Applicants must have a four-year bachelor's degree, but it does not have to be related to art.
The M.F.A. program does not accept transfer credits from other institutions.
Three recommendations
Resume and statement of purpose
Interviews are not required as part of the initial application process, however, shortlisted candidates will be asked to interview either in person or via Skype. Applicants interested in meeting with a member of the art department faculty should contact the faculty directly. Students interested in arranging a tour of the campus should contact the Program Assistant at (607) 255-6730. Learn more about visiting the campus here.
GRE scores are not required for admission to the M.F.A. program. Applicants who have already taken the GRE are welcome to submit scores with the application. For those seeking financial assistance other than that offered by the Department of Art or Cornell University, it is recommended GRE scores be submitted.
The TOEFL exam is required for non-native English applicants. Foreign applicants whose native language is not English but who have studied full-time for two or more years at a college or university where English is the language of instruction, located in a country where English is the native language, are exempt from this requirement. All other foreign applicants must submit TOEFL scores.
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 is below, please follow these instructions exactly. Submitted portfolios that do not conform to the instructions below will not be reviewed. Portfolios are to be submitted through Cornell AAP SlideRoom Opens an external link.
The TOEFL or IELTS exam is required for non-native English applicants.
TOEFL (iBT): The Graduate School's official minimum sub-scores for each element of the TOEFL iBT are: Speaking: 22, Reading 20, Listening 15, Writing 20
IELTS: The Graduate School requires an overall band score of a 7.0 or higher on the IELTS Academic exam.