Master of Fine Arts

Admissions Overview

Applicants to the MFA program will be selected for admission based on submission of the following materials by the February 15, 2024 application deadline: 

1. The Graduate School general application.
2. Three letters of recommendation (submitted through the Graduate School application).
3. Official copies of all undergraduate transcript(s) showing the date(s) the BA, BS, or BFA degree was awarded. Transcripts must show no less than 3.0 for the overall GPA, and should be mailed directly to the department (see address below).
4. A copy of your TOEFL exam, showing a minimum score of 80 (for international students only).
5. And, most importantly, the completed MFA application, which must be uploaded via the department’s MFA Application Portal as a single PDF file. The portfolio must include the following:

• A personal statement about your previous academic training, your desire to engage in graduate work, and your interest in the MFA program at UM.
• An updated CV or resume.
• An artist portfolio of digital images, not to exceed 20 images. Portfolios that include more than 20 images will not be considered.
• A completed Teaching Assistantship application form. Assistantships are competitive and are not guaranteed with admission into the program.

It is highly recommended that all applicants demonstrate that they have completed advanced coursework in the area s/he/they wish to study, as well as related professional and/or exhibition experience. To be competitive, prospective applicants should contact the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the area head of their proposed concentration to schedule a meeting or phone interview before applying.

Application Procedures & Policies

Applications for the MFA program are only considered for the Fall semester following the application deadline. In other words, the MFA program does not admit students in the Spring term. The application process opens on October 1st of each year and requires prospective students to successfully complete THREE steps (listed below). Please ensure you have submitted all documents by the February 15, 2024 deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered, regardless of the applicant’s merit.

To be considered, please submit the following:

1. A general application must be initiated through the Graduate School in order to be admitted into the University of Miami. Through the Graduate School, applicants will submit their personal contact information, request their three letters of recommendation, and pay the $85.00 application fee. The Grad School application can be found here.
2.  A specialized MFA application must next be submitted to the Department of Art & Art History via the department’s MFA Application Portal, which can be accessed here (or by clicking on hyperlinked text).

Once applicants have completed the informational fields in the portal, they will be asked to upload a portfolio, which must be a single/combined PDF file. The system will not permit you to upload multiple documents. As stated above, the portfolio should include the following:

• A personal statement of interest in the MFA program at UM. In this essay, please describe your past experiences and why you feel you are ready to undertake graduate work at UM.
• An updated CV or resume.
• A portfolio of 20 digital images of your recent artwork. If you would like the faculty to consider additional images, please provide a link (or hyperlink) to your website in your personal statement or CV.
• A completed Teaching Assistantship application form (if the applicant is seeking financial assistance). Assistantships include a stipend of $21,915 per year, plus a full tuition waiver and subsidized health insurance.** The Teaching Assistantship application form can be found here.

3. Lastly, all applicants must mail official copies of their undergraduate transcript(s) directly to the department. If you have received multiple undergraduate degrees, you will need to send official transcripts for ALL programs. Sending unofficial copies will delay the graduation process if you are accepted. Please have official copies sent to:

Things to Consider While Applying

As previously stated, assistantships are competitive and are not guaranteed with admission into the program. That having been said, students can be admitted into the program without department funding, though this requires him/her/they to pay out-of-pocket for the MFA degree.

Even with a Teaching Assistantship, studying in Miami is an expensive undertaking. For the average cost of attending UM as a graduate student (without financial aid), please click here.

If you are an international applicant, please click here to see additional instructions on how to submit foreign transcripts and TOEFL scores. If you need to complete the TOEFL, please have your scores sent directly to the department, or include official/notarized copies as additional pages in your MFA portfolio application.

The next application deadline is February 15, 2024 for admission to the 2023-24 academic year.