Chloe Chiasson
(MFA 2019, Chubb Fellow 2020)
Admissions
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.
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
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
Adjunct Faculty
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
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
MFA 2021
Vincent Desiderio
Senior Critic
Certificate of Fine Arts (CFA)
12 months
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
Our Summer Undergraduate Residency Program is a one-month, immersive, in-person residency of intensive studio practice in figurative representation from live models, spanning Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture five days a week, with an emphasis on critical thinking.
Participants experience the Academy and the New York City art world alongside a peer group of undergraduates and recent graduates. Led by Academy faculty, with MFA students as teaching assistants and MFA graduates as instructors, the residency concludes with a celebratory exhibition of participants’ work.
Incoming MFA and CFA students receive scholarship awards toward their fall programs.
Michael Weiss
CFA 2019, MFA 2020
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 & submit your application.
(Best to submit prior to deadline)
• Pay the application fee via email link by deadline for faculty review.
• Pay the application fee via email link by deadline for faculty review.
Ready to apply?
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 total
- 17 Self-Directed Pieces
- 3 Observational Drawings
Observational drawings should be done in traditional drawing materials (pencil, graphite, pen) and drawn from life.
All work should have been created in the last 3 – 5 years.
Personal Statement
- One page (3 – 4 paragraphs)
Your statement should include your educational objectives, career goals, portfolio description and why you’ve chose the Academy.
2 Letters of Recommendation
- Two letters of recommendation are required.
Letters from academic faculty are preferred.
We recommend requesting your letters of at least two weeks prior to deadline.
Official Transcripts
- All post-secondary institutions must send official transcripts to admissions@nyaa.edu.
- 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 below for further requirements.
Portfolio
- 15 Images total
- 12 Self-Directed Pieces
- 3 Observational Drawings
Observational drawings should be done in traditional drawing materials (pencil, graphite, pen) and drawn from life.
All work should have been created in the last 3 – 5 years.
Personal Statement
- One page (3 – 4 paragraphs)
Your statement should include your educational objectives, career goals, portfolio description and why you’ve chose the Academy.
2 Letters of Recommendation
- Two letters of recommendation are required.
Letters from academic faculty are preferred.
We recommend requesting your letters of at least two weeks prior to deadline.
Official Transcripts
- All post-secondary institutions must send official transcripts to admissions@nyaa.edu.
- 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 below for further requirements.
Portfolio
- 6 -15 Images total
All work should have been created in the last 3 – 5 years.
Personal Statement
- One page (3 – 4 paragraphs)
Your statement should include your educational objectives, career goals, portfolio description and why you’ve chose the Academy.
1 Letter of Recommendation
- One letter of recommendation is required.
Letters from academic faculty are preferred.
We recommend requesting your letters of at least two weeks prior to deadline.
Unofficial Transcripts
- 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 (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 below for further requirements.
Application Deadlines
Early Consideration
Apply By – January 22
Decision Notification By- February 19
Enrollment Deposit Deadline – March 19
Priority Admission & Scholarship Consideration
Regular Decision
Apply By – March 26
Decision Notification By – April 23
Enrollment Deposit Deadline – May 7
Applicants may be placed on a ranked waitlist if spaces are filled.
Late Decision applications are considered only if space remains available after the Regular Decision deadline.
Early Consideration
Apply By – January 22
Decision Notification By – February 19
Enrollment Deposit Deadline – March 19
Priority Admission & Scholarship Consideration
Regular Decision
Apply By – March 26
Decision Notification By – April 23
Enrollment Deposit Deadline – May 7
Applicants may be placed on a ranked waitlist if spaces are filled.
Late Decision applications are considered only if space remains available after the Regular Decision deadline.
Early Consideration
Apply By – Feb 19
Decision Notification By – March 5
Enrollment Deposit Deadline – March 26
Remaining Tuition Balance Due By – May 7
Late Decision applications are considered only if space remains available after the Regular Decision deadline. Applicants are encouraged to apply during the Early Consideration or Regular Decision rounds whenever possible.
| Round | Apply By | Decision Notification By | Enrollment Deposit Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Decision I | May 7, 2027 | May 21, 2027 | May 28, 2027 |
| Late Decision II | June 4, 2027 | June 18, 2027 | June 25, 2027 |
| Late Decision III | July 2, 2027 | July 16, 2027 | July 23, 2027 |
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.
Admissions
Calendar
2027
| January 6 | Wednesday | Spring registration opens |
| January 20 | Wednesday | Spring semester begins |
| January 22 | Friday | MFA priority application deadline |
| February 3 | Wednesday | Portfolio Review day |
| March 2 | Tuesday | Open Studios |
| March 16 | Tuesday | Spring break, no classes |
| March 26 | Friday | CFA Application deadline |
| April 15 | Thursday | Accepted Students Day |
| May 8 | Saturday | Final critiques begin |
| May 22 | Saturday | Spring semester ends |
| May 31 | Monday | SURP residency Session One begins |
| June 2 | Wednesday | Summer Exhibition artwork drop-off |
| June 11 | Friday | Summer Exhibition opening |
| July 5 | Monday | SURP residency Session Two begins |
| August 1 | Sunday | Fall enrollment deadline |
| September 8 | Wednesday | Fall semester begins |
Alumni 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?