Your Portfolio Your portfolio is the cornerstone of your application to the Cleveland Institute of Art and is a significant part of the admission decision.
We consider your portfolio to be an important asset in the development of your career. It informs us of your artistic experience, education, and talent. Our Admissions Committee will evaluate your portfolio to assess your technical abilities, conceptual problemsolving skills, and use of your chosen media. You’ve spent a long time preparing for this moment and the following guidelines will help you to create a portfolio that best reflects your work. Portfolio Review Before you apply, you can schedule an appointment with one of our Admissions Counselors for a preliminary portfolio review. An optional campus visit and appointment with one of our counselors can provide feedback on your current work and guide you as you work toward your best possible portfolio. A Complete Application Your portfolio is one of several pieces that make up a complete application for admission. Additional requirements, including your academic credentials, personal statement, and letter of recommendation, will be considered when your application is complete.
234 cia.edu/admissions
Building Your Portfolio Your portfolio must be submitted in CD or DVD format, or if you wish to submit your portfolio online, please contact the Office of Admissions for assistance. We do not accept actual artwork of any kind. Your portfolio should include no less than 12 and no more than 20 pieces of your original artwork. Please do not send more than 20 pieces. This number will give us enough information to make an accurate assessment of your abilities. At least four of those pieces must be drawings from observation. Observational drawings include still life, gesture, or figure drawings, portraits, and landscapes. We encourage you to feature your strongest pieces made in your junior and senior years. Portfolio pieces can take many forms including (but not limited to) drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures, mixed media, found-object pieces, computergenerated works, illustrations, animations, and clay, metal, or glass objects.