Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Effective May 15, 2009

1. Completed application for admission.
   
2. Nonrefundable application fee. $25 (USD) if submitted online; $50 (USD) if submitted in paper form.
   
3. A diploma from a United States high school or equivalent program.*
   Applicants must submit an official transcript/mark sheet from last high school/secondary school attended, showing all years of the student's grades. Prior to enrollment at SCAD, proof of completion of the high school/secondary school program must be received by SCAD. All transcripts/mark sheets must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation.
   
4. Official report of SAT or ACT scores for citizens and permanent residents of the United States.
5. Demonstration of English proficiency for students whose first language is not English.**
   
6. Additionally, if applicable, any other documents or materials required to obtain a student visa. 

1. Portfolio, audition or writing submission. The portfolio, audition or writing submission is scored according to a rubric relevant to the type of submission. See undergraduate portfolio guidelines in the Admission Policies and Procedures section of the SCAD catalog.
   
2. Recommendations. One to three recommendations may be submitted by teachers, counselors or community leaders who have had immediate contact with the applicant. Recommendations should address the applicant's level of commitment, as well as attributes such as creativity, initiative, motivation, character and academic achievement, to aid in assessing the applicant's reasonable potential for success as a student at SCAD. Recommendations may not come from friends or family members except in the case of a teacher-parent.
   
3. Statement of purpose. The statement should be of no more than 500 words and should give an overview of the applicant's academic and personal experience, describing preparation for and commitment to further study at SCAD, as well as educational and professional goals and aspirations.
4. Résumé /list of achievements and awards.

Optional Undergraduate Admission Interview
An interview may be scheduled in advance to occur at information sessions and during visits to SCAD. Telephone or e-mail interviews also may be arranged.

* A Certificate of General Educational Development from the American Council of Education is considered equivalent to a diploma from a U.S. high school. For student applicants from countries other than the United States, SCAD uses the standards established by the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers to determine the equivalent academic achievement. The Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (Form V) completed with at least five subject areas passed is the equivalent of a diploma from a U.S. high school.

** English is the medium of instruction for all classes at SCAD. In addition to meeting or exceeding all other SCAD admission criteria, applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by providing official minimum scores on one of the following:

a.  550 on the paper-based test

b.  213 on the computer-based test

c.  85 on the Internet-based test with minimum subject scores of:

i.  23 speaking

ii.  24 writing

iii.  20 listening

iv.  18 reading

2. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum score of at least 6.5.