Undergraduate Studies Admissions
Requirements
For online application and other information, visit KU Admissions.
All School of Fine Arts applicants must meet or exceed academic requirements as well as professional requirements of having a successful essay/portfolio review or successful audition.
Kansas Residents
To qualify for admission, new freshmen must submit a completed application with the $30 fee before the December 1 deadline and meet one of the following requirements:
- Achieve an ACT score of 21 or above, or
- SAT score of 980 or above, or
- Earn at least a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0-point scale in the Kansas Board of Regents curriculum, or
- Rank in the top one-third of their high-school class.
Out-of-State Residents
To qualify for admission, new freshmen must submit a completed application with the $30 fee by the December 1 priority deadline and meet one of the following requirements:
- Achieve an ACT score of 24 or above or an
- SAT score of 1090 or above with a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0-point scale, or
- Earn at least a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0-point scale in the Kansas Board of Regents Curriculum, or
- Rank in the top one-third of their high-school class.
KS Board of Regents Curriculum
For more information, click here.
Art & Design
The departments of Art & Design also require a 10-20 image portfolio, and 3 brief essay questions. The Visual Arts Freshman Scholarship provides incoming high school graduates with a one time non-renewable monetary award applied towards tuition and fees incurred as a freshman. Your 10 to 20-piece portfolio submission, essays and high school transcripts will serve as the basis for consideration of a scholarship. Click here for essay and portfolio requirements.
After completing the online application, essays and submitting a10 to 20-piece portfolio (cd or slides), to the School of Fine Arts you will be considered for the scholarship provided you meet two of the following criteria:
- Cumulative GPA: 3.0 on 4 pt. scale
- Class rank: in top 20%
- ACT composite: 22+
Deadlines
- December: Priority consideration for the scholarship will be given to students who have been admitted to the School of Fine Arts by December 1st.
- April: In the first part of April, all students will be notified of the results of the scholarship awards. Faculty from both Department’s of Art and Design will serve as jurors.
Dance
Apply for admission to the University of Kansas by February 1. You must declare a major in dance on your KU application for admission to the dance program. You must be admitted to the University in order to be considered for any financial aid.
The Music & Dance department requires an audition for all students. Click here for more information on Dance auditions.
Music
All music students must audition for final acceptance to a music degree program. Submit your Audition Application Form and Audition Time Form at least three weeks before your preferred audition date. Times are confirmed by phone. Admittance letters will be sent soon after the audition. Music scholarships are awarded to students majoring in music, except athletic band scholarships. Late audition applications will be considered on a space available basis. Audition details are found in the Audition Application Form.
Admission Deadlines
Typical priority deadlines for admission to any area within the School of Fine Arts is December 1st, with scholarship deadlines of February 1st for Music & Dance, and December 1st for Art & Design. To be considered for an academic scholarship from KU you must apply to KU before November 1.
Arranging a Campus Visit
Campus visits can be arranged through our office of Admissions and Scholarships. They can be contacted at 785-864-3911 or adm@ku.edu. Admissions and Scholarships will provide you with a tour of campus and with useful information about KU, but it will also coordinate your visit with your prospective area of study for a tour of their facilities and to meet with someone on behalf of the area.
How long after I submit my application should I expect to wait until I know if I am admitted?
Typically the Art & Design portfolio review committee will review applications weekly during the Fall semester, and then acceptance/deny letters are sent out from the Undergraduate director within the following week.
Music & Dance students typically find out about their audition within hours of the completion of the audition, but formal academic “acceptance” letters are sent out the following week.
