Submitting Your Portfolio
Applicants may submit their portfolios in one of three ways listed below. Portfolios may be reviewed before or after you submit your application but should meet all University deadlines. Transfer applicants should read the special notes at the bottom of this page.
1. IN PERSON
Actual work should be brought with you when you are attending an in-person portfolio review. Any work too large or too fragile to transport may be shown in person as photographs. Please note: It is not possible to have an in-person review for art video, computer art, or film.
It is not necessary to submit a portfolio online or by mail if you have had it reviewed in person unless you requested an "advise only" review or were told to resubmit.
On Campus
Information/portfolio review appointments for first-year and transfer applicants are available with a representative from the college’s Office of Recruitment and Admissions Monday through Friday throughout the year. The appointment includes information on:
• School of Art and Design programs
• Portfolio requirements
• The application process
• Upon request, an individual portfolio review is available.
• First-year student portfolio reviews may be scheduled on select dates in New York City.
• The School of Art and Design is represented at several National Portfolio Days. These events are free and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit Meet Us or call for more information.
• Please note: Only actual work (no slides, tapes, or disks) can be seen off campus.
To schedule an in-person appointment, please call 315-443-2769.
2. ONLINE
Applicants may submit their portfolios to us online at: suvpa.slideroom.com. Applicants may upload images (jpg), video (mov, wmv, flv) or PDF documents. For good image quality and fast upload, your image files should be sized around 1024 x 768px @ 72 ppi. Please keep video files under 20MB. Our online portal offers additional instruction for submitting work. For technical assistance, contact support@slideroom.com. The cost to submit by uploading is $10.
3. BY MAIL
You may submit a CD or DVD. Do not send original work of any kind. Label the disk with your full name, birth date and intended major. Two-dimensional work should be formatted as jpg files and saved in one folder for ease of viewing. Your image files should no less than 600 and no more than 800 pixels (approximately 300 dpi). Time-based work should be formatted as mov, wmv, or flv files. Please do not place images in a PowerPoint presentation or submit PDF files.
You must also submit a fact sheet. Please list: Your full name (including middle name), birth date, address, phone number, e-mail address, status (first-year or transfer), proposed major, and semester you plan to enter SU. Title files on disk with the corresponding number on fact sheet.
For two-dimensional work: For each work included, list title; size; medium; date completed; if done in classroom or independently; if based on real life, photo reference or imagination; and concept or idea for the piece.
For time-based work: For each work included, list title, running time, and your role on the recording (director, camera, editing, etc).
High school students should list all art courses that will be completed by graduation, including programs outside of school and during the summer.
Transfer students should indicate a major that is a strong second interest.
Send materials to:
Office of Recruitment and Admissions
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Syracuse University
202 Crouse College
Syracuse, NY 13244-1010
If submitting by mail and would like your disk returned, included a self-addressed, stamped (with appropriate postage) envelope. It will be returned to you in the summer.
SPECIAL NOTES FOR TRANSFER APPLICANTS:
Transfer applicants are encouraged to complete the application and portfolio review as soon as possible as space is limited in some programs. Please note the following information:
- Transfer portfolios are evaluated on campus only, usually by a faculty member in the student's proposed major. Please indicate you are a transfer applicant either when scheduling your in-person appointment or submitting by mail. Disks are preferred.
- In-person reviews with faculty are only available when classes are in session and depend on faculty schedules.
- If you have experience in the area in which you hope to major, please show examples of work in that area.
- Please include with your portfolio an unofficial college transcript. This is in addition to the two official college transcripts you send with your application for admission.
- Include a paragraph explaining why you wish to study art, what major you hope to pursue and why, what you expect from the major, and your career aspirations.