Apply

Prepare the following required information when you are ready to start an application:

• Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended (copies accepted)

• Proof of English Proficiency (select the appropriate option in the application)

  • You are from a designated list of English-speaking countries

  • You have completed at least 4 years in a university program taught entirely in English

  • Self-reported test scores for proof of English proficiency. Minimum scores: Academic IELTS = 6.5 / TOEFL iBT = 90 / DuoLingo = 120.

• A current CV or resume

• Essays responding to specific prompts provided in the application. Essays give you the opportunity to fully present yourself to the Selection Committee, and to provide insight into your experiences, goals, and thought processes.

• Two letters of recommendation. You will provide the name, title and email of two recommenders. They will receive a request from NYUAD to upload a letter of recommendation for your application. 

• Artist’s Portfolio. Please view more information in the Artist’s Portfolio section below.

You have the option in the application to indicate if you would like to be considered for an academic merit-based scholarship. No other information needs to be included in the application.

Any information or materials submitted to NYU Abu Dhabi after the final application deadline are not guaranteed to be reviewed or considered by the Selection Committee.

You will receive an email when there are updates to your application status that can be viewed on the Application Status Portal. Your final official decision will be posted to your status page, and an admission decision from any other source of communication will be not considered official nor binding.

NYU Abu Dhabi reserves the right to validate the accuracy of your application information with appropriate sources, including the right to contact relevant individuals and organizations.

1. Verification: After submitting your application, the admissions office checks that all supporting documents have been uploaded correctly and are readable. After this verification, the applications are made available to the Selection Committee for the initial review.

2. Initial Review: The Selection Committee begins reviewing submitted applications after the application deadline. The committee looks at information from all parts of the application to form a complete picture of the applicant’s potential fit with the program.

3. Shortlist: The Selection Committee places applicants who have the best fit for the program on a “shortlist”. These applicants are invited to an interview with the Selection Committee (usually online).

4. Interview: During the interview, the applicant has the opportunity to provide more details about their motivations, education and experience. This gives the Selection Committee a more complete understanding of the applicant before making an admissions decision.

5. Admissions Decision: Applicants who are offered admission will be notified by email to check the Application Status Portal where the admission letter can be viewed and downloaded. The applicant needs to confirm acceptance of the offer.

6. Offer Acceptance: The applicant confirms acceptance of the admission offer via the Application Status Portal and pays the confirmation deposit.

Note! You must receive a UAE security clearance, and obtain an appropriate UAE visa if required by your residency status. NYU Abu Dhabi will facilitate these processes for admitted students. If for any reason you cannot obtain the security clearance or visa, your admissions offer may be rescinded.

The MFA application requires you to submit an artist’s portfolio. The total number of submitted works cannot exceed 20 items of your recent artwork. This is an integral part of the admissions review process.

Videos for time-based work can be submitted in place of digital images. Videos can be a compilation of various works, but the total running time cannot exceed five minutes per video. Genres appropriate to video documentation include video art, performance, and kinetic art, but not documentation of sculptures or exhibitions. 

All portfolios must be submitted via the NYUAD MFA online application. Do not send hard copies of your portfolio or artwork to NYU Abu Dhabi. Such materials cannot be appended to your application file, nor can such submissions be returned to applicants.

• Media files up to 5GB 

• These file formats are supported:
  [Slide] .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
  [Video] 3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv; Apple ProRes is supported.