Undergraduate Application Requirements: High School Applicants

Office: Admissions

Applications for Fall 2026 are now open!

Application Deadlines

All documents are submitted electronically and required by the application deadline.

Documents not originally in English must be translated by a NACES certified translation service.

Postal mail can be sent to:

Pratt Institute
Office of Admissions
200 Willoughby Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11205

REQUIRED

Application form

First-year applicants apply online through the Common App.

The application has an administrative fee of $50 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents; and $90 for international applicants.

Official high school transcripts

Submit official transcripts from all high schools attended.
Transcripts must be sent directly from your school through approved electronic services (CommonApp, SCOIR, Naviance, Parchment, BridgeU, EScript, Scrib, National Student Clearinghouse, or CIALFO). Transcripts sent directly by applicants are not accepted.
A high school diploma or equivalent is required for enrollment before the first day of class. Applicants with a GED must also submit official scores and transcripts from all high schools attended.
Official results of all external examinations are required if your school mandated it as part of your high school graduation requirements (e.g., GCSE, IB, A-levels, French Bac, etc.)
The Office of Admissions reserves the right to contact your school directly for any questions or additional verification of documents needed.

Portfolio

What is a portfolio at Pratt?

A portfolio is a collection of recent artwork that you feel best represents you — your creativity, your interests, your experiences, your point of view, and your potential. If you’ve been making art, you have a portfolio.

Your Portfolio

Your portfolio provides a snapshot of who you are today and where you sit on your creative journey. Because everyone’s journey is different, every portfolio is different. We look forward to getting to know you as a visual storyteller through the work you share with us.

How do I submit my portfolio?

Portfolios must be submitted at www.pratt.slideroom.com
Slideroom has a $10 submission fee. We cannot waive this fee.
You must create a login using the same email address and biographical information that you used in your CommonApp
All images of your portfolio must be submitted as one single portfolio
Links or websites are not accepted as a portfolio
Once you submit your portfolio, it cannot be edited or returned

What should I include in my portfolio?

There is no set formula for the perfect portfolio, and what to include will depend on the type of portfolio that you submit. There are certain basics, however, that we want to see in any portfolio that will assist our review process.

Recent work: include work made within the last 18 months from the time you submit your portfolio. This timeframe will ensure that your portfolio reflects your current skills, interests, experiences and abilities.
Presentation: present your work thoughtfully. When photographing or filming your work, pay attention to lighting, focus, and cropping. Avoid blurry, out of focus images, and distracting or busy backgrounds that are not part of the work.
Documentation: each artwork presented must include the media or materials used, the dimensions, and the year when you made it. A title and a description are not required but you can include them if you prefer.
You: The portfolio you submit should reflect the person you want us to know. Show us who you are and show us what is important to you as a visual storyteller.

How will my portfolio be reviewed?

Along with your academic record, your portfolio will be reviewed to determine your readiness to engage in the first-year of your intended major.

We will never compare your portfolio to anyone else’s and will always assess your accomplishments relative to your unique educational and creative experiences and interests.

During the review process, we will look at your portfolio through two lenses:

1) An admissions lens that will focus on the level of potential as demonstrated in your work.

2) A scholarship lens that will focus on the level of accomplishment demonstrated in your work.

Applicants to the following majors submit a general visual portfolio:

Architecture

Art & Design Education

2D Animation

3D Animation

Digital Arts & Technology

Drawing

Fashion Design

Game Arts

Graphic Design

History Art & Design (BFA)

Illustration

Industrial Design

Interior Design

Jewelry

Painting

Sculpture and Integrated Practices

Photography

Printmaking

10 to 20 Artworks

Include final, fully-resolved work.

Please refrain from only submitting sketchbook work.

Theme or major of interest

Your portfolio does not need to be major-specific. For example, if you are interested in applying for architecture or graphic design, you are welcome to submit painting and printmaking. We encourage you to share your creativity in whatever mediums you choose.

Drawing requirements

Please include 3-to-5 examples of original work done from the direct observation of three-dimensional (3D) situations and objects. These can be self-portraits (using a mirror), figure studies, object studies, still lives, landscapes, and cityscapes.

