QUICK ANSWER
No U.S. art school requires applicants to attend an academy. What schools require is a set of specific materials: a portfolio built to each school’s rules, written statements, often a short video, English test scores and transcripts. The useful question for a family is whether the student can produce all of that well without help.
Some students can, especially those with strong art teachers at school and good English. Many cannot, because the requirements differ by school and change every year. We are an academy, so we have an interest here. This page sets out the requirements so families can judge for themselves.
This guide lists what selected schools ask for in 2026–27, what a student would need to manage alone, and what to check if a family does choose an academy.
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What Students Must Produce
| Requirement | Examples from 2026–27 guidance |
|---|---|
| Portfolio built to each school’s rules | SVA 15–20 images with at least 3 from observation; ArtCenter Transportation 3–5 projects; CalArts Character 15+ observational works |
| Written statements | SVA ~500 words, no AI tools; ArtCenter one short answer and two essays; Cooper Union Hometest with ten written prompts |
| Video | ArtCenter 60–90 second video essay for eight majors; CalArts 30–90 second introduction |
| English scores | TOEFL iBT new 1–6 scale from January 2026; e.g. SVA 4.5, ArtCenter 4 |
| Deadlines and aid rules | SVA scholarship postmark 1 February with 3.0 GPA; Cooper Hometest month in December–February |
From each school’s admissions pages, checked October 2026.
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When Self-Preparation Can Work
- The student already has a body of personal work. Schools ask for work with a point of view, not exercises. A student who already makes work on their own has a head start.
- A school teacher can give regular feedback. Honest critique on a regular schedule matters more than where it comes from.
- English is strong. Statements, essays and videos have to be in the student’s own words.
- Someone tracks every school’s rules. Portfolio counts, formats and deadlines differ, and they change each year.
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What an Academy Should Add
If a family chooses an academy, it should add things a student cannot easily do alone. Examples include regular critique, drawing from life, school-by-school planning, and practice for essays and videos. It should not add work that is not the student’s own. SVA bars AI-generated text, and schools such as ArtCenter and CalArts ask students to speak about their own work on video.
WHAT TO CHECK
Ask any academy, including us, for acceptances by school and year and how each was confirmed. Ask for scholarship figures with the number of awards behind any average. Ask who will teach. Under Korea’s Academies Act, academies must register and display their fees, so ask to see the registered fee. Our page on checking academy claims lists more questions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do U.S. art schools require an academy or prep programme?
No. They require a portfolio and supporting materials that meet each school’s published rules.
Can a student prepare a U.S. art school portfolio alone?
Some can, especially with a strong personal body of work, regular feedback from a teacher and good English. The requirements differ by school, so careful planning is essential.
What should an academy actually help with?
Regular critique, observational drawing, school-by-school planning, and practice for essays and videos, while keeping the work and words the student’s own.
How do I check an academy’s results?
Ask for acceptances by school and year, how each was confirmed, and scholarship averages with the number of awards behind them.
Are academy fees regulated in Korea?
Academies must register and display their fees under the Academies Act. Ask to see the registered fee before enrolling.
ROYAL BLUE ART & DESIGN
For 19 years we have prepared Korean students for U.S. art schools from our studio in Apgujeong, Seoul. Our public record lists 1,099 acceptances at 95 schools, each confirmed directly with the student. A consultation can help judge whether a student needs outside help at all. Call 02-3446-5929 or book a consultation.
Requirements from SVA, ArtCenter, CalArts and Cooper Union admissions pages, checked October 2026. Royal Blue figures from our results record (2009–2026). If something here has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Related reading: Checking Academy Claims · Online vs In-Person Prep · The Other Half · Korean Academies Compared · Royal Blue Results