Before building your portfolio, make sure you:
• Read your course requirements carefully
• Understand what you are expected to submit
• Check any page limits, file sizes, or formatting rules
• Select work that best demonstrates your skills and interests

Your course page defines what to include. This guide explains how to present it clearly.

A portfolio is a curated selection of your work that shows:
• your creative practice
• your technical or artistic skills
• your ideas and interests
• your development over time

It is not expected to be perfect — it should be authentic and representative of you.

Portfolios are typically submitted as a single PDF document and may include links to supporting online or digital work where relevant.

When selecting work, aim for:

• Range: different styles, ideas, or approaches
• Relevance: work connected to your course area
• Clarity: pieces that can be easily understood
• Strength: your best examples, not everything you’ve ever made

You may include (depending on course):

• Visual work (drawings, paintings, sketches)
• Audio visual work (animations, presentations, video clips, podcast)
• Design work (costume, set, lighting, sound, props)
• Technical drawings or documentation
• Writing samples (e.g. scripts, scenes, excerpts, or other original written work)
• Supporting written material
• Photos of physical work or projects
• Digital work (renders, models, concept art)
• Process work (inspirations, sketches, experiments, mock-ups, in progress images/videos)

Recommended structure:

Cover page (required for some courses but optional for others)
• Your name
• Course applied for
• Contact details (if included)

Main content
Organise work in a clear sequence:
• strongest work first OR
• grouped by theme / project

Each piece should include (where possible):
• title of work
• medium or format
• short explanation (what it is / your role / intention)

Your portfolio should be clearly structured and easy to navigate.

Accepted formats

Depending on your course requirements, your portfolio may be:

1. Single PDF portfolio (most common for BFA and required for many courses)
• One combined document
• Includes images and text
• May include clickable links to external work (videos, websites, or files)

2. Supporting links format (only where explicitly permitted)
You may include:
• video links (e.g. Vimeo / YouTube unlisted)
• digital portfolios or websites
• external project documentation

Tip: If you include links, ensure they are:
• clearly labelled
• active and accessible
• relevant to your application

File format guidance
• Submit as one PDF unless your course states otherwise
• Keep file size manageable for upload (check paradigm size limits per file ect).
• Ensure all files follow the specified naming convention specified in the course requirements

We are looking for:

• curiosity and creative thinking
• evidence of process and experimentation
• technical or artistic skill level
• how you express ideas and concepts visually
• personal voice or style

Tip: We are not expecting professional-level work — we are looking for potential and intent.

• Submitting too many weak or unfinished pieces
• Poor image quality or unreadable files
• No clear structure or order
• Not reviewing content for clarity and spelling prior to submission
• Not addressing course-specific requirements
• Lack of explanation or context
• Uploading the incorrect version before submitting

Upload your portfolio as an attachment in the Associated File Attachments section of your online application.

Select the ‘Course Specific Application Requirements’ in the File Category dropdown.

Click Browse in the File field to locate your file.

Upload your file.