All Boston University School of Visual Arts graduate programs require a complete application for consideration. This includes a portfolio. Applicants applying to any graduate program in the College of Fine Arts must have earned (or expect to earn) a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent). All materials will be submitted electronically. Please see the sections below for full instructions.
Should you have questions that aren’t addressed here, please email the School of Visual Arts or call us at 617-353-3371.
Steps to Apply
Complete your online application form. Be sure to enter all of your personal and academic information as well as the contact information for your recommenders. Begin your application here.
Upload forms: You’ll upload transcripts from all colleges attended (unofficial copies are acceptable), your current résumé/CV, and essay in the online application form. Please scroll down to see “Requirements for All Applicants” for more details.
Please do not send physical transcripts. Transcripts should be uploaded electronically to your application. Remember that unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application.
Submit your portfolio: The fourth quadrant of the online application form links to bucfa.slideroom.com where you will submit your portfolio. This section must be completed before you can submit your application form. For more details and tips about submitting your portfolio, please scroll down to “Portfolio Requirements.”
Submit application: Please pay the application fee using your credit card. Only when the fee is paid will your completed application be sent to Boston University. If the application fee represents a financial hardship please email arts@bu.eduto inquire about a fee waiver.
Portfolio Requirements
All School of Visual Arts graduate programs require a portfolio submission along with the CFA graduate application. All portfolios must be submitted digitally at bucfa.slideroom.com. Please click here to learn more about individual program requirements.
If you are interested in a preliminary portfolio review of your work, please seek us out at a Graduate National Portfolio Day. You may find the details for these events as well as the event schedule at nationalportfolioday.org.
Requirements for All Applicants
Completed application online for graduate admission to the College of Fine Arts.
Portfolio digitally submitted — please note specific portfolio requirements for each major
Non-refundable application fee of $95 submitted using the online application. If you require assistance with the BU application fee due to financial hardship, please contact arts@bu.edu to request a fee waiver code.
Two letters of recommendation from professionals/educators. These must be submitted online through your application.
Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended uploaded to your application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application.
A one-page personal statement indicating the applicant’s purpose in pursuing graduate work, career objectives, and particular interest in BU. Please note that there is a similar question and prompt in Slideroom. Applicants are welcome to use the same response in each location should they choose to.
Current resume and/or CV.
Applicants applying to any graduate program in the College of Fine Arts must have earned (or expect to earn) a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent).
Graduate International Students
For answers to frequently asked questions, please check out the resources of the International Students & Scholars Office. Please know that our graphic design program is not a STEM-designated program, and graduate international applicants must prove English proficiency in one of two ways.
By completing a bachelor’s degree and submitting an official transcript from an institution in which English was the language of instruction before the time of enrollment at BU.
Submitting one of the English proficiency tests listed here with a score that meets or exceeds the minimum requirement.
Join faculty and current students to learn more about the graduate offerings at BU School of Visual Arts. We also encourage prospective graduate students to connect with us at a Graduate National Portfolio Day to receive preliminary feedback on your portfolio.
Grad Graphic Design Thesis Exhibition 2023. Photo by Daniel Pinnolis.April 10, 2023 – Boston, MA. Class photography at Boston University College of Fine Arts. Photo by Doug Levy for Boston University Photography.
