Art & Design
MFA Visual Arts Application Information
Deadlines
Rutgers University Application: January 1
Mason Gross Talent Assessment: January 9
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY APPLICATION
All applicants must complete and submit the Rutgers University Application. The university application requires the following:
- Online application
- $70 Rutgers application fee
- One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended
- Current test results, as required by the program
- Supporting materials, as required by the program
Mason Gross Talent Assessment
Requirements
- $25 Talent Assessment fee
- Art & Design Questionnaire
- Personal Statement
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Portfolio
- Resume/CV
A unique link and a temporary pin to complete the Talent Assessment will be emailed to you upon submission of your Rutgers application or Common App.
Personal Statement
In 500-1000 words, discuss your creative practice within a personal and critical context. Please include why you believe graduate study at Mason Gross will contribute to your artistic growth, personal/professional goals, and why you are seeking this opportunity now.
Letters of Recommendation
- Select recommenders who have a full grasp of you and your work.
- Select at least one recommender from an academic institution.
- Notify your recommenders from at the start of your application process to ensure they are on the lookout for the invitation email so that recommendations are received by the deadline.
Portfolio Requirements
The visual portfolio gives you an opportunity to share your recent work as a visual artist so that we can understand your interests, skills, and approaches to making. You may include works created under academic guidance, by commission or through self-driven research. Please provide examples of the full range of your recent practice, and use the brief description field to specifically discuss the work.
- Please submit 20 images/videos of your most recent work in any/all mediums. Please use the Slate information fields for each image/video. Every submitted image/video should be captioned with:
- Name
- Title
- Dimensions
- Materials
- Brief description
- Date
- Links to Vimeo and YouTube files are acceptable. Limit each time-based work (if any) to 10 minutes. When applicable, please provide passwords for protected links to ensure your files are accessible to reviewers.
- Limit images to 5 MB each and videos to 250 MB each.
- Information on acceptable file formats.
Interviews
Finalists will be contacted directly by early/mid-February if invited to interview. Interview day will be hosted on campus in New Brunswick, NJ, in late February. Finalists who cannot attend the on-campus event will be scheduled to interview virtually.
Fellowship Information
Do I need to complete a separate application for the MFA Fellowship in Visual Arts?
No. Your application to the program automatically places you under consideration.
What does the Fellowship cover?
All graduate students receive fellowships equivalent to out-of-state tuition in their first year, regardless of residency status.
In the second year of the program, U.S. citizens receive the equivalent to in-state tuition; International students receive out-of-state tuition. Note: the fellowship covers tuition only.
I’m international. How much of my tuition will be covered by the fellowship?
As an international student, you will receive the equivalent of out-of-state tuition for both years of the program.
Does the department offer additional MFA scholarships to pay for fees and living expenses?
No, but additional opportunities to earn income are available in the form of teaching opportunities (upon completion of a semester-long teaching mentorship under faculty supervision) and various jobs within the department. Both opportunities are contingent on experience, expertise, and position availability.
Do you offer traditional TA positions?
No. Effective Fall 2016, the department has transitioned from a traditional TA model into this fellowship model. Mason Gross is part of a public university; U.S. students are highly encouraged to apply for federal aid by filling out the FAFSA.