Entry Preparation
The Art Institute of Houston offers tuition scholarships to 2009 high school graduates who demonstrate ability and commitment in one of the college's programs of study. To enter, you must fulfill all general competition guidelines listed below as well as individual program entry requirements for the program of your choice.
Complete the entry form and indicate the program of study for which you are applying.
Submit your portfolio as specified for your program of study. Label all slides, prints and other supporting materials with your name and the medium used (if appropriate). Slides must have cardboard or plastic mounts.
Write a 150-word essay indicating your goals and motivation for a scholarship. All essays must be typewritten with your name and the name of the program for which you are applying (Media Arts & Animation, Graphic Design, etc.) on the title page.
Submit results of one of the following tests: TAKS/THEA, SAT, ACT,ASSET, ACCUPLACER or COMPASS.
Submit a resume stating your educational background, extra-curricular activities, hobbies, work experience, community involvement, artistic accomplishments and/or related awards.
Submit the original version of letter from an arts-related instructor or academic/career advisor certifying that the entry portfolio and essay are your original creation. The letter should be submitted on official school letterhead.
Submit the original version of at least one letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or guidance counselor. The letter should be submitted on official school letterhead.
Submit a current high school transcript. Note: You must submit a transcript with your scholarship application materials even if you have already submitted a transcript to the Admissions Department for another scholarship or as part of the Admissions acceptance process.
Judging
Art Institute faculty and/or Program Advisor Committee members, under the direction of the administration of the education department and the academic director of the entrant's program of study, serve as judges for the competition. Decisions are final. The award of a scholarship will be based upon an individual applicant's proficiency in three areas:
Deadlines
All components of your entry must either be mailed so as to be received no later than March 7, 2009, or you may deliver materials in person to The Art Institute of Houston, 1900 Yorktown, Houston, Texas 77056 no later than 10 am, March 7, 2009. Mailed entries should be addressed to: Scholarship Committee, The Art Institute of Houston, 1900 Yorktown, Houston, Texas 77056. Winners will be notified by April 25, 2009. Winners have until Friday, May 8, 2009 to accept scholarship awards. Offers not accepted by that date will be rescinded and awarded to the first runner-up.
Eligibility and Other Conditions
You must be scheduled to graduate in 2009 from a U.S. high school or equivalent foreign institution and start classes at The Art Institute of Houston by the Fall quarter 2009. Scholarships will be awarded only to individuals who have submitted an application for admission to The Art Institute of Houston. Scholarships awarded by The Art Institute of Houston may be used only at The Art Institute of Houston and only for the program of study applied for. The scholarship is not redeemable for cash and may not be used to finance optional programs sponsored by the college. The scholarship covers tuition only and may not be applied against fees, housing, living expenses or program supplies, and may not be transferred between affiliate schools of The Art Institutes. Scholarship money awarded will be prorated during the length of the student's degree program. In the event education is terminated either by the student or the college, the scholarship becomes null and void; any future quarter scholarship dollars not used will be revoked and will not be available upon re-entry. All slides, prints and other entry materials submitted for consideration become the property of the college upon receipt. The college is not responsible for loss, damage or return of materials. Finalists and/or winners must be prepared to submit their original work upon request and sign a release form permitting The Art Institutes' use of the work for promotional purposes.
Obligations of Winners
Scholarship winners must complete the 18-month program within 21 months, the 21-month program within 24 months, and the 36-month program within 40 months. Scholarship recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Scholarships will be suspended in quarters when the student's cumulative grade-point average falls below 2.5. Winners must begin their course of study in the Summer or Fall quarter of 2009.
Other Financial Options
Do not plan to finance your education by anticipating a scholarship. You may want to apply for financial assistance either through The Art Institute of Houston or Federal and state governments. Please call the Admissions office for more information about these options. Additionally, many local and national service clubs, civic groups and organizations such as DECA and VICA sponsor scholarships. Contact these organizations for details and application guidelines.
International Entrants
All written entry materials and documentation must be submitted in English, including original recommendation letters. When necessary, English translations must be attached. In accordance with Department of Homeland Security regulations, scholarship winners must provide bank statements and letters of financial support to prove that the student and/or student's sponsor has the capability to provide for living expenses, tuition, fees and school supplies not included in the scholarship. The letter from The Art Institutes awarding the scholarship, financial documentation, academic records and an I-20 certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant student status must be presented to the U.S. embassy or consulate in the student's home country before the U.S. visa officer can consider the visa petition.
