External Transfer Applicants

Students who have completed coursework at another university or college and want to transfer to UT Austin

Things to Know Before Applying

• Students are admitted for the fall semester only.
• Applicants must have a transfer GPA of at least 3.00 to be considered for admission.
• Preference is given to applicants who have completed the equivalents of our First-Year Core courses. Learn more about coursework equivalents.

What You Submit

• UT Austin application — see Step 1 below
• Additional major-specific items — see Step 2 below
  • Artist statement
  • Resume (optional)
  • Portfolio

Dates and Deadlines

Application Process

Internal UT Transfer Applicants

Current UT Austin students interested in internally transferring (changing your major) or adding a simultaneous major in the Department of Art and Art History

Things to Know Before Applying

• Admission to all degree programs in the Department of Art and Art History is competitive and selective. When applying to this department, you are strongly advised to develop a back-up 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 Art and Art History is two.
• If you’d like to see how the classes you’ve already completed would count towards the major of your interest, you can create an Interactive Degree Audit for that major. You can also review the Degree Guidelines and Plans for all degrees offered by this department. If you have questions about the degree plan or requirements, you may contact the Undergraduate Academic Advisor. Include your UT EID in all emails.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to take First-Year Core courses at UT or transfer in coursework equivalents so you’ll be on track for a timely graduation. However, First-Year Core courses do not have to be completed prior to applying or being formally admitted to the department. See instructions for enrolling in major-restricted courses.
• Are you currently a major in the department? Current majors in the Department of Art and Art History who wish to change from one major to another within the department, or to add a simultaneous major within the department, should visit the Undergraduate Academic Advisor to learn about the application process and deadlines. Depending on what your current major is, your application process may differ from below.

Eligibility

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

• You are currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at UT Austin and it is spring semester (applications are not accepted during 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. (See the note below about UT Austin’s 60-hour Rule.)
• You have not already applied twice to internally transfer or add a simultaneous major in this department.
• You have an overall 3.0 GPA at UT Austin. (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 Students adding a simultaneous major: 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 are applying for admission.

Meeting minimum academic and GPA requirements, submitting all application materials by the deadline, and completing departmental First-Year Core courses (or equivalents) does not guarantee eligibility or acceptance to a specific major of the department.

UT Austin’s 60-Hour Rule

From the university’s General Information Catalog:

Students may not transfer to another college or school after they have completed sixty (60) semester hours of coursework in residence. A student who wishes to seek an exception to this rule should petition the dean’s office of the college into which he or she would like to transfer. Approval of the petition will take into account the student’s ability to graduate within four years of entering the University.

If you have completed more than 60 hours and would still like to apply for a change-of-major to the Department of Art and Art History, proceed with submitting application materials as instructed below. If your application receives a strong review but you will have completed more than 60 hours prior to the fall semester for which you are applying, you will be required to submit an appeal to the dean's office and your admission into the major will be dependent on its approval. If you are required to submit an appeal, you will receive notification by the Undergraduate Academic Advisor with detailed instructions. Do not submit an appeal unless you are notified to do so.

Exceptions to the university’s policies on internal transfer are made in rare circumstances when the student can provide evidence that they are on track for a timely graduation. Students with over 60 hours can only attempt to be admitted via this appeal process one time.

Application Instructions

Application Deadline — May 1
Admission Decision — Typically, mid–July

Use the UT Austin Internal Transfer Application System to complete the Internal Transfer Application and submit the following major-specific requirements:

• Artist Statement — Please describe the art you make and why you make it. Feel free to elaborate on what your experience with art has been thus far, what art instruction you may have received in school and outside of school, and future goals you have within art. The artist statement should be 1–3 paragraphs in length.
• Portfolio — 12–15 pieces of work, with 2 being from direct observation. Learn how to prepare your portfolio.

NOTE
Letters of recommendation are not required and will not be reviewed as part of any application.
 

Begin Application

Notification

Students will be emailed notification via a Secure Academic Note (SAN) that reports their application results, whether they are admitted or declined. Typically, notification is sent mid-July. Please do not contact the department about the status of your application; you will be notified when decisions have been made.

For students admitted to the department, the SAN will include specific information about the process for changing or adding a major, mandatory academic advising, and registration procedures.

If you are not admitted but still want to connect with our department, we welcome you to join one of our student organizations, register for our non-major courses, or attend one of our events.

Returning Applicants

Students previously enrolled at UT Austin who want to be readmitted after a period of interruption

Application Deadlines

July 1 — For Fall Enrollment

December 1 — For Spring Enrollment

May 1 — For Summer Enrollment

Returning Students who wish to continue in their previous major

If you were previously an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin and are ready to return after an interruption of at least one fall or spring semester, complete the university’s application for Returning Students. All returning students are readmitted into their previous major.

If you wish to participate in the advising and registration period that occurs in the semester preceding the one in which you plan to return, it’s required that you complete the readmission process well in advance of the deadlines and advising periods (for example, April for Summer and Fall enrollment, and October for Spring enrollment). You may consult the academic calendar for advising and registration dates.

Returning Students who wish to change their previous major

All returning students are readmitted into their previous major. If you wish to apply for readmission to the university and change to a new major, first complete the university’s application for Returning Students and then follow the process current students use to apply for an internal transfer (see the Internal UT Transfer tab above).