Admissions and Portfolios
What schools publish about portfolios and other admission materials for their game degrees. A portfolio is shown as “not required” only when the school says so explicitly; when nothing is published, we say “not published” — that is not the same as no portfolio.
Required
35
programs
See them →Some pathways
3
programs
See them →Optional
9
programs
See them →Not required
17
programs
See them →Not published
77
programs
See them →
Guides
- Choosing a Game Design Master's: MFA, MS, MA and Studio ProgramsHow to compare game design master's degrees by award, final project, track, portfolio, funding, pace and delivery, using requirements published by the programs themselves.
- Do You Need Coding Skills for a Game Design Degree?Which game degrees expect programming or math before you start, which teach it from zero, and how much scripting design students meet in published curricula.
- Game Design Portfolio: What Schools Actually Ask ForWhich game degrees require, recommend or skip a portfolio, what pieces and formats schools request, and how to document design work, based on official admission pages.
Programs that publish a portfolio requirement
Required, or required for a particular track or applicant group. Each links to the program's official instructions where the school publishes them.
| Program | Level | Policy | What the school says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game DevelopmentAcademy of Art University | Master's | Required | A portfolio/reel representing the chosen discipline is required for class placement in the graduate program; content and format details via an Admissions Specialist. |
| Game DevelopmentAcademy of Art University | Master's | Required | A portfolio/reel representing the chosen discipline is required for class placement in the graduate program; content and format details via an Admissions Specialist. |
| Games and Interactive MediaAmerican University | Master's | Some pathways | Applicants with prior visual media experience should submit a portfolio of relevant professional work; the requirements page lists the portfolio as optional. Instructions |
| Game DevelopmentBradley University | Master's | Required | Portfolio of game development work demonstrating technical, design or artistic accomplishment, indicating collaborative projects and the applicant's role. |
| Computer Science: Animation and Games EmphasisBrigham Young University | Bachelor's | Required | After acceptance to BYU, students declare pre-major intent, take DESAN 101, finish prerequisite classes and submit a portfolio for board review; passing the portfolio review admits them to the major. Students can apply twice. Instructions |
| Entertainment TechnologyCarnegie Mellon University | Master's | Some pathways | Applicants must submit either a portfolio or GRE scores (or both). Portfolios show 4-8 examples of work (art, design, writing, coding, etc.). Instructions |
| Game ArtChamplain College | Bachelor's | Required | Portfolio required: three observational drawings from life (single PDF) plus up to four optional files; AI-generated artwork not accepted. Instructions |
| Game and Interactive Media DesignColumbia College Chicago | Bachelor's | Required | Game Design and UX/UI concentrations: a two-to-five-minute video describing an interactivity design problem in an existing game, website or app and proposing a solution. Game Programming and Software Development concentrations: a reflection of about 500 words with three documented code excerpts and screenshots. Instructions |
| Animation and Computer Graphics, Game Art ConcentrationColumbia College Chicago | Bachelor's | Required | One created work (short animated clip or film) and a reflection of about 500 words; links must be public or unlisted. Instructions |
| Animation (BFA), Game Art ConcentrationDePaul University | Bachelor's | Required | Creative statement (one to one-and-a-half pages) and creative portfolio; images limited to 10-15 examples, video up to 3 minutes, writing up to 3 pages. Game captures may be submitted. Instructions |
| Game DesignDePaul University | Master's | Required | Digital portfolio that may include digital prototypes or games, board or physical games, game design documents, performance documentation, writing samples or other creative practice, with a short statement of intent for each item. Instructions |
| BA in Game DesignDigiPen Institute of Technology | Bachelor's | Required | Design portfolio: a response to a design writing prompt plus two examples of previously created works, each with written explanations (three written works in total). Instructions |
| Game Design & ProductionDrexel University | Bachelor's | Required | Eight to 12 pieces of recent work in a variety of media; audio, video, animation, game design and interactive work may not exceed five minutes total running time; credits and role required for collaborative work. Instructions |
| Game DevelopmentLaguna College of Art and Design | Bachelor's | Required | Portfolio submitted with the online application, following program-specific guidelines (separate Game Design and Game Art guides); JPG images up to 1MB each with an inventory list. Instructions |
| Games + SimulationMiami University | Bachelor's | Required | Incoming applicants must upload an application video walking through their work (screenshare with voiceover, applicant not shown), under 2 minutes. Current Miami students submit a video via Google Form. Instructions |
| Game Design (BFA)New York University | Bachelor's | Required | Mandatory creative portfolio (Creative Supplement) uploaded through Slate after submitting the Common Application; late portfolios are not accepted. Instructions |
| Game Design (MFA)New York University | Master's | Required | Creative portfolio uploaded to Slate: 1-page resume, personal statement (max 2 pages), 1-page critical analysis of a game, and selected work with a 1-page design statement per project. Instructions |
