Admission Procedures

Eligibility

Washington University encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid and employment. The university does not discriminate in access to, treatment in or employment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or genetic information.

Admissions

The application instructions for the upcoming fall semester are available on our Graduate Admissions webpage. Candidates cannot apply for spring enrollment.

Admissions decisions are based on the applicant's portfolio, academic records or transcripts from institution attended, a resume or CV, a statement of objectives, writing samples (for the MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture only), and three letters of recommendation. Applicants may be admitted to the MFA program upon completion of the BFA degree or equivalent academic preparation. Specific requirements include a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and good writing skills.

International Student Admissions

Applicants for whom English is not the native language must submit a score report for one of the tests below in order to obtain admission to the MFA program:

  1. the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), with a minimum acceptable score of 90 (traditional iBT only; we do not accept the TOEFL iBT Home Edition);
  2. the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module, with a minimum composite score of 6.5; or
  3. the Duolingo English Test, with a minimum acceptable score of 115.

To ensure that we receive your official test score results:

  • TOEFL test takers must use our institution code (6929) when making arrangements with the testing agency for score reporting.
  • IELTS score results must be delivered to us electronically via the IELTS Results Service e-Delivery system. Be sure to use the name of our E-Delivery Account: Washington University in St. Louis.
  • Duolingo test takers must individually email their test results as a PDF attachment to the Graduate Admissions Coordinator.

TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo scores and the written essay do not in and of themselves presume adequate qualification for study. Functional English and familiarity with additional art-related terminology are required upon entrance in order to pass course work. In addition, international students may be interviewed prior to the issuance of an I-20 for a student visa.

International students will receive specific instructions regarding the necessary financial documentation for visa purposes when admission letters are issued.

Contact Info

Phone:314-935-2740
Email:samfoxgradadmissions@wustl.edu
Website:https://samfoxschool.wustl.edu/admissions/graduate