Undergraduate Studies Admissions
Students who want to major in a Design area must meet the academic admission standards to be eligible for admission (see below). Students are encouraged to fill out an online application through Admissions no later than November 1st.
All applicants must submit a portfolio of work and answer three essay questions as part of their application materials (see below). These materials should be received or postmarked no later than January 15.
Freshmen
Kansas Residents
To qualify for admission, an incoming freshman must submit a completed application with the $30 fee before the November 1st priority deadline and meet one of the following requirements:
- Achieve an ACT score of 23 or above, OR
- SAT score of 1050 Math & Verbal section, OR
- Earn at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0-point scale
Students should go to the KU's Admissions site to apply: http://admissions.ku.edu/apply/apps/
Out-of-State Residents
To qualify for admission, an incoming freshman must submit a completed application with the $30 fee before the November 1st priority deadline and meet one of the following requirements:
Achieve an ACT score of 25 or above OR an
- SAT score of 1130 Math & Verbal section OR
- Earn at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0-point scale
Students should go to the KU's Admissions site to apply: http://admissions.ku.edu/apply/apps/
Transfer and Re-Admit Applicants
Transfers
To qualify for admission, transfers students must submit a completed application with the $30 fee before the November 1st priority deadline and meet the following requirements:
Students with more than 24 hours of college level credit:
- Earn at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 point scale at a college or university
Students with less than 24 hours of college level credit:
- Submit all high school transcripts and college transcripts
- Submit ACT or SAT scores, if necessary
- Students will be evaluated on the freshmen requirements (see above)
Students should go to the KU's Admissions site to apply: http://admissions.ku.edu/apply/apps/
International Students
To qualify for admission, international students must submit a completed application with the $30 fee before the November 1st priority deadline and meet the following requirements:
- Total TOEFL iBT score of 70 or higher OR
- Total IELTS score of 6.0 or higher AND
- Earn at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0-point scale
Students should go to the KU's Admissions site to apply: http://www.iss.ku.edu/admissions/
Re-admits
To qualify for admission, re-admit students must submit a completed application before the January 15th deadline and meet one of the following requirements:
Students with more than 24 hours of college level credit:
- Have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0- point scale
Students with less than 24 hours of college level credit:
- Students will be evaluated on the freshmen requirements (see above)
Students should go to the KU's Admissions site to apply: http://admissions.ku.edu/
Portfolio and essay requirements
The Department of Design also requires a 10-20 image portfolio, and 3 responses to essay questions. Deadline for the portfolio submission is January 15th
Scholarships and the Midwest Student Exchange Program
- 1. Be a legal resident of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota or Wisconsin.
- 2. Achieve a high school GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.
- 3. Have a composite score of at least 24 on the ACT or 1090 on the SAT.
Deadline for Design Applications and Portfolio submission
- January 15th: Final deadline for application and portfolio submission for admission.
- March: Notification of acceptance or denial will be mailed out.
Arranging a Campus Visit
- Campus visits can be arranged through the KU Office of Admissions: http://admissions.ku.edu/visit/options/jayhawk.shtml A campus visit will include: an introduction to KU from an admissions representative, a one-hour walking tour of campus with a Student Ambassador, an optional residence hall tour, and an academic department appointment with the area of your choice. When completing the visit request, indicate that you would like to meet with Kate McCown in the Department of Design, in the comments box.
- If you have already visited campus and only want more information about the programs in the Department of Design, please contact the department recruiter Kate McCown at katemccown@ku.edu or 785-864-2073. A department appointment will include: an introduction to the Department of Design, information about admissions and transfer credit, an overview of academic requirements for the selected program and a 30 minute facility tour. Total appointment time is approximately 1 hour.
How long after I submit my application should I expect to wait until I know if I am admitted?
The Design Portfolio Review Committee will review applications every other week during the Fall/Spring semesters. Acceptance/denial letters are sent out from the Coordinator of Undergraduate Admissions once a decision has been reached. Please note that over the Winter Break the committee does not meet and therefore decisions for fall admission can take longer than usual due to the intermission.
For online application and other information visit KU Admissions.