If you have any questions regarding The Art Institute of Houston Design and Media Arts Scholarship competition, please contact the Admissions department at The Art Institute of Houston, 1900 Yorktown, Houston, TX 77056, 1.800.275.4244 or www.artinstitutes.edu/houston.
Program Specific Scholarship Entry Requirements
Graphic Design (Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts
Submit at least four, but not more than six pieces of original artwork. The pieces should include at least one of the following: A) a communication design piece (a poster, for example) that incorporates the use of type and images - either photography or illustration; B) an illustration in any media, including computer; C) design a cover of your favorite magazine. Your work may be submitted as originals, copies of originals, 35 mm slides, or on computer disk. Your name, program name and medium must appear individually on each piece of work.
Interior Design (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Submit the following: A) a 20"x20" presentation board describing a proposed room design for a high-rise condominium (the floor plan will be provided - choose either the kitchen/living room or master bedroom/master bath) including: a short written concept statement (one sentence minimum); furniture, finish and fixture selections (six to 10 photographs, tear sheets from magazines or catalogs); your proposed color patlette (three context and two accent coordinated paint chips); plus an inspiration photo from a book or magazine. B) a 20"x20" presentation board that includes at least three (preferably more) colored freehand sketches of your furniture or furnishing items for the condo, along with explanatory notes (no scale). Your sketches should be expressive (but not photo-real) and should convey the spirit and character of the subject. It's your choice whether to render with pen and ink, colored pencils, watercolor or markers. C) a 20"x20" presentation board that includes a freehand sketch of the floor plan (drawn at 1/4"=1'-0") and a freehand sketch evaluation (drawn at 1/4"-1'-0") of the rooms you choose to finish out, including notes explaining where your furniture and finish selections go. D) your design must be made in accordance with one of the following styles: French Country Provincial, English Arts & Crafts or American Colonial. When you've chosen your preferred style, each finish choice you make must recall and quote (where appropriate) distinctive features of one of these styles. There is abundant reference material on the Internet regarding each of these design styles, so you will have many options from which to choose. Download this PDF to view the competition floor plan.
Media Arts & Animation (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Submit a minimum of 10 digital images or color prints of original artwork. Digital images should be marked with your name, program of study and medium used. Artwork can include: charcoal or pencil drawing, color illustration, painting, black-and-whtie illustration, ink, markers or a combination of. Subject matter is open to your creative ideas.
Web Design & Interactive Media (Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Arts)
Submit the URL for a fully functional, live Web site that you have designed or the equivalent content on CD-ROM. The Web site should focus on one of the following: A) a biographical presentation of your achievements and/or your hobbies. B) presentation of an organization, group, mission or hobby. Provide a document outlining the design requirements, your specific contributions to the project and the software used.
Fashion & Retail Management (Bachelor of Science)
Submit a project titled 'Create a Retail Store' or 'Create a Catalog Store' that includes the following information: A) imaginary store set-up (include atmosphere and target clientele); B) store name; C) product descriptions (lines of merchandise); D) display descriptions; E) personnel descriptions. The project should be supported by creative or visual means in addition to written material, e.g., photography, collage, drawings and be presented in a format of a notebook or scrapbook portfolio.
Photography (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Submit at least four, but no more than six original photographs from digital- or film-based media in any area of photography (commercial, architectural, fashion, nature, etc.). Your work can be submitted as prints, 35 mm slides or digital jpeg files about 8"x10"x72 ppi on CD-ROM (cross platform). Your name, program of study and medium must appear individually on each piece of work.
Digital Filmmaking & Video Production (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Submit a properly labeled DVD-R containing a three- to five-minute presentation showcasing: A) camera techniques; B) lighting techniques; C) audio; D) visual storytelling; E) creativity. Multiple and/or a variety of presentations are encouraged. Each presentation must be a maximum of three to five minutes.
Audio Production (Bachelor of Science)
Submit the following in a folder or binder: A) a two-page (12-point, double spaced) essay that describes your goals in audio. What do you see yourself doing with this degree? Where do you want to go andhow do you intend to get there? What does success in the audio industry mean to you? B) a list of activities in which you are involved outstide of your typical classes in school. This should include everything, not just those that are audio related; C) a recording that you have made, submitted on an audio CD-R (other formats will not be accepted); D) a written description of the process, including the instrumentation used, circumstances under which the recording was made (multi-track recording in a basement, live to two track, in your church, etc.) and the techniques used to record. Emphasis will be placed on the essay and your list of activities. While we listen to each recording to get a sense of your level of experience, we assume that you have not done much in regard to audio and will not necessarily be looking for pristine audio quality.