Prospective Students - Admissions
How to Apply
Application Procedures
Students seeking admission to VCUQatar are required to submit complete applications by the March 1st deadline. Candidates must complete an admissions application form that can be found at www.qatar.vcu.edu or submit a paper application, which can be obtained from the VCUQatar Admissions Office. All candidates for admission or readmission must complete an admission application form.
All application material must be submitted by the deadline to be considered for admission.
Application Fee
An application fee of 500 QR must be made payable to VCUQatar. Application fees are non-refundable and must be submitted with the application. Applicants who are not accepted for the current semester, but desire to reapply for the following year, are required to resubmit the application fee. Applications received without the application fee may be returned.
Application Components
Once the admissions application form and fee have been submitted to VCUQatar, the applicant's file is considered open so that he/she can provide the additional required material (described below). Application decisions are made by a committee and are based on an assessment of the following: English language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS test scores), official school transcripts, a recommendation letter, a personal statement, and portfolio submission. An interview may be requested. All material should be in original form and submitted with certified English translations. The admissions application is not evaluated until all required material is submitted to VCUQatar's Office of Admissions.
TOEFL and IELTS Tests
All applicants must submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Test results should be sent directly to VCUQatar.
VCUQatar recommends applicants register and take the tests well in advance. Applicants should achieve a score of 550 or above on the paper based TOEFL test to be competitive, (213 on the CBT or 79 on the iBT test). Applicants sitting for the IELTS should score 6.0 or above. Application to VCUQatar is competitive. In 2009, the average TOEFL score for accepted applicants was 83 iBT.
For information on TOEFL tests in Qatar and the region visit www.ets.org/toefl. For information on the IELTS see www.ielts.org. Information about the IELTS test is also available from the British Council in Doha.
Official Transcripts
Applicants must submit official copies of your most recent transcripts. These may be from your secondary school. They must include grades for the last three years of schooling. All material should be in English or accompanied by verified English translations. VCUQatar considers freshman applicants with 85% or higher on their Qatari Thanawiyya or the equivalent from other systems. Students graduating from the British system should have a minimum of 3 AS level. Upon portfolio and transcript evaluation some transfer credit may be available for British A levels and International Baccalaureate Diploma.
If you are interested in transferring to VCUQatar, please review the requirements below.
- 30 semester hours with a minimum 2.25 GPA from other institutions is recommended. Official transcripts must be submitted.
- Applicants must be in good standing with last institution attended.
- Applicants with fewer than 30 semester hours also will be reviewed on the basis of their secondary school performance. In this case, transcripts from secondary school must be submitted.
Only courses receiving a grade of C or higher will be considered for transfer. Transfer applicants who have completed studio courses at another institution should submit a portfolio of work completed in studio classes in order to have the transfer credit for these classes considered.
Letter of Recommendation
We require one letter of recommendation on the VCUQatar recommendation form. The person best qualified to assess your ability to be successful at VCUQatar should provide the recommendation. Preferably, this referee will be your art teacher from high school or your previous college. If you did not have an art teacher, please select a counselor or employer who is able to assess your abilities. Provide the VCUQatar recommendation form to your selected referee. The form may be submitted with the application or under separate cover. It may also be submitted electronically through the online application system.
Essay
All applicants must submit a short essay of one or two pages in length that describes a significant person or experience that has influenced your decision to become a designer or artist.
Personal Interview
VCUQatar looks for candidates who are committed to meeting the rigors of the programs, who are global in their personal and creative perspectives and who will thrive in a diverse, culturally rich and co-educational environment.To determine viability of candidates, some applicants may be asked to interview with admissions staff and/or faculty members. The admission staff will contact you to make interview arrangements.