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Admissions

Application Fees Waived in September, October

Do you have a passion for art and design? Does the idea of learning from and studying alongside the best faculty and students in the world excite you? If so, Ringling College of Art and Design is the place for you. Visit us on campus anytime in September or October, and your application fee will be waived! For more information, reach out to Admissions at 941-309-0195.

Applying to Ringling

Let’s get started on your creative journey! Follow the steps below to complete your art and design application.

Review Requirements

  • Thoroughly review the information below.
  • Collect your materials.
  • Build your portfolio.

Apply

Submit your application on The Common Application along with the required materials, including official transcripts and portfolio.

Track Your Application

Once you have applied, you can track your application status via our online portal.

Already Accepted? Click here for next steps.

We’re Always Here to Help

Questions? Contact us:

Online information sessions

International students are invited to register for an online information session to learn more about Ringling.

Schedule a one-on-one chat

Call or email us to set up a Zoom.

Application Requirements

All First Year (Freshman) Applicants

  1. Submit a completed Common Application Form*, along with a nonrefundable $70 application fee. (Please note that if you request a fee waiver, you will be required to provide documentation from your school counselor to support the request.)
  2. Ask your high school to send an official copy of your transcript. We also accept GED certificates. If you took any college courses, whether or not you received credit, request that the college send us the transcript as well. A minimum 2.0 combined academic grade point average from all previously attended institutions is required to be considered for admission. You must also be in good academic standing (not on academic probation or dismissal) at your last attended institution.
  3. Submission of a visual art or written portfolio is required for all majors. All portfolios, both visual and written, must be submitted digitally through the Portfolio** portion of the Common Application. Please see our Portfolio Prep page for information and suggestions based on your chosen major. Once you have submitted your portfolio to Slideroom, it is locked. You may no longer make any changes or additions.
  4. SAT and ACT scores are not required for admission. If you take either the SAT or ACT, we encourage you to submit your scores since they can be helpful in academic counseling.
  5. Letters of recommendation are optional. If you would like to submit a recommendation, ask your high school counselor to submit the Secondary School Report*, OR ask one of your high school teachers to complete a Teacher Evaluation Form*, OR submit a letter of recommendation.

 

**To submit your portfolio:

  1. Go to www.commonapp.org and select Ringling College on the My Colleges tab.
  2. Under Art Supplement, select instructions.
  3. Follow the link to the Ringling College of Art and Design Art Supplement Site which will take you to SlideRoom.

Transfer Applicants
  1. Submit a completed Common Application Form*, along with a nonrefundable $70 application fee. (Ringling does not accept fee waivers for transfer applicants. If you select the fee waiver option, you will still need to send a check/money order for the $70 application fee to the Office of Admissions. This is an application requirement.)
  2. Ask your high school and each college you have attended for credit to send an official copy of your transcript. A minimum 2.0 combined academic grade point average from all previously attended institutions is required to be considered for admission. You must also be in good academic standing (not on academic probation or dismissal) at your last attended institution. A high school transcript is not required if you have earned 24 or more semester hours credit at a regionally-accredited college. Important: We will only accept official transcripts sent in the following ways:
    1. A sealed, official copy sent via mail or courier
    2. E-transcripts
    3. Parchment
    4. The Central Application Service in CommonApp
  3. Submission of a visual art or written portfolio is required for all majors. For art majors, an art portfolio will be required to receive credit for studio art coursework. All portfolios, both visual and written, must be submitted digitally through the Portfolio* portion of the Common Application. Please see our Portfolio Prep page for more details on what your portfolio should contain.
  4. Letters of recommendation are optional. You may complete a recommendation request through the CommonApp, or submit a letter of recommendation. Recommendations must be submitted to Ringling College via the Common Application, mail, or courier.

    *Available at www.commonapp.org.


Transfer Credits and Placement
Ringling College will consider for transfer any liberal arts or studio art credit that meets our academic requirements and where a grade of C or better was earned from an accredited* college or university. Studio art credit will be awarded based upon the criteria above and a portfolio review. All of Ringling College’s studio courses are sequential and have prerequisites. Students have to complete the first-year studio courses before taking second-year studio courses; second-year studio courses before taking third-year studio courses; and third year studio courses before taking the fourth-year capstone/thesis courses.

Students are limited to a total of 66 semester hours of transfer credits. A minimum of 54 semester hours must be taken at Ringling College of Art and Design. The last two academic years of study for a Ringling College of Art and Design degree must be completed in courses of study within a major of the College. Ringling College of Art and Design reserves the right to decline credit for coursework that is more than 10 years old.

