A prospective student seeking admission to any Bachelor degree program (except Game Art & Design and Media Arts & Animation, see special enrollment requirements below) at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh must be a high school graduate with a minimum high school GPA of 2.0, or hold a General Education Development certificate (GED) with the numeric score equivalent to at least a 2.0 GPA, or an Associate degree as a prerequisite for admission.

A prospective student seeking enrollment to any Associate degree or diploma programs at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh must be a high school graduate with a minimum high school GPA of 1.5, or hold a General Education Development certificate (GED) with the numeric score equivalent to at least a 1.5 GPA, or an Associate degree as a prerequisite for admission.

High school seniors who have not yet graduated should submit a partial transcript that indicates their expected graduation date. Students who have completed high school or its equivalent yet cannot provide the necessary documentation may provide alternate documentation to satisfy this requirement.

A student who holds an Associate degree that fully transfers to a Bachelor degree or higher degree from a recognized accredited institution may submit proof of the Associate degree to satisfy the high school or GED requirement.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh reserves the right to request any additional information necessary to evaluate an applicant's potential for academic success. The Vice President of Academic Affairs for The Art Institute of Pittsburgh must approve all exceptions.

 All Art Institute of Pittsburgh applicants are evaluated on the basis of their previous education and academic performance, their written essay (explained in detail on the Application), background and stated or demonstrated interest in art, animation, culinary, game art, interior design, photography, industrial design, multimedia and web design, video production, visual effects, Web design or business.

Portfolios are welcome, but not required with the exceptions of the Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design programs. Applicants who have taken the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT) are encouraged to submit scores to the Admissions Office for evaluation.