Art & Design

MFA Visual Arts Application Information

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Deadlines

Rutgers University Application: January 1
Mason Gross Talent Assessment: January 15

Mason Gross Talent Assessment

Requirements

  • $20 SlideRoom fee
  • Art & Design Questionnaire
  • Personal Statement
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Portfolio
  • Resume/CV

Personal Statement

In 500-1,000 words, discuss your creative practice within a personal and critical context. Please include why you believe graduate study at Mason Gross will contribute to reaching your artistic growth and personal/professional goals.

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 SlideRoom email and that recommendations are received by the deadline.

Portfolio Requirements

The portfolio should show your experience skills and interests as a form-giver. 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, whether focused or diverse.

  1. Please submit 20 images of your most recent work in any/all mediums.
    Each image/work should be captioned with:
    • Name
    • Image number
    • Title
    • Dimensions
    • Materials
    • Brief description
    • Date
  2. Limit each time-based work (if any) to 10 minutes. Links to Vimeo and YouTube files are acceptable. When applicable, please provide passwords for protected links to ensure your files are accessible to reviewers.
  3. Limit images to 5 MB each and videos to 250 MB each.
  4. Information on acceptable SlideRoom file formats

Interviews

Finalists will be contacted directly by mid-February if invited to interview. Interview day will be hosted on campus in New Brunswick, NJ, in March. 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.

Learn about the MFA Programs