Admission Requirements
- Graduate School application and $40 fee
- Submission of all postsecondary academic transcripts
- Successful completion of a bachelor's degree prior to enrollment
- Minimum GPA of 2.50
- International Applicants: Proof of English Proficiency, minimum requirements are TOEFL (79), IELTS (6.5) or equivalent
- Submit three letters of recommendation by those familiar with your current artwork
- Provide a cover letter, resume/cv, artist statement and letter of intent of approximately 500 words, indicating professional aspirations and more immediate objectives you will pursue while in graduate school at SIUE
- Submit a digital portfolio (PPT or PDF) of 20 images
Program application materials may be uploaded during the application process, but official transcripts must be sent directly from the school attended and test scores must be verifiable with the appropriate testing service. Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office with questions regarding the application submission process at graduateadmissions@siue.edu.
A committee consisting of the graduate studio faculty who offer MFA classes will review the applications. Letters of acceptance will be mailed approximately one month following the deadline, initially by the Graduate Admissions Office, with a follow up letter from the Department of Art and Design.
Persons with deficiencies may enroll as unclassified graduate students for a limited time. Upon completion of the deficiencies, the student submits a portfolio of recent work to the graduate faculty before admission to the program is granted.
So that the MFA program can achieve a broader perspective, students who receive their undergraduate art degrees at institutions other than SIUE will be given higher priority in acceptance for admission.
Students pursuing the MFA at SIUE are required to explore additional electives in other studio areas in order to inform and enhance their personal work (see Program of Study). An open dialogue with materials and media is encouraged, as is refining one’s singular medium interests. With this said, students must apply to a single area of studio concentration and work to develop their interests in concert with their studio advisor. Applications for the MFA should be limited to one studio concentration at the time of applying.
Review the SIUE Admissions Policy for more information.
Application Deadline
It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure the application, transcript(s), letter and portfolio arrive at SIUE on time. The deadline for admission is February 1 of the preceding spring semester. Additional applications will be considered after this date on a space-available basis.
