All studio art courses are taken at PAFA, culminating in 90 credits among our six concentrations. At Penn, students can access numerous courses and disciplines taught through the University of Pennsylvania College of Liberal and Professional Studies.

PAFA Course Requirements 

• Students complete 90 credits of Fine Arts and Studio Electives at PAFA.
• Students must complete the first 30 credits (one full-time academic year) at PAFA before applying to the program.
  • First-Year Foundations courses (30 credits)
  • Studio Electives (60 credits)

University of Penn Course Requirements

• Students must complete 16 courses at the University of Pennsylvania at the College of Liberal and Professional Studies
  • 4 courses in Art History
  • 12 courses in any combination of Liberal Arts Electives

Studying at both institutions allows students to master fine arts practices, deepen ideas, and broaden engagement with practices that are most meaningful to them.

What you should know when it comes to applying to the PAFA/Penn BFA program:  

• Students interested in the PAFA/Penn BFA should first apply and enroll at PAFA.  
• Once accepted and enrolled at PAFA, students can apply to the PAFA/Penn BFA program as early as after their first year at PAFA.  
• Actual enrollment in PAFA/Penn BFA courses will be contingent upon the successful completion of the first 30 credits (one full-time academic year) at PAFA.  
• Students currently enrolled at PAFA should meet with the Office of Admissions to begin the application process.

The Admissions Committee at the University of Pennsylvania carefully considers the applicant’s academic (non-art related) course records and generally expects students to maintain a B (3.0) average in those classes. Similar performance in current PAFA courses is expected as well.  

• Depending on a student’s previous academic record, the Admissions Committee may grant Provisional Admission to students who may not completely fit the admissions criteria. In this case, students will need to complete four classes, and then be reassessed for continued enrollment eligibility.  
• Students who are not admitted into the PAFA/Penn BFA program may still complete PAFA’s BFA. 

Please prepare the following:

• PAFA Application- Indicate on the standard application your intended program is PAFA/Penn
• Current Resume
• Application Essays
• Official High School Transcript
• PAFA Transcript- An approval form and a transcript from PAFA or a letter of acceptance to PAFA for individuals who have not yet completed their first year of classes.
• Nonrefundable application fee ($75)

Optional:

• Letter(s) of recommendation
• Standardized Test Scores

To learn more about the specific application requirements visit Penn's BFA Application Requirements page.

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