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Transfer Students

Each transfer student brings to the College a different level of artistic capability and academic achievement based on a variety of post-secondary educational experiences. Some students transfer to the College as freshmen, others as sophomores and juniors. A limited number of spaces is available each year within each department, and admission is competitive.

There are various reasons why students attend other colleges for one or two years before transferring to MICA. Some plan to gain additional experience before applying to MICA; some postpone their entry for financial reasons; and some need more time to define their commitment to the visual arts. For more information about transferring to MICA, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at 410.225.2222.

Step 1: Application

Submit the undergraduate admission application to the Office of Undergraduate Admission together with the non-refundable $60 application fee. Please make all checks (which must be in U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. banks) and money orders payable to Maryland Institute College of Art. Be sure to complete the required essay and activities list. If you require financial aid, submit the Financial Aid Application. If you wish to apply for merit-based scholarships, also complete and return the competitive scholarships application form with your application for admission.

Step 2: Transcripts

A high school diploma or equivalent is required for admission to MICA’s undergraduate degree program. Request that an official record of your grades be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admission from your high school and from all accredited post-secondary institutions attended.

Note: Only courses carrying a grade of C or better will quality for transfer credit. Up to 63 credits required for the BFA degree may be transferred from other accredited colleges. Exceptions will be made in certain cases. Liberal arts courses in which the course content paralells that of courses offered at MICA will be considered for transfer credit. Transfer of studio courses is determined by portfolio review and course equivalency. In some cases, the academic dean will consider waiving course requirements after an evaluation of art acheivements gained outside formal school programs.

Step 3: Enrollment status report form

The Enrollment Status Report Form, detailing a list of courses in which you are currently enrolled, or plan to enroll, must accompany your application. It should include your name, college/university attending, semester/year, course titles, departments, course numbers, and course descriptions.

Step 4: Course Descriptions

Transfer applicants must submit course descriptions for all courses for which they are requesting transfer credit.

Step 5: Letters of Recommendation

If you feel that the recommendations of instructors, advisors, or employers are important to your application, ask such individuals to send letters of reference to the Office of Undergraduate Admission within two weeks of the date you mail your application.

Step 6: Test Scores

The College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) and/or the American College Test (ACT) are not required for transfer admission. However, if English is your second language, you must submit test scores from TOEFL or IELTS exams by March 1 (detailed instructions are included in Step 2 of Admission Procedures and Deadlines for International Students).

Step 7: Essay

Choose one of the topics listed on the application form, write an essay, and attach it to your application.

Step 8: Activities & Interests

Compile a list of activities, interests, and honors as explained on the application form, and attach it to your application.

Step 9: Portfolio of Artwork

Your portfolio is considered one of the most important requirements in the admission decision. Your artwork reflects your visual sensitivity, your intellectual curiosity and creativity, and your motivation and self-discipline. For transfer students, the portfolio is also used to evaluate your post-secondary art experiences in order to determine equivalency to MICA coursework.

Transfer students should prepare a portfolio of 15-35 pieces of artwork that demonstrates a knowledge of college-level coursework. The portfolio should include items that represent basic skills in drawing, painting, color, and design. If enough coursework has been completed, the portfolio should also reflect experience in a major field of study.

The portfolio allows the review committee to evaluate which studio courses will transfer to MICA and determines class standing in your departmental major. Therefore, your portfolio should represent as much work as possible from all studio courses taken while attending other post-secondary institutions.

Applicants should submit a portoflio of artwork in one of the following formats:

  • Digital images uploaded to https://micaundergrad.slideroom.com (preferred method). Please refer to the directions below under "Format for Online Portfolio Submissions."
  • Digital images and/or time-based artwork on CD or DVD. Please refer to the requirements described below under "Formats for Digital Portfolio Submissions on DC/DVD."
  • 35 mm slides
  • Photographs

Portfolios submitted as part of the admission and competitive scholarship application process become a permanent part of the admission file and are not returned. Do not mail original artwork or your only copies of artwork documentation, such as slides or CD/DVD s.

