Portfolio Guidelines

FAQ – PORTFOLIO

Download Portfolio Guidelines 2025

Do all programmes at NCAD require a portfolio submission?
A portfolio submission is required for all studio degrees at NCAD.

A portfolio is NOT required for AD215 Visual Culture.

What will I put in my portfolio?
An entrance portfolio is a collection of visual work that shows your potential to study art and design at third level. The NCAD Portfolio Submission Guidelines are designed to help you put your portfolio together whether you are starting from scratch or using work you have developed in another context. We want to see your Research and Observation your Ideas Development and your Developed Creative Work. You should also include at least one Notebook, remember the best portfolios will show all your processes.

How closely do I have to follow the NCAD Portfolio Submission Guidelines?
The Guidelines are only there as a guide to people who may wish to have an idea about how to start their portfolio and have a path to follow to complete it.

It also showcases what each department likes to see, which can be helpful if you have set your mind on a particular avenue of Art and Design. The portfolio guidelines have been designed to be accessible to everybody no matter their working style.

How Should I submit my portfolio?
For 2025 all portfolio submissions are online through our online Portfolio Submission Portal. We will not be in a position to accept or review any physical portfolios.

For more information of how to submit your portfolio online click the link here: Submitting your Portfolio

When should I submit my portfolio to NCAD?
The deadline for Portfolio submission for First Year entry September 2025 is Friday 7th February 2025 by 17:00. Please note it is your responsibility to submit your portfolio on time. We would advise that you do not leave your portfolio submission to the last day.

How will my portfolio be assessed?
Your portfolio will be assessed by a team of NCAD academic staff with professional and specialist expertise in art & design. The assessment panel are particularly interested in how applicants research and develop their ideas in a visual way, and in their imaginative and creative responses to ideas, to observations, to processes and to concepts. The main areas of assessment are: Creative Enquiry and Visual Research The level of your engagement in intelligent, structured visual enquiry and how well you communicate this. Idea Development and Material / Technical Exploration Your ability to explore and develop ideas in an appropriate way, and your level of skill in the use of materials and techniques. Critical Judgement, Selection and Resolution How well you judge which ideas have the most potential and your ability to bring them to a level of completion appropriate to your intended outcome.

Can I get an extension on the deadline for Portfolio Submission?
It is not possible to get an extension on the submission deadline – all portfolios must be submitted by the published closing date.

When will I be told the outcome of my portfolio assessment?
We will write to you by the end of April with the result of your portfolio assessment. This email will tell you your portfolio score.

Offers are made in August through the CAO. All applicants are placed on a ranked list based on portfolio score. Offers are made in descending order from this list to applicants who have met the minimum academic entry requirements.

Can I carry my Portfolio Score forward to the next year?
We recognise that our applicants put a lot of work into the preparation of their admissions portfolios. If you have passed the portfolio review stage but not received an official offer from the CAO, NCAD will allow you to carry forward your portfolio score to the application process the following year. Once you have told us you wish to carry forward your portfolio score and you have given us your new CAO number you will be eligible for an offer based on your original portfolio score and subject to the normal entry requirements and any portfolio cut off points in the year that you are now applying into. An example of where a Portfolio Carry Forward might apply is when an applicant fails to meet the minimum academic entry requirements in the first year of application.

For more information and to view some sample portfolios visit NCAD Open