MFA Art at University of Illinois Chicago

Programme overview

The MFA in Art is a studio-based graduate degree in the School of Art. Candidates complete a public exhibition or showing, a major paper and a documented project; there is no comprehensive exam.

Faculty: College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts | Department: School of Art | Duration: 64 semester hours minimum | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chicago, IL, United States

What you will study

Required: Advanced Critique (ART 400), Seminar in Contemporary Theory (ART 520), Advanced Graduate Critique (ART 530) and Advanced Art (ART 580), plus at least 12 hours of graduate electives; two art history courses are strongly recommended.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Minimum GPA 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours of undergraduate study. Portfolio of 12 images of current work. Three letters of recommendation, a personal statement (500 words maximum), resume/CV and transcripts. International applicants: TOEFL iBT 80 (before 1/21/2026) or 4.5 overall (on or after).

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate and professional programmes admit for Fall, Spring and Summer terms depending on the programme; applications for Fall 2027, Spring 2028 and Summer 2028 are expected to open on August 1, 2026.

Graduate and professional application deadlines are set per programme, with separate deadlines for domestic and international applicants for most non-online programmes; optional earlier priority, recommended or fellowship dates apply to both. Applications are made through the UIC graduate application or a centralized application service for some professional programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://grad.uic.edu/admissions/

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