Admissions Process

The School of Design has a policy of open admissions. All those who wish to study at The School of Design and agree to abide by the rules and regulations of The School are welcome to matriculate, regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, nationality, or marital status.

The admissions process may be initiated throughout the year, until two weeks before the start of classes. New students are admitted only for the September semester. Once all of an applicant's materials have been received and the application process is complete, the applicant's records will be presented to the Admissions Committee and a decision will be made. Applicants are notified about their admission after review of their records.

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Our Requirements

A large part of the admission decision is based on the portfolio and home exam. Nevertheless, the applicant’s interview and academic grades, as well as his or her qualifications, class standing, and exam results, are important as well.

The language of instruction is Spanish, and The School asks new students who do not have a good command of the language to take an intensive Spanish course before enrolling.

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APPLICATION FORM

An admissions application form may be obtained in one of the offices of The School: Casa de Chavón, in Santo Domingo; La Romana; or New York. A PDF file of the form may also be downloaded here. Applicants may also apply online here.

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APPLICATION FEE

Along with the application form, a nonrefundable application fee is required to cover the cost of the admissions process. The fee may be sent together with the portfolio to the Admissions Committee. Checks should be made to payable to the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation/The School; this may be abbreviated F.C.C.A.C./The School.

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PORTFOLIO AND ESSAY

All applicants must submit a portfolio that reflects their interests and artistic abilities. Sketchbooks, booklets of drawings, and preliminary studies that represent personal thoughts or reactions to the environment are an integral part of the portfolio. The portfolio submitted as part of the admissions process remains the property of the applicant and must be reclaimed within six months of notification of admission. To receive their portfolios, applicants should contact the Admissions Department to make arrangements to have it returned.

The portfolio must have from 10 to 20 pieces—drawings, paintings, crafts, sketchbooks, projects, or work done during previous studies—that demonstrate their general ability in drawing, color, and design, as well as a specific interest, with an emphasis on more recent work.

Along with their portfolio, all applicants must write and submit a 500-word essay on the following theme: Select an object such as a product, building, publication, or advertisement that is part of your daily life and that you consider to be well designed. Analyze it, taking into consideration its purpose, its efficiency, and the role of technology in its manufacture.

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HOME EXAM

All candidates must complete an examination, which must be submitted along with the portfolio. The home exam and the portfolio are reviewed by the Admissions and Financial Aid Committees.

For the home exam the applicant must complete one of the following assignments:

• Draw a self-portrait in charcoal, looking at yourself in a mirror; do not use a photograph
• Construct a collage representing a landscape
• Draw a still life in pencil

Create one of the following:

• A detailed painting or drawing
• A sculpture (shown in a photograph or slide)
• A poster announcing a sports event
• Designs for a collection of five articles of clothing to be worn in the tropics

Work submitted as part of the home exam must not be mounted, bound, or framed, and must not exceed 16" × 22" (40 cm × 56 cm). Photographs or slides may be used for large works or for portfolios sent by mail.

The Admissions Committee evaluates every application on its visual merits, but also considers a candidate's academic history and motivations to be an integral part of any application to an art school. Applicants should remember that the portfolio and home exam are only part of the requirements for admission.

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DOCUMENTS

For The School of Design's admissions process to be complete, the following documents must be submitted:

1. Application form for admission, completely filled out
2. Original birth certificate
3. Photocopy of government identity card or passport
4. Medical certificate
5. Certified transcript of secondary-school grades and copy of diploma
6. Certified transcript of university grades, if the applicant has taken university courses
7. Three letters of recommendation from people involved in the applicant's academic or work life, community activities, etc.
8. Certificate of good conduct from the national or local police
9. Four 2" × 2" (passport size) full-face photographs
10. Income tax certificate or copy of income tax return (for those applying for financial aid)

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INTERVIEW

When the portfolio and home exam have been completed, the applicant must telephone the Admissions Office to arrange an interview. Those who live within 125 miles (200 km) of any of the offices of The School of Design in the Dominican Republic (Altos de Chavón, in La Romana, or Casa de Chavón, in Santo Domingo) must have a personal interview. Similarly, those who live within 125 miles of New York City must appear in person at the New York office with their portfolio and home exam. Applicants who live beyond these distances are not required to have a personal interview, although one is recommended.

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APTITUDE TEST

A determining factor for admission to The School of Design is an aptitude test, which is used to evaluate the applicant's artistic aptitude and confirm that the level of work represented in the portfolio is the same as that demonstrated on the test. This test is given by a professor from The School of Design and takes place in one of its locations once the requirements for admission (portfolio, home exam, necessary documents, and interview) have been completed.

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SUMMARY OF THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

 

Complete and sign the admissions application form and send it to the Admissions Office with your portfolio, home exam, the other requirements for admission, and the admissions application fee (not reimbursable).
     Oficina de Admisiones
     Casa de Chavón
     Gustavo Mejía Ricart #50
     Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
     Tel: (809) 563-2802
Applicants who live in the United States should send their portfolio and home exam by mail to the Admissions Department in New York.
     Admissions Office
     Altos de Chavón
     c/o Parsons School of Design
     66 Fifth Avenue, Room 819D
     New York, NY 10011
     Tel: (212) 229-5370, ext. 4187

Contact your secondary school or university and have them send your official transcripts to the Admissions Office.

Call the Admissions Office to set a date for your personal interview and aptitude test.

Decisions are made by the Admissions Committee only after all required materials have been received and the interview and aptitude test have been completed.

Applicants must arrange to have their portfolios returned within six months of notification of admission.

Applicants for financial aid must submit all relevant forms and materials required for admission in the fall semester (portfolio, exam, essay, documents, and aptitude test) before June 15.

 

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Financial Aid

All applicants for admission, as well as matriculated students, are eligible to apply for financial aid. The Financial Aid Committee grants scholarships to new students on the basis of their artistic abilities and economic necessity. For matriculated students, scholarships are granted according to academic achievement and cooperation in class.

Those wishing to obtain financial aid must complete, sign, and submit the Application for Financial Aid, which may be obtained from the Admissions Office, as a PDF file, or filled out online here. Dominican students must present a certificate from the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos that documents family income and makes it clear whether or not the applicant or his or her parents have filed a sworn income tax declaration. If so, a copy of the sworn tax declaration must be submitted. Foreign applicants must present similar documents from the income tax agency of their country of origin.

All materials must be submitted before June 15 for the fall semester. Applications are reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid according to criteria that evaluate the applicant's need and eligibility for the types of aid provided by The School of Design. Students will be notified of the decision before the start of the semester. Unless otherwise specified, scholarships are given for one year, and a new application must be submitted for each academic year. Applicants who do not receive aid the first year may request it for the second year. A first-year student must maintain an academic index of 3.0 to receive aid the second year.

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Transfer Students

Students who have begun their academic career in another institution are welcome to resume or continue their studies at The Altos de Chavón School of Design. Applicants must submit the official transcripts of their post-secondary-school studies so that their credits for courses taken at other institutions may be validated. Validation will depend on the similarity of these courses to those offered by The School of Design with respect to objectives, content, and duration. The School of Design reserves the right to consider valid or invalid studies previously undertaken in other educational institutions.