88 (20 sections) or Duolingo 110
• After an offer, apply for entrance scholarships with a letter of intent

Transfer students:

• With 15 BFA-related credits at GPA 2.00, you are admitted by application date; otherwise submit a portfolio

Sources: University of the Fraser Valley, Visual Arts (BFA); Graphic and Digital Design (BFA); Bachelor of Media Arts; School of Creative Arts: submit your portfolio; Calendar: BFA entrance requirements; Calendar: English language proficiency; How to apply; Tuition and fees; International: apply to UFV; International admission requirements; International English requirements; International tuition; International scholarships. Information is for 2027 entry; the calendar and fees are the 2026/27 versions. Check UFV for the latest details.