frequently asked questions

You should apply as a first-year student if you’re currently in high school, recently graduated from high school or have completed fewer than 12 college credits after graduation. Students without a high school diploma must earn a GED for admission consideration. See here who should apply as a transfer student. 

You can apply through Moore’s online application or the Common App.

Required materials include:

• Completed application
• High school transcript or unofficial transcript
• Portfolio of 8–12 pieces
  • (film and interior design students have other options, see below) 

Optional supporting documents include:

• SAT/ACT scores
• One or two recommendation letters
• Personal Essay

Students can use code MOORE to waive our $60 application fee.

Moore reviews applications on a rolling basis, meaning applications are accepted throughout the year while space remains available. There are no formal deadlines for all programs, but we encourage students to apply by our Early Action Deadline of December 7, 2026, to receive your admissions decision and financial aid package before Winter Break and the holiday season. 

If you miss this date, don’t worry. Moore will continue to consider applicants until orientation begins.

Admission decisions consider both your academic record and your portfolio. Moore reviews students holistically, meaning artistic ability, motivation and creative potential are all considered alongside your grades. Weighted GPA’s are considered whenever possible.

Your portfolio should contain 8–12 examples of your strongest work, including: 

• 2–3 observational drawings (suggested) 
• Artwork created in the last 1–2 years
• A variety of media when possible
• High-resolution image files for digital submissions

Observational drawings mean drawing from life—people, objects or environments you see in front of you. We encourage realism in these examples, as you may be eligible to enroll in our Advanced Drawing Class!

No, your portfolio doesn’t need to reflect a specific theme, concentration or discipline. We want to see your best work, no matter what you want to major in. Whether you’re a digital illustrator who aspires to become an animator, a painter who aims to work in entertainment design, or a future filmmaker who currently takes classes in photography, we want to see your strongest works possible. Our professors always say they are ready to teach you all the techniques and skills you need to know to become an artist—but they can’t teach passion. Show us your passion in your portfolio!

Students applying to certain programs have alternative or additional options. 

Film & Digital Cinema applicants can fulfill the portfolio requirement by submitting a 2–5-minute motion media reel or a sample or a script or storyboard. If you are interested in Film & Digital Cinema but don’t have film or script samples, we’re happy to review a standard visual art portfolio. 

Interior Design applicants may submit an essay to substitute their portfolio. 

Sketchbooks are also welcome to be included in portfolios! Not sure what to submit? Schedule a meeting with your admissions counselor.

Digital images may be submitted through Slideroom. Please include an image inventory that lists titles, mediums and dimensions. 

Students can also select to have their final portfolio submission done in person or virtually with their Moore Admissions Counselor. Schedule a campus tour or a meeting with your Moore Admissions counselor.

Yes! We highly encourage you to present your portfolio during a campus visit or meeting with your Admissions Counselor. This gives you the chance to discuss your ideas and artistic motivation with us in person. You can also schedule a virtual appointment with Admissions to review your work in an informal setting here. 

Visit. Enroll. Earn $2,000. Bundle your visit with your portfolio review! When you visit campus and meet with an admissions counselor, they can review your portfolio in-person and you'll earn $2,000 towards your future when you enroll. 

For more portfolio development opportunities, take a look at our youth classes.

Moore accepts certain AP and IB credits depending on exam scores and subject areas. AP scores of 4 or higher may earn credit in some areas. Moore also accepts dual-enrollment credits.

Great news: 100 percent of our students receive some form of financial assistance through scholarships, grants, or additional awards. 

Students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be considered for federal, state and institutional financial aid opportunities. This is the form colleges and universities use to determine your eligibility. 

When completing the FAFSA, make sure to include Moore College of Art & Design in your application so we get your information. Our school code is 003300. 

Our financial aid counselors are here to help—they are here to provide support before, during, and long after your time at Moore. Moore's financial aid counselors will meet you where you are and work with you to ensure your plans are affordable into the future.

Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as early as possible after it opens each year on October 1. We strongly recommend that students start and complete their section of the FAFSA first before the contributor (such as a parent or guardian) completes their section.

Moore awards merit scholarships to students based on academic achievement, artistic talent and application materials. There’s no separate scholarship application for most institutional awards—scholarship consideration happens automatically during the admissions process! Read more about our scholarships. 

The Visionary Honors Scholarship is our most competitive scholarship, awarded to students with high academic and artistic achievement. It includes a total annual scholarship of $25,000 per academic year.  

Moore also offers students the opportunity to compete for fellowships and other awards that support them financially.

Cost looks different for every student. Your final cost will likely differ significantly from published tuition after financial aid and scholarships are applied. 

Students and families can use Moore’s Net Price Calculator to get an estimate of what attending Moore may cost based on individual circumstances. This tool provides a helpful starting point for understanding potential expenses before financial aid is finalized. 

The Admissions team (enroll@moore.edu) and Financial Aid staff (finaid@moore.edu) are also available to help you better understand estimated costs and aid eligibility before enrolling.

