BFA Illustration at Iowa State University

Programme overview

Illustration transforms ideas into visual stories that speak across all languages and cultures. Illustration majors learn to bring complex concepts to life—educating, clarifying, and making the abstract tangible. This work bridges the gap between words and understanding, whether illuminating design processes, bringing fictional worlds to vivid life, or motivating people to solve real-world problems. Illustration is both mirror and window: it reflects reality while opening portals to impossible worlds.

Faculty: College of Design | Study mode: full-time | Location: Ames, IA, United States

What you will study

Required and core courses listed in the curriculum include ART 2300 Drawing II; ART 4300 Drawing IV; ART 4320 Sequential Narrative Drawing; ART 4310 Character and Scene Design; ILLUS 2400 Survey of Illustration I; ILLUS 2410 Survey of Illustration II.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to Iowa State University and its college, not to the individual major (Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major). First-year applicants are admitted on the Regent Admission Index (RAI = ACT composite x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5); an RAI of at least 245 with the minimum high school course requirements (4 years English, 3 years mathematics including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra, 3 years science, 2 years social studies) receives automatic admission, and applicants below 245 may be considered through individual review. Iowa State is test-optional for first-year applicants.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms for first-year applicants include Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027. International undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted up to one year before the intended start date; applying at least six to eight weeks in advance is strongly recommended.

International undergraduate applicants pay a nonrefundable application fee of $65 by credit card through the online application system; fee waivers are not offered. SAT/ACT are not required for applicants educated abroad or for transfer students. First-year applicants: Iowa State is test-optional for ACT, SAT or CLT scores; admission is based on the Regent Admission Index. Apply with the institutional application or the Common App.

Apply through the official page: https://apps.admissions.iastate.edu/apply/online/

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