By the Portlio studio · Published · 7 min read
Making the portfolio is one task. Submitting it is another, and it's where avoidable problems happen: a file that's too large, a link that asks a reviewer to log in, a deadline in another time zone. This guide covers how portfolios are commonly submitted and how to check your work before you send it.
How programs collect portfolios varies by college, program, and application year. Nothing here is a requirement for any specific college. Follow the instructions for each program, and check them again each year.
The common ways programs collect portfolios
- Upload through the application. You add images, PDFs, or video files directly in the application or a linked account.
- A third-party portfolio platform. Some programs use a platform such as SlideRoom, where you create an account, upload work, and submit it to each program.
- A link to your own work. Some programs accept a website, a PDF link, or a video link. Some accept links for video only.
- A portfolio review, in person or virtual, often scheduled by the department.
- Mail or email. Rare, but some programs still do it.
A single college can use different methods for different majors, so check by program, not only by college.
Read the instructions twice, and write down the specifics
The first read is for the general idea. The second is for the details you'll need to meet:
- Whether a portfolio is required, optional, or not accepted.
- The number of pieces, or the maximum running time for video.
- Accepted file formats, maximum file sizes, and image dimensions.
- Whether links are allowed, and whether work must be uploaded.
- Whether a statement, a list of works, or captions are required.
- The portfolio deadline, which may differ from the application deadline, and its time zone.
- Any fee, and any fee-waiver information.
- How you'll know it was received.
Prepare your files
If the program gives specifications, follow them exactly. If it doesn't, these habits are sensible:
- Export images at a size that's clear but not enormous, in the format requested. A long edge of roughly 2,000 to 3,000 pixels is often plenty for screen viewing, but a program's own size guidance comes first.
- Name files so they sort in your intended order, such as 01-title.jpg and 02-title.jpg.
- Keep colors consistent. Exporting for screens in sRGB helps images look similar on most displays.
- Open each exported file and check details. Make sure nothing was cropped or compressed badly.
- Keep your original files separate from the exported copies.
- For video, use a widely supported format. If the program doesn't say, MP4 is commonly accepted. Check the sound on speakers and headphones.
- Compress a PDF only as much as you need to meet the size limit, then check that images are sharp and text is readable.
If you submit a link
- Set it so anyone with the link can view it, without an account or a request for access.
- Test it in a private or incognito window, and on a phone.
- Avoid links that expire. If a program asks for a password, share it exactly as instructed.
- Make sure pages load quickly and video plays.
- Keep the link live through the decision period, and don't rename or move the page.
- Use a clean address that matches your name, and confirm you pasted it correctly.
PDF portfolio vs website portfolio explains when a link makes sense, and the film portfolio guide covers sharing video.
Upload early and test
- Create your account on the platform or portal well before the deadline.
- Upload a draft to see how files are displayed and ordered.
- Check the preview: orientation, order, captions, and anything cropped.
- Fix what you find, then submit.
- Take a screenshot or save the confirmation.
Don't leave it to the last day. Systems get slow near deadlines, and a problem you find with time to spare is easy to fix.
Deadlines
A portfolio deadline can differ from the application deadline, and some programs allow extra time for uploads. Note the date and the time zone. Don't assume a late submission will be accepted. If something goes wrong, contact the admissions office or the department right away, and keep a record of what you sent and when.
After you submit
- If the program has a status page, check that your materials show as received.
- Don't send extra work unless the program invites it. Unrequested material can break the rules.
- Keep your files and your link available.
- Record the date you submitted.
- If you find a mistake, follow the program's instructions for changes or contact the office.
Keep track in one place
With several programs on your list, details blur. For each one, record the program or major, required or optional, the number of pieces and format limits, the submission method, the deadline and time zone, and whether you've received confirmation. The tracking table in do colleges require a portfolio? works for this too.
A pre-submission checklist
- You've read the current instructions for this program, not last year's.
- File formats, sizes, and counts match what's asked.
- Every file opens, in the right order, with captions and credits.
- Any link opens without a login, on a phone and in a private window.
- Your statement, if required, is in the right place.
- You know the deadline and time zone, and you've left time to spare.
- You've saved the confirmation.
Where to go next
If you're still building the work, start with how to make a college application portfolio and what to include in a college portfolio. The college application portfolio overview connects the steps, scholarship portfolios covers creative awards, and portfolio websites for young creatives and student portfolio examples show how a site can hold the rest of your work.
Portlio designs and builds custom portfolio websites. A website complements each program's required submission; it doesn't replace it, and nobody can promise it will change an admissions or scholarship decision. If you'd like help presenting your work, you can get started or ask for a portfolio review first.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I submit my portfolio after the deadline?
- Don't assume you can. Some programs have separate or later portfolio deadlines, and some don't accept late work. Check the instructions, and contact the office early if something goes wrong.
- Can I change my portfolio after I submit it?
- It depends on the platform and the program. Check the instructions or ask the admissions office before making changes.
- Should I submit a website link if the program accepts uploads?
- Follow the program's instructions. If it accepts only uploads, upload. If it accepts links, make sure the link opens without a login and that the work on it matches what you meant to submit.
- What if my files are too large?
- Resize or compress them to meet the stated limit rather than cropping the work. Then open every file to check that quality is still acceptable.
About this guide. Written by the Portlio studio as general guidance. It isn't any college's requirements and it can't predict an admissions decision, so check each program's current instructions. Last updated .
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