REMIND STUDENTS TO USE APPROPRIATE PHOTOS
Published May 2018
Each year, ARRT returns—without processing—about 20 percent of the applications for certification and registration that we receive. The main problem? Unacceptable photos.
The handbooks on our website contain the detailed instructions below. Nevertheless, we receive many blurry photos and photos that don’t have a plain white or off-white background. We scan the photos candidates submit with their applications and keep them in their permanent records at ARRT. To make sure the right people are taking our exams, we compare the application photos to those taken at testing centers before exams.
That’s why photos must:
- Be originals (not a photocopy, a laminated ID card, or a photo cut from a driver’s license)
- Be approximately 2 inches by 2 inches, with a head size of 1 to 1 ½ inches
- Have a plain white or off-white background
- Show only the candidate’s head and shoulders, facing front
- Be clear enough that a viewer can easily recognize facial features
- Be taken in the past six months
- Show a neutral expression or natural smile
- Not include a hat, visor, sunglasses, or anything else that shades the candidate’s eyes; candidates may wear a head covering for religious purposes as long as the entire face is visible
If we must return an application, we’ll also return the application fee. Candidates will need to submit a new photo, then sign and date the application again. Their Program Director will also have to sign and date the application again.
It’s also a good idea for students to review our certification and registration reminders. Feel free to print and distribute the reminders. They’ll help students avoid delays in the application process.
