BFA Portfolio Submissions

A portfolio review is required to be accepted into the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Visual Arts with a specialization in Graphic Design. Please note that there is no portfolio submission required for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Visual Arts with a specialization in Fine Art.

BFA Portfolio Submissions

A portfolio review is required to to be accepted into the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Visual Arts with a specialization in Graphic Design. Please note that there is no portfolio submission required for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Visual Arts with a specialization in Fine Art.  

The goal of the specialization in Graphic Design is to develop practicing designers that possess the knowledge necessary to become innovative and responsible problem solvers in today complex commercial environment. By developing their ability to make critical observations and through exposure to various creative processes, students are provided with the opportunity to become sophisticated and productive artists, designers, and professionals.

Instructions for the BFA portfolio review digital submission

To be considered for the degree, every high school and transfer applicant must prepare and present a digital portfolio and also include a personal statement describing their experiences in art and life, as well as their artistic and academic goals that he or she seeks to achieve through study at Rutgers-Newark.

General Guidelines for submission
  • All porfolios should include a minimum of 10 digital images of original artwork. Transfer students from two or four year institutions should also include work from their college level art and design classes.
  • The portfolio should demonstrate energy, intelligence, and an understanding of composition, a variety of media, and artistic commitment.
Specific instructions for submission
  • Digital, photographed or scanned works of art, a personal statement (described above), and an inventory list are to be submitted electronically (email) to BFA.apply@Rutgers.Edu
  • Each image must be in JPEG format at a resolution of 72dpi, and must be no larger than 1200 pixels in the largest dimension. Image files in other formats or larger than specified will be rejected.
  • You may include YouTube links within the body of the email if you wish to submit mulitmedia/time-based works.
  • Attach in PDF format, your personal statement. Word documents or other file formats will be rejected.
  • In the body of the email, include your full name, your mailing address, your phone number and home school. Also include in the body of the email, a numbered portfolio list of the digital images you are attaching to the message. This portfolio list is to include the name of the piece, the size, the medium, the date created. The name of the piece is to coincide with the name of the attachment. For example, a file attached entitled blueshadow.jpeg, is to be listed in the body of the email as ‘blue shadow’, 12 x 19, oil on canvas, October 2014.
  • If you are including a link to a video, please provide details such as running time and date created.
  • The subject line of the email is to state your last name – BFA Portfolio Review Submission. For example: Campbell – BFA Portfolio Review Submission.