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Cooper Union

School of Art Transfer Application Process

School of Art Student in their Studio Space

School of Art Student in their Studio Space

Our fall 2026 application is live!
 

Dates and Deadlines

Regular Decision
  • Application Deadline: January 5
  • Hometest Live: Monday, January 12
  • Hometest Submission Deadline: Monday, February 9
    (both physical and digital submissions are required)
  • Decision Notification: April 1 

Application Instructions

To be eligible as a transfer applicant, you must have completed 18-60 credits of studio art courses OR previously earned a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than art. Students who are enrolled in the School of Art exchange program are not eligible to apply as a transfer student while in residence at The Cooper Union. 

Application Steps 
  • A completed Cooper application
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • 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: Hometests
  • The Hometest is a required part of your application to The Cooper Union School of Art. This creative assessment is a cornerstone of our long-standing admissions process, designed to show the admissions committee your visual imagination, concept development, hand-on making, and how effectively you can follow directions and manage your time.
  • Each year, the Hometest features a set of prompts. These are thoughtfully developed by our faculty. You will have approximately one month to complete and submit the test.
  • Detailed instructions will be available in your applicant portal within one week of the application deadline. You will also receive an email with clear guidance on how to complete and submit the Hometest.
  • Portfolio and sketchbook (to be submitted with the Hometest)
International Student Requirements 

International Student 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.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.