Undergraduate Application Requirements: High School Applicants

Application Deadlines

Pratt is currently accepting applications for Fall 2023 and will continue to accept applications throughout the season as space permits. 

Applications for fall should be submitted as close as possible to January 5th for priority consideration for admission and scholarship. Decisions will be issued on an ongoing basis as applications are completed until programs are full.

Applications for the following programs are closed for Fall 2023: 

• Architecture
• Art and Design Education
• Communication Design: Graphic Design
• Communication Design: Illustration
• Digital Arts: 2D Animation
• Industrial Design
• Fashion Design
• Fine Arts: Drawing
• Fine Arts: Painting
• Fine Arts: Sculpture
• Undecided

1. Application form with fee (online)
2. Visual or Writing Portfolio (Not required for Construction Management)   
3. Official transcripts from each high school attended or official GED scores
4. Test Scores (*optional)
5. Two letters of recommendation
6. Pratt Essay
7. Common App Essay

Detailed descriptions of each material can be found below. 

Pratt asks that materials are uploaded to the online application whenever possible. Portfolios are submitted exclusively at pratt.slideroom.com. Anything that must be mailed can be sent to:

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

All supporting documents, including portfolio if required, should be submitted by the application deadline. 

1. APPLICATION FORM WITH FEE

First-year high school applicants apply online ($50 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents; $90 for international applicants). First-year high school applicants apply through the Common App. Fee waivers are available through the Common App for students who qualify. 

2. PORTFOLIO

Portfolio requirements vary by program: 

• All high school art, design, and architecture applicants, including photography, fashion design, and BFA in History of Art and Design applicants, must submit a visual portfolio consisting of 12–20 works. Pratt accepts 2-D, 3-D, and time-based media. Portfolios must be submitted by the application deadline. Included in the 12 – 20 works, Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings.  Observational work offers insights as to how you interpret and translate the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional surface.  Because Pratt’s Foundation year utilizes life drawing as one of the ways to explore and create within the picture plane, it is important to see some evidence of this work in a portfolio. If you are a lens-based artist or fashion designer, the observational work you submit acknowledges that you are open to exploring the picture plane through 2D and 3D studio work.  
• Applicants to Film, Writing, Critical and Visual Studies, BA in History of Art and Design, and the AOS in Game Design and Interactive Media should see specific portfolio requirements below. 

The visual portfolio should consist of a variety of media and approaches. It can include assignment-based projects, self-directed work, or pieces of a collaborative nature. The portfolio does not need to be specific to the discipline to which you are applying. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs). Please indicate in the description section for each image on SlideRoom if the work is your own or was done by a group. 

PORTFOLIO FOR FILM APPLICANTS

There are two parts to the film portfolio at Pratt:

• Visual Component: Select Option A or Option B or Option C
• Writing Component: Complete the required writing sample 

Find details below: 

Visual Component (Choose A, B, or C)

Option A

A visual portfolio consisting of 12–20 examples of 2-D, 3-D, and time-based media. The work should consist of a variety of media and approaches; applicants may include a three-minute-maximum video for which the applicant has primary creative control in addition to work in other media. Work may include assignment-based projects, self-directed work, or pieces of a collaborative nature. Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings. Observational work offers insights as to how you interpret and translate the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional surface.  Because Pratt’s Foundation year utilizes life drawing as one of the ways to explore and create within the picture plane, it is important to see some evidence of this work in a portfolio. If you are a lens-based artist or fashion designer, the observational work you submit acknowledges that you are open to exploring the picture plane through 2D and 3D studio work. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs).

Option B

Video: A three- to five-minute video in which you had primary creative control. This may be fiction, documentary, or experimental in approach, and it may be silent or include sound, but it must reflect your aesthetic, intellectual, and emotional interests. (Should be submitted on SlideRoom at pratt.slideroom.com.)

Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings. Observational work offers insights as to how you interpret and translate the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional surface.  Because Pratt’s Foundation year utilizes life drawing as one of the ways to explore and create within the picture plane, it is important to see some evidence of this work in a portfolio. If you are a lens-based artist or fashion designer, the observational work you submit acknowledges that you are open to exploring the picture plane through 2D and 3D studio work. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs).

Option C

Storyboard : A series of photographs you have taken or drawings you have made that, when viewed in a sequence, tell a simple story or portray an original character or place. Include a brief written narrative (less than one page) about the character, place, or story you’ve created. (Should be submitted on SlideRoom at pratt.slideroom.com.)

Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings. Observational work offers insights as to how you interpret and translate the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional surface.  Because Pratt’s Foundation year utilizes life drawing as one of the ways to explore and create within the picture plane, it is important to see some evidence of this work in a portfolio. If you are a lens-based artist or fashion designer, the observational work you submit acknowledges that you are open to exploring the picture plane through 2D and 3D studio work. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs).

Writing Component 

Write a one-page original film synopsis. Then, write a two-page descriptive treatment for a scene within the film. This should not include dialogue, but should rely heavily on character interactions and visual storytelling. 