If you have taken Liberal Arts courses at another college/university, those courses will be evaluated by the Academic Advisors in the Office of Advising, Records, and Registration Services to determine if they meet the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts Degree. The number of Liberal Arts classes completed has no bearing on your class level. Only studio classes determine your class level. Students enrolling with an Associate of Arts or a Bachelor of Arts degree from a regionally accredited college or university will be considered to have met the Liberal Arts requirements for the BFA degree. Please make sure you have requested a final transcript from all colleges/universities that you have attended so that you can receive the appropriate transfer credit.

Please note that admission to upper-level studies is contingent on space availability and portfolio review.

*Ringling College accepts liberal arts transfer credit from institutions that are accredited by:  Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, Higher Learning Commission, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, National Association of Schools of Dance, National Association of Schools of Theatre, New England Commission of Higher Education, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, WASC Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, WASC Senior College and University Commission. Other institutions accredited by agencies other than above may be evaluated through an appeal.

Transfer Credits for Military Applicants
Transfer credit may be awarded for military courses based upon ACE Guidelines. If the student’s military course has an ACE recommended equivalency, and the recommended equivalent is a course that Ringling offers, transfer credit may be given at the discretion of the Registrar with as needed consultation with Academic Affairs administrators and Department Chairs/Program Directors. All other transfer credit must be from a regionally accredited institution. Ringling College of Art and Design does not award credit for non credit work or for experiential learning.

Transfer Credits from International Institutions
International students who have attended a college/university outside the United States and are requesting transfer credit must have their academic credentials evaluated by a Foreign Credential Evaluation Service. This evaluation must include a “course by course” evaluation with grades or marks and credits or hours equated to the U.S. system. The official and sealed credential evaluation must be submitted directly to the Office of the Registrar at Ringling College of Art and Design. International students must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or Joseph Silny & Associates International Education Consultants.

Spring Semester Applicants

In order to be eligible to enroll in the Spring Semester, you must have previously completed specific college-level courses. These course requirements vary by major. Please note that spring semester admission is NOT available for the Department of Computer Animation. For information about Spring Semester admission, please contact the Admissions Office at 941.309.0195 or admissions@ringling.edu.

Transfer of Credit Policies + Articulation Agreements

Studio Transfer Credit
Students who have taken studio art courses at another regionally accredited institution of higher education may have those courses and a portfolio reviewed by the department head or Academic Affairs designee to determine if the credits can apply to the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts degrees.  Requests for studio transfer credit must be supported by a sufficient number of portfolio submissions that demonstrate the competencies associated with those required by the majors. 

Permission to take courses at other colleges during the summer is granted through the Office of Advising, Records and Registration Services.  Students must meet with their Academic Advisor who will consider all aspects of the student’s request, including the quality and level of the proposed course and its role in the student’s program of study before completing a Transient Student form.  Courses intended to fulfill major requirements must also be approved by the department head.

Students entering with an Associate of Arts or Bachelor of Arts degree from a regionally accredited college or university will be considered to have met the liberal arts requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or Bachelor of Arts degree.  Students entering with an Associate of Science or Bachelor of Science degree from a regionally accredited college or university will have their liberal arts credits evaluated to determine if they fulfill the distribution requirements for the B.F.A. degree or the B.A. degree.  Additional course work may be required. 
 

Art History Transfer Credit
Students who have taken art history courses at another regionally accredited institution of higher education may have those courses evaluated by the Academic Advisors in the Office of Advising, Records, and Registration Services to determine if they meet the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts Degree. Departments at Ringling College may have specific art history requirements such as a history of the discipline. The proposed transfer credit will be reviewed by the Academic Advisor and/or an Academic Affairs designee to determine if the credit meets institutional standards for course equivalence. 

Liberal Arts Transfer Credit
Consistent with the requirements for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Ringling College will accept for credit, courses drawn from the following three areas of knowledge: humanities and fine arts; social and behavioral sciences; and natural sciences and mathematics.  

Admission to Advanced Standing by Portfolio Review
A portfolio of work is internally reviewed by the department head or designee for advanced standing in the student’s selected program of study. The portfolio must demonstrate mastery of skills and sufficient knowledge of content in the college level course for which placement is being sought. Students demonstrating competence beyond that required for entrance may be exempted from one or more college-level courses in the subject or subjects covered by the portfolio review, provided that such demonstration of competence is confirmed by further successful study in residence in the same field.  Credit is not awarded for advanced standing and students will be expected to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours for graduation. Transfer credit is granted only when the coursework is externally validated through a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a C or better or through programs such as IB and AP.  