If you would like to receive feedback from a MICA admission representative on your original portfolio, you may bring it to a National Portfolio Day* or to a Transfer Review Day at MICA.

*Portfolio Days are hosted by MICA and other members of the National Portfolio Day Association. For information regarding dates, times, and locations, watch for posters sent to every high school art department during September, or visit the NPDA Web site at www.portfolioday.net. You can also call MICA's Office of Undergraduate Admission for information about National Portfolio Days.

Please note : All transfer applicants, even those not applying for competitive scholarships, must submit a portfolio online at https://micaundergrad.slideroom.com or in DC, DVD, or slide format as described above, along with application materials.

Formats for Online Portfolio Submissions:

The Office of Undergraduate Admission's preferred method for submitting portfolio materials is onine via https://micaundergrad.slideroom.com. The system permits each applicant to create an inventory of images and attach the following information: title, date, medium, dimensions and notes. Images (jpg), video (mov, wmv, flv), and PDF documents may be uploaded to our site. For good image quality and fast upload, images should be sized no larger than 1280 x 1280 pixels at 72dpi. Video files must be kept under 20MB. Our SlideRoom portal offers additional instructions for submitting artwork online.

Formats for Digital Portfolios on CD/DVD:

  • Still imagery (painting, sculpture, photography, digitally created art): Submit all images on a CD/DVD as jpegs saved at 72 dpi resolution and at a size of 600 pixels in the longest direction.  Although not required, applicants may include a simple, untimed Powerpoint or Keynote presentation in addition to jpeg files. Remember to include an accompanying printed inventory/contact sheet showing thumbnails of all work on the CD/DVD with captions as describe under "Labeling Your Portfolio" below.
  • Time-based work (video, animation) or time-based documentation (installations, performances or interactive media): Submit as QuickTime mov file(s). It is helpful to include a selected short excerpt or edited segment (2 minutes) to precede each longer piece. Remember to include an inventory sheet describing the work submitted digitally, with a contact sheet of representative still image/s for reference.
  • Web-based work : You may submit Web-based work on CD/DVD with each pertinent file (with start page clearly marked) in a separate folder, or you may provide the URL of your active Web site(s). Remember to include an inventory sheet describing the work submitted digitally, with a contact sheet of representative screen shots for reference.

Labeling Your Portfolio:

Please make certain that your name is clearly labeled on every individual item in your portfolio—each slide, photograph, CD/DVD, and inventory/contact sheet. In addition:

  • Each slide must be labeled with your name, title of work, medium, dimensions, and date completed.
  • A separate inventory /contact sheet must accompany your portfolio. When work is submitted on CD/DVD, this inventory should be in the form of a contact sheet of thumbnails of all images included on the CD/DVD. You may include the MS Word file on your CD/DVD, but you should also include a hard-copy printout of the inventory/contact sheets. The inventory must be labeled with your name and a description of each work submitted including: title, medium, dimensions, and date completed.

Admission Dates and Deadlines

Fall Enrollment

  • March 1 Application deadline for transfer students wishing to be considered for priority admission and competitive scholarships; these applicants will be notified of admission decision on April 2
  • April 2 (then rolling) Application deadline for all other transfer students (applications received after April 2 will be considered if space is available); these applicants will be notified on April 30
  • Week of April 18-24 Notification of scholarship recipients
  • May 21 Candidate Reply Date: tuition and housing deposits due

Spring Enrollment

  • November 5 Application deadline (applications received after this date will be considered if space is available)
  • December 1 Admission notifications mailed
  • December 15 Candidate Reply Date: tuition and housing deposits due

Financial Aid Dates and Deadlines

Required documents:

  1. MICA Financial Aid Application
  2. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  3. Parent and student federal tax returns and W-2 statements

Fall Enrollment

  • March 1 Application deadline for priority funding consideration (applications received after this date will be processed until funds are exhausted)
  • April 18-24 Financial aid award notifications mailed to transfer applicants

Spring Enrollment

  • November 5 Application deadline for priority funding consideration (applications received after this date will be processed until funds are exhausted)
  • December 1 Financial aid award notifications mailed