Preparing an Art Portfolio for Admission

A portfolio is the selection of work you submit so that a school can judge your ability and potential. Because every school writes its own rules, there is no universal format. This guide collects what several schools say publicly, so you can see the common threads and the differences. It does not guarantee admission and it does not replace the school's instructions: if a school's page contradicts this guide, follow the school.

Start from the school's own page

Before making anything, find the exact instructions for your course. The number of pieces, file types, size limits, and whether specific tasks are required all vary. Examples:

• Alfred University asks for 15 to 20 samples of your best work, four of which must be drawings from direct observation, submitted through an online portfolio system with one image per slide, size and file limits, and a title, medium, dimensions and date for every piece.
• Anglia Ruskin University says ideally 15 to 20 pieces or projects but no more than 30, as a PDF hosted online, with additions for specific courses such as illustration or interior design.
• Montserrat College of Art, in a guide for applicants, recommends 12 to 15 pieces and at least two drawn from direct observation.
• UAL asks for work from three to five projects, uploaded to its portfolio tool after you apply, with a deadline set by the university.

Those four numbers do not agree. That is the point: a portfolio built to one school's count may not fit another's.

Common threads

Across these pages several themes recur.

Observational drawing. Alfred, Anglia Ruskin and Montserrat all ask for work drawn from direct observation, and two of them advise against relying on photographs or copying existing artwork. If a school asks for observational work, plan time for it early.

Process as well as results. UAL says to show your process, including experiments and mistakes, and says that for undergraduate applications it looks for potential more than finished pieces. Montserrat advises including exploratory work, and Alfred welcomes work in progress and sketches because they show how you see, work and think.

Range and focus. UAL asks for a range of ideas, materials and skills; Alfred asks for evidence of composition, line, form and colour as well as conceptual skill. Check whether your target course wants range or a focused body of work.

Strongest work first and last. UAL suggests starting and ending with your strongest work. Anglia Ruskin suggests opening with a striking image.

Presentation

Practical advice from UAL and others is consistent:

• Use landscape pages and avoid crowding or decorative backgrounds.
• Keep captions short and legible; include materials, size or scale, and date.
• Photograph or scan physical work at good quality; document three-dimensional work from several angles.
• Edit video or sound to short clips; check length limits.
• Group work should be labelled as such, with your role explained.
• Check that links are public and will not expire; Anglia Ruskin warns against file-transfer links that expire.

Undergraduate and postgraduate portfolios differ

An undergraduate portfolio is often judged on potential, drawing skills and willingness to experiment. A graduate portfolio, for an MFA or similar degree, usually asks for a more developed body of work and a statement; the exact materials vary, and UAL's postgraduate pages describe a study proposal or written task and sometimes a short video task in addition to a portfolio. For PhD applications, see applying for an art PhD.

Some schools assess the portfolio only after you start. Northern Kentucky University describes a portfolio review for entry into its BFA after foundation coursework, with a minimum GPA, and a limited number of attempts. Read BFA versus BA for context.

A working timeline

1. Find the requirements for every course you might apply to, and note differences.
2. Make and gather more work than you need, so you can edit.
3. Select with the school's criteria in front of you, not just your favourites.
4. Document the work: photograph, scan, label.
5. Ask for feedback, for instance through a portfolio review session if the school offers one; Montserrat and Anglia Ruskin both mention face-to-face or virtual review options.
6. Submit early, after testing links and file sizes. UAL notes that its upload link arrives after you apply and the deadline is only a short time afterwards, with no extensions offered; other schools differ.

Things we cannot tell you

We cannot say what will impress a specific admissions committee or whether a given portfolio will be accepted. Admissions decisions depend on the school, the applicant pool and the course. Do not pay anyone who promises acceptance. Read choosing an art school to build a shortlist, and MFA versus MA if you are applying at graduate level.