The optional Arts Supplement is intended for students who have dedicated significant time and effort to one or more art forms and wish to have their work considered as part of their application. Students who have achieved excellence in architecture, creative writing, dance, music, musical theater, theater, or visual arts are encouraged to submit an Arts Supplement if they would like their artistic talent to be evaluated as part of their Princeton application.
Submission Guidelines
Princeton University values the arts in all forms. However, it is important to note that the university can only evaluate areas where its faculty have expertise. Applicants should refer to the descriptions for each art form for specific guidelines on submitting supplementary materials.
Deadlines:
Single-Choice Early Action: Optional Arts Supplement is due on or before November 6 at 11:59 p.m. (applicant's local time).
Regular Decision: Optional Arts Supplement is due on or before January 8 at 11:59 p.m. (applicant's local time).
Transfer: Optional Arts Supplement is due on or before March 7 at 11:59 p.m. (applicant's local time).
Instructions:
On the Common or QuestBridge Application, applicants should indicate their intention to submit an Arts Supplement in Princeton’s member questions. The link to submit the Optional Arts Supplement will be accessible through the Princeton Applicant Status Portal.
Applicants must submit their application to Princeton University before they can submit their Optional Arts Supplement via the Princeton Applicant Status Portal.
Please note that for students participating in the QuestBridge College Match, the Optional Arts Supplement cannot be reviewed as part of the Match application review process due to the early timeline.
Tips
Applicants are encouraged to include a résumé as one of their media uploads if it will provide additional context about their training and experiences. Please note that information provided in the Arts Supplement will be reviewed solely by the arts faculty evaluating the supplement, unless it is submitted as additional information along with the application to Princeton.
Once submitted, changes cannot be made to the Optional Arts Supplement. If including an arts letter of recommendation, it must be requested prior to submission, and an arts résumé should be included as one of the media uploads if desired.
Only one submission per program is accepted. The completed arts supplement will be reflected in the Princeton Applicant Status Portal within 24 hours.
Additional documents, such as extra academic information or research papers, should not be uploaded with the arts supplement. These materials can be submitted through the additional information section of the application or via the Princeton Applicant Status Portal.
If an applicant has excelled in an area of the arts not covered by the supplement, Princeton remains interested in how their talent might contribute to the community. Additional materials or links to work can be submitted through the application or the Princeton
Applicant Portal. While there is no guarantee that the Admission Office will review these materials, they will be included in the applicant’s file.
For questions related to the Optional Arts Supplement, please email uaoffice@princeton.edu.
Acceptable Formats
The system supports media files up to 5GB in size. However, larger files may experience longer upload times and may be prone to stalling, particularly if the Internet connection is wireless or unstable. The following file formats are supported:
Video: .3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv
Audio: .aac, .m4a, .mka, .mp3, .oga, .ogg, .wav
Image: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
Document: .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd
External media from platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud may also be included. Please avoid uploading links to personal websites.
Visual Arts
Categories: Film, Digital Video and Animation, Graphic Design, Interdisciplinary (including Sound), Painting and Drawing, Photography, Sculpture
Applicants are encouraged to include works that showcase experimentation and creativity rather than mere stylistic consistency. Exploratory and preparatory works, such as sketchbook pages, are also welcome as they can demonstrate visual thinking processes.
The background of the applicant—whether self-taught or formally trained—is not a factor; the focus should be on representing the breadth, depth, and complexity of their work. It is advisable to test digital materials to ensure they are fully viewable before submission.
If a portfolio includes work from multiple categories, the applicant should select the category that is predominant. If the applicant is working intentionally across multiple categories, the portfolio should be submitted under Interdisciplinary.
Graphic Design, Interdisciplinary, Painting and Drawing, Photography: Portfolios may include 10-20 images of recent work in any medium or across different media. For Painting and Drawing submissions, including examples that involve drawing from observation is recommended if possible.
Film, Digital Video and Animation: Submit up to a maximum of 10 minutes of video content, which can be from a single work or clips/excerpts from multiple works. Videos should be submitted as links to YouTube or Vimeo without password protection. Files on Google Drive will not be reviewed. Include a Word document listing the titles, running times, short descriptions, and the applicant's role in the production, along with the category (narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, or interdisciplinary).
FAQ
Can an optional arts supplement be submitted before the admission application?
An application for admission must be submitted before accessing the Optional Arts Supplement through the Princeton Applicant Status Portal.
Can an optional arts supplement or interview be submitted or scheduled if applying through the National College Match?
For applicants applying through the National College Match, the arts supplement and alumni interviews cannot be reviewed or conducted during the Match application review process due to the early timeline. Students who are considered in the Regular Decision review process will have their arts supplements reviewed and may be offered an interview at that time.
How can I confirm that my arts supplement has been received?
The completed Optional Arts Supplement will be visible on the Princeton Applicant Status Portal within 24 hours.
How can an arts letter of recommendation be submitted along with an arts supplement?
Applicants who have excelled in architecture, creative writing, dance, music, theater, or visual arts and wish to have their talent considered are encouraged to submit an Optional Arts Supplement. Arts faculty will review the submission and provide feedback to the admissions staff regarding the applicant’s abilities.
How can an arts letter of recommendation be submitted with an optional arts supplement?
On the "Your Portfolio" tab, applicants can request an optional arts reference. An email requesting the reference will be automatically sent to the designated individual. It is important to note that the arts reference is optional and will only be reviewed by the arts faculty evaluating the supplement, unless it is submitted as an additional letter of recommendation with the application to Princeton.
How can an optional arts supplement be submitted?
Applicants should indicate their intention to submit an optional Arts Supplement in the Princeton member questions section of the Common or QuestBridge Application. The link to submit the optional Arts Supplement will be accessible through the Princeton Applicant Status Portal.
Can additional information, such as a CV, be submitted?
Applicants are encouraged to include a résumé as one of their media uploads if it will enhance the understanding of their training and experiences. Please note that information provided in the Optional Arts Supplement will be reviewed solely by the arts faculty evaluating the supplement, unless it is included as additional information with the application to Princeton.
May multiple optional arts supplements be submitted?
Applicants may submit multiple Optional Arts Supplements as long as they pertain to different programs. For example, it is permissible to submit separate supplements for dance performance and choreography, but submitting two supplements for performance arts alone is not allowed.
What file types and sizes are accepted?
The system supports media files up to 5GB in size. Larger files may experience longer upload times and may encounter issues if the Internet connection is wireless or unstable. The following file formats are accepted:
Video: .3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv
Audio: .aac, .m4a, .mka, .mp3, .oga, .ogg, .wav
Image: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
Document: .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd
External media from platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud may also be included.
What should I do if my file size exceeds the maximum limit?
File size limits vary depending on the format (video, audio, PDFs). Applicants should refer to the specific file size guidelines for their arts supplement type. Additionally, external media from platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud may be included if necessary.
What if the supplemental material I wish to share does not exactly match the department's guidelines?
Princeton University values a wide range of artistic talents; however, the faculty can only evaluate genres for which formal instruction is available on campus. Applicants are encouraged to adhere as closely as possible to the provided submission guidelines.
Who should be contacted with questions about the arts supplement?
For questions regarding the Optional Arts Supplement, applicants may contact the admissions office at uaoffice@princeton.edu or by phone at 609-258-3060.
Source: Princeton University