Graduate Admissions: Art

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Master of Fine Arts, Creative Visual Arts (M.F.A. Creative Visual Arts)

The Department of Art has the following admissions requirements for the M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts program:

  • Applicants must have a four-year bachelor's degree, but it does not have to be related to art.
  • The M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts program does not accept transfer credits from other institutions.

Application and Portfolio Requirements

The deadline for receiving application materials to the M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts program is January 15. This includes the portfolio, which is submitted in SlideRoom. There is no spring semester admission. Students interested in the M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts program must submit an online application with supporting documentation, including:

  • Three letters of recommendation.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Resume/CV.

  • All applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement.

    • For applicants to the M.F.A. CVA program who must submit TOEFL/IELTS scores, AAP has a preferred minimum overall score of 100 for the TOEFL iBT and an overall band score of 7 for IELTS. Section minimums set by the graduate school must also still be met.

  • All applicants must submit a portfolio with their application. The portfolio should consist of no more than 20 electronic files. These may include any combination of still images, videos, URLs, sound-based work, web-based work, or other work. Directions for properly preparing these materials are below; please follow these instructions strictly. Submitted portfolios that do not conform to the instructions below will not be reviewed. Portfolios are to be submitted through Cornell AAP SlideRoom. If you have difficulty uploading your portfolio to Cornell AAP Slideroom, please email aap-admissions@cornell.edu.

    • Still Images: Still images must be in JPG or TIFF format with maximum dimensions of 1280 x 1024 at 72 dpi. No image may exceed 1024 pixels in height (including portrait images) or 1280 in width (including panoramic images). File sizes larger than 4 MB will neither be opened nor reviewed.
    • Videos: Video, video installation, performance, kinetic sculpture, and/or gaming/interactive work are also to be submitted through SlideRoom, which accommodates links from YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud. Each video should be no longer than five minutes in length. Please note that each video is to be considered as one file within the 20-file requirement.
    • Web-based Work: Web-based work submitted for consideration must be uploaded and operative on the World Wide Web for the duration of the application process (until you are notified of acceptance or rejection). Please note that each URL is to be considered as one file within the 20-file requirement.
    • Sound-based Work: Sound-based work should be submitted in AIFF or MP3 format. Each selection should be restricted to five minutes. Please note that each sound file is to be considered as one file within the 20-file requirement.
    • Other: For any work you may wish to submit that does not fall into the above categories, please get in touch with the AAP Office of Admissions at (607) 255-4376.
  • Interviews are not required as part of the initial application process; however, shortlisted candidates will be asked to interview either in person or virtually. Students interested in arranging a tour of the campus should contact the Art Department at (607) 255-6730 or through email. Learn more about visiting the campus here.

Master of Fine Arts, Image Text (M.F.A. Image Text)

The Department of Art has specific requirements for the M.F.A. in Image Text program:

  • Admission is open only to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and individuals with current valid U.S. immigration status. Individuals who would require immigration status and sponsorship to enter the U.S. are not eligible for this hybrid degree. Please note that no Student Status Visa(s) or student immigration documentation can be issued at this time.
  • Applicants must have a four-year bachelor's degree. We welcome applicants with backgrounds in writing, photography, film/video, digital and studio arts practices, and artists working across these forms and disciplines.
  • The M.F.A. in Image Text program does not accept transfer credits from other institutions.

Application and Portfolio Requirements

The priority review deadline for receiving application materials for this program is February 1. All materials must be received by the appropriate deadline, including the portfolio which is submitted in SlideRoom. Applications received after posted deadlines will be reviewed at the discretion of the Directors. There is no spring semester admission. Students interested in the M.F.A. in Image Text program must submit an online application with supporting documentation, including:

  • Two recommendations.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Resume/CV.
  • All applicants must submit a portfolio with their application. The portfolio should consist of a PDF of no more than 20 pages. There are no word or image count requirements beyond the 20-page limit. Additionally, applicants may submit links to no more than 3 supplemental work samples in any media (websites, Vimeo URLs, etc.). Portfolios are to be submitted through Cornell AAP SlideRoom. If you have difficulty uploading your portfolio to Cornell AAP Slideroom, please email us at aap-admissions@cornell.edu.
    • Statement of goals. The statement of goals should address why you are applying to M.F.A. Image Text and what you hope to learn and achieve as a graduate student in the program. Please limit to 500 words. Statements should be uploaded via Cornell AAP SlideRoom.
    • Statement of creative work. The statement of creative work is an artist statement; it is an opportunity to frame and give context to the work that you are submitting in your portfolio. Please limit to 500 words. Statements should be uploaded via Cornell AAP SlideRoom.
  • Interviews are not required as part of the initial application process; however, shortlisted candidates will be asked to interview virtually. Applicants interested in meeting with the program directors should contact them directly. Students interested in arranging a tour of the campus should contact the Art Department at (607) 255-6730 or through email. Learn more about visiting the campus here.
  • Substantial partial tuition scholarships are available on a competitive basis.
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