Admissions
Chloe Chiasson
(MFA 2019, Chubb Fellow 2020)
Located in the heart of the international art world—New York City—the Academy offers a rigorous education in traditional and contemporary drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking techniques, grounded in active critical discourse with a focus on figuration. Professional practices and networking opportunities prepare you for a career in the arts. Learn more by scheduling a portfolio review, visiting our Tribeca campus, or meeting with an alumnus or current student. We look forward to hearing from you!
Meet With Us
Let’s get to know each other! Meet with our Admissions team to learn more about our programs, the application process, faculty, classes, our studios and more. Our contact information is listed below. Do you have general questions for Admissions? Email admissions@nyaa.edu.
Nina Levy
Director · Sculpture
Wade Schuman
Director · Painting
Portfolio
Review
Get feedback on your artwork from our Admissions team before or during application.
Admissions Events
- National Portfolio Days
- Open Studios
- Faculty Demos
- Online & In Person Info Sessions & Faculty Portfolio Reviews
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
2 Years
- Drawing
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Printmaking
- Anatomy
Our MFA is a 60-credit terminal degree completed in-person over two years, with 85% of coursework rooted in studio practice. Choose a concentration in Drawing, Painting, or Sculpture. Add an optional track in Anatomy or Printmaking or choose electives across one or more concentrations to support your focus.
Work directly from live models and receive technical instruction, daily critique, and mentorship, while developing the intellectual and conceptual framework to inform your artistic voice.
Alyssa Monks
SURP 2015
Alyssa Monks
SURP 2015
Certificate of Fine Arts (CFA)
12 months
- Drawing
- Painting
- Sculpture
Our Certificate of Fine Arts is a 36-credit postbaccalaureate program completed in-person over three semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer), offering a full year of studio classes in Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture with a strong focus on anatomy and critical discourse. CFA provides groundwork for MFA application or deepens the practice of working artists returning to their studios. Through critique and art historical study, you’ll develop your artistic voice, build skills in representing the human form, and establish a strong foundation for the next stage of your professional development.
Summer Undergraduate Residency Program (SURP)
1 month · Residency
- Drawing
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Cultural Studies
Our Summer Undergraduate Residency Program is a one-month, immersive, in-person residency offering intensive studio practice in figurative representation from live models across Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture, five days a week, with an emphasis on critical thinking. It’s an opportunity to experience the Academy and the New York City art world alongside a peer group of current undergraduate and recent graduates. Incoming MFA and CFA students receive scholarship awards to put toward the programs they’re entering in the fall. The program is led by Academy faculty, with current MFA students serving as teaching assistants and MFA graduates contributing as instructors. A celebratory exhibition, featuring artworks by student participants, concludes the residency.
Alyssa Monks
SURP 2015
How To Apply
Follow these steps:
1
Create your
account
• Set up your account
• Select your program.
2
Upload Portfolio
& materials
• Submit the required materials through the online portal.
• Requirements listed below.
3
Submit
& pay
• Review your application.
• Submit for Admissions Review.
(*Best to submit prior to deadline.)
• When prompted by Admissions, pay Application
Fee by deadline for Faculty Review.
Start
Application
Highly recommended before applying
Schedule a portfolio review with our Admissions team.
A review provides tips on improving your application and an informal assessment of program readiness.
Application
Requirements
Portfolio
- 20 images (Created in the last 3 – 5 years.)
- 17 Self-directed + 3 Observational Drawings (traditional drawing materials – *life drawings preferred)
Personal statement
- One page. (3 – 4 paragraphs).
- Include: Educational Objectives • Career Goals • Portfolio Description • Why you’ve chose the Academy.
References
- Two references.
- Academic faculty preferred.
- *Recommended: Request at least two weeks prior to deadline.
Transcripts
- Institutions send official transcripts to admissions@nyaa.edu.
- Provide all post-secondary institutions.
- Equivalency: To discuss equivalent studies to undergraduate programs, including atelier certificates, email admissions@nyaa.edu to schedule an appointment.
CV / Resume
- Include all relevant art experience: education, awards, exhibition record, residencies.
Application fee
- $50 due (Admissions will review your application and send instructions upon submission.)
*International Applicants should review the section provided below for further requirements.
Apply
Portfolio
- 15 images (Created in the last 3 – 5 years.)
- 12 Self-directed + 3 Observational Drawings (traditional drawing materials – life drawings preferred)
Personal Statement
- One page. (3 – 4 paragraphs).
- Include: Educational Objectives • Career Goals • Portfolio Description • Why you’ve chose the Academy.
References
- Two references.
- Academic faculty preferred.
- *Recommended: Request at least two weeks prior to deadline.
Transcripts
- Institutions send official transcripts to admissions@nyaa.edu.
- Provide all post-secondary institutions.
- Equivalency: To discuss equivalent studies to undergraduate programs, including atelier certificates, email admissions@nyaa.edu to schedule an appointment.
CV/Resume
- Include all relevant art experience: education, awards, exhibition record, residencies.
Application Fee
- $50 due (Admissions will review your application and send instructions upon submission.)
*International Applicants should review the section provided below for further requirements.
Apply
Portfolio
- 6 -15 images (Created in the last 3 – 5 years.)
Personal Statement
- One page. (3 – 4 paragraphs).
- Include: Educational Objectives • Career Goals • Portfolio Description • Why you’ve chose the Academy.
References
- One reference.
- Academic faculty preferred.
- *Recommended: Request at least two weeks prior to deadline.
Transcripts
- Unofficial transcripts.
- Provide all post-secondary institutions.
