41 replies to this topic

[OutWest]

This is a list compiled by myself, with additions by the fine members of a couple 2012 MFA Forums, that will give next year's applicants a good idea as to what programs give the best funding. If you have any more additions, please feel free to add to! And, best of luck to all you futre MFA applicants. Much love from the 2012 crowd:

By Region, in no particular order:

West

- UCSD (full ride + teaching stipend)
- UC Irvine (I believe there is good funding here, but unsure of details)
- UCLA (both DMA and the regular arts program give up to 100+% funding with teaching)
- USC (many admits get full tuition funding)
- UCSB (full finding + excellent stipend and teaching)
- Stanford (full ride + excellent stipend and teaching)
- UC Berkeley (full ride tuition for instate peeps, out of staters pay difference)
- Mills (not always, but I have heard of 50+% funding here)
- UC Davis (50-70% funding)
- UOregon (full ride + teaching stipend)
- UW (full ride)
- ASU (Arizona State) (full ride) + (50% tuition + Merit Scholarsihps: for International Students)

Midwest

- UIowa (I believe there is full funding avail here)
- Indiana (full ride, I believe)
- UChicago (75% tuition funding + teaching stipend) - KEEP an eye on this program. They are dumping a TON of money into the arts here (esp. with their fabulous Logan Arts Center. A "hidden gem" of a program)
- UI-C (I have heard of good funding here)
- Northwestern (full ride + excellent stipend and teaching)
- SAIC (I hear of one full ride and one half ride per department)
- SIUC (Southern Illinois) (full ride + stipend)
- UMichigan (full ride, first year travel funding, free computer, + stipend)
- Ohio (both state and university) (full rides + stipend to both universities)

(I'm sure there are others in the M-W…)

South

- UGA (Georgia) (excellent funding)
- LSU (Louisiana) (excellent funding)
- UF (Florida) (full funding)
- UTex-Austin (50% or more funding, I have heard of)
- Georgia Tech (MS in Digital Media is a full ride)

East

- Alfred (full ride + stipend)
- RPI / iEAR (half the admits get full finding)
- Carnegie-Mellon (70+% funding)
- RISD (Pres. Scholarships range 40K, 20K and 10K, but most pay)
- Rutgers (heard of full funding)
- SUNY Buffalo (heard of good-to-full funding here)
- Tyler/Temple (sometimes they do offer full funding + stipend to some first year MFAs, but 2nd yr seems to get best funding)
- SFMA (has been known to dish out some decent money, but not all the time)
- Yale (if you are low income, along with your parents (regardless of your age, they ask for your parent's financials), you can qualify for excellent funding. If not, you will pay)
- MIT / ACT (I have heard of around 50% funding)
- Univ of Maryland (full ride + teaching stipend)
- VCU (70+% funding)
- Cornell (full ride + teaching stipend)
- MICA (25-50% tuition for some)
- Bard (heard of there being up to 50% funding)
- Montclair State (heard of excellent funding here)

- Keep an eye out for Dartmouth doing a production orientated "Digital Studies" Masters in the future, and if it is anything like their outstanding "Digital Musics", it'll be a full ride +)

[OutWest]

Note:

Just to clarify, Ohio State and Ohio University are TWO separate schools, and they both have excellent funding

And, it has been brought to my attention that sometimes VCU does not always give 70% funding, and I am going to add that it is safe to assume that just about ANY program is not going to guarantee the funding listed here, but that it is, for most schools, a very good possibility.

[miyamoto81]

This is a great resource, thanks OutWest!

[robet268]

That's a great list! Thanks for putting it together. Real quick I can think of a couple of well funded programs to add.

West:

UNLV (full rides and I think stipends)
Cal State San Bernardino (a friend went here and liked it, heard they offer full ride but don't know much about the school)

South:

USF (full rides)
FSU (friend got in here and she said they all get tuition waivers and stipends)
University of Miami (they offer some students tuition waivers and stipends but not all)
Tulane (full ride)
University of NO (I heard full ride, not sure for all or not)

East:

University of Delaware (offers full ride)
SUNY Stony Brook (tuition waiver and stipend to some. Should mention need to take GRE to get it)
University of Long Island (I heard a full ride is offered to some)
UConn (full rides available?)

I'm sure there are more out there!

[jackthecrow]

Awesome post. I'm sure this is going to help a lot of people out there!

[OutWest]

Thanks tyson2 for the additions! Keep adding 'em in as any of you find out info. on other programs.

That's a great list! Thanks for putting it together. Real quick I can think of a couple of well funded programs to add.

...

I'm sure there are more out there!

[poppysfriend]

Also in California:
UC Irvine: 3 yr program, 100% funding, + paid TA position for all 3 years + stipend fellowship (for living expenses)

Edited by poppysfriend, 05 April 2012 - 02:27 AM.

[ReallyTall]

Georgia State University does full funding + stipend as well. At least their design department does.

[OutWest]

Here's a repost of info from another Forum member on what they were getting from a few schools:

"Hi everyone, here's my choices instead of writing scholarship etc I've just basically put how much of a tuition reduction and how much extra I'd need for the rest (other fees living stipend) these are rough figures and just 1st year!

Calarts - 25% tuition reduction - approx $49K
SFAI - 50% tuition reduction - approx $37K
SVA - 5%ish Approx $55K
ASU - 75% ish Approx $20K

..."

[sculptor]

I'll also add that Washington University in St. Louis is fairly generous. I believe they offer a range of scholarships to different students, but here's what they offered me (Tuition there is $34K/year, 2-year program): merit scholarship + teaching assistantship for both years totaling $24K. Not too bad. Also, you can apply to the Olin Fellowship for women, which offers full tuition remission, and/or the Chancellor's Fellowship, which offers full tuition remission plus a huge stipend. They also have a generous fellowship for international students. I highly recommend applying to their program.

[lfwd]

@OutWest - great list! I'm sure future applicants will find that very helpful.

Just a minor edit - in the East section you mention "SFMA", but I think you probably meant "SMFA" - School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Also, I get the impression that they give out just under 1/3 funding to a lot of people, probably some get more than that, and two people are chosen to receive full tuition.

[OutWest]

Indeed, my bad...I did mean