Residency Requirement
Students are limited to a total of 66 semester hours of transfer credits.   A minimum of 54 semester hours must be taken at Ringling College of Art and Design.  The last two academic years of study for a Ringling College of Art and Design degree must be completed in courses of study within a major of the College.  

Dual Enrollment
Courses taken in high school on a dual enrollment basis with a regionally accredited college or university will be considered for transfer credit.

Articulation Agreement
Florida transfer students who complete the AA Degree in studio art or photography from select Florida community colleges are eligible to apply to the 2 + 2 BFA in Fine Arts or the BFA in Photography & Imaging.  Once accepted to the program, students are enrolled at the junior level and complete an additional two years in residency at Ringling College to complete the B.F.A. degree.

Participating Community Colleges:

  • State College of Florida: AA with an emphasis in Studio Art or AA with an emphasis in Photography
  • St. Petersburg College:  AA with an emphasis in Studio Art
    Valencia College: AA in Fine Art/Studio Art  


Veterans

Ringling College is approved for veterans’ study under several GI bills, and participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program.  Veterans should contact the Veteran Certifying Official in the Office of Advising, Records and Registration Services for more information.

International Students:
International students who have attended a college/university outside the United States and are requesting transfer credit must have their academic credentials evaluated by a Foreign Credential Evaluation Service. This evaluation must include a “course by course” evaluation with grades or marks and credits or hours equated to the U.S. system. The official and sealed credential evaluation must be submitted directly to the Office of the Registrar at Ringling College of Art and Design. International students must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or Joseph Silny & Associates International Education Consultants.

Advanced Placement Credit:
Ringling College must receive the official Advanced Placement (AP) Transcript within the first year of the student’s matriculation if credit is to be awarded. No AP credit will be awarded after the student has completed one full year at Ringling College.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

To provide the very best support for our international students, we require students who are citizens of countries where English is not the common language to demonstrate proof of English proficiency by submitting results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Minimum score requirements:

  1. TOEFL - A minimum score of 61 (iBT) is required for admission. Students who score between 61 and 79 may be required to enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the College. Students who score 80 or higher may be allowed to waive English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the College, pending results from our Listening and Speaking assessment. ESL courses are taught concurrently with other coursework and do not require additional semesters or delay graduation. There is no additional charge for ESL courses.
  2. IELTS - A minimum score of 6.0 is required for admission. Students who score between 6.0 and 6.5 may be required to enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the College, pending results from our Listening and Speaking assessment. Students who score 6.5 or higher may be allowed to waive English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the College. ESL courses are taught concurrently with other coursework and do not require additional semesters or delay graduation. There is no additional charge for ESL courses.
  3. Duolingo – A minimum score of 90 is required for admission. Students who score between 94 and 104 may be required to enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the College. Students who score 105 or higher may be allowed to waive English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the College, pending results from our Listening and Speaking assessment. ESL courses are taught concurrently with other coursework and do not require additional semesters or delay graduation. There is no additional charge for ESL courses.

International students who have attended a college/university outside the United States and are requesting transfer credit must have their academic credentials evaluated by a Foreign Credential Evaluation Service. This evaluation must include a “course by course” evaluation with grades or marks and credits or hours equated to the U.S. system. The official and sealed credential evaluation must be submitted directly to the Office of the Registrar at Ringling College of Art and Design. International students must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or Joseph Silny & Associates International Education Consultants.

For more information about international student services, visa requirements, and life at Ringling College, visit our page for international students.

Homeschool Applicants

Homeschoolers must achieve and submit one of the following:
  • Standard high school diploma recognized by their local school district.
  • GED diploma.
  • A minimum of 12 college credits through dual enrollment.
  • A homeschool transcript with corresponding course descriptions, syllabi, and/or curricular details.
  • An ACT score of 15 or above or a SAT score of 899 or above.
  • FLDOE Home Education Affidavit (for FL residents only). Available online.

Veteran Applicants

Ringling College of Art and Design offers Veterans and their dependents the opportunity to expand their artistic abilities while using their GI Bill® education benefits to fund their goals. Students using GI Bill® education benefits will complete a certification request and provide proof of eligibility prior to being certified for benefits with Ringling College's VA Certifying Official in the Office of Advising, Records and Registration.