| Game Science and Design (Boston)Northeastern University | Master's | Required | Portfolio of 1-5 pieces of recent original work demonstrating design or other project-based experience, ideally game science or game design work; authorship information required for each project. Instructions |
| Game Science and Design (Oakland)Northeastern University | Master's | Required | Portfolio of 1-5 pieces of recent original work (CAMD graduate admissions requirement for the MS in Game Science and Design). Instructions |
| Critical Game DesignRensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Master's | Required | Examples of prior work (e.g., portfolio, project samples). Instructions |
| Critical Game DesignRensselaer Polytechnic Institute | PhD | Required | Examples of prior work (e.g., portfolio, project samples). Instructions |
| Game Art (BFA)Ringling College of Art and Design | Bachelor's | Required | A visual art portfolio is required for all majors; for Game Art, three to five observational drawings from life are required, with optional additional work such as 3D models, game design work, coding or concept art. Instructions |
| 3D Digital Design BFA – Game Arts OptionRochester Institute of Technology | Bachelor's | Required | Studio art experience and a portfolio of original artwork are required for first-year and transfer applicants. Instructions |
| Game Design and Development MSRochester Institute of Technology | Master's | Required | Admission is through a portfolio review; requirements are listed on the Graduate Admissions website. Instructions |
| M.A. in interactive design and game developmentSavannah College of Art and Design | Master's | Required | Portfolios are required for graduate admission and should be specific to the intended course of study. Instructions |
| M.F.A. in interactive design and game developmentSavannah College of Art and Design | Master's | Required | Portfolios are required for graduate admission and should be specific to the intended course of study. Instructions |
| Master of Interactive TechnologySouthern Methodist University | Master's | Required | Either prior work examples or a specialization-specific portfolio assignment (art creation, level design, production or programming). Instructions |
| Game Development (MFA)The University of Texas at Dallas | Master's | Required | Collection of original artworks demonstrating artistic range and skills in the creative arts and digital media and technology. Instructions |
| Interactive Entertainment (MS)University of Central Florida | Master's | Required | Track-specific portfolio submitted to FIEA by a Portfolio Review Date: programmers submit source code (C++ preferred); artists submit 5-10 pieces (technical artists also source code); producers complete a timed game analysis, level design, video production or game prototype. Instructions |
| Game Development and Interactive DesignUniversity of Southern California | Bachelor's | Required | Development portfolio of at most 15 pieces (art, animation, games or immersive media, physical games, engineering or business demonstrations, etc.), plus a creative portfolio list and technical skill list. Instructions |
| Game ArtUniversity of Southern California | Bachelor's | Required | Development portfolio of at most 15 pieces, plus a creative portfolio list and technical skill list. Instructions |
| Game Design and DevelopmentUniversity of Southern California | Master's | Required | Creative work sample (viewable, playable or readable in under 10 minutes) with a written description, plus a creative portfolio list. Instructions |
| Interactive Media & GamesUniversity of Southern California | Master's | Required | Creative work sample plus creative portfolio list, submitted through the SlideRoom application "Graduate Interactive Media MFA Program". Instructions |
| Master of Entertainment Arts and EngineeringUniversity of Utah | Master's | Some pathways | Art portfolio (10-15 original samples) for Game Art track; design portfolio for Game Design track; art portfolio plus code samples for Technical Art track; code sample (not portfolio) for Game Engineering; Production track portfolio materials optional. Instructions |
| Game Design & Development - ArtUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout | Bachelor's | Required | A portfolio is required for acceptance into the BFA major (students first enter as Pre-BFA). Pathway 1: independent portfolio of 12 examples of recent work submitted before the first year. Pathway 2: FYX portfolio of up to 12 images, commonly submitted in the second semester. Instructions |
| Animation and Game DevelopmentUtah Valley University | Bachelor's | Required | After first-year courses, students submit a portfolio to one of three tracks; acceptance is based on portfolio quality, and a student may apply at most twice. Game and XR applicants are expected to have completed scripting and 3D modeling essentials with at least a B-, and to have an online portfolio and a working Git repository. Instructions |
| Game DesignWest Virginia University | Master's | Required | Up to 5 representative samples with a total viewing duration of no longer than 60 minutes (interactive projects, game prototypes, game components, graphic imagery, virtual environments, character studies, photographs or video documentation). Instructions |
| Interactive Media & Game DesignWorcester Polytechnic Institute | Master's | Required | Portfolio and an artist/designer/writer's statement required. Instructions |
Programs that mention a coding sample
- Master of Entertainment Arts and Engineering — University of Utah: Game Engineering track: code sample in a compiled language (preference C++, C#, Java), up to about 1,000 lines; Technical Art track: code samples with art portfolio.
- Game and Interactive Media Design — Columbia College Chicago: Three code excerpts required for Game Programming and Software Development concentration applicants.
- Interactive Entertainment (MS) — University of Central Florida: Programming applicants submit source code (C++ preferred); technical artists also include source code.
We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances. Requirements change each cycle — confirm on the school's official admissions page.