Admissions
Application Deadlines
December 1 - Early Action
February 15 - Application Deadline
After February 15 - Rolling Admissions
Applications will be considered after February 15, pending space availability.
Contact Information
Office of Admission
Cornish College of the Arts
1000 Lenora Street
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone 206.726.5016
Fax 206.720.1011
Email admisson@cornish.edu
Application Requirements
Cornish Application for Admission
Application Fee
Official High School Transcript or GED Score Report
Official College transcripts, if applicable
Artist Statement/Personal Essay
Letter of Recommendation
Audition or Portfolio Review
SAT/ACT - optional
All prospective students must have graduated from high school or completed a high school equivalency program prior to enrollment.
Home-schooled applicants' transcripts will be evaluated on an individual basis. Applicants should supply as much information as possible about their home school experience, including course descriptions, reading lists, textbooks used, etc. If courses are completed at a high school or community college, submit those official documents as well.
Audition/Portfolio Review
Each department has specific requirements. Please see the portfolio requirements here: https://www.cornish.edu/audition-and-portfolio-main/.
Transfer Applicants
Applicants who have completed high school and have earned the equivalent of at least 15-semester credits are considered transfer applicants. Transfer applicants complete the same process as first-year students. Transfer applicants should send official copies of transcripts from all colleges attended.
Transfer credit is based upon the review of official college transcripts, plus the audition or portfolio review.
International Applicants
In addition to the Application Requirements and Audition/Portfolio Review, applicants who do not speak English as their native and current language must also demonstrate English proficiency. Exam scores will be accepted from TOEFL, IELTS, and Pearsons. Cornish requires these exam scores or completion of the Prep Pathway at Seattle Central College in order to begin classes.
Transfer/Nontraditional Credits
Cornish College of the Arts awards transfer credit for these traditional and non-traditional learning experiences:
Advanced Placement exams
College-level Examination Program
College-level (non-remedial) courses
Credit by exam
International Baccalaureate exams
Prior learning experience
"College in the high school” programs (example, Running Start)
Cornish policies for the award and evaluation of transfer and nontraditional credit are fully described under
Returning Student Admission
Students who have withdrawn from the College or do not elect to return from a Leave of Absence must apply for readmission by submitting an Application to the Office of Admission. If students have taken courses for credit at another college during their absence from Cornish, they must submit official academic transcripts from those institutions. Returning students should apply for admission and financial aid simultaneously. Cornish may require the student to schedule an audition or portfolio review.
Non-matriculated Enrollment
Students interested in taking classes without pursuing a degree from Cornish may take classes through our non-matriculated program. Registration for classes is through Registration & Records. No financial assistance is available for non-matriculated coursework.
Veterans Education Benefits/Yellow Ribbon
Eligible students should apply for their VA educational benefits through the VA at the same time they apply to the College. Cornish will need a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility prior to the start of the first term in order to initiate benefits. New students should be prepared to accommodate a possible delay of at least two months between the start of the term and receipt of benefits. Families with Post-9/11 VA educational benefits may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon program and should contact the Registration & Records Office for more information. Yellow Ribbon benefits may affect other types of financial aid or prior offers of aid. Total Cornish and Veterans Yellow Ribbon contributions cannot exceed unmet tuition and mandatory fees for the year.
Any student using CH31 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits) or CH33 (Post-9/11) is protected from any penalties imposed by the College while waiting for the VA to make tuition and fee payments. The College cannot deny a student access to classrooms, libraries, or other institutional facilities. The College cannot make the student borrow money to cover costs while waiting for payment, nor can the College charge a student a late fee or penalty. For more information regarding this policy, contact the School Certifying Official (SCO).
VA SCO Contact Information
Office of Academic Services and Registrar
Cornish College of the Arts
1000 Lenora Street
Seattle, WA 98121
Email registration-group@cornish.edu
Phone 206.726.5021
Fax 206.720.1011
College Credits Earned During High School
Students who have participated in Running Start (or similar in high school programs) should apply to the College as incoming freshmen. To receive credit for college-level work, students must submit official transcripts from the college or university where they completed the courses.