Admissions and Eligibility

The coordinated Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program is an option available to students admitted to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). You are eligible to apply at any time after you have been admitted to PAFA; however any BFA admission decision made will be on a conditional basis, contingent upon the completion of one full year at PAFA, with a GPA of at least 3.0 (B).

If you have completed less than 60 semester credits at PAFA you must have a 3.0 grade point average in your high school and previous undergraduate studies. Applicants must be a high school graduate or have passed the high school equivalency exam or GED (General Educational Development) test with a minimum score of 450.

Although a 3.0 is usually sufficient to warrant serious consideration, it does not guarantee admission. Students with prior course work in the liberal arts will generally be viewed more favorably.

Students who have been denied admission to any bachelor’s degree program at the University of Pennsylvania must wait one year before re-applying to the University of Pennsylvania.

COVID-19 and admissions reviews

Recognizing the challenges of teaching, learning, and assessing academic performance during the global COVID-19 pandemic, Penn’s admissions committees for graduate and professional programs will take the significant disruptions of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 into account when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials as part of their regular practice of performing individualized, holistic reviews of each applicant. In particular, as we review applications now and in the future, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/Fail and other grading options during the period of COVID-19 disruptions. An applicant will not be adversely affected in the admissions process if their academic institution implemented a mandatory pass/fail (or similar) system for the term or if the applicant chose to participate in an optional pass/fail (or similar) system for the term. Penn’s longstanding commitment remains to admit graduate and professional student cohorts composed of outstanding individuals who demonstrate the resilience and aptitude to succeed in their academic pursuits.

Application and deadlines

The first step toward earning your Bachelor of Fine Arts at Penn is completing the online application. Applications for the Bachelor of Fine Arts program are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to finalize and submit their materials by the priority deadlines.

Regular Admission Deadlines