International Students (BFA)

We accept applications for first year students and transfer students online through Common App.

Begin or complete your application here: MECA&D on Common App

The application fee is $70. The application fee is payable by credit card on the Common Application and is non-refundable.

To request a Common App fee waiver, please see the options listed in the Common App Fee Waiver section, which can be found under Profile, then Personal Information.

Please write 500 words answering the questions Why art, why MECA&D? or follow the essay prompts on the Common App. Your essay can be uploaded directly to the Common App.

Your portfolio should consist of 15–20 pieces of recent artwork in any medium, created within the last 18 months. Three of these pieces should be observational — that is, drawn or created from direct observation, not from photographs or your imagination.

The work in your portfolio can be done in or outside the classroom, and you can use your portfolio to either show us a range of mediums or to focus on a particular subject or medium.

At least three (3) of these pieces need to represent your skills drawing from direct observation, like self-portraits, landscapes or cityscapes, still lives, or portraits of friends, family members, or pets. These drawings can be in charcoal, graphite, conté, colored pencil, digital paintings — the sky's the limit! We're looking to find out how you translate three-dimensional objects onto a two-dimensional plane. You can find out more about our portfolio requirements by downloading our portfolio brochure.

Please submit your portfolio via SlideRoom and/or your own website. We strongly recommend including the following information for each piece: date, dimensions, medium(s), description of concept or inspiration, and, for drawings (physical or digital), the time spent on each drawing — it's helpful to know if a drawing is a quick two-minute sketch or done over several three-hour sessions.

Applicants can request transcripts to be sent to the Admissions Office through their guidance counselors or other official representative. Transcripts will be considered official if they are sent by the issuing institution through the Common App, Parchment, SCIOR, or the National Student Clearinghouse Transcript Service, or if they arrive to MECA&D in an envelope that is stamped and sealed by the issuing institution.

Applicants may also opt to send an official scored report of the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET).

Applicants who attended postsecondary institutions outside of the United States are required to have their transcript(s) evaluated by World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or by another member of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). Please note: if transfer credit is being sought, applicants must request a "course by course" credential evaluation report through World Education Services.

All documents must be in English, therefore official translations are required.

Please note that we strongly prefer receiving transcripts digitally through Common App, Parchment, SCIOR, or the National Student Clearinghouse. If they must be mailed, please send them to:

Maine College of Art & Design
Attn: International Undergraduate Admissions
522 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101

Applicants can request transcripts to be sent to the Admissions Office through their guidance counselors or other official representative. Transcripts will be considered official if they are sent by the issuing institution through the Common App, Parchment, SCIOR, or the National Student Clearinghouse Transcript Service, or if they arrive to MECA&D in an envelope that is stamped and sealed by the issuing institution.

We require transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, even if credit was not earned, in order to award you financial aid. All documents must be in English, therefore official translations are required.

Please note that we strongly prefer receiving transcripts digitally through Common App, Parchment, SCIOR, or the National Student Clearinghouse. If they must be mailed, please send them to:

Maine College of Art & Design
Attn: International Undergraduate Admissions
522 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101

Please note that if you have earned fewer than 60 credits, we will request an official copy of your high school transcripts in addition to any and all college transcripts.

Our preference is to receive these letters from art teachers, guidance counselors, current academic teachers, and/or employers. Letters from family members are not accepted. Please submit letters of recommendation through the Common Application.

Recommendations will be considered official when they are uploaded directly by the recommender to the Common Application, and we will also accept official recommendations through Parchment and SCIOR.

If your primary language is not English, you will be required to demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English. The following are acceptable forms of documentation:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): official score reports must be dated within two years of intended start date at MECA&D.
• Written TOEFL Test: minimum test score of 550.
• Internet TOEFL Test: minimum test score of 79.
• Pearson PTE Test: minimum test score of 53.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): official score reports must be dated within two years of intended start date at MECA&D, minimum score of 6.5.
• Graduation from a US high school with at least 2 years of high school English, not in conjunction with English as a Second Language (ESL), and documentation of a B average or higher.
• Completion of 2 consecutive semesters of English Composition taken at a regionally accredited US college while carrying a full-time course load and not in conjunction with ESL. A minimum grade of B is required in each semester.
• Completion of the equivalent of 2 years at an English speaking higher education institution and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Documentation can be sent to:
Maine College of Art & Design
Attn: International Undergraduate Admissions
522 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101
USA

You will need an I-20 Form to apply for a student visa through a US Consulate or Embassy. Once you have been accepted for admission and submitted a $300 enrollment deposit, MECA&D will issue you an I-20 Form. You will need to submit the following documents to the Office of Admissions in order to receive your I-20:

• Declaration of Finances (DOF) form (will be provided upon acceptance).
• For your DOF to be processed we will need a scanned copy of your passport in color. You can send this with your completed DOF mail or send a digital copy.
• The United States Citizen and Immigration Service requires that international applicants submit to MECA&D a declaration of finances (DOF) indicating that the applicant has financial resources adequate to provide for his or her expenses without resorting to unauthorized employment. The amount declared must reflect the total sum of tuition, fees and living expenses for one academic year of study and must be dated within one year of initial enrollment at MECA&D.
• Verification of Finances (VOF)

All funds declared on the DOF must be substantiated by a verification of finances (VOF) from the student’s bank or sponsor’s bank. All documents must be in English and in U.S. dollars, or the bank must supply the current exchange rate. Official and original documentation must be provided.  All supporting documentation must be dated within one year of initial enrollment at Maine College of Art & Design.

Please note: It can take up to six weeks for an I-20 Form to be processed and delivered to most countries. You are encouraged to submit this documentation as soon as possible, especially if mail delivery may be slow from the US to your country.