As a new full-time undergraduate student, you’re required to live in the residence halls for the first two years. However, first-year students can request an exemption from the residency program for the following reasons:

• Commuter Status – Students living with a college-listed parent or legal guardian whose permanent address is located in any of these surrounding counties: 
  • PA: Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties 
  • NJ: Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties 
  • DE: New Castle county 
• Age Requirement – Students who are age 22 and over 
• Transfer Students – Students matriculating to Moore as a junior/senior 
• Married or Domestic Partnership – Students who are legally married or in a recognized domestic partnership

Requests for an exemption must be received at the time of deposit for consideration. 

Moore guarantees four years of housing for all students, a rare benefit when compared to other urban art college campuses!

Moore offers on-campus housing in three residence halls:

• Stahl Hall is connected to our academic buildings at 1916 Race Street. It houses students in suite-style units with two bedrooms and newly renovated bathrooms, with a small number of triple occupancy rooms available. 
• Sartain Hall, located at 2039 Cherry Street, is a block from Moore’s main campus buildings. It offers single, double and quadruple rooms with community-style bathroom facilities. 
• Rittenhouse Hall is the newest addition to Moore’s housing options. Located at 1831 Chestnut Street and a short walk from campus, it features luxury apartment-style spaces in one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Although Rittenhouse Hall is primarily for juniors and seniors, you can tour the building during campus visits and get a sense of student living at Moore. 

All residence halls include 24/7 security and shared lounge spaces with various options for studying, cooking and entertainment. Resident Assistants and Resident Directors live in each hall and are trained to assist with day-to-day concerns, respond to emergencies and connect students with Student Affairs resources. You can find our academic calendar here. Residence halls close during spring break and winter/semester break. 

Moore's three residence halls operate under a gender-affirming, welcoming, and inclusive housing model. Housing assignments are placed and reviewed individually by the Director of Residence Life & Housing rather than assigned through an automated process. 

Students will have opportunities to indicate housing preferences that align with sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or other factors important to their residential experience. Students complete a housing application that includes questions about living preferences, housing needs, and roommate compatibility to make decisions that best align for their success. 

Information shared through the housing application process is handled discreetly and used only to support housing placements and student wellbeing.

Moore is shaped by a close-knit creative community where students share a passion for art and design. Collaboration is central to our culture, with students across majors working together on coursework and creative projects. Alumni of all ages often point to lifelong friendships and creative networks formed through classes, shared living experiences and events.  

Our students push each other to grow creatively while remaining deeply supportive of one another. That support shows up in everyday ways: students attend classmates’ exhibitions and critiques and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. Moore will always be a welcoming environment where students feel seen, supported and able to be themselves.

Yes! Students can participate in a variety of student-run organizations, clubs and activities that reflect academic, cultural and personal interests. Here are just a few of the current student orgs established at Moore:

• Student Voice Council
• Black Student Union
• En Plein Air Club
• Moore Scientific Illustration Club
• Performing Arts Club
• Philly Engagement Group
• Concept Art Club

Students can start their own club and create new spaces for community using Student Affairs’ New Club Guide.

At Moore, we take every opportunity to bring our campus together to celebrate creativity. Throughout the year, students take part in exhibitions, lectures, workshops and showcases that highlight their work. 

Campus traditions add an extra dose of entertainment to the academic calendar. Our signature events include:

• Halloween Costume Contest: Students design and wear original costumes for a juried runway show in Moore’s Great Hall. 
• Sarah Peter Day: Moore’s Founders Day honors Sarah Worthington Peter and brings campus together for a cookout-style lunch, birthday cake and flower crown-making. 
• Spirit Week: A weeklong celebration of the Moore community through themed events (think movie nights, fandom days, volleyball and music bingo!).
• Pride Prom: A student-led celebration with music and dancing that centers identity, expression and connection.
• Senior Show and BFA Student Show: Our annual student showcases highlight the ambition, skill and growth of Moore students across disciplines.

Moore’s location in the heart of Philadelphia puts students within walking distance of the city’s best food, art and entertainment in all directions. Throughout the year, Philly also hosts a wide range of events and festivals that students can access for free or for discounted rates.

Some of our favorites include:

• Museums: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum, Calder Gardens, The Fabric Workshop & Museum, The Franklin Institute, Mütter Museum 
• Food: Pizzeria Vetri, Dizengoff, Middle Child, Sabrina’s Cafe, The Continental Midtown, Buena Onda, Bud & Marilyn’s, Reading Terminal Market, 1-900-ICE-CREAM
• Parks: Logan Square, Sister Cities Park, Rittenhouse Square, Schuylkill River Park, Cret Park, Paine’s Park
• Annual events: Philly Fashion Week, Philadelphia Film Festival, Old City First Fridays, West Philly Porchfest, Christmas Village at LOVE Park, Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, CampusPhilly Museum Days 

Students can also use Moore’s campus map to explore nearby essentials and discover more neighborhood spots around campus. 