No matter your area of interest, drawing is an ideal vehicle to demonstrate your creative problem-solving skills and explore universal building-blocks such as light, form, space and the relationship of objects within the picture plane.

Drawings done from your imagination are welcome, especially if those pieces provide critical insights into the depths of your interests and creativity. However, these pieces should be kept to a minimum.

Variety of media

Your portfolio can be 100% drawing but it is always helpful to see balance and a range of work that offers explorations in color, mixed media, and/or three-dimensional studies.

Work done with oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, markers, collage, clay, wood, plaster, film, photography, and digital tools can be solid additions to a portfolio if you choose to include them.

The portfolio requirement for Film consists of 2 required components. You must submit both the Visual Component + the Writing Component.

1 – The Visual Component (choose one of the following options)

Visual Option A – General Visual Portfolio

A visual portfolio as described in the General Visual Portfolio section

Visual Option B – Short Video

A 3-to-5-minute video in which you made
This may be fiction, documentary, or experimental in approach
It may be silent or include sound
It should reflect your aesthetic, intellectual, and emotional interests
Include a brief narrative that describes your submission and your primary role, especially if it was a group project

2 – The Writing Component (choose one of the following options)

Writing Option 1 – Synopsis

A one-page complete synopsis for an original film idea

Visual Option B – Film Scene

A 2-page film scene for an original film of your own
This should be as descriptive as possible
The scene should rely heavily on character interactions and visual storytelling
Please do not include any dialogue in your submission

The writing program at Pratt is a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).

The portfolio requirement for Writing is a collection of creative writing work that follows these guidelines:

Your submission should not exceed 10 pages in total.
Recent and original work which may include poetry, short stories, and/or excerpts from novels, articles, and essays.
You may include one sample of analytical writing but the majority of the portfolio should be focused on your creative writing.

In general, applicants to Photography are asked to submit the same general visual portfolio as other majors in the Schools of Art and Design. However, because many Photo applicants have not taken traditional studio-based art courses in high school, Photo applicants may submit 10 to 20 photographic images instead of two-dimensional based work such as drawings and paintings.

If only submitting photographic images, please consider work that:

Explores shared themes, ideas or interests that can be evidenced or connected over a series of 3 to 5 images.
Offers enough information and visual cues to stand on their own and not require the viewer to have prior knowledge of, or experience with, the subject.
Demonstrates an awareness of and intentionality around the use of light, form, space and the relationship of objects within the picture plane.
Represents multiple photo shoots and not just one day of shooting.
Flows well in sequence when viewed on a computer.

The portfolio requirement for the AOS Program in Game Design and Interactive Media consists of 2 required components. You must submit both the Visual Component + the Writing Component.

1 – The Visual Component (choose one of the following options)

Visual Option A – General Visual Portfolio

A visual portfolio as described in the General Visual Portfolio section

Visual Option B – Game Proposal

A proposal for an original game of any kind.
The proposal must include at least 3 of the following 5 elements:
Characters
Narrative
Strategy
Rules
World/Visual Descriptions

2 – The Writing Component responding to a prompt

Describe in detail the impact that a game has had on you. Please discuss the aspects of the game that impacted you the most and the techniques the game developers used to achieve this impact.

AI Admissions Policy

Text-Generation

The use of AI text-generation tools is not permitted in any part of the written application materials or admission requirements for Pratt
These submissions include the Pratt Essay, all Writing Components of portfolios, and the descriptions of your work in SlideRoom.

Image-Generation

All portfolio images submitted must be the direct and original work of the applicant.
Images derived primarily from other sources or appropriated from other individuals will not be accepted.
Images fully rendered by generative AI are prohibited.
AI image-enhancement tools used to support the development or editing of select pieces is permitted as long as the work remains original to the applicant.
When using AI tools with your original images, applicants must disclose the specific scope of all AI tools utilized, and all text prompts employed, to create an image or portfolio piece.

Essay

The Pratt essay is required (the CommonApp essay is optional)
250-500 words or two pages maximum.
Respond to the following prompt:

Write about a piece of work (visual art, musical performance, piece of writing, architecture, or design) that has influenced you and describe the impact it has had on your perspective OR write about a piece of your own work and the impact that creating it has had on you.

