CUPA Art & Design at PCA
Application Procedure
CUPA Art & Design at PCA
Applications are considered for acceptance as they are received. Applying early is highly recommended. Late applications will be considered if space allows.
March 31: extended deadline for fall semester and full-year applicants
October 15: deadline for spring semester applicants
Via our online application form, you will provide us with the information we need in order to review your candidacy. Fill in this form carefully and completely. Please note that you can save your application while in progress, and return to finish it later.
As part of the online application, you will be asked to submit a variety of additional materials (personal statement, ID photos, etc.). Before starting your application, read through the list below to be aware of what documents you will be asked to upload.
Once you have completed your application you will be asked to send a $35 application fee
to the following address:
CUPA – U.S.A.
P.O. Box 9611
North Amherst, MA 01059
Apply now!
Application Materials
Transcript
Required for all applicants
You will be asked to upload a transcript from your current university. We do accept unofficial transcripts as long as they include the following information:
- Name and address of the school
- Student’s name
- Dates of attendance
- Names of individual courses completed
- Number of contact hours per week for each course
- Length of the term
- Grade or evaluation received for each course
- Grading scale (i.e.: A = Excellent, F = Failure) or a description of the grading system.
If your school will be sending your transcript directly to our Admissions Office, you can leave the transcript field blank.
Official transcripts should be sent to the following address:
CUPA – U.S.A.
P.O. Box 9611
North Amherst, MA 01059
Official e-transcripts should be sent to : cupa@cupa.paris.edu
Portfolio
Required for all applicants*
Please submit a PDF portfolio of 10 to 20 items containing any combination of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, installation art, video, photography, sound, motion graphics, communication design, fashion design, illustration, etc. For video and sound pieces, send the files separately via WeTransfer.
Portfolio Examples
Portfolio 1
Portfolio 2
Applicants are encouraged to submit their best and most recently completed work showing a range of technical skills and creativity. Applicants are also encouraged to carefully edit their portfolio considering the arrangement and order of their work. The admissions committee is particularly interested in how applicants research and communicate their ideas. Works should be clearly labeled.
Please submit your portfolio below (8MB max) or by using We Transfer, in which case you should indicate cupa@cupa.paris.edu as the recipient.
*NB: Students interested in pursuing only Design Management classes need not submit a portfolio, but are required to submit a Design Analysis Essay.
References
Required for all applicants
You will be asked to fill out the contact information for two references:
- Major/Advisor
- Study Abroad Office approval
Upon submission of your application, an email will be sent to these two individuals with an attached recommendation form that they will fill out and return to us.
Study Proposal
Required for all applicants
An important part of your study abroad experience will be choosing your courses. Your initial study proposal will let us know which requirements you will need to fulfill.
Final course selection takes place in Paris. Note that all CUPA Art & Design students are required to take one French language course. You will be placed into a French language course upon arrival in Paris and do not need to select a French language course at this time.
To complete this section of the application, students may use the Paris College of Art Course Offerings. NB: Course offerings are modified from semester to semester, and some courses many have pre-requisites. For this reason, and because scheduling conflicts may arise, students must consider alternate course selections.
It is each student’s responsibility to follow home institution credit approval policies.
Design Analysis Essay
Required for applicants wishing to take Design Management courses
Write a 500-word essay analyzing a well-designed everyday object, product, building, publication, advertisement or software. Explain why you think your chosen subject is well designed. You may consider its purpose and effectiveness, sustainability and environmental impact, as well as the social implications. Please include a visual reference for your chosen subject.
Merit Award Essay and Reference
Required for applicants applying for a CUPA Award
CUPA offers a limited number of awards each semester to exceptionally motivated students participating in the CUPA program. These awards are to help the recipients finance special projects related to their year or semester in France, and are awarded in the following categories:
- Academic Grant: an academic project directly related to research or work pursued in the student’s area of study and which demonstrates significant potential for increased cultural immersion. Recipients of this award are required to write an overview of how they used their award money and how it enhanced their immersion experience.
- Personal Grant: a project that may not be directly related to the student’s area of study but that demonstrates significant potential for increased cultural immersion. Recipients of this award are required to write an overview of how they used their award money and how it enhanced their immersion experience.
- Travel Grant: awarded to students who demonstrate a compelling motive to explore an aspect of French culture which would not normally be covered in the CUPA program fee. Recipients of this award are required to write an overview of how they used their award money and how it enhanced their immersion experience.
In order to be considered for an award:
Following the guidelines above, write an essay (minimum 750 words) concerning the type of award you wish to apply for and explaining your motivation, as well as why funding is important. Provide as much information as possible about your project.