Moore offers comprehensive support for students’ physical and mental well-being. Students have access to Health Services and Counseling Services on campus, and all students also receive a free Planet Fitness membership. 

Safety is also a top priority. Moore provides 24/7 security coverage and swipe-card access for all campus buildings and residence halls. Students can enroll in an emergency text notification system that provides important campus alerts, and our CARE Team is available to connect students with resources and support when concerns arise.

Moore’s undergraduate Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programs are four-year degrees structured with a highly specialized focus on studio time and coursework that is related to your major. This means that most of your classes will be within your declared major so that we can maximize the attention to your craft and prepare you to earn a living with your creativity.

Moore offers undergraduate students ten ways to pursue their BFA degrees including majors in Animation & Game Arts, Art Education, Entertainment Design, Fashion Design, Film & Digital Cinema, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, and Photography.

In BFA programs, two-thirds of the classes you’ll take are discipline-specific & studio-based and one-third are liberal arts classes (called Creative & Critical Studies at Moore). We don’t offer traditional math and science classes, as the degree intention is to prepare you for a professional life as an artist or designer.

Want to explore more? Check out these pages:

Moore has a number of electives students can choose from tailored toward your major, like Design for Tabletop Games and Creating Fantasy and Sci-Fi Worlds for Animation & Game Arts majors and 3D Apparel Design and Art to Wear for Fashion Design majors.

Our BFA programs are career focused with Professional Development courses and internships infused across our curriculum. Moore also offers a Business minor, which introduces students to the fundamentals of professional practice through a 12-credit, non-sequential minor comprised of four courses that focus on business experience: Marketing, Principles and Practices, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship.  Want to explore more outside of the classroom? We also offer co-ops for select majors. Through a co-op, industry leaders help guide you on your career journey with real-world, hands-on projects. You can explore potential career paths, strengthen your skills, gain valuable industry knowledge and build your professional network—all while earning academic credits.

When you arrive at Moore, you’ll begin your journey with the best road map possible, thanks to our supportive and exciting first-year Foundation program. Over the course of your first year, you'll take fun and thought-provoking classes like Color, Drawing, and 2D and 3D Design. Our Creative & Critical Studies classes run parallel to the work you do in your major. You’ll learn from award-winning faculty and investigate a wide world of ideas through research, dialogue and writing, with a focus on multiculturalism.

Moore recognizes many students require support for their academic success. We are committed to providing our students with a wide range of opportunities and supports to help them realize their potential as students and artists. Our Bridge to Success Program is designed to ease the transition from high school to college through early connection, personalized support, and skill-building.

Students with existing IEP’s or 504’s can provide their plans to Academic Services and discuss what supports are available at the college level. Students without existing IEP or 504 are also welcome to meet with Academic Services and learn how they can be best supported in their classes. Students who believe they are eligible for course accommodations under the ADA or Section 504 should contact Academic Services at ‪215.965.4062 or email academicservices@moore.edu.

Moore is the only art and design school to provide $1,000 paid internships for every student in every major. Students in all majors except Art Education are required to complete a 4.5 credit, 240-hour internship or UELO (Unique Experiential Learning Opportunity), typically scheduled during the summer between the junior and senior year. 

Art Education majors must complete a 12-week paid student teaching assignment that will be arranged through the Art Education department. 

Moore’s Locks Career Center staff assists in identifying and securing internships that align with students’ skills and goals.

Moore offers students the opportunity to compete for fellowships and other awards that will support them financially as they enhance their creative and professional skills through real-world experiences.

• Leadership Fellowships fund experiences for students committed to professional success and allow them to work with innovative individuals or organizations that help to cultivate leadership skills
• Travel Fellowships 1) offer students the opportunity to compete for funding to travel domestically and/or internationally to destinations of their choice and 2) support the development & creation of new work inspired by new experiences
• Internship Fellowships offer juniors supplemental funding to obtain an experience above and beyond a traditional internship opportunity

In addition to Fellowships, Moore offers Senior Award opportunities that celebrate students who have made a significant impact on the community with their creativity, service, and leadership capabilities over the course of their time at Moore. 

The Locks Career Center (LCC) is a lifelong resource for students and alumni. Students receive professional preparation through services like resume support, interview coaching and mentoring through Moore’s extensive alumni network.  

The center also provides students and alumni with useful information about jobs, grants, residencies, exhibitions, competitions, freelance opportunities and professional resources. 

LCC support begins as early as your first year and remains open to you long after graduation, Moore’s Locks Career Center services are forever.

Opportunities vary by major, and you can find more specific examples on each program’s major page. Here are just a few of the companies and organizations where recent students and alumni have landed:

• NBCUniversal
• Christian Siriano
• Philadelphia Zoo
• Duolingo
• Anthropologie
• The National Portrait Gallery

Across all disciplines, Moore students and alumni go on to work in creative industries such as design, media, fashion, museums, and the arts, as well as freelance and entrepreneurial roles.