Admissions
Online Application | Frequently Asked Questions | Graduate Financial Aid
How to Apply
Admission to the graduate program is extremely selective, with fewer than 15% of applicants being accepted for admission. Only those individuals will be admitted in whom the faculty recognizes clear prospects for attaining the objectives of the program during the two-year period of graduate study. The primary criterion for admission is the submitted portfolio of 20 works, followed by recommendations, the artist's statement, and transcript review. Portfolios should be submitted digitally, through SlideRoom, which accepts a number of image, video, and sound formats. The applicant is required to have a B.F.A. degree or equivalent to that offered at SMU (i.e., 60 studio hours, 12 art history hours). Unusually qualified applicants not holding this degree may be considered for admission.
The Division offers up to six full-time scholarships per year, with additional teaching assistantships available. These are awarded by merit to the top applicants. Additional funding is available to support graduate research.
View the application for the M.F.A. program. The deadline for graduate application is February 15 for fall admission which is the only time graduate students are admitted.
In general, not more than six term hours of transfer credit apply to the M.F.A. in Art. However, if the applicant has an M.A. in Studio Art, up to 30 term credit hours may be transferred to the SMU program with the approval of the faculty and the head of the graduate program. In any case, a minimum of 36 hours must be taken at SMU.
Please read carefully before beginning your application:
Deadline and Application Fee
To assure full consideration for the fall term, application should be completed online and ALL supporting materials pertaining to the application for admission should be delivered to the Meadows Graduate Office BEFORE February 15th. Materials received from applicants who do not enroll will be retained by the Meadows Graduate Office for one year. All documents become the property of Southern Methodist University and cannot be returned. A $75.00 non-refundable application fee is required.
Transcripts
Request in writing one official transcript from the Registrar of each college or university previously attended, including summer terms. These may be sent directly to the Meadows Graduate Office. If the transcripts are sent to you, do not open the sealed envelopes, and mail them to the Meadows Graduate Office. A supplementary transcript covering work in progress at the time of the application must be furnished upon completion of that work. International transcripts that are not in English must be accompanied by official translations. We recommend the following services:
- Education Perspective (preferred)
- Foreign Education Credential Service (AACRAO)
- Educational Credential Evaluators
Recommendations
Three letters of recommendation are required. Letters of recommendation should be requested from professors who know the personal and academic qualifications of the applicant. When completing an online application applicants will have the opportunity to arrange for letters to be delivered electronically to the recommenders listed. Applicants will need a valid email address for each recommender and upon submission, notification will be emailed to them directly with instructions on submitting a web-recommendation form on behalf of the applicant. We will also accept drafted letters by mail.
Portfolio Submission
An online portfolio is required of all Art applicants. Please use https://smu.slideroom.com. SlideRoom can accommodate almost all portfolio formats – still images, video, and sound clips. In exceptional cases a physical portfolio may be submitted – please first contact the Division of Art at art@smu.edu or by telephone at 214.768.2489.
Financial Aid
Scholarships and graduate assistantships for qualified, admitted students are available from the graduate division. Candidates for graduate awards are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is not required from international students on the F-1 visa. For additional information, contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, Meadows School of the Arts, P.O. Box 750356, Dallas, Texas 75275-0356 (telephone 214.768.3314).
Additional Documents Required for International Applicants
TOEFL
A score of a least 80 (minimum of 20 in each section) on the TOEFL iBT (or 213 or 550 on older versions of the test) is required of all international applicants whose first language is not English. Before an applicant can be considered for admission into a graduate program, the applicant must request the TOEFL score to be sent from the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey directly to "SMU Meadows School of the Arts", School Code 7640, and the appropriate Department Code in the Humanities category: 15 Fine Arts, Arts, Design. Applicants who have graduated from a U.S. or English-speaking university are exempt from this requirement.
I-20 and F-1 Visa
All international students admitted to a graduate program are required to provide:
- photocopy of passport page that shows official spelling of student’s name (submitted at time of application)
- proof of financial support, usually in the form of a certified letter from a bank (submitted following an offer of admission)
Submission and Contact Information
All materials and/or questions regarding the application process should be directed to the following:
Graduate Admissions
SMU | Meadows School of the Arts
PO BOX 750356
Dallas TX 75275
Or SMU physical address:
Graduate Admissions
SMU | Meadows School of the Arts
6101 Bishop Blvd
Dallas TX 75205
Joe S. Hoselton
Hoselton@smu.edu
214.768.3765