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The Bachelor of Fine Arts program demands rigorous training, aiming to equip students with the skills needed for professional art careers, advanced graduate studies, specialized training, or direct involvement in creative projects.
Visual Arts School students can apply for the B.F.A. program starting their second semester, with the latest application deadline being the fourth semester.
B.F.A. candidates undergo ongoing evaluation of their portfolios and academic progress. Those who fall below requirements or wish to discontinue may transition back to the B.A. in Art or select an alternative academic path.
The majority of Penn State’s applications come from traditional, first-year students. The following types of students are considered first-year applicants (or freshman applicants, as some refer to them): Current high school student in his or her senior year; Student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED and has no post-secondary coursework; Student who has attempted 17 or fewer credits (semester hours) of college coursework at a regionally accredited college/university before attending Penn State; Current high school student who may have enrolled in another institution(s) before graduating from high school (dual enrollment); Student who may have attended Penn State on a nondegree basis.
English Language Proficiency
The following are ways in which you can satisfy the language proficiency requirement: TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the old paper exam and a minimum of 20 in each section of the new paper exam (code #2660); IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test.