Pacific Northwest College of Art | Portland, OR Art School

Still Figuring Out College? Transferring to PNCA Could Be Your Best Move Yet

Not every college journey starts and ends at the same place. If you're ready for a school that actually gets your artistic goals and treats you like more than a number, PNCA is ready for you.

Switched Majors? Changed Plans?

PNCA Is Made for Students Like You

We’ve built 18 transfer agreements and pathway programs with community colleges across the country, plus we welcome students from other four-year art and design schools like Cornish. Whether you’re coming from down the street or across the country, transferring to PNCA is smoother than you think.

Ready to Make the Switch? See How PNCA Makes Transferring Easy

Transferring from Cornish? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

New Transfer Pathway for PCC Students

The Lifelong Value of Mentorship

At PNCA, you won’t get lost in a giant lecture hall. You’ll thrive in a close-knit, 9:1 student-to-faculty environment where mentorship is built into every program. Our faculty are artists and designers who provide personalized guidance, help grow your creative network, and connect you with industry opportunities in Portland and beyond.

Art Is Personal

Your Education Should Be Too

Our mentorship-driven environment helped illustrator Eva Wrzesinski BFA’22 turn their passion for storytelling into a powerful tool for social change. Through dedicated faculty support, Wrzesinski developed the skills and network that led to illustrating a children’s book challenging stereotypes about homelessness.

Read Eva's Story

PNCA students and a professor in a gallery

Art thrives with strong mentorship, not giant lecture halls found at large public universities. That’s why PNCA gives you direct access to faculty who know your name and your work.

Other Schools Talk About Opportunity, PNCA Creates It

The idea that art school doesn’t prepare you for a career? That’s a myth. At PNCA, we do more than nurture creativity, we equip you with the skills, experience, and connections to turn your passion into a profession. With dedicated mentorship, a focus on careers, hands-on learning, and access to cutting-edge technology, you'll graduate ready to thrive in the world of art and design.

Student Success

Subin Yang’s Story

Subin Yang BFA’17 is an illustrator whose vibrant, mission-driven work has shaped campaigns for Google and Instagram. At PNCA, she honed her unique style and found mentorship that inspired her career blending art with social impact, including collaborations with Amnesty International and Chobani.

Read Subin’s Story

Subin Yang BFA’17 uses vibrant illustrations to explore cultural narratives and create impactful work for global brands and organizations committed to social change.

Our programs

Explore PNCA

Discover how you can turn knowledge into action through our undergraduate and graduate programs, or take a closer look at what it’s like to live and learn in the Pacific Northwest.

Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Life at PNCA

Visit Our Campus

A visit is the best way to immerse yourself in our vibrant campus and city. Come by for a campus tour, and an admissions counselor will help review your portfolio ahead of your application.

Plan Your Visit