Pratt Institute (International Student Information) - Overview
A Leading Art School in New York City
The Pratt Institute, a leading art and design school in New York City, attracts international students from more than 60 countries. Thirteen percent of Pratt's undergraduate students are from outside the United States.
Pratt's degree programs include fine arts, architecture, digital art, industrial design, and fashion design. The urban campus' location in the "world's art capital" of New York City gives students abundant opportunities to meet resident artists and designers, and become immersed in galleries, studios, and museums.
Pratt supports international students through an intensive English language program. Its Office of International Affairs offers students extensive guidance in becoming familiar with the American college system.
Campus Near Renowned Art Centers
The Pratt Institute's main campus is located in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City. Brooklyn is New York's most populated borough with 2.5 million people and vibrant ethnic neighborhoods. The Pratt campus is less than 30 minutes from the city's borough of Manhattan and within easy access of renowned art centers such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
Spread across 25 acres in a residential Brooklyn neighborhood, the Pratt campus is an urban mix of green space, brick streets, and historic buildings. Its Pratt Sculpture Park occupies the entire campus and is the largest sculpture park in New York City.
Second Largest Independent Arts College
The Pratt Institute was created in 1887 and is the second largest independent arts college in the United States. Its founder was wealthy oil magnate and philanthropist Charles Pratt.
Today, the Pratt Institute offers 24 majors in art and design. Programs such as industrial design, architecture, and interior design at Pratt are ranked among the best in the United States by "DesignIntelligence" magazine.
Three colleges on campus offer undergraduate study: the School of Art and Design, School of Architecture, and School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The largest is the undergraduate art and design school with 2,100 students.
Nearly 3,000 undergraduate students are enrolled at Pratt. Notably, 82 percent of new first-year students live on campus.
B.F.A. Programs and Architectural Degrees
Programs leading to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree include writing, fine art, fashion design, and film. Undergraduate architecture students enroll in a 5-year degree program, where the curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, design, technology, and social responsibility. Students also can earn degrees in construction management, photography, and communications design, among other fields.
The school encourages students to follow their own artistic vision while expanding visual thinking and learning new ideas and techniques. The institute's faculty is composed mostly of working art and design professionals who can support students as they develop the practical skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
From Computer Art to Traditional Media
The latest techniques in new media are incorporated into arts programs at Pratt. An example is Pratt's digital arts program. Students in the program use the computer as a medium to create interactive and web-based art. They study under distinguished professionals, who have exhibited nationally and internationally.
Traditional media also is represented at Pratt. Fine arts students choose specialty concentrations in ceramics, printmaking, painting, sculpture, and jewelry making.
Core Foundation Year and Liberal Arts
Proficiency in English is required at Pratt, and the school helps students achieve fluency through its Intensive English Program. All international students must take an English placement examination unless they are from countries where English is their first language.
The 3-hour exam includes a reading test, essay, and interview. Results can determine how many courses students can enroll in and affect their acceptance into degree programs.
Pratt's one-year program in learning the English language is ideal for students who intend to study art, design, or architecture at Pratt or other art schools. Instruction includes skill development in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. English courses emphasize art and design themes such as designing public spaces and artists and society.
Pratt also offers an intensive summer English program. Students take English immersion classes for 6 weeks. They meet 6 hours per day, Monday through Thursday.
Eligibility for Merit Scholarships, Internships
International students may be eligible for merit scholarships, which are determined through the student's admissions application. Full-time students also are eligible to participate in Pratt's paid internship program once they have met visa requirements.
Top Designers and Artists Among Notable Alumni
Pratt graduates become part of notable alumni, which includes renowned architects, painters, photographers, and designers. Fashion designer Betsey Johnson is a Pratt graduate. Actor-director Robert Redford also graduated from Pratt, along with cartoonist Edward Koren and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.