- Equivalency: To discuss equivalent studies to undergraduate programs, including atelier programs, email admissions@nyaa.edu to schedule an appointment.
CV/Resume
- Optional
- Include all relevant art experience: education, awards, exhibition record, residencies.
Application Fee
- $25 due (Admissions will review your application and send instructions upon submission.)
*International Applicants should review the section provided below for further requirements.
Apply
Application deadlines
Early Consideration
Deadline – January 16
Notification – February
*Priority for admission and scholarships.
Regular Decision
Deadline – March 20
Notification – April
*Applicants may be placed on a ranked waitlist if spaces are filled.
Regular Decision
Deadline – Rolling — May 1 · June 5 · July 6
*Acceptance depends on availability of remaining seats.
Early Consideration
Deadline – January 16
Notification – February
*Priority for admission and scholarships.
Regular Decision
Deadline – March 20
Notification – April
*Applicants may be placed on a ranked waitlist if spaces are filled.
Regular Decision
Deadline – Rolling — May 1 · June 5 · July 6
*Acceptance depends on availability of remaining seats.
Application deadline
February 27
Admissions notification
March 6
Non-refundable deposit due
March 25
How we review applications
Every application is read carefully by our Faculty Admission Committee in a two-part review.
1 – Blind Review
Committee members assess each portfolio independently, without seeing the applicant’s identity. This stage focuses on four key factors: technical skill, formal knowledge, conceptual awareness, and life drawings.
2 – Holistic Review
The Committee re-examines each portfolio alongside the candidate’s personal statement, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and other supporting materials.
30% Technical skill
The ability to render the illusion of form in two and three dimensions, drawing on the history of technical sophistication
30% Formal knowledge
The ability to combine technical skill, design, composition, and narrative content into a cohesive visual statement.
30% Conceptual awareness
An awareness of the critical underpinnings of contemporary and historical art, and the ability to deploy that knowledge in a visual medium.
10% Life drawings
Level and quality of observational rendering skill.
Student Work
Financial Aid & Tuition
The Academy offers merit-based and need-based scholarships. U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens can apply for Federal Student Aid. A flat tuition rate is charged to all students, whether in-state, out-of-state, or international.
Art scholarships are highly competitive and awarded on a deadline basis, so early application is encouraged. While each student’s reasons for investing in their education are unique, our Financial Aid and Admissions teams are here to help you plan for and understand the process of making a commitment to your education and artistic goals. To find out more, click on the link below.
International Applicants
The Academy welcomes applicants from around the world. International students follow the same application process with a few additional documents: English translation of academic transcripts, proof of English proficiency, and visa documentation upon acceptance. Full requirements, approved translation services, and visa guidance are on the International Applicants page.
Before Applying
No. An undergraduate degree in any field or equivalency is required but it doesn’t have to be in art.
Contact Admissions at admissions@nyaa.edu to determine equivalency.
Yes, as long as your degree is completed before classes begin. Partial official transcripts must be submitted upon application if degree is still in process. Accepted students must submit a final official transcript confirming degree completion.
Not for MFA or CFA. Student Services provides assistance in housing search and connects students with each other. SURP students have the option of student housing for the duration of the residency.
No. The Academy provides a scaffolded educational structure in which you will build skills and a body of work through sequential learning, therefore classes are only available to start in the Fall Semester.
Yes. No part-time or online version is available at this time.
Schedule an online portfolio review with Admissions here.
The Academy teaches traditional and contemporary skills and critical discourse to support you in your personal voice. You are encouraged to pursue your unique vision whether is more traditional or contemporary.
We support the prospect of students working while they are enrolled in our programs, but we know from experience that it’s hard to get the full benefit of the MFA or even the CFA program when you work full-time. Ideally, you would work only part time or not at all to have enough studio time to make progress on your creative practice, mentorship and classes. If you would like to hear how students have balances work and student life, we can put you in contact with an alumnus who has been successful at this.
This is a personal decision, and our students’ experiences vary. If you’re considering waiting, keep in mind that both cost of living and cost of education tend to rise over time, and a gap year—while offering more studio time—can also slow your momentum at a pivotal stage in your growth, and life circumstances may shift your goals along the way. If your portfolio isn’t yet ready for the MFA, we recommend applying to our Certificate of Fine Arts program instead of taking a year off — it builds a stronger portfolio for MFA application and scholarship review. Contact Admissions at admissions@nyaa.edu to discuss your options.
Meet with Admissions for a portfolio review to get tips on presenting your work and gain a deeper understanding of the application requirements. You can make an appointment here.
Yes. You can apply to be a Teaching Assistant in the Summer Undergraduate Residency Program (SURP) between your first and second MFA year and apply to teach in the SURP program after graduation.
Yes, you can find out more about what alumni are doing and what’s happening at the Academy on Instagram.
Your Application
No. The GRE is not required for admission.
We can’t share past applicant portfolios, but you can see current student work on the Student Work page or @newyorkacademyofart on Instagram.
No — a personal statement is required. You’re welcome to submit an artist statement in addition.
Yes. You can continue your application at the opening of the next deadline.
After Applying
Yes. The Academy maintains a ranked waitlist. The number of students admitted from it varies each year.
No. Applicants denied in any of the application periods during the academic year must wait till the next academic year for application. Contact admissions@nyaa.edu to find out how to strengthen your work and application for the following year.
Yes. Accepted applicants may defer admission for up to one year upon payment of the non-refundable deposit. After one year, if you do not attend with your deferral, you will need to apply in the following year.
No. You keep your place in the program, but scholarship awards are reconsidered during the next admissions cycle.
Deadlines and notifications are listed on the website. {link goes here}
Ready to take the
next step