International Student
International applicants are warmly welcomed at Kansas City Art Institute. We have a globally diverse community representing many countries, with students recently coming to us from Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Turkey.
Application Fee
The application fee for fall will be waived if you submit your application on or before February 1 if you are a first year student or March 1 if you are a transfer student.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is a way for our Admissions Committee to get to know you. It should be as authentic as you are!
In approximately 500 words give us thoughtful insight into who you are as an artist, student, and individual. Tell us about your background in art, your artistic goals, and your career goals!
Portfolio
We require 10-15 images of recent work that demonstrates both your technical and conceptual strengths.
High School/Secondary School Transcripts
All applicants must submit official translated high school transcripts from all school(s) attended in one of the following ways:
- Electronically sent through Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse,Credentials Solutions and SCOIR to admiss@kcai.edu.
Demonstration of English Proficiency
All international students whose primary language or native language is not English must demonstrate their English proficiency by submitting official test results from one of the tests below.
- We recommend a student achieve a minimum score of a 79, with a section minimum of 17, on the iBT or the revised Paper-delivered test (KCAI’s school code is 6330)
- We recommend a student achieve a minimum score of a 6.0
- We recommend a student achieve a minimum score of a 53
- We recommend a student achieve a minimum score of a 105
Standardized Tests
The following international students will be required to submit the SAT or ACT in lieu of the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
- Students attending a U.S. accredited school abroad for a minimum of three years.
- Students from countries where English is the official language.
- Students who are citizens of countries whose official language is English may be eligible for an English proficiency waiver.
Please note that KCAI reserves the right to request a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score, if the Admissions department deems it necessary during the review process.
In order to be considered official, test scores must be submitted one of the following ways:
- High School Transcript – If your ACT or SAT scores appear on your high school transcript they will be considered official.
- Testing Agency:
- ACT scores can be requested by visiting their website. Please note our school code is 2277.
- SAT scores can be sent to us directly from the College Board using one of the following two services. Please note our school code is 6330:
- College Board
- Score Choice
College Transcripts
If you have completed undergraduate level college coursework and you would like to be considered for transfer credit, you will need to submit your official college transcript(s). Transcripts must be translated. Please note that in some cases we may ask students to supply us with a course-by-course evaluation. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be submitted one of the following ways:
- Digital/Electronic – We accept secure electronic/digital transcripts from Parchment (Naviance), National Student Clearinghouse, Credentials Solutions and SCOIR; check with your college/university to see if they’re a member. Please have the transcript sent to admiss@kcai.edu.
- Mail – If you’re sending your official transcript by mail, it must be mailed to us in an unopened envelope stamped and sealed by your college/university. Please have it mailed to KCAI Admissions Office, 4415 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111.
Letter of Recommendation
Submitting a letter of recommendation is optional but is strongly recommended for all applicants, except in select circumstances. They are are helpful in getting to know you within an educational setting. We strongly encourage you to pick a teacher who can speak to things like your work ethic, art making abilities, and personal character.
If you fit one of the criteria below, you will be required to provide a letter of recommendation from your high school English teacher:
- If you have an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 or lower.
- If the majority of your grades in text-based classes like English, literature, humanities, and social science classes are below B- / 2.5.
The letter must address your ability to analyze text, critical thinking skills, and engagement in text-based discussions.
Letters of recommendation must be submitted in one of the following ways:
- Digital/Electronic:
- We accept electronic/digital letters of recommendation from Parchment (Naviance); please check with your high school guidance office to see if they’re a member.
- You can also request a letter of recommendation via the KCAI Application. Please note that you will need the following information to use this feature:
- Name and email of your recommender
Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Credit
If you have completed Advanced Placement Examinations (AP) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, you may apply those credits to KCAI.
F-1 Student Visas
Formally admitted students will be required to submit additional information to apply for an F-1 student visa or to transfer their current student visa.