Bachelor of Animation

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Applying as a Canadian applicant

Domestic students should apply online or by phone at 1-888-892-2228.

Applying as an International applicant

International students should apply online

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Admissions - September 2026

Admission requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, OR 19 years of age or older
A minimum of six (6) 4U/M courses with a minimum cumulative average of 65% or six (6) 4C courses with a minimum cumulative average of 75%. Note: higher averages may be required for admission due to competition for available spaces in the program.
Applicants meeting minimum academic requirements are invited to begin the selection process which requires them to submit a digital portfolio. Selection will be determined by a combination of academic accomplishments, whether ongoing or completed, and the outcome of the portfolio review.

Note re: admission requirements

Canadian citizens and permanent residents with transcripts from outside Canada require a course-by-course credential evaluation. You can request this through an approved provider such as ICAS or WES.
Applicants with transcripts from institutions where the language of instruction is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. Please refer to English language requirements for details.
Applicants with previous post-secondary education are assessed on an individual basis in accordance with college and PEQAB guidelines/policies for advanced standing. Graduates of related diploma programs are asked to contact the program coordinator for further information regarding advanced standing in the degree program.

Canadian admissions contact

admissions@conestogac.on.ca

International admissions contact

internationaladmissions@conestogac.on.ca

Admission procedures

Academic strength is calculated by averaging all submitted Grade 12 marks (or equivalent). If more than six courses are submitted, the courses with the highest marks will be used.

Portfolio requirements

The portfolio submission is a mandatory component of the admission process for the Bachelor of Animation program.

Eligible candidates who satisfy the basic academic criteria are encouraged to engage in the selection procedure. This involves submitting a portfolio for assessment. Selection will be determined by a combination of academic accomplishments, whether ongoing or completed, and the outcome of the portfolio review.

Portfolio submission

Your portfolio submission should demonstrate your observational skills, technical abilities, creativity, and storytelling capabilities.

Evaluation criteria

Your work will be evaluated based on:

Technical skill and drawing ability
Understanding of anatomy, perspective, and composition
Creativity and originality
Storytelling capabilities
Attention to detail
Consistency in character design
Overall presentation and completeness of the portfolio

Important notes

All submissions must be your original work.
AI-generated artwork is not permitted.
Follow the submission guidelines carefully.
Review the portfolio rubric to understand how your work will be evaluated.
Submit your portfolio before the deadline.

Online portfolios consist of three parts. This includes detailed observational work, character and storyboard designs, as well as personal artwork to showcase a broad range of skills and creativity. Applicants must submit a maximum of 21 separate portfolio items.

1. Observational Artwork

This section focuses on your ability to observe and accurately represent human figures, hands, and everyday subjects. You'll need to submit a total of 12 drawings in this category.

1.1 Human Figure Drawing: Submit 4 drawings (each count as a separate item)

Your submission should include four life drawings of the human figure, which can be clothed or unclothed. Avoid using photographs as references. Focus on capturing the form and structure in your drawings.

2 figure drawings showcasing your grasp of form, structure, and proportions. These should be either sitting or standing poses, with each pose lasting between 5 to 15 minutes.
2 gesture drawings emphasizing your skill in conveying the main line of action, performance in the pose, and line quality. Each should be a quick sketch, with poses between 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Note: Shading is optional. We welcome rough sketches that effectively reveal the basic construction of the figures. AI generated images are not permitted.

1.2 Hand Studies: Submit 4 drawings (each count as a separate item)

For this portion of your portfolio, you are required to submit detailed hand-drawn sketches focusing on the human hand engaged in various activities. This exercise is designed to demonstrate your ability to capture complex forms, intricate details, and dynamic actions using simple lines and structure, and form.

Requirements:

Actions: Each sketch should depict a hand performing different actions, such as grasping a cup, pointing, holding a pen, or manipulating small objects. Aim for a variety of poses to showcase your versatility.
Technique: You may use traditional mediums, such as pencil or pen and ink, or digital tools in the creation of these sketches. Choose the medium that best suits your style and enhances the details in your drawings.
Detail and accuracy: Focus on accurately depicting the anatomy of the hand, the gesture, form, and the interaction of the hand holding or working with various objects. Consider the play of light and shadow to enhance the three-dimensional feel of the hand.
Presentation: Each sketch should be clean and clearly presented. Include minimal background elements to ensure the main focus remains on the hand itself.