Proof of English Proficiency

International applicants and those for whom English is not the primary or native language, must submit a proof of English proficiency. The following are accepted:

Test	Minimum scores required
TOEFL IBT and TOEFL Home Edition (MyBEST TOEFL scores not accepted)	92 (Submission Code: 2669)
DET Duolingo English Test	120
IELTS Academic	7.0
PTE Academic	62
Cambridge English Proficiency (C1 or C2 levels)	183

All test scores must be sent directly to Pratt from the testing agency before the admissions deadline. Test scores must have been taken within two (2) years of your intended starting term (For Fall 2026, tests taken on or after August 2024 are accepted).

English Proficiency Waivers

International applicants may request an English proficiency waiver for one of the following reasons:

Applicants who have studied the last three (3) years of high school in the United States and are in good academic standing
Applicants who have studied the last three (3) years at a high school in another country where English is an official national language and the primary language of instruction and are in good academic standing
Applicants who have studied the last three (3) years at an English-speaking school in a non-English speaking country if the school is U.S. accredited or an English-speaking IB World school and are in good academic standing

English as Second Language programs or certificates are not accepted.
Proficiency waivers are reviewed and approved at the discretion of the Office of Admissions.

OPTIONAL

Letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation are optional.
To include letters of recommendation, please request them from someone with first-hand knowledge of your creative or academic preparedness. Letters of recommendation from family members or friends are not accepted.
A maximum of three (3) letters can be uploaded and should be submitted through the Common App

SAT / ACT Scores: Pratt is test optional

SAT or ACT scores are not required.
Applicants who wish to submit SAT or ACT scores can have the scores sent directly from the College Board to Pratt:

SAT code: 2669

ACT code: 2862

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION

Home-schooled applicants

All applicants to a bachelor’s degree program at Pratt, including home-schooled applicants, must provide high school transcripts, or its equivalent, issued by a state-approved homeschool association accredited by the Department of Education or by a sponsoring or partnering accredited high school.

Transcripts must include:

Course or subject titles
Duration of study for each course (term, semester, or grade)
An evaluation or assessment of performance (grade, mark, or score attained)
Grading scale if other than the U.S. 4.0 or U.S. letter grade A-F scales

Upon completion of high school, all applicants, including those home-schooled, are required to submit documentation verifying high school graduation or an equivalent credential.

Acceptable documentation for home-schooled applicants includes:

Official results from the GED, TASC, or HiSET examinations
Transcripts issued by a state-approved homeschool association accredited by the Department of Education or by a sponsoring or partnering accredited high school, indicating date of graduation

Following review of these documents, additional materials may be requested at the discretion of the Office of Admissions.

Choosing a major

We encourage you to learn about the programs that interest you. Meeting with an admissions counselor is a great way to do this.

Applicants interested in architecture, writing, critical and visual studies, history of art and design (BA), or construction management must choose those majors at the time of applying as they have different first year curriculums than other majors.
Applicants who are uncertain about which major to choose in the school of art and the school of design may choose to apply as undecided and then select their major in the spring of their first year. We understand that you may want to explore before deciding on a specific major.
2D Animation and Game Arts may not be available as options for Undecided majors coming out of the Foundation year. It is recommended that applicants interested in these majors choose them at the time of applying.

Transfer credits from external examinations

Pratt accepts up to nine (9) total credits from the following:

Advanced Placement (AP) with a score of four or five.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level with a score of five or greater.
French Baccalaureate with a score of 12 or higher and a coefficient of 4 or higher. (We require an officially certified copy of your French Baccalaureate Score results showing scores in each subject along with an official English translation.)
College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP) tests with a score of 55 or higher.

Only tests taken prior to matriculation at Pratt will be considered. Accepted students who seek transfer credit must submit official copies of score reports to the Office of Admissions prior to enrollment.

CHECK MY APPLICATION STATUS

MEET WITH US

You can schedule an appointment in-person or online. During your meeting, a counselor can discuss the majors that interest you as well as guide you through the application process. You are also encouraged to bring your portfolio to discuss your work and receive feedback.

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