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School of Visual Arts (SVA)
Manhattan, New York City United States
# 20QS WUR Ranking By Subject
11Undergraduate programs
19Postgraduate programs
51,400 USDTuition Fee/year
About School of Visual Arts (SVA)
SVA's urban-style campus comprises 16 buildings with state-of-the-art studio facilities, workshops, residence halls, and gallery spaces. As the creative capital of the world, New York City is home to more artists than any other U.S. city, with a creative workforce of 300,000. It is also home to over 14,000 creative businesses and non-profits. Students come here to be immersed in real-world experience. Surrounded by a thriving and artistic urban environment during their years at SVA, students are able to transition to the working world with ease, finding unique opportunities for internships and mentorships.
About School of Visual Arts (SVA)
SVA's urban-style campus comprises 16 buildings with state-of-the-art studio facilities, workshops, residence halls, and gallery spaces. As the creative capital of the world, New York City is home to more artists than any other U.S. city, with a creative workforce of 300,000. It is also home to over 14,000 creative businesses and non-profits. Students come here to be immersed in real-world experience. Surrounded by a thriving and artistic urban environment during their years at SVA, students are able to transition to the working world with ease, finding unique opportunities for internships and mentorships.
Available programs
Bachelor UG
Master PG
Arts and Humanities (1)
BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects
BFA Advertising
BFA Animation
BFA Comics
BFA Design
BFA Film
BFA Fine Arts
BFA Illustration
BFA Interior Design: Built Environments
BFA Photography and Video
BFA Visual and Critical Studies
Arts and Humanities (1)
MA Curatorial Practice
MA Design Research, Writing and Criticism
MA/MAT Art Education
MFA Art Practice
MFA Computer Arts
MFA Design
MFA Design for Social Innovation
MFA Fine Arts
MFA Illustration as Visual Essay
MFA Interaction Design
MFA Photography, Video and Related Media
MFA Products of Design
MFA Social Documentary Film
MFA Visual Narrative
MPS Art Therapy
MPS Branding
MPS Digital Photography
MPS Fashion Photography
MPS Film Directing
University information
Undergraduate Admissions:
SVA reviews applicants for admission on a rolling basis and for as long as space is available in our programs. Priority is given to applications submitted by the below postmark deadlines:
Fall Admission
· December 1 - Early Action Deadline (non-binding early admission for first-time freshmen)
· February 1 - First-time Freshmen Deadline for Scholarship Consideration
· March 1 - Transfer Applicant Deadline for Scholarship Consideration
Spring Admission
· October 1 - Deadline for International Applicants
· November 1 - Deadline for Freshmen and Transfer Scholarship Consideration
Please visit sva.edu/howtoapply for details regarding our admissions requirements including the following:
1. Application
2. Application Fee
3. Statement of Intent
4. Portfolio
5. High School/College Transcripts
6. Demonstration of English Proficiency (if English is not your primary language)
Graduate Admissions:
Each graduate program has its own application requirements. You can find application requirements for all programs here.
Student life
The Student Engagement and Leadership Office provides a diverse range of programming designed to enrich the SVA student's experience. Students are offered the opportunity to tap into a multitude of social, cultural, educational and recreational activities. Students are encouraged to take advantage of all New York City has to offer.
The Visual Arts Student Association (VASA), the student government, represents the students' point of view at SVA. Participating in VASA gives students the opportunity to develop leadership skills by coordinating events and activities. VASA funds and supports a number of clubs and activities that are organized by students.
SVA Career Development supports students and alumni in building their professional networks while providing them with the information and resources they need to prosper as creative professionals. In addition to offering educational workshops and career counseling, the office facilitates industry networking opportunities that directly connect students with professionals. Recruiters from top creative companies visit campus (in person or virtually) to meet with students, review portfolios and promote their employment opportunities.
Career Development also manages the College’s Internship-for-Credit Program , allowing qualified juniors, seniors and graduate students to earn credit while gaining hands-on experience working with creative professionals. You may also find information on Career Development’s Resources , Employer Services and Fulbright at SVA on their respective pages.
The School of Visual Arts uses College Central Network as its official résumé and job posting service. It gives students and alumni access to thousands of new job listings each year by reputable creative companies who seek SVA talent.
Tuition fee and scholarships
Domestic Students
International Students
One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.
In this guide you will find:
Where to look for scholarship opportunities
How to apply to scholarships relevant to you
A list of available scholarships around the world
A scholarship application checklist
2024-2025 Undergraduate Tuition
Full-time Tuition: $25,700 per semester (full-time registration is considered 12-15 credits; 12-16 for Visual & Critical Studies).
For Graduate program tuition, please visit this page.
Rankings & ratings
School of Visual Arts (SVA) is one of the top private universities in New York City, United States. It is ranked #20 in QS WUR Ranking By Subject 2024.
QS WUR Ranking By Subject
QS WUR Ranking By Subject
School of Visual Arts (SVA)
Videos & media
Videos & media
Campus locations
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FAQs
A portfolio is simply a collection of work that represents an individual‘s creative and technical experiences and accomplishments. No two portfolios are alike and each is reviewed based on an applicant’s unique background and education. The ideal portfolio will consist of 15 to 20 images, including a minimum of 3 pieces created from direct observation. Though applicants may want to include examples of work from past years, especially to demonstrate growth, it is more important to submit work that represents current skills and experiences. It is also important to submit work that speaks to an applicant’s strength. You can see our full portfolio guidelines here .
SVA does not offer double major or minor options for our BFA programs. However, we do have opportunities to take electives in every BFA program.