Read the submission specification first
Record file type, size, page or project limit, permitted languages and the deadline. Check whether the portfolio goes into the main application, a separate faculty system or an interview. Design for the actual review format rather than preparing a large file that the portal cannot accept.
Show decisions as well as results
Select projects that reveal different relevant skills. For each, explain the question, research, experiments, your contribution and what changed along the way. In group work, state clearly which parts are yours. A beautiful final image with no process may leave the reviewer unable to assess how you think.
Put this guide into practice
Create a short record for your intended programme. Add the relevant notice or document beside each item; leave unpublished details marked “to confirm”.
- Portfolio format, size limits and submission channel
- Your contribution and credits for collaborative work
- Exact writing prompt, language and word limit
Keep authorship honest
Credit collaborators, photography and external materials. Follow the programme’s rules for AI tools and disclose their use where required. Do not present generated or borrowed work as an original project you personally completed. An application should be a reliable account of your practice, not a fictional visual identity.
Prepare for a conversation about the work
Practise explaining one project in the programme’s interview language without reading a script. Discuss a decision that failed and what you learned. Check that every link and embedded item opens on another device. Keep the submitted version so an interview refers to the same portfolio.
Requirements depend on the university, programme, intake and your circumstances.
FAQ
Is there one portfolio format for all Chinese art schools?
No. Use the exact programme’s current instructions and check technical limits before building the final file.