Please upload the writing sample to either the media section of SlideRoom in PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.

PORTFOLIO FOR WRITING

Applicants are required to submit a writing portfolio of recent writing (no more than 10 pages). Writing applicants may submit poetry, short stories, and excerpts from novels, articles, and essays. Please submit one sample of analytical writing (essay, term paper, or article). We encourage you to submit several examples of your writing in different genres. If you submit poetry, you must also submit some prose. Please upload writing samples online through the Common App if you are a first-year applicant and directly to Slideroom at pratt.slideroom.com if you are a transfer.  Submit to either the media section in PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.

PORTFOLIO FOR CRITICAL AND VISUAL STUDIES AND BA IN HISTORY OF ART AND DESIGN

Applicants should submit examples of analytical writing (no more than 10 pages) at pratt.slideroom.com. Please upload writing samples online through the Common App if you are a first-year applicant and directly Slideroom at pratt.slideroom.com if you are transfer.  Submit to either the media section in PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.

At this time, feedback on writing portfolios is not available through the Admissions Office.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PORTFOLIO

First-year high school applicants will submit their portfolio to Slideroom through the Common App and must include their Common App ID in their Slideroom submission.  

College transfer students must submit their portfolios directly to Slideroom at pratt.slideroom.com by the application deadline. You will be able to edit your portfolio online until you press the “submit” button, and you will receive immediate confirmation that we received your work. 

Please submit by the application deadline. Do not send originals. All submitted materials, including the portfolio, become the property of Pratt Institute. Portfolios in any format will not be returned or held for pickup. We do not review personal websites. There is a $15 charge to submit your portfolio on SlideRoom.

Admissions advisement sessions and reviews done during National Portfolio Days or by appointment off-campus do not fulfill the applicant’s visual requirement; they are for guidance only.

3. OFFICIAL HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS

A high school diploma or the equivalent is required for enrollment to Pratt Institute’s undergraduate program. In order to complete your application transcripts from all high schools attended are required. Applicants who have received high school equivalency diplomas are required to have official High School Equivalency Examination (GED) scores sent to the Admissions Office in addition to official transcripts from all high schools attended. Pratt receives documents through Naviance, Parchment, BridgeU, EScript, Scrib, National Student Clearing House, or CIALFO.

International applicants must submit official transcripts (academic records) of all secondary school studies as well as any postsecondary studies. Applicants also must submit official results of all external examinations, for example General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), Hong Kong School Certificate of Education, Israeli matriculation or Bagrut, Secondary School Certificates, and Baccalaureate Part I and Part II. All transcripts must be translated into English. 

Credential Evaluations for International Students

While we do not require credential evaluations for first-time high school applicants, Pratt strongly recommends it. College transfer students who have studied outside the US are required to submit a credential evaluation of their transcripts. These credential evaluations must be completed by a NACES member. Options for evaluation services include Span Tran for Pratt, WES, ECE, IEE, Global Credential Evaluators, or another acceptable service, e.g.: your embassy. Credential evaluations do not typically include translations, so documents must first be officially translated into English by a certified translation service. Pratt asks for a course-by-course evaluation.

4. TEST SCORES:  PRATT IS TEST-OPTIONAL 

Pratt is test-optional for high school applicants (US citizens and permanent residents only); we do not require the SAT or ACT tests. Applicants who do not submit test scores will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. 

International students and those for whom English is a second language must submit proof of English proficiency. They may choose to submit one of our accepted English proficiency exams (see #7 below), or may submit either the SAT or ACT instead. 

To ensure that we receive scores by our posted deadlines, students should take the tests as early as possible but no later than one month before the application deadline. Please be sure to have your scores sent directly to Pratt. 

• SAT code is 2669
• CLEP code is 2669
• AP code is 2669
• ACT code is 2862
• TOEFL code is 2669

5. TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Two letters of recommendation are required; one from a teacher, and the other from either a teacher, counselor, or employer with the ability to assess your preparedness for undergraduate study. Letters should be submitted through the Common App for high school applicants and through the Pratt application for transfer applicants. 

See details at our Apply page

6. PRATT ESSAY 

All Programs (Except Construction Management)

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. The essay should be 250-500 words or two pages maximum. Make sure your essay is complete before uploading because you will not be able to make changes after you submit your application.

Construction Management Only

Write about a construction project (building, home, stadium, structure, resort, or environment) or a piece of art or design that has inspired you and describe the impact it has had on your decision to study Construction Management. The essay should be 250-500 words or two pages maximum. Make sure your essay is complete before uploading because you will not be able to make changes after you submit your application.

7. COMMON APP ESSAY

First-time, high school applicants should write a 250-500 word response to one of the essay prompts in the Common App and submit it to the Common App. Make sure your essay is complete before uploading because you will not be able to make changes after you submit your application. Essays submitted in other forms will not be accepted.