Additional tips:

Study real hands: Observe and sketch from real-life situations as much as possible. Avoid using photographs as your only reference to ensure that your work captures the dynamic nature of real movements and interactions.
Showcase creativity: While accuracy is crucial, also show your creative approach. For instance, you might sketch a hand interacting with an unusual object or in a creative pose that tells a story.

1.3 Observational Sketchbook Drawings: Submit 4 drawings (each count as a separate item)

Quick sketches of people or animals from life, your choice. Focus on describing the story in the drawing. We want to see if you can tell a story with quick sketch work.

What we're looking for:

Ability to capture movement and gesture
Storytelling through composition and subject matter
Quick but effective representation of form and character
Variety in subjects and scenarios

Tips:

Sketch in public places like cafés, parks, or transit stations
Try to capture the essence of the moment or action
Focus on what makes the subject interesting or unique
Include enough context to tell a small story

2. Character, Environment & Storyboard

This section focuses on your ability to create original characters, depict environments, and tell stories through sequential art. You'll need to submit 4 items in this category: 1 character rotation, 1 storyboard (with 4 panels), and 2 environment drawings.

2.1 Character Design/Rotation: Submit 1 character rotation drawing (counts as 1 item)

Create an original character design and rotate the design using the following views: ¾ front view, ¾ back view, Profile view, Front view, and Back view.

The character's proportions and design should be consistent in each view.

Submit this work as a single portfolio piece. Please submit only the character rotation sheet for review. Refer to the character rotation example below. Do not copy this example character, your submission must be a unique design that you have created.

Note: Line drawing is sufficient, color and shading is not required.

Evaluation criteria:

Consistency in proportions and details ac

Program requirements

The academic requirements to be eligible for a co-op work term in a degree program are as follows:
- Minimum 65% session weighted average in the eligibility term two academic semesters prior to any co-op work term

Maximum two failures or withdrawals during the academic semester that occurs in the eligibility term two academic semesters prior to any co-op work term

Must have successfully completed all but two core courses, according to the program design, by the eligibility term prior to any given work term (regardless of the level the student was placed in advanced standing)

Students (even those on special timetables) will not be permitted to complete a co-op work term until conditions above are met and all but two core course deficiencies, according to the program design, are cleared

Co-op work terms may need to be re-sequenced to allow academic deficiencies to be cleared or in the event a student changes cohorts (i.e. graduation is delayed by one year or more). Students may not repeat a passed work term

Should a student’s academic performance decline considerably during the term just prior to any work term, the college reserves the right to withdraw the student from the upcoming work term

In the case of back to back work terms eligibility to participate in consecutive work terms will be granted upon approval to participate in the initial work term

Where two or more work terms occur back to back, should a student fail to achieve academic eligibility for the first work term, their eligibility for the second work term will be based on the term that occurs two terms prior to the second work term

Students in degree programs may only fail/defer each work term in their program design once

Advanced standing opportunity

Conestoga College offers the ability for a degree completion in the Bachelor of Animation program.

Credit transfer/Degree completion opportunity: Bachelor of Animation

Who can apply?

Graduates of an animation diploma may be eligible for admission into second year. Minimum averages apply. Applicants will be ranked based on an assessment of academic performance.

How to apply

Graduates from Conestoga's Animation program should complete the Advanced Standing Application.
Graduates of programs from other institutions should apply to Level 3 of the program through ontariocolleges.ca (program 1671C). Applicants are required to submit transcripts from their diploma program, even if it is yet to be completed.

For more information, please contact:

David Shepstone
dshepstone@conestogac.on.ca

Ministry consent

Conestoga College had been granted a consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a six-year term commencing December 6, 2024. Conestoga College shall ensure that all students admitted to the above-named program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame. Application to the Ministry for renewal of the consent to deliver is a prescribed and cyclical requirement for all degree programs at all Ontario colleges.

Disclaimer

The College reserves the right to alter information including requirements and fees and to cancel at any time a program, course, or program major or option; to change the location and/or term in which a program or course is offered; to change the program curriculum as necessary to meet current competencies in the job market or for budgetary reasons; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications or registrations, over-acceptance of offers of admission, budgetary constraints, or for other such reasons. In the event the College exercises such a right, the College’s sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to the College. Students actively registered in cohort delivered programs who take longer than the designed program length of time to complete their studies are accountable for completing any new or additional courses that may result due to changes in the program of study. Unless otherwise stated, students registered in non-cohort delivered programs must complete the program of study within seven years of being admitted to the program.