First-Year Application Instructions

Complete an application for Undergraduate Admission. We accept the following applications:

Common Application

Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir 

Students are encouraged to select two different programs for their first and second choice majors.

To expedite the application process, please write your full legal name on all items submitted. If you have a preferred name, you can indicate it in the "Preferred Name" field. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required to provide their Social Security number to be considered for financial aid. If you need to change your major after submitting your application, please email enroll@drexel.edu.

There is a nonrefundable application fee of $65 USD, which Drexel applicants will pay online when submitting the Common Application or the Coalition Application, powered by Scoir.

You may qualify for Drexel's institutional application fee waiver if you are a U.S. veteran or dependent of a U.S. veteran, a child of a Drexel employee, or a Pennsylvania resident.

If you meet any of the criteria listed above, please indicate your status on your application.

If you do not meet the above criteria, you can request a fee waiver through the Common Application or Coalition Application Fee Waiver. Students who feel that the application fee would be a financial hardship can request a fee waiver on either application.

All applicants must submit a 250- to 650-word essay via the Common Application or the Coalition Application, powered by Scoir. We do not accept essays submitted on paper or emailed directly to the University.

Official transcripts must be sent directly from your high school to Drexel. We cannot accept self-submitted transcripts.

You are required to submit transcripts from each high school attended. Transcripts must include all coursework from grades nine (9), ten (10), and eleven (11). Twelfth (12th) grade coursework in progress should also be included.

Important notes for international applicants:

• A transcript is official only when it is sent directly from an institution to the Office of Admissions, or when it is officially signed, stamped in color, and sealed.
• Use your legal name on all documents (should match the name listed on your passport).

All students who attended any portion of secondary school outside of the U.S. are required to submit an official academic record (with notarized English translation) from every secondary or postsecondary school attended. Transcripts must reflect 9th, 10th, and 11th grade coursework and grades earned, as well as any 12th grade coursework in progress. Please refer to our Transcript Requirements for International First-Year Applicants as a guideline, or email enroll@drexel.edu if your country is not listed. 

Two letters of recommendation are required. At least one must be completed by a school or college counselor. You should request recommendations through the Common Application or the Coalition Application, powered by Scoir. Letters of recommendation may also be sent directly by the recommender to enroll@drexel.edu.

BA/BS+MD Early Assurance applicants: Your letters of recommendation must be completed by a school or college counselor and a science teacher.

Drexel has adopted a Test-Optional policy, which allows students to choose whether to have test scores included as part of their admission application. First-year applicants applying for entry in fall 2025 will indicate on their admission application if they will be supplying test scores for consideration. Self-submitted scores listed on the Common Application or the Coalition Application are not considered official.

Standardized test scores may be submitted in the following ways:

• Students can submit their official score reports to enroll@drexel.edu or by emailing them directly to their admissions representative.
• High school counselors can submit standardized test score reports on behalf of their students.
• Students can have official scores sent by the testing agency to Drexel University.

Note: BS/BA+MD Early Assurance applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Refer to our Standardized Testing Policies for specific requirements.

International applicants whose first (or native) language is not English or have not completed a minimum of three full years of instruction in English prior to applying must take an approved English proficiency exam and request that results be forwarded to the Office of Admissions. Approved exams are listed with our Standardized Testing Policies.

Refer to our Application Deadlines to view deadlines for financial aid documents.

U.S. Citizens and permanent residents are required to submit both the CSS Profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the appropriate deadline to be considered for the most financial aid. Applicants who do not submit the CSS Profile by the deadline will not be eligible for institutional need-based financial aid.

You can submit the CSS Profile on the College Board website; be sure to list Drexel so that we can receive this information. You can submit the FAFSA online using Drexel's FAFSA school code: 003256. You should not wait to be accepted to submit the CSS Profile and FAFSA. The CSS Profile and FAFSA can be started as early as October.

International applicants are required to submit the CSS Profile by the appropriate deadline to be considered for institutional need-based aid. Applicants who do not submit this information by the deadline will not be eligible for institutional need-based financial aid. You can submit the CSS Profile on the College Board website; be sure to list Drexel so that we can receive this information.

Learn more about How to Apply for Aid.

It is Drexel's expectation that every family fulfill and understand the financial responsibility for educational costs at Drexel. Since you and your family or sponsors must assume responsibility for your student expenses, Drexel requires proof of financial responsibility showing sufficient financial support for education in the United States in order to obtain a student visa for students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Review the information for New International Students on the International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) website to learn about the I-20/DS-2019 application process.

Applicants are encouraged to follow these portfolio guidelines carefully and submit materials that strengthen their application. The portfolio must be completed in SlideRoom.

Required Portfolios

Applicants to the following programs are required to submit a portfolio for admission.

• Animation & Visual Effects
• Architectural Studies
• Architecture
• Digital Media & Virtual Production
• Fashion Design
• Game Design & Production
• Graphic Design
• Photography
• Music Industry — Recording Arts and Music Production

Optional Portfolios

Applicants to the following programs are not required to submit a portfolio for admission. It is optional.

