Undergraduate Programs
Graphic Design BFA |  Painting/Drawing BFA | Photography BFA | Printmaking BFA | Sculpture BFA | Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary BFA | Visual Arts BS

Graduate Programs
Visual Arts MFA | Dual Visual Arts and Art History MFA/MA

Be sure to carefully review and follow all application instructions and observe all deadlines carefully. In cases where students fail to follow the requirements and instructions and/or to observe deadlinesthere is no guarantee the application can be reviewed and the application may be withdrawn from consideration.

• Freshman

• Transfer

• Graduate 

• International Applicants

Freshman

Deadlines to Apply:
Fall Priority Admission: December 1, 2011*
Fall Regular Admission: February 1, 2012
*Priority Admission: Applicants submitting completed applications by December 1 will receive decisions in January.

Step 1: Apply online:

You may apply using either the Common Application at www.commonapp.org or the SUNY Application at www.suny.edu/Student/apply. Please use only one application form. The application fee is $50.

SUNY Supplemental Application and Essay:  Students using the SUNY application must complete the SUNY Supplemental Application and submit the essay answer for one of the essay topics (your choice) in the SUNY Supplemental Application.

The Common Application Writing Section:  Be sure to complete all applicable sections of the form, including the required writing statement.

Step 2: Submit the following documents:

• Official High School transcripts or GED scores**
• Official SAT or ACT scores (SAT/ACT and AP test scores can be submitted electronically)**
• One letter of recommendation from a teacher or guidance counselor

These items must be sent directly to:

Purchase College-Application Processing
279 Broadway
Albany, NY 12204-2755

**’Official’ means documents are delivered in sealed envelopes from the school or electronically directly from the school or testing service.

Step 3:  Submit Portfolio

Portfolio Review Day 2011-2012
Although it is not a mandatory part of the application process, in-person portfolio reviews are highly recommended so that prospective students may receive direct feedback about their portfolio from a faculty member. Final admissions decisions are NOT made at in-person portfolio review days. Decisions are only made once the student has submitted a completed application and uploaded a portfolio at http://purchase.slideroom.com. For information on attending a Portfolio Review Day click here.

Transfer

Deadlines to Apply:
Fall Priority Admission: December 1, 2011*
Fall Regular Admission: February 1, 2012
Spring Admission: December 15, 2011**

*Priority Admission: Applicants submitting completed applications by December 1 will receive decisions in February.

** Spring admission is not available for the BFA Graphic Design program

Step 1: Apply online:

You may apply using either the Common Application at www.commonapp.org or the SUNY Application at www.suny.edu/Student/apply. Please use only one application form. The application fee is $50.

Step 2: Submit the following documents:

• Official college transcripts from all colleges attended or in which you are currently enrolled.*
• Official high school transcripts and SAT/ACT test scores, if you have earned fewer than 24 college credits.*
• One letter of recommendation from a recent college professor (for non-traditional age applicants, a letters from an employer is satisfactory)

These items must be sent directly to:

Purchase College-Application Processing
279 Broadway
Albany, NY 12204-2755

*Students with under 24 college credits are required to submit official high school transcripts, SAT and/or ACT, and/or GED scores.  Students who have completed over 24 college credits at the time of application completion may choose to only submit college transcripts, but it is possible the Office of Admissions will request these additional items upon application review.  Students who have taken AP exams should submit all AP scores for evaluation and transfer credit.

Click here for information about transfer credit for the Art+Design BFA program.

**’Official’ means documents are delivered in sealed envelopes from the school or electronically directly from the school or testing service.

Click here for information about transfer credit for the Art+Design BFA program.

Step 3: Submit the Transfer Supplemental Form:

SUNY Application Supplemental:  Students using the SUNY application must complete and submit the Transfer Supplemental Form in addition to the Purchase College Supplemental Form (see below).  Be sure to complete all applicable sections of the form including the required statement.  The supplemental form should be emailed directly to admessay@purchase.edu.

See the Transfer Supplemental Form 10-11 for Guidelines. 

The form is available in the following formats:

PDF - transfer supplemental form 10-11

-Microsoft Word - transfer supplemental form 10-11

Common Application Supplemental:  Students using the Common Application must complete and submit the Supplemental Application, Instructor Evaluations, and College Official’s Report in order for their application to be processed.

Step 4: Submit Portfolio

Portfolio Review Day 2011-2012
Although it is not a mandatory part of the application process, in-person portfolio reviews are highly recommended so that prospective students may receive direct feedback about their portfolio from a faculty member. Final admissions decisions are NOT made at in-person portfolio review days. Decisions are only made once the student has submitted a completed application and uploaded a portfolio at http://purchase.slideroom.com. For information on attending a Portfolio Review Day click here.

Submit Portfolio

ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT THE PORTFOLIO ONLINE AT HTTP://PURCHASE.SLIDEROOM.COM. There is a $10 fee per portfolio submission payable at slideroom.com. Please submit only one portfolio to the School of Art+Design major program of your choice. Available undergraduate major programs are:

BFA Undeclared Visual Arts

BS Visual Arts

BFA Painting and Drawing

BFA Graphic Design (fall semester admission only)

BFA Photography

BFA Printmaking

BFA Sculpture

BS Visual Arts

All students complete a general visual arts foundation year in the freshman year of all programs. Accepted students will begin their chosen specific major programs only after they have completed the first academic year at the School.

*NOTE: If you experience difficulty uploading your portfolio, you must contact Slideroom technical support at support@slideroom.com for assistance. Please allow one day for a response. You can also consult the Slideroom Helpdesk and FAQ at https://slideroom.zendesk.com/home.

Portfolio Content Requirements:

• Twelve (12) to (20) examples of work
• Two (2) examples must be observational drawings (still life, figure, etc)
• One (1) example must be a self-portrait in any medium
• Written Artist’s Statement of 150 – 200 words

Your portfolio must consist of a minimum of twelve (12) and no more than twenty (20) examples of your work, plus your written Artist’s Statement. Slideroom.com allows you to include a description of each example uploaded. Please include the following information in your description of each example: title, size, date, and a short description of the piece.

Your portfolio must contain at least one self-portrait in any medium. Additionally, at least two examples of work must be drawings done from direct observation, rather than drawings done from photographs or reproductions. The subject matter of these drawings may be your choice of still life, landscape, interior, human figure, portrait or self-portrait. The balance of the portfolio will be evaluated as a demonstration of both the breadth and depth of your visual interests. OBSERVATIONAL DRAWINGS ARE REQUIRED OF ALL APPLICANTS, REGARDLESS OF MAJOR CHOICE.

Additional Portfolio Information

Detail shots: If it is appropriate, you may provide detail shots of particular works.Be sure to indicate if an example is a detail shot.

Multiple views: If a single does not adequately display your work (e.g. a large sculpture) you may include more than one image.

Photography: Applicants wishing to apply to the photography program should convey their competence in photography by submitting photographs of their already printed images (i.e., a picture of your picture). This is true for both film and digital photography.

Admissions Decisions 
Admissions decisions are released on a rolling basis beginning in Janaury for students who have met the December 1 Priority Application Deadline. Students meeting the Regular Application Deadline of February 1 will receive decisions on a rolling basis from February through early April.  If you are offered admission, you will be asked to submit an enrollment deposit by May 1, 2012.

Portfolio Review Day 2011-2012
Although it is not a mandatory part of the application process, in-person portfolio reviews are highly recommended so that prospective students may receive direct feedback about their portfolio from a faculty member. Final admissions decisions are NOT made at in-person portfolio review days. Decisions are only made once the student has submitted a completed application and uploaded a portfolio at http://purchase.slideroom.com. For information on attending a Portfolio Review Day click here.