8. TESTS OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY 

All students for whom English is a second language must submit one of the following accepted exams: 

• TOEFL and TOEFL Home Edition (effective as of October 3, 2022 the minimum score is 79 for 4-year programs or 71 for 2-year programs)
• TOEFL ITP Plus (minimum 600 for 4-year programs or 527 for 2-year programs)
• PTE (minimum 62 for 4-year programs or 48 for 2-year programs)
• IELTS or IELTS Indicator (minimum 6.5 for 4-year programs or 6.0 for 2-year programs)
• SAT or ACT (no minimum) 

Please have official scores sent by the testing company. Pratt accepts the TOEFL My Best Score and super scores SAT and ACT tests. Scores must be received by our deadlines.Any test scores must have been taken within one year of submitting an application in order to be considered valid.  Pratt no longer accepts Duolingo test scores as of August 1, 2022.

English Proficiency Waivers: International applicants who have studied at a high school in the U.S. for at least three years with academic success may waive the test requirement. Those who have studied in another country where English is an official national language and the mode of instruction may also waive the test requirement with official transcripts that demonstrate at least three full years of academic success. 

Pratt does NOT waive the test requirement for students who have attended an English-speaking school in a non-English speaking country unless the school is US accredited (e.g. American schools) or an English-speaking IB World school. 

If you intend to waive your score requirement, select this option on the Common App, and waivers will be issued after your application has been submitted and reviewed for eligibility. Waivers are issued at the discretion of the admissions office.

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED MATERIAL FOR HOME-SCHOOLED APPLICANTS

Pratt Institute welcomes applications from home-schooled students. In the absence of conventional high school records, submitting the items below will help us to evaluate your readiness for the programs that we offer.  Home-school transcripts should include:

• course titles
• course grades
• units of credit for courses
• grading scale (if other than A–F letter grades)
• signature of the home-school administrator (the parent, guardian, or other person who organized, taught, and evaluated your home school coursework)

In the absence of a traditional transcript, you may present a portfolio of the work you consider most indicative of your academic achievements (this is in addition to the regular visual portfolio requirement). This may contain records such as grades from community college or other postsecondary-level courses that you may have taken, scores from AP tests (these are also administered independently of schools), recommendations from qualified tutors or teachers, examples of independent research, or descriptions of books and other curricular materials used in preparation for college-level work.

Upon Deposit: Proof of high school graduation must be sent to Pratt before you arrive. This requirement may be satisfied by supplying any of the following: 

1. Official scores from the official High School Equivalency Examination (GED). 

2. A letter from your local superintendent of schools as proof of your readiness to enter college and that your home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws. 

3. Certificate of graduation from a diploma-granting organization or non-traditional school. 

Failure to provide will result in a registration hold.

PROOF OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

This requirement may be satisfied by supplying any of the following:

1. Scores from the official High School Equivalency Examination (GED)
2. A letter from your local superintendent of schools as proof of your readiness to enter college and that your home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws
3. Certificate of graduation from a diploma-granting organization or nontraditional school

Check the status of your application online.

Note that you will not be able to check your status until your application has been completed and submitted.

Fall and Spring program start terms can be found on our Apply Online page. 

More Information

Information about selecting a major, recommended high school course work, home-school applicants, AP and IB credits, and details about required materials for permanent residents are below.

Choosing a Major

Applicants interested in architecture, writing, critical and visual studies, history of art and design or construction management must choose those majors at the time of application as they have different first years. Students who are uncertain about which major to choose in the Schools of Art and Design may choose undecided and then select their major in the spring of their freshman year.

Certain majors like interior design and industrial design may be limited by space and must control the numbers entering to assure enough space and equipment for all students. Most departments welcome students who wish to enter their departments, however we are unable to guarantee space. Note that undecided students are not permitted to enter programs in the Digital Arts department, including 2D animation, 3D animation and motion arts, and game design. 

We encourage all students to read about our majors before they submit the application so they can make an informed choice. Students who wish to talk with an admissions counselor about the various majors are encouraged to call or come in with their work to discuss. Appointments may be scheduled by online.

Recommended High School Course Work

Pratt doesn’t require specific coursework for admission to our programs. Those without the following will not be penalized in any way, however this list of courses may offer relevant preparedness for your program of study:

Architecture, Writing, and Critical and Visual Studies Programs:  

English 4 units
Social Studies 1 unit
College Prep Math 3–4 units  
Science 2 units (d)
Academic Electives 3 units (a)
General Electives 2 units (b)

Construction Management Program

English 4 units
Social Studies 1 unit
College Prep Math 4 units (c)
Science 2 units (e)
 Electives 5 units

Art and Design Programs

English 4 units
Social Studies 1 unit
Mathematics 1 unit
Science 1 unit
Academic Electives 3 units

Notes (a) May include additional units in social studies, science, math, foreign language or any combination of these
(b) Should include studio art
(c) Recommended trigonometry and advanced algebra
(d) Recommended chemistry, physics, or biology
(e) One unit recommended to be in either chemistry or physics, preferably physics.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit Policy

See Pratt Institute’s AP and IB policies.