University of South Florida

School of Art & Art History

USF College of Design, Art & Performance

MFA in Studio Art Admission Process

Students interested in applying to the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art at the USF School of Art & Art History should read the requirement list first, then follow the steps listed below under How to Apply. Please note that admissions are for the fall term only.

Graduate Admissions Deadline: January 15

MFA Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art degree:

  • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited university or art school.
  • Meet at least one of the following criteria:
    • Earned a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
    • Earned a “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) average or better in all upper division studies as an undergraduate student. (The GRE is not required but may be used for admission purposes if the applicant chooses to do so.)
  • Successful acceptance of a portfolio of artworks by the School of Art & Art History faculty (see How to Apply for more information).

How to Apply to the MFA program

Admissions are for fall term only.

Applications are accepted starting September 1st with a deadline of January 15. Please read carefully all of the information provided below. Follow the numbered steps below to start the admissions process.

Step 1: Apply to the University of South Florida

Complete the electronic application and fee payment for USF graduate admissions by January 15th. You will be required to submit your application fee of $30 US dollars electronically.  All official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Official transcripts from each community college, college or university you have attended are required.

For questions about admissions, please contact Ryne Heslin.

Step 2: Submit application materials to the School of Art & Art History

Submit the following materials electronically via SlideRoom. Detailed instructions and a tutorial are available in the link above to assist you in the online submission process. There is a cost of $12 to submit your materials, including your portfolio. You will pay this fee electronically when you submit your materials on SlideRoom;

  • Artist Statement (For more information about an artist statement, Click Here)
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation are to be submitted through Slideroom and are optional
  • Portfolio

Please submit any combination of the following which best suits your work:  Images, video, animation, film, audio works, performance documentation:
Up to 20 Still Images or 12 minutes of time-based medium

Each individual time-based work or documentation of work should be under 3 minutes in duration for a combined total of no longer than 12 minutes (Suggested format for video, animation, film, performance, audio, etc.)

If combining still images and time-based media, please consider each minute of time-based media to be equivalent to two still images. For example: A portfolio that includes 5 minutes of time-based media may also include 10 images.  

Files supported by Slideroom (.jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .tif, .tiff, mp3, wma)

If there are problems with interactive art, sound art or other submissions, contact Ryne Heslin

For questions regarding portfolios and portfolio submission, please contact Professor Noelle Mason, MFA Coordinator.

Step 3: International Students (only)

International applicants from non-English- speaking countries or who have not earned a degree in the United States must provide a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 taken within two years of the desired term of entry, a minimum PTE-A score of 53 or a minimum TOEFL score of 79 (internet-based test), 213 (computer-based test) or 550 (written test). Official scores must be submitted to USF directly from the testing agency, but applicants should upload unofficial copies of their test score reports to expedite the processing of their applications. Any admission granted using unofficial scores will not be finalized until official scores are received from the testing agency.

Please review the Graduate Requirements & Deadlines for International Students at the USF Office of Admissions for important application instructions. International students must fulfill English proficiency requirements.

Contact Us

For questions about curricular requirements, application procedures, transfer credits, procedural issues, costs, financial aid, policies, and and to schedule a tour, please contact our graduate advisor, Ryne Heslin.

Office: FAH 246
Email: rheslin@usf.edu
Phone: (813) 974-9240

Professor Noelle Mason is the faculty coordinator of the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program. Contact her at nmason@usf.edu to find out more about our graduate program, including:

  • our philosophy or direction of the program
  • disciplines or concentrations offered
  • description of the faculty and areas of expertise
  • other faculty at USF for interdisciplinary study
  • organizations on campus or in the community
  • details about events
  • research opportunities
  • responsibilities associated with graduate assistantships
  • matching your interests to our programs
  • questions about portfolios and portfolio submission.