University in Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
University profile
Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) is a public university in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 1925. It is one of B.C.'s oldest post-secondary institutions and the only university in the province dedicated exclusively to practice-based education and learning in the arts, media and design. It is designated a special-purpose teaching university under the University Act. ECU has more than 2,400 full-time equivalent students and describes itself as one of just four post-secondary art institutions in Canada.
The campus at 520 East 1st Avenue (Great Northern Way) opened in 2017. The 26,600-square-metre, LEED Gold-certified building was designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and developed through a public-private partnership with Applied Arts Partners; it is Canada's first purpose-built facility for education and research in visual arts, design and media arts. In 2025 the university expanded into space at the Centre for Digital Media.
Four faculties organise teaching and research:
Undergraduate degrees are the BFA, BDes and BMA, and all first-year students begin with Foundation Year. Extended Learning offers continuing studies for adults and youth programs, with more than 1,900 Extended Learning students each year. Students come from more than 50 countries, the faculty-student ratio is 1:19, and more than 700 faculty and staff support students. The campus has more than 19 shops, labs and studios (including motion capture, 3D printing, ceramics and textiles), galleries, theatres, the Aboriginal Gathering Place and more than 30 student clubs.
ECU does not offer on-campus housing; an off-campus housing and living guide and a Housing Support contact help students find rentals, homestays and short-term stays in Vancouver. International students are supported by International Student Advising, with guidance on study permits, B.C. Medical Services Plan enrolment and ECSU extended health benefits. The Creative Art Pathway combines English upgrading with studio courses for international students who meet academic and portfolio requirements but need more English preparation. More than 200 work-integrated learning placements are offered each year.
Incoming students are automatically considered for most entrance awards, based on academic achievement and artistic merit. Several scholarships covering full Foundation Year tuition go to B.C. high school students entering ECU directly after graduation. Several international entrance scholarships of $2,000 to $5,000 CAD are available for study at any level. Named awards include the Audain Foundation Annual Entrance Scholarships (tuition support for B.C. students from outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District entering first, second or third year), the Renée Van Halm + Pietro Widmer Entrance Scholarship ($1,000 for a Foundation student), the Maple Batalia Memorial Scholarship for the Arts (one non-renewable award for a domestic female high-school applicant with excellent academic standing), the Lloyd Williams Award (top student from the Chilcotin region), the Francisco de la Cajiga Entrance Scholarship (top student of Mexican citizenship) and the Helen Ying Ping Shu Fund.
Students in first, second or third year with strong academic standing may qualify for GPA-based tuition scholarships distributed within each program area. DDM micro-grants of up to $350 support student-led projects in the Faculty of Design + Dynamic Media. Other support includes accessibility funding, funding for Indigenous students, funding for former youth in care, emergency bursaries and donor-funded awards, plus Canada and provincial student loans (including StudentAid BC).
Entrance scholarships | Undergraduate financial support + awards
ECU Entrance Scholarships for B.C. High School and International Students →
Browse the scholarships listed for Emily Carr University of Art + Design and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Emily Carr University of Art + Design →Applicants need high school graduation with a minimum 67.0% (C+, 2.50 GPA) average in the required courses, including at least 60.0% (C) in English Studies / English Language Arts. In B.C. and Yukon the required courses are English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, two Grade 12 academic courses from the approved list and two further Grade 12 academic or elective courses. Other provinces and territories apply the equivalent Grade 12 course pattern (for example Alberta English Language Arts 30-1; Manitoba English Language Arts 40S; Saskatchewan English Language Arts A30 and B30 plus four other 30-level courses). Students in their final year can apply using Grade 11 prerequisites and must submit a final transcript before the program begins. Admission is highly competitive and meeting the minimums does not guarantee an offer. The portfolio counts for the majority of the overall admission score; work substantially created with generative AI is not accepted.
Applicants aged 21 or older at the start of study who lack the diploma or all required courses may request mature student consideration after applying: a C+ (67%) average across Grade 12 English literature (minimum C, 60%) and two Grade 12 academic courses, English proficiency and a portfolio. Those with 15 or more post-secondary credits must apply as transfer applicants.
Indigenous applicants aged 19 or older who do not meet the standard requirements apply as high school applicants and also submit two reference letters, a personal statement and a portfolio to the Aboriginal Admissions Committee.
Applicants with 15 or more attempted post-secondary credits apply as transfer students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on ECU's scale. Conditional admission is possible while still studying, with a final official transcript required. At least 50% of the program must be completed at ECU.
Applicants who completed full secondary study in English in English-speaking countries are generally exempt. Accepted tests: IELTS Academic 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component; TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall and 4.0 in each section (tests from January 21, 2026) or 84 total with 20 in speaking, reading and listening and 18 in writing (earlier tests); Duolingo English Test 110; PTE Academic 56; CAEL 70; CELPIP Academic Level 4L; CPE 176 with no score below 169; MELAB 81.
Undergraduate applications are made through EducationPlannerBC, followed by upload of transcripts, test scores and the portfolio in the ECU Admissions Portal. Application fee: $72.83 domestic, $112.20 international, non-refundable; fee waivers may be requested by Indigenous applicants and former youth in care. Spring 2027 intake (starts January 11, 2027): deadline September 15, 2026 for application, portfolio and documents. Fall 2027 intake (starts September 7, 2027): applications open October 1, 2026; January 15, 2027 for application and transcripts; January 31, 2027 for the portfolio. Spring 2028 deadline: July 15, 2027.
The Master of Design and Master of Fine Arts have one intake each September. Fall 2027 applications run October 1, 2026 to January 25, 2027 via EducationPlannerBC, with a non-refundable application fee, then portfolio, transcripts and any English test score uploaded to the ECU portal within days. Results are released by April 30 and accepted students pay a non-refundable deposit within two weeks.
Great Northern Way campus, 520 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.: ECU's single main campus, opened in 2017. The 26,600-square-metre LEED Gold building houses classrooms and studios for undergraduate and graduate programs, 19+ shops, labs and studios (motion capture, 3D printing, ceramics, textiles and more), galleries, theatres, the Aboriginal Gathering Place and student spaces and clubs.
Centre for Digital Media space: since 2025 the university has expanded graduate studio space and classrooms into the Centre for Digital Media.
The ECU Library + Archives serves students on campus, with course reserves, databases, study room booking and an archives collection. There are no on-campus residences.
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