External Transfer Applicants

Application Deadline: March 1

Apply for Admission

Application Process

The external transfer process is for any non-UT Austin student who has taken college-level courses post-high school or after receiving a GED and applying to enter the B.F.A. or B.A. Design major. Admission to the Design program is highly competitive and selective.

Additional Information for External Transfer Applicants

• Priority consideration is given to applicants with a transfer GPA of at least a 3.00.
• Applicants must have completed at least 24 hours of transferable credit before June 1 in order to be considered for admission for the fall.
• To learn how courses taken at other Texas colleges will transfer to UT Austin, consult the Office of Admissions' Automated Transfer Equivalency (ATE) system.
• Be sure to read through UT Austin’s Transfer Resources for helpful guidance when preparing to transfer and avoiding common transfer issues.

When filling out the UT Austin application, select your first-choice major as B.A. Design or B.F.A. Design under the College of Fine Arts. All students are encouraged to highlight their other design-related experiences, creative involvements, and coursework within their UT application materials and essays. Since all of these materials will be taken into consideration during review, be sure to put as much thought and time as possible into each of these requirements.

The School of Design and Creative Technologies accepts applications for fall semesters only.

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Steps to Apply

Step	Task Location	Important Dates
1. Review the B.F.A. or B.A. Design Degree Guidelines before applying	Current 4-Year Degree Guidelines
2. Review UT Austin’s Requirements for Transfer Admission	UT Transfer Admission
3. Complete the Transfer Admissions application to UT Austin and select first choice major as B.A. in Design or B.F.A. in Design	Common App or ApplyTexas	August 1 - March 1
4. File the FAFSA or TASFA (optional but highly recommended)	FAFSA or TASFA	Priority Deadline January 15 (Applications still accepted after this date)
5. Receive email that includes UT EID to access MyStatus portal	MyStatus portal	2-3 business days after UT Austin Application is submitted
6. Submit required response to Creative Design Prompt with Behind-the-Scenes Video Essay	Follow Directions within MyStatus portal	March 1
7. Submit up to 5 Recent Design Work Samples	Follow Directions within MyStatus portal	March 1
8. Check your application status	MyStatus portal
9. Receive your decision	MyStatus portal	Early Summer

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Preparing a Creative Design Prompt & Video

The Creative Design Prompt is a required item to apply to the B.F.A. and B.A. Design program and should include both a final work of your choice based on the guidelines below and a short video essay. This is your opportunity to share who you are and how you think, showcase your interests, and lean into your existing skills using tools or technology you have available to you. We recommend time spent on the submission should be limited to no more than 6 hours. We’re interested to see your creative approach to this year’s open-ended prompt.

Creative Prompt

Design is a broad field that can be practiced in many ways for many purposes. As designers, we might create projects that:

• Document the past
• Comment about the present
• Speculate about the future
• Dazzle and delight the senses
• Express a vibe or identity
• Clarify complex information
• Guide or give instructions
• Rethink an object or experience
• Create a call to action

As a budding designer yourself, we’re asking you to create and share with us a new work using ONE of the above approaches for a creative design submission. You can use any medium/format you wish to create your final work using the tools, technology, or materials you have access to. The prompt is purposely open-ended so that you can choose to showcase your creativity in any medium that helps you thoughtfully compose your project.

Behind-the-Scenes Video

In addition to uploading your final work, please create a short, 60-second (max) “Behind-the-Scenes” video essay that describes your motivations, intentions, and/or the story of how you made your work. Don’t just show us the “how” but also the “why” behind your design choices and goals.

You do not need to be a skilled video editor for this. Our interest is not in how great you are at making videos, but rather in getting a view into the way you work and think. We can see those things, regardless of your level of experience with video creation. Create your “Behind-the-Scenes” video essay in whatever method is accessible to you, whether that’s using iMovie, TikTok, or just simply using your smartphone camera! Include whatever visuals you think necessary to help support your video presentation. Also, it is your choice whether you want to appear in the video or not.

Preparing Work Samples

In addition to the design prompt, transfer applicants must submit up to 5 recent examples of your design work from any medium. Please note that you do not need to have formally studied or practiced design to be considered for this program. We are interested in seeing evidence that you are a creative thinker who likes to make things and can solve problems.

For the submission, include what you believe to be your strongest work. This could include 2-D or 3-D art or design work, performance art, graphic design projects such as logo-design or yearbook layouts, application development, website design, robotics, coding or other digital concepts you’ve explored.

Give your works descriptive titles (“poster design,” “prototype for chair,” “wireframe for a productivity app,” etc.) and tell us what materials, techniques, and/or software you used to create it. Feel free to include sketches and process documents as well. All documentation, photos or scans of your work should have good resolution/clarity to show detail, be well-lit, and cropped appropriately.

Reference the approved file format list above when uploading your work. If you have an online portfolio or other website with your work, you can choose to provide a URL in your transfer resume.

Create your submission with whatever tools, technology, or materials you have access to, but keep in mind these technical requirements for upload. Additionally, feel free to explore various free/low-cost design software alternatives to the Adobe products here.

Document File Types & Sizes

• Document Files - .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd
  Must be less than 1GB
• Video - .mp4 file or include a link to Vimeo or YouTube (be sure to set privacy settings to public)
  Must be less than 5GB, and no longer than 60 seconds
• Audio - .aac, .aif, .aiff, .iff, .fla, .m4a, .mpa, .mp3, .ra, .wav, .wma
  Must be less than 5GB, and no longer than 60 seconds
• Slide - .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
  Must be less than 5GB
• Link - If your materials are located on YouTube, Vimeo or another online service, you may include the URL link (be sure to set privacy settings to public). Google Drive links will not be accepted.
  Must be no longer than 60 seconds

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Internal UT Transfer Applicants

Application Deadline: May 1

Apply for Admission

Application Process

The internal transfer or add simultaneous major process is for current UT Austin students who are applying to enter the B.F.A. or B.A. Design major. Admission to the Design program is highly competitive and selective. When applying to this department, you are strongly advised to develop a backup plan for pursuing other majors. Use resources such as the Vick Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling and Wayfinder to determine what majors might be right for you. The maximum number of times a student may apply to the Department of Design is two. All applicants must also meet UT’s criteria for internal transfer.

Additional Internal Transfer Criteria

You are eligible to apply to internally transfer from another UT Austin college or add a simultaneous major in the Department of Design if you meet all of the following criteria:

• You are currently an enrolled or readmitted undergraduate student at UT Austin (SDCT only accepts applications for the fall semester).
• You will have no more than 60 hours of coursework completed in-residence at UT Austin by the fall semester for which you’re applying for admission as according to UT’s 60-hour rule. You can read more about the credit hour rules under the Internal Transfer Requirements.
• You have not already applied twice to internally transfer or add a simultaneous major in this department.
• The Admissions Committee gives preference to applicants who have at least a 3.0 GPA by the end of the semester in which the student applies.
• Only required for Simultaneous Major applicants: You have completed 30 credit hours in-residence at UT Austin. These 30 hours cannot include AP, IB, credit-by-exam, dual or transfer credits. You may apply to the department for a simultaneous major while in progress to meet the 30-hour requirement, but you must complete these hours prior to the fall semester for which you would potentially be admitted.

If you are a current major in the Department of Design who wishes to change between the B.F.A. in Design and B.A. in Design, set an appointment to meet with your undergraduate academic advisor to learn about the process.

The School of Design and Creative Technologies accepts applications for fall semesters only.

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Steps to Apply

Step	Task Location	Important Dates
1. Review the B.F.A. or B.A. Design Degree Guidelines before applying	Current 4-Year Degree Guidelines
2. Review UT’s Internal Transfer and/or Simultaneous Major requirements	UT Internal Transfer UT Simultaneous Major Info	UT Internal Transfer Application Portal for Fall entry opens Spring Semester
3. Complete your Internal Transfer application and select one of your major choices as B.A. in Design or B.F.A. in Design	UT Internal Transfer Application Portal	May 1
4. Submit required application materials within portal: Creative Design Prompt with Behind-the-Scenes Video Essay Up to 5 Recent Design Work Samples Resume Statement of Interest in changing/adding your major to Design	UT Internal Transfer Application Portal	May 1
5. Check your application status	UT Internal Transfer Application Portal
6. Receive your decision	Email notification sent via UT Internal Transfer Application Portal and follow-up by the Department’s Academic Advisor	Mid-Summer

Back to Contents

Preparing a Creative Design Prompt & Video

The Creative Design Prompt is a required item to apply to the B.F.A. and B.A. Design program and should include both a final work of your choice based on the guidelines below and a short video essay. This is your opportunity to share who you are and how you think, showcase your interests, and lean into your existing skills using tools or technology you have available to you. We recommend time spent on the submission should be limited to no more than 6 hours. We’re interested to see your creative approach to this year’s open-ended prompt.

Creative Prompt

Design is a broad field that can be practiced in many ways for many purposes. As designers, we might create projects that:

• Document the past
• Comment about the present
• Speculate about the future
• Dazzle and delight the senses
• Express a vibe or identity
• Clarify complex information
• Guide or give instructions
• Rethink an object or experience
• Create a call to action

As a budding designer yourself, we’re asking you to create and share with us a new work using ONE of the above approaches for a creative design submission. You can use any medium/format you wish to create your final work using the tools, technology, or materials you have access to. The prompt is purposely open-ended so that you can choose to showcase your creativity in any medium that helps you thoughtfully compose your project.

Behind-the-Scenes Video

In addition to uploading your final work, please create a short, 60-second (max) “Behind-the-Scenes” video essay that describes your motivations, intentions, and/or the story of how you made your work. Don’t just show us the “how” but also the “why” behind your design choices and goals.

You do not need to be a skilled video editor for this. Our interest is not in how great you are at making videos, but rather in getting a view into the way you work and think. We can see those things, regardless of your level of experience with video creation. Create your “Behind-the-Scenes” video essay in whatever method is accessible to you, whether that’s using iMovie, TikTok, or just simply using your smartphone camera! Include whatever visuals you think necessary to help support your video presentation. Also, it is your choice whether you want to appear in the video or not.

Preparing Work Samples

In addition to the design prompt, transfer applicants must submit up to 5 recent examples of your design work from any medium. Please note that you do not need to have formally studied or practiced design to be considered for this program. We are interested in seeing evidence that you are a creative thinker who likes to make things and can solve problems.

For the submission, include what you believe to be your strongest work. This could include 2-D or 3-D art or design work, performance art, graphic design projects such as logo-design or yearbook layouts, application development, website design, robotics, coding or other digital concepts you’ve explored.

Give your works descriptive titles (“poster design,” “prototype for chair,” “wireframe for a productivity app,” etc.) and tell us what materials, techniques, and/or software you used to create it. Feel free to include sketches and process documents as well. All documentation, photos or scans of your work should have good resolution/clarity to show detail, be well-lit, and cropped appropriately.

Reference the approved file format list above when uploading your work. If you have an online portfolio or other website with your work, you can choose to provide a URL in your transfer resume.

Create your submission with whatever tools, technology, or materials you have access to, but keep in mind these technical requirements for upload. Additionally, feel free to explore various free/low-cost design software alternatives to the Adobe products here.

Document File Types & Sizes

• Document Files - .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd
  Must be less than 1GB
• Video - .mp4 file or include a link to Vimeo or YouTube (be sure to set privacy settings to public)
  Must be less than 5GB, and no longer than 60 seconds
• Audio - .aac, .aif, .aiff, .iff, .fla, .m4a, .mpa, .mp3, .ra, .wav, .wma
  Must be less than 5GB, and no longer than 60 seconds
• Slide - .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
  Must be less than 5GB
• Link - If your materials are located on YouTube, Vimeo or another online service, you may include the URL link (be sure to set privacy settings to public). Google Drive links will not be accepted.
  Must be no longer than 60 seconds

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