• Art History
• Design & Merchandising
• Entertainment & Arts Management
• Film & Television
• Interior Design
• Music Industry — Music Industry Business
• Product Design
• Screenwriting & Playwriting
• Undeclared Design and Media
• User Experience and Interaction Design

Portfolio Guidelines

The Admission Committee is examining your work for originality, creative problem solving, and systematic thinking. Applicants should submit eight to 12 pieces of their strongest and most recent work in a variety of media that demonstrate a balance of technique and concept. Thematic work or a series of pieces is received favorably.

Portfolio contents may include any combination of drawings, paintings, printmaking, photography, graphic design, architectural design, interior design, ceramics, sculpture, fiber art, fashion design, jewelry and metals, furniture, designed objects, animation, computer-generated images, film, video, performance art, audio recordings, websites, video games, sketchbooks, scripts, storyboards, or screenplays.

If the portfolio includes audio, film, video, animation, game design, and interactive work, it may not exceed five minutes of total running time. For collaborative works, it is important to provide credits and describe your role(s) within the creative process. Writers, please submit a minimum of eight to 12 pages of written work of either a single piece or numerous smaller pieces.

The portfolio must be completed in SlideRoom only. Upload the highest possible quality of documentation of your creative work. Media requirements are outlined in SlideRoom for files consisting of images, audio, videos, PDF, or embedded media. If the file is an example of a recording, composition, or mix done in Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, or GarageBand, please include an in-progress screenshot and a detailed description of your process.

Projects for Students with Limited or No Art Background or Portfolio

If you do not have any background in art or design, you can still apply. For example, you may want to start your portfolio by drawing from life: sneakers, bedrooms, friends, and landscapes are all excellent subjects, or you may photograph and document your day, your life, or an ordinary event in an extraordinary way.

Other examples of creative work may include a mixed-media collage inspired by your dreams, a research-based paper or project, video blogging, online curation, a video game proposal that modifies a children's board game so that it requires the skill of an adult, a résumé for performing arts or technical theatre, business or marketing plans, social media/promotion plans, examining and redesigning an existing product or interior, a narrative outline for a short script or interactive design, or an observational essay of curatorial practice in a museum gallery or public space. When you have eight to 12 projects you want us to see — you have a portfolio! Upload your projects to SlideRoom.

Questions

Should you have questions about the portfolio, please contact the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at westphal.admissions@drexel.edu.

Applicants to the following Westphal College of Media Arts and Design programs must submit a writing supplement via the Common Application or the Coalition Application, powered by Scoir:

• Architectural Studies
• Architecture
• Music Industry

Writing Supplement Topic: Reflect on your experiences, personal characteristics, and unique traits that have prepared you for the challenges and opportunities associated with your chosen major. How have these things shaped your goals, aspirations, and potential contributions to your field of study? (Maximum 500 words)

If you have questions about the guidelines, please contact the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design College by email at westphal.admissions@drexel.edu.

Dance majors are required to audition. Auditions can be done live or by video. Visit Westphal College's Dance Auditions page for guidelines and dates.

BA/BS+MD early assurance applicants must complete the College of Medicine Supplemental Application on the Discover Drexel portal by November 1. Applicants are also required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Refer to the BA/BS+MD Early Assurance Application Process for additional information and to access the application.

Note: Students will not have access to the College of Medicine Supplemental Application through the Discover Drexel portal until approximately two days after submitting the Common Application or Coalition Application.

Homeschool applicants must provide the equivalent of a high school transcript with course or subject titles, duration of study for each title, content of study for each title, and an assessment of performance or grade. Additionally, applicants must submit course descriptions for each class detailing the content of study for each title, which should include a summary of the course and texts used. Preferably, the courses completed at home are part of a curriculum developed and evaluated by a nationally recognized diploma-granting organization or agency or sponsoring public high school.

If applicants have taken classes outside the home, these courses must be clearly labeled on the transcript. If the outside organization provides a transcript (for example, a virtual high school or community college), those transcripts must be submitted officially by that institution. We cannot accept copies of these transcripts sent by parents or students.

Upon graduation, if an official transcript from a state homeschool association or sponsoring public high school is not available, homeschool applicants must submit one of the following documents:

• A graduation certificate or evaluated transcript from a state-approved agency or official.
• GED exam results or HiSET, TSC, or NDEP exam results (if approved by your state of residence as proof of high school graduation).
• A college transcript showing the completion of 24 or more college credits at the time of enrollment.
• If state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a secondary school completion credential, you can submit a transcript signed by your primary instructor that lists the secondary courses you have completed and a graduation date. It must document the successful completion of a secondary school education in a homeschool setting.

International applicants must follow the graduation requirements for their country of residence. External exams may be requested and must be submitted by the examination board. We cannot accept copies of these exam results sent by parents, students, or tutors.

If you have questions about the application process for homeschooled students, please contact Becky Brady, the Admissions Office liaison for homeschooled students, at bb3364@drexel.edu.