Graphic design schools
Schools that list graphic design, communication design or visual communication, compared on what their admissions pages require.
15 schoolsUnited States · United Kingdom · Japan · France · Italy · Germany · AustraliaNot a ranking
What to compare between graphic design schools
Process over polish
Graphic design portfolios are usually read for thinking and process, not only finished layouts.
Course title
Graphic design, communication design and visual communication can be the same subject under different names.
Typography and image
Check whether a school asks for specific project types before you choose what to include.
The schools
15 entries, ordered by search demand
| School | Degrees | Portfolio (key points) | International tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons School of Design, The New SchoolNew York, United States | BFA, BBA; MA, MFA, MPS, MS | First-year and transfer BFA applicants must submit 8–12 slides (images) of work; transfer applicants may submit up to 20. The portfolio is optional for the BBA in Strategic Design and… | Parsons full-time tuition is $31,174 per semester (12–18 credits), 2026–27 academic year; per-credit tuition… |
| Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, United States | BFA, BArch; MFA, MA, MArch, MDes, MAT, MS | Submit 12-20 recent works via SlideRoom, accessed after the Common Application; direct-observation drawing/sketching is recommended; up to 3 research or preparatory sheets may be included… | USD66,460/year (2026-27 academic year); same tuition for international and domestic students. Also an… |
| Central Saint MartinsLondon, United Kingdom | BA (Hons); MA / MFA / MArch / MRes | Digital portfolio submitted via PebblePad (UAL's online portfolio tool) after the UCAS initial application. Example BA (Hons) Fine Art: maximum 25 pages; include finished projects and works… | £31,510 per year (International) for 2027 entry, e.g. BA (Hons) Fine Art. 'May increase by up to 5% in each… |
| Savannah College of Art and DesignSavannah, GA / Atlanta, GA, United States | BFA / BA / B.Des (among others); MA / MFA / MDes (among others) | A portfolio is not required for undergraduate admission; however, submission is strongly recommended to compete for achievement scholarships. Portfolios are submitted via SlideRoom and must… | 2026–27 undergraduate full-time tuition: annual tuition $42,975 ($14,325 per quarter, 3 courses per quarter… |
| Musashino Art UniversityTokyo, Japan | BFA (Faculty of Fine Arts / Faculty of Design); MFA (Master's programme) / MA | Special selection for international students: the Departments of Japanese Painting, Oil Painting (Painting course / Graphic Arts course) and Sculpture must submit a portfolio (A4-size… | For 2027 entrants: admission fee 260,000 yen; annual tuition 1,270,000 yen (635,000 x 2 terms); those with… |
| Tama Art UniversityTokyo, Japan | BFA (Faculty of Fine Arts); MFA (pre-doctoral course) | The international-student selection requires submission of work / portfolio, varying by discipline: Japanese Painting (about one work of around 50-gou, submitted on interview day)… | 2027 academic year tuition: admission fee ¥230,000; annual tuition ¥1,247,000; facility fee ¥350,000… |
| École nationale supérieure des Arts DécoratifsParis, France | Licence (first year of the Licence, first cycle); Master (Diplôme de l'ENSAD, 4th year /… | First year: anonymous digital application comprising (1) a 'création réalisée à domicile' PDF of up to 5 pages (20 MB) plus optional 1-minute audio / video (50 MB); (2) a personal-works… | €458 per year (2025-2026) plus CVEC €105; the same for all nationalities. CROUS scholarship holders are… |
| NABA Nuova Accademia di Belle ArtiMilan / Rome / London, Italy | Bachelor of Arts (BA); Master of Arts (MA) / Academic Master | Portfolio not mandatory; may be shown at interview. Applicants must submit a 'Portfolio of projects or/and project assignment' (per application form guidance). A portfolio of 5-10 projects… | Non-EU students: Bachelor of Arts EUR22,250/year (including regional tax, A.Y. 2026/27); Diploma Programme… |
| Universität der Künste BerlinBerlin, Germany | Bachelor (e.g. BA Visual Communication, BA Design, BA Stage Design); Master (e.g. MA… | Varies by programme. Example Visual Communication BA: artistic sample (portfolio + Hausaufgabe) uploaded on Bemus platform (https://bemus.udk-berlin.de); max 4 files, max 350 MB; PDF max 50… | No tuition fees (except a few continuing-education Master programmes); all students pay semester fee ~€370… |
| London College of CommunicationLondon, United Kingdom | BA (Hons); MA / MFA / MRes | Digital portfolio via PebblePad after UCAS initial application. Examples: BA Photography / Graphic and Media Design / Illustration and Visual Media – maximum 20 pages of original work… | £31,510 per year (International) for 2027 entry (e.g. BA Photography, BA Graphic and Media Design). 'may… |
| ArtCenter College of DesignPasadena, CA, United States | BFA / BS; MFA / MS / MDes | Portfolio must be specific to the applied major. Requirements vary by major, e.g.: Entertainment Design (Concept) requires a 20–25 page portfolio; Fine Art requires 15–20 works; Graphic… | Full Time Undergraduate Tuition (per term): $28,681 (Fall 2026 through Summer 2027 academic year); plus… |
| Maryland Institute College of ArtBaltimore, MD, United States | BFA; MA / MFA / MPS / MAT | Must submit 10-15 pieces of artwork (portfolio of 10-15 pieces of artwork), no prompts, no home exam; may include class and independent works, and should show finished pieces. Uploaded via… | 2026-2027 full-time undergraduate tuition: Full-Time Academic Year $58,310 (per credit $2,430, 12.0-19.5… |
| Kingston School of Art, Kingston University LondonKingston upon Thames, United Kingdom | BA (Hons); MFA / MA | Digital portfolio, 15-20 pages; PDF preferred, may include website/Instagram/Flickr/Vimeo links; demonstrate four values: questioning, curiosity, technical ability, enthusiasm. Fine Art BA… | Fine Art BA International: Year 1 (2027/28) £22,900; Year 2 (2028/29) £23,800; Year 3 (2029/30) £24,800… |
| Politecnico di Milano – School of DesignMilan, Italy | Laurea (equivalent to Bachelor of Science); Laurea Magistrale (equivalent to Master of… | Undergraduate design programmes admit via the TOLD entrance examination (Test del Design); no portfolio is required, and admission is based on the entrance exam result. | Non-EU students not holding a scholarship (highest band) pay €3,943.04 per year (2026/27 academic year, 46–74… |
| RMIT University - School of Art / School of DesignMelbourne, Australia | Bachelor of Fine Arts (BP201, School of Art) / Bachelor of Design (e.g. BP203 Animation… | Bachelor of Fine Arts selection task: two applicant statements (each up to 100 words) plus choosing 1–3 majors and stating the first-preference reason (up to 100 words) plus creative works… | Bachelor of Fine Arts 2027 tuition AU$43,200/year; Bachelor of Design (Animation and Interactive Media) 2027… |
Requirements are summarised from each school’s admissions pages, usually for the undergraduate route where one exists; the school page has both levels in full with sources. Master’s routes are compared on Masters programmes.
Which are the best graphic design schools?
There is no single best school for graphic design; this page does not rank. It lists the 15 catalogued schools whose own websites name graphic design among their programmes, with what each officially asks for, so you can judge fit by portfolio, language, cost and deadline.
Do graphic design schools require a portfolio?
Most of the schools listed here ask for one, but the format, size and upload platform differ. Some, such as programmes that select by entrance exam, do not. The portfolio column below is taken from each school’s admissions page.
Which graphic design school fits your work?
Tell Yixiaoliu what you make, your English scores and budget; it will weigh the schools above against them and point you to each official page.
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