For more information and forms, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs website at www.gibill.va.gov. Click on the link, "Applying for Benefits" and get started. This website contains all of the information you will need to take you through the step-by-step process of applying for your VA benefits.

You may also contact the VA by phone at 1-888-GIBill1 (1-888-442-4551) and a VA Education Case Manager will assist you through this process. Please note the certifying process can take between six to eight weeks. You can contact the Ringling College's VA Certifying Official at vabenefits@ringling.edu for details. Additional Information for Veterans: The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 requires educational institutions to make certain disclosures to students using federal military and/or VA educational benefits. Ringling College of Art and Design emails new incoming students estimated award notices.


Returning students can view award notices in NetPartner when logged into their account. You can access a personalized VA tuition and yellow ribbon financial plan by contacting your VA Certification and Readmission Specialist. Additional financial information can be found at the NCES College Navigator site.

Readmission Applicants

Application For Readmission - Click 'Create New Account' to access the form.

Students who have previously attended Ringling College of Art and Design and wish to return to complete their degree program should complete the Readmission Application which is available through the Office of Advising, Records and Registration. Students who took courses at other institutions since attending Ringling College must present an official final transcript with grades of "C" or better to be considered for readmission. Additional information such as an updated portfolio may be required. Acceptance will be decided on a competitive basis among other readmit students vying for the same level and on a space-available basis.


To request the Readmissions Application, please email: registrar@ringling.edu

Important Dates

September 1: Application opens.

November 1: Early Action deadline (Computer Animation only).

January 15: Computer Animation application deadline.

February 15:
Presidential Scholarship deadline. 
Students who complete their application and submit all required admissions materials prior to this date will be considered for the Presidential Scholarship (one awarded per major). Other merit-based scholarships are ongoing.

March 1:
Priority FAFSA filing deadline.  
Students who fill out a FAFSA by this date will be given priority by the Office of Financial Aid when awarding financial aid.

May 1: 
Deadline to request a refund for a confirmation fee (for all majors except Computer Animation). To request a refund for a confirmation fee, the applicant must email admissions@ringling.edu before May 1st.

Application Deadlines

Computer Animation

Computer Animation is the only major at Ringling College with specific application deadlines.  Computer Animation applicants may choose from two options: Early Action and Regular Decision.  Early Action is non-binding, meaning applicants who choose this option will receive a decision earlier, but will still have until May 1 to confirm their intent to enroll.  Computer Animation applicants who do not specifically choose the Early Action option on their application will automatically be reviewed for Regular Decision.

Early Action (non-binding)

  • November 1 – Application deadline.  All admissions materials must be received by the Office of Admissions.  (Applicants for Early Action who do not submit all required materials by November 1 will be automatically deferred to Regular Decision.)

  • Late December – Decisions sent.  Decisions will be mailed to all Early Action applicants by late December.

  • May 1 - Deadline to submit intent to enroll/confirmation fee.  In order to hold a spot in the program, students accepted to Computer Animation must confirm their intent to enroll and submit the confirmation fee by May 1.  Please note that all confirmation fees for the Computer Animation major are nonrefundable. 
     

Regular Decision

  • January 15 – Application deadline.  All admissions materials must be received by the Office of Admissions.

  • By April 1 – Decisions sent.  Decisions will be mailed to all Regular Decision applicants by April 1st.

  • May 1 - Deadline to submit intent to enroll/confirmation fee.  In order to hold a spot in the program, students accepted to Computer Animation must confirm their intent to enroll and submit the confirmation fee by May 1.  Please note that all confirmation fees for the Computer Animation major are nonrefundable. 

All Other Majors

Ringling College accepts applications throughout the year on Rolling Admission for all majors other than Computer Animation, meaning there is no specific application deadline.

Credits

International Baccalaureate Credit

Ringling College recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Students with IB coursework may be given credit for individual liberal arts courses if they score 5 through 7 on the IB Higher-Level Examinations. No credit is given for Subsidiary-Level or Standard-Level work. See more information here.

Advanced Placement and CLEP Credit

Ringling College awards credit for both Advanced Placement (AP) and College-Level Examination Placement (CLEP) examinations. See more information on CLEP here. See more information on AP here.

Visit Campus

Book a tour or attend an open house and see our campus in-person!

Ringling College of Art and Design
2700 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34234-5895

P: 941-309-0195

E: admissions@ringling.edu

Apply Now

Ringling College of Art and Design is a member of the Common Application. To start your application, visit the Common Application website at commonapp.org and search for Ringling College.

Complete application as directed. We operate on a rolling admissions system for all majors except Computer Animation.