Transfer Applicants
Arts Portfolio
Stanford welcomes the participation of all students in the arts. Students who wish to highlight their extraordinary talent in the fine or performing arts may submit an Optional Arts Portfolio in one of the following areas: Art Practice, Dance, Music, or Theater and Performance Studies. If you submit one, you are not required to major in the arts. If you do not submit one, you may still study or participate in the arts, and we encourage you to do so.
Please submit a portfolio in the area that best represents your strength in the arts and the art form you are most likely to pursue in college. Arts Portfolios will be reviewed at the discretion of the admission office and the fine arts faculty.
Deadlines
To participate, you must submit your application by March 15 and portfolio by March 20.
Application |
Portfolio Materials |
|---|---|
March 15 |
March 20 |
Checklist For Arts Applicants
Submit online by the Common Application deadline:
- Common Application
- nonrefundable application fee or fee waiver request
- Official transcript(s)
- Two teacher evaluations
- School Report and counselor recommendation
Submit online by the arts portfolio materials deadline:
- Stanford Arts portfolio form
(including arts resume) - Arts materials
Submission Steps
- Select "Yes" to the application question, "Do you intend to submit an Arts Portfolio?"
- Submit your Common Application by the applicable early deadline. After Stanford receives your application, we will email you instructions to access your Stanford Portal within 48 hours.
- Log in to your Stanford portal, scroll below your checklist to the "Optional Arts Portfolio" section, and submit the Arts Portfolio form. Once submitted, you will see a link to upload your portfolio materials.
- Use the link to upload your Arts Portfolio materials by the applicable early deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any student who wishes to highlight their extraordinary talent in the fine or performing arts is welcome to submit an Arts Portfolio. Strong Arts Portfolios showcase outstanding levels of skill and achievement in the arts.
We understand many students are accomplished across a number of art forms. Candidates should submit a portfolio in the area that best represents their strength in the arts and the art form they are most likely to pursue in college.
If you submit an Arts Portfolio, you are not required to major in the arts.
If you do not submit an Arts Portfolio, you may still study or participate in the arts at Stanford and are encouraged to do so.
Students submitting a portfolio in Music or Theater and Performance Studies may include a letter of recommendation in their portfolio. The specific guidelines for these recommendation letters are outlined in the Music and Theater and Performance Studies instructions above. This letter is optional, and portfolios without one will not be at a disadvantage. Submission Instructions:
- Select “I’d like to include an arts letter of recommendation” in the Arts Portfolio form.
- Provide your instructor’s contact information and submit your form.
- Your recommender will receive an email with instructions for uploading their letter.
The deadline for your recommender is the same as the earlier arts portfolio deadline above, and we cannot provide extensions. At this time, we are not accepting letters of recommendation for Art Practice and Dance portfolios.
The Arts Portfolio is an optional component in the application. Even if you indicated you would submit a portfolio, there is no obligation to do so.
If you indicated you would be submitting a portfolio but no longer wish to submit one, there is no further action required and your application will be reviewed without the portfolio.
Please note:
- Portfolios will be reviewed at the discretion of the Office of Undergraduate Admission and the fine arts faculty.
- Items mailed to Stanford will not be returned.
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