School of Art First-Year Application Process
Art Studio
Our fall 2025 application is now closed. The fall 2026 first-year application will open on August 1.
Dates and Deadlines
- Early Decision
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- Application Deadline: December 1
- Hometest Live: December 9
- Hometest Submission Deadline: January 6
(both physical and digital submissions are required) - Decision Notification: February 1
- Regular Decision
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- Application Deadline: January 5
- Hometest Live: January 9
- Hometest Submission Deadline: February 6
(both physical and digital submissions are required) - Decision Notification: April 1
Application Instructions
These application instructions are for first-year applicants only. There are alternate instructions for transfer students.
- Application Steps
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Prospective School of Art students who have received a preliminary review at a National Portfolio Day that occurs after The Cooper Union’s regular decision admission deadline of January 5, may be invited to apply after the deadline. All reasonable effort is made by the School of Art admissions committee to review applications in a fair and timely fashion.
- A completed application, the Common Application (for first-year applicants), the Cooper Application (for transfer applicants)
- Letters of recommendation (one for first-year applicants, two for transfer applicants)
- Official high school transcript or GED certificate (include mid-year report if currently enrolled in school)
- Official college transcripts for ALL schools attended, sent directly from the college or university
- SAT/ACT (test optional)
- English language proficiency test (if applicable)
- $75 application fee or fee waiver (if applicable)
- Required Supplemental Materials
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- After you submit your application, you will need to complete a Hometest. The Hometest is designed to help the Admissions Committee better understand each applicant’s relationship to visual imagination, concept development, and hands-on making.
- Hometest instructions will appear in the applicant portal once the test is released (approximately one week after the application deadline)
- In addition, an instructional email communication will be sent to you regarding the Hometest
- A portfolio and sketchbook (to be submitted with the Hometest)
- After you submit your application, you will need to complete a Hometest. The Hometest is designed to help the Admissions Committee better understand each applicant’s relationship to visual imagination, concept development, and hands-on making.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements For International Students
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Undergraduate applicants whose first language is not English and who have not had at least 3 years of English at a school where English was the official medium of instruction, are required to take one of the exams below. Please ensure that the name on your passport matches the name on your application and on your language scores.
English language proficiency test results are valid for two years only.
Test for English Language Proficiency Minimum Score Requirements TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) 600 (paper-based test)
100 (internet-based test)
MyBest® scores are not accepted
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
7.0 DET (Duolingo English Test) 130
We do not accept results from the following exams: IELTS Indicator, TOEFL ITP Plus for China, TOEFL Essentials, and PTE Academic Online.
- High School Graduation Requirements
If you have questions about our undergraduate application process, please attend an info session, check out our FAQs, or email us at admissions@cooper.edu.
