Transfer Applicants

If you are an Upper Year applicant, you will have at least 1 year of post-secondary experience related to the program you are applying to.

It is necessary to confirm your eligibility first by submitting your unofficial transcripts to our transfer officer, Leiko Shimizu, at lshimizu [at] ocadu.ca. Depending on your experience, portfolios will be assessed at a second or third year level. Successful applicants will then receive a block transfer of studio courses.

Applicants with unrelated post-secondary experience may be eligible for transfer credits. These students will have their portfolios assessed at a first year level. The awarding of credits is done on a course-by-course basis for work completed at another accredited post-secondary institution, or in another program at OCAD U, or for International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement courses.

Transfer credits are not automatically assessed: A Transfer Credit Request form will be sent to those offered admission, and only after submitting this form will an assessment be made.

The awarding of credit for knowledge acquired outside of formally accredited educational programs that coincides with a specific credit course or courses offered at OCAD U.

Your portfolio is a collection of work that represents your individual creative and technical experiences and accomplishments and should be a visual representation of who you are. You need to demonstrate that you are a visual communicator and that you are well-equipped to succeed in the program you have applied to at OCAD U. This can include experimentation in both traditional and digital media or any combination. Keep in mind that when it comes to your portfolio, some of the most important features we look for are skill, passion, curiosity and your ability to think creatively, shown in a diverse range of mediums. Your portfolio for admission should include:

Statement of Intent:

Your statement of intent should explain your specific interest in the program that you have applied to at OCAD U as well as what or who inspires and influences the work that you do. This is your opportunity to introduce yourself as an artist/designer/maker and provide context so we can better understand your work. It needs to be maximum 300 words, talking about yourself and your specific interest in the program you apply to, as well as what you're looking to explore, what influences you, where your art has come from and where it is going.

Further details are available through SlideRoom and you will submit your statement as part of the SlideRoom submission process.

Process Work: Include your sketchbook, process and concept development skills as part of your portfolio submission. You can document your process work as a sketchbook, creative journal, concept/idea book or a digital document. Your process work should demonstrate a routine of creative process, should link to several of the finished pieces included in the portfolio and include experimentation, photos of development, drawing, mark-making, writing, research and inspirations. You may submit more than one sketchbook but must remember that each counts as one piece in the portfolio submission. Upload your process work to SlideRoom as a multiple page PDF or a brief video.

Finished Work: Most programs* ask that you include 8 to 10 examples of your original finalized work that demonstrates a variety of your skills and approaches to art, design and media. Be sure to include examples of work that is directly related to the program that you are applying. Also include explorations in traditional, digital, and experimental mediums or any combination. Show us who you are through your work and that you are well equipped to succeed in the program that you have applied to at OCAD U. Be sure to appropriately label your work in SlideRoom using the fields provided.

Descriptions: Explain in 50 words per finished piece the process/making method/media/concept and purpose of each piece. Use the additional details field in SlideRoom as you upload your work.

*Program-Specific Guidelines: Please note, there are additional guidelines for some of our programs available through our SlideRoom portal and at the following links:

Creative Writing Portfolio Guidelines

Digital Futures First Year Undergraduate Program Portfolio Guidelines

Faculty of Design Undergraduate Program Portfolio Guidelines

Direct entry to an Upper Year program and the year level placement is based on the strength of the applicant's portfolio and academic standing. To qualify for upper year consideration you must have successfully completed at least one year of studies in a program equivalent to the program you are applying for at OCAD U. Further details about Upper Year entry can be found in Transfer Pathways.

A Statement of Intent of approximately 300 words is a required element of the portfolio. No portfolio will be reviewed without the written statement.

After your application has been received and processed, details will be emailed to you about dates, deadlines and SlideRoom access. Portfolio submissions for upper year applicants who apply by Update dates

Upper Year Entry Faculty of Art Portfolio (PDF)
Upper Year Entry Faculty of Design Portfolio (PDF)
Upper Year Entry Digital Futures Portfolio (PDF)

Important Reminder: We would like to remind you that plagiarism or misrepresenting the work of others as your own is an offense against intellectual property rights and is a serious breach of academic misconduct. The work you are presenting in your portfolio must be of your own creation.

Please visit our Transfer Pathways section for academic requirements