Applicants to Pratt use the Common Application; the fee for international applicants is $90. Pratt asks for its own essay of 250–500 words and a general visual portfolio of 10–20 recent works, including three to five drawings from observation. The SAT and ACT are optional. Early Action is 15 November with a decision in mid-December; Priority Decision is 15 January. English: IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 92 or 5 on the new scale. Tuition is $64,703 a year; international applicants are considered automatically for merit scholarships.
- City
- New York, Brooklyn
- Programme
- BFA Fashion Design
- Application
- Common Application
- Deadlines
- 15 November (EA), 15 January (Priority)
- English
- IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 92 or 5
- Tuition
- $64,703 a year
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How the application works
- 01
The Common Application
A $90 fee for international applicants. The Common App essay is optional; the Pratt essay is required.
- 02
The Pratt essay
250–500 words: on a work (visual art, music, writing, architecture, design) that influenced the applicant, or on a piece of their own work and what making it changed.
- 03
The portfolio
Within 48 hours of submitting the Common App an email arrives with instructions; the portfolio is uploaded separately. Fashion Design has no spring intake.
- 04
Deadlines
Early Action: 15 November, decision by mid-December. Priority Decision: 15 January, decision within three weeks. After 15 January applications are reviewed on a rolling basis while places remain.
- 05
English
TOEFL iBT 92 (or 5 on the 1–6 scale), Duolingo 125, IELTS Academic 7.0, PTE 62, Cambridge C1/C2 183. Documents not in English must be translated by a NACES-certified service.
What this means for an international applicant
If FIT wants to see sewing and Parsons thinking, Pratt wants to see how an applicant looks. Three to five drawings from direct observation (a self-portrait, a figure, a still life, a cityscape) cannot be replaced by work from photographs or digital illustration. For many applicants this means starting regular observational drawing well ahead.
Pratt prohibits generative AI in the written application and in portfolio images. International applicants are considered automatically for merit scholarships, which draw on the portfolio, grades and a TOEFL or SAT score. Federal aid is not available to international students.
What Pratt looks for in a portfolio
The same general visual portfolio as for other art and design programmes: 10–20 finished works made in the last 18 months. The work need not be about fashion.
Process work is welcome but should be kept to a minimum; sketchbook pages alone are not advised.
How much Pratt costs
Undergraduate tuition for 2026–2027: $64,703 a year for 12–18 credits. Fees are extra, for example a $350 facilities fee and a $305 technology fee each semester.
International applicants are considered automatically for merit scholarships; any award arrives with the admission letter.
Common mistakes
- Sending only fashion sketches with no observational drawing.
- Filling the portfolio with sketchbook pages instead of finished work.
- Using AI in the text or images: Pratt prohibits it.
- Missing the 15 January priority date: after it applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and Pratt warns that places on programmes may become limited in February and March.
Who it suits
- An applicant with strong drawing and broad artistic practice, not necessarily in fashion.
- Those who want to study fashion at an art institute with a Brooklyn campus.
- If sewing and industry matter more, compare Pratt with FIT; if concept and a shared first year, with Parsons.
How this school compares: portfolio, set tasks, interview, language and fees at 13 schools in Italy, the UK, France and the US in the EDMONT Fashion Admissions Matrix.Fashion Admissions Matrix 2027