Transfer Students

Transfer applicants who meet specific prerequisites may apply for the spring semester which begins in January. To be considered, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in at least three college-level studio courses including a drawing class and a class comparable to Visual Language (Two-Dimensional Design, Design and Color Theory). Additionally, students should also have completed or be currently enrolled in a 100-level or higher English Composition class as well as a history of art class. Students who do not meet these prerequisites should apply for the fall semester.

Please note enrollment for the spring semester is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Depending on a student's completed coursework and intended major, some applicants may be reviewed for fall admission instead.

If you have questions about the process, please contact Shannon Gallagher, Transfer Admissions Counselor, at sagallagher@massart.edu.

Prospective students should apply for financial aid at the same time they are applying for admission to the College. Don't wait until you have been admitted to a program to apply! The only financial aid application that MassArt requires is the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Read more about how to apply for financial aid. 

Please note that international applicants are not applicable and do not need to file the FAFSA.

Transfer Students should apply online by completing Common App. The application form and a $70 fee must be submitted to be considered for admission. Please plan on completing the following steps before the appropriate deadline:

1. Complete Common App and pay the application fee by credit card, following the link above
2. Upload supplementary materials electronically or mail/deliver them to MassArt's Admissions Office
3.  Upload the portfolio; after submitting Common App, you will be emailed a link (within two days of receipt of your application) through which you can upload the portfolio
4. Check the status of your application using the application portal

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER

An application fee waiver request will be considered in cases of extreme financial hardship substantiated by a College Board fee waiver form issued from your school counselor or a letter from your social worker, financial aid officer, or clergy person. This waiver may be submitted by fax, email, or mail. Your application will not be considered complete until this request is received by the Admissions Office.

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If you have not taken any studio art or design courses at the college level, please submit a portfolio of 15-20 examples of your strongest and most recent artwork, reflecting your interests, skills, and willingness to explore, experiment, and express yourself. Your portfolio may concentrate on a single medium or may show a variety of media. We encourage you to include work representing a sustained interest and/or development over time.

If you have completed studio art or design courses at the college level, it may be appropriate to submit a portfolio with more than 15-20 examples of artwork. Keeping in mind the guidelines listed above, please submit 3-5 examples from each class, reflecting the knowledge gained in those courses. Transfer credit will be awarded based on the strength of the examples provided.

TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR PORTFOLIO

SUBMITTING YOUR PORTFOLIO

The MassArt Application is completed in two phases:

Phase 1: Complete and submit Common App. After Common App is submitted, you will receive two emails with login information and a link to the MassArt Applicant Portal. It can take up to 24 hours after submitting Common App to receive these emails - plan your time accordingly.

Phase 2: Upload portfolio and submit remaining materials. On the MassArt Applicant Portal you will be able to upload your portfolio, see missing materials (transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc), and the check status of your application. The Applicant Portal has many resources for applicants about application requirements, financial aid, scholarships, next steps, and more. Decision letters are released on the Applicant Portal.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design will no longer require standardized tests scores (SAT/ACT) as part of our admission requirements.

MassArt reserves the right to contact the student during the admissions process to further determine a student's college readiness. International students whose native language is not English will be required to submit English proficiency exam scores to demonstrate language proficiency. If an applicant submits test scores, we will not factor these test scores into the admission decision, but will reserve the right to use these scores in statistical analysis if the student is admitted and decides to enroll at MassArt. In addition, test scores will not be used for merit scholarship consideration.

If you choose to submit test scores, MassArt's SAT school code is 3516. MassArt's ACT school code is 1846. SAT or ACT reports should be sent directly from the College Board, American College Testing or through the high school guidance office.

For any exceptions, more information can be found under admissions standards.

A letter of recommendation can be very helpful in consideration of your application. It's best to choose someone who can discuss your potential as a student, your motivation, skills, background, and character. This person should have first-hand knowledge of your art or academic achievements. We recommend asking someone, such as an art teacher, liberal arts teacher, school counselor, employer, or mentor.

Using Common App, you can provide the contact information of the recommender, and they will be able to submit an online form on your behalf. We will also accept letters of recommendation via postal mail, or e-mail sent directly from the reference's account to admissions@massart.edu. All recommendation letters must be sent by the reference, or be on signed high school, college, or business letterhead and sent in a sealed envelope. We will not accept recommendation letters sent by a student or a family member that have not been signed and sealed by the reference.

Please note Common App refers to recommenders as "Academic Evaluators."

MassArt requires proof of graduation for all first year and transfer students. This is necessary for both residency documentation and financial aid verification.

Transfer applicants with an academic transcript that indicates they have successfully completed at least two years of post-secondary education (48 or more credits, not including college credits completed while in high school), have adequate documentation to fulfill the proof of graduation requirement. If credits are currently in progress, you must provide the final college transcript noting successful competition of those course in order to enroll. Failure to do so will require you to submit your proof of graduation, and you will not be able to start classes without proper documentation. To satisfy this requirement, you may submit one of the following:

• A final high school transcript from a U.S. high school or U.S.-accredited high school, including a date of graduation; signed, stamped, or sealed by a school official, and sent from your high school or recognized third-party vendor
• A Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) results sent directly from the testing organization
• An official copy of documentation sent directly from the IB Organization indicating that a diploma has been awarded
• Some national exam results: GCE/GCSE exams (O-Level and AS-level), India Secondary School Examinations, Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Exams, and CAPE I, etc.
• Home-schooled students have the additional option to submit a letter from a local school district official or state education agency certifying that the student received an education substantially equivalent to instruction given to students graduating from high school in a public or private institution

Legal permanent residents of the U.S. must submit a copy of the front and back of your permanent registration card along with your application materials in order to be considered for admission.