This school is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant
students.
Graduate Program Majors: MFA Art Criticism and Writing; MAT Art Education; MPS
Art Therapy; MPS Branding; MFA Computer Art; MFA Design; MFA Design Criticism;
MPS Digital Photography; MPS Digital Photography Online/Summer Residency; MFA
Fine Arts; MFA Interaction Design; MFA Illustration as Visual Essay; MPS Live
Action Short Film; MFA Photography, Video and Related Media; MFA Social
Documentary Film
HOW TO APPLY The deadline for most Graduate programs is January 15, 2010. For those
programs who have rolling admissions, due to the time involved in fulfilling
legal requirements, it is recommended that international applicants submit all
application materials at least four months prior to the start of the semester.
All Graduate applicants to
the Fall 2010 semester are required to complete the online application form and submit the nonrefundable $80 application fee. (Note: The online
application is not officially submitted until valid credit card
information has been supplied. Upon completion of this, an online
confirmation is sent. We strongly recommend that applicants print this out
and keep it with their records.)
All required application
materials must be received together in one package by the Office of
Graduate Admissions no later than January 15, 2010.
The Office of Graduate
Admissions does not and will not conduct status checks on
applications or application materials. Applicants who need confirmation of
the receipt of materials should mail documents by a trackable means.
Please note that incomplete
applications will not be reviewed. After January 15, 2010, all
applications to the Fall 2010 semester will be accepted on a first-come,
first-served basis as space remains available in the program.
DEMONSTRATION OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY In addition to the general admissions requirements, all
applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate proficiency
in written and spoken English. The following are acceptable ways to demonstrate
English proficiency:
A minimum of 213 on the
computerized version, 79 on the Internet version, or 550 on the
paper-based version of the Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Please note that the CEEB code for School of Visual Arts is 2835. This is the
code that must be supplied to ETS in order to have TOEFL scores mailed to
SVA.
A minimum score of 6.5 on the
International
English Language Testing System (IELTS). IELTS is jointly managed by
University of Cambridge
ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP Education
Australia: IELTS Australia.
A minimum score of 6 in all
categories of the English proficiency examination administered by the New
York University American Language Institute in New York. For information on taking the
NYU test, call 212.998.7040.
Applicants who have
successfully completed the following course work may also submit official
transcripts to be considered as demonstration of English proficiency: one
year of full-time study at a regionally accredited U.S.
college or university, including two semesters of English composition,
with a minimum grade of B each semester. Note: Course work taken in
conjunction with English as a Second Language (ESL) is not applicable.
Please Note: Pending
acceptance, ALL Graduate applicants currently enrolled in school for their
Bachelors degrees for the Spring or Summer 2010 semesters are required to submit
verification of graduation BEFORE they attend SVA.
TRANSCRIPTS OR ACADEMIC RECORDS FROM FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS
Applicants who have academic documents from institutions outside of the U.S. are
required to provide original, attested, or certified true copies of academic
records for all institutions attended. These records should be in the original
language issued.
For records not in English, applicants must also submit an official translation
of all academic documents. Translations must be a complete, literal,
word-for-word translation in the same format of the original academic document.
Please note that all documents submitted become the property of the School of Visual Arts and will not be returned.
All foreign post-secondary (university level) transcripts should be
converted into U.S.
educational equivalencies. Those records that are not converted into U.S.
equivalencies must be evaluated by an external evaluation agency. The evaluation
should be course-by-course and include:
Name of educational
institution
Country where institution is
located
Length of study
U.S. educational equivalent
(two-year or four-year college)
Courses studied per academic
year
Conversion of
grades/marks/final examination results into equivalent U.S.
grades of A, B, C, D of F for each course evaluated
Total credits earned
Conversion of course hours
into U.S.
semester hours of credit
Cumulative grade point
average (GPA) on a 4-point scale
U.S. degree equivalent
The School of Visual Arts should be listed as the
recipient of the evaluation. Transcripts may take up to six weeks to be
evaluated. The original academic records must be submitted in addition to
the evaluation. The School
of Visual Arts strongly
recommends that international academic records be evaluated by either of the
following approved external evaluation agencies:
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
(AACRAO):
Office of International Education Services One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 520
Washington, DC 20036-1135
Phone: 202.296.3359
Website: http://www.aacrao.org/international/foreignEdCred.cfm
World Education Services (WES): Bowling Green
Station P.O. Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087
Phone: 212.966.6311
Website: http://www.wes.org/application/
DECLARATION OF FINANCES The United States Citizen and Immigration Service requires that
international applicants submit to SVA a declaration of finances (DOF) indicating
that the applicant has financial resources adequate to provide for his or her
educational expenses without resorting to unauthorized employment. The amount
declared must reflect the total sum of tuition, fees and living expenses for
one academic year of study (see
Student Expenses) and must be dated within one year of initial enrollment
at SVA. The DOF supplied with the application must be completed and returned to
the Office of Admissions.
VERIFICATION OF FINANCES All funds declared on the DOF must be substantiated by a verification of
finances (VOF) letter from an officer of the student's bank or sponsor's bank.
All documents must be in English and in U.S. dollars, or the current exchange rate
must be supplied by the bank. If this is not possible, a translation of the
documents will be accepted if signed and sealed by an appropriate government or
bank official. All supporting documentation must be dated within one year of
initial enrollment at the SVA. Official and original documentation must be
provided.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXPENSES The estimated 2010-2011 program expenses for graduate programs that
international students must substantiate in order to enroll is $54,000*. Totals
include tuition, fees, estimated cost of supplies, and living expenses for the
nine month academic year. Costs are subject to annual increases.
*Please note applicants applying to MAT Art Education, MPS Branding, MFA
Design, MFA Interaction Design, MPS Live Action Short Film, MFA Photography,
Video & Related Media, MFA Social Documentary Film or MPS Digital
Photography must substantiate $60,000 on their DOF and VOF in order to cover
program costs. Applicants to the MPS Digital Photography online program must substantiate
$20,000 for the summer semester only.
For information on student visas and other services, click here.
