MFA in Art and Media

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.

The tuition and fees below are for students in the MFA Art & Media program based on figures for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

Important Consideration: The tuition and fees for the academic year 2024-2025 are subject to a possible annual increase starting in Fall 2024. Any increase will be announced before July 2024. Therefore, the actual tuition and fees on a student’s bill may differ from the figures shown above.

Example scholarships and grants (in US$)

The expenses listed below are representative and actual figures will differ depending on the student’s individual needs and circumstances.

1. Travel: This is a highly variable cost depending on the student’s situation. The estimates provided in the table are based on one-way economy flights from New York to Abu Dhabi (as of December 2022).

2. Housing: The rent for on-campus housing in a shared 2-bedroom apartment is $8,824 per year. The payments are split and appear on the Fall and Spring semester bills.

3. Books: This estimate is based on input from faculty and students.

4. Living expenses: This is a highly variable cost depending on the student’s situation. A monthly budget of US$1,100 provides a basic standard of student living, based on student input.

5. Health insurance: NYUAD covers the cost of the mandatory health insurance coverage needed for the UAE and international travel.

You will indicate in the application if you want to be considered for an academic merit-based fellowship. The information provided in the application is sufficient and no additional information needs to be submitted by the applicant to receive a fellowship. Academic merit is determined by the selection committee during the admissions process. Top ranked candidates are offered larger scholarships.

There are needs-based grants based on a student's demonstrated financial need. If an applicant reaches the interview stage in the admissions process, that applicant is invited to complete a CSS Profile. The graduate admissions office uses the CSS Profile to assess the applicant’s financial situation. Grant funds are then allocated equitably across the cohort to provide as large a grant as possible to each admitted applicant who has completed the profile.

In past intakes, most admitted applicants were offered scholarships and grants covering 30%-80% of the tuition and fees. The top academically-ranked admitted applicants were offered scholarships and grants covering 80-100% of their tuition & fees.

You will need to source funds to pay for housing, travel, living expenses, and the tuition and fees balance not covered by NYUAD scholarships and grants. These sources usually include:

• Personal and family funds

• Student loans

• External scholarships

EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories. These offices offer financial advice for international students. 

Students are expected to use personal and external funds to cover part of their total expenses. For that reason, you should prepare a budget now so that you are able to focus fully on your studies during the program. 

When preparing a budget it is useful to consider two factors: expense amounts (how much to pay)  and timing (when to pay). Contact the Graduate Admissions office if you would like help creating your own budget.

NYU Payment Plan for tuition and fees:  Students can request a payment plan for tuition and fees from the bursar’s office. The plan allows the student to spread the semester’s charges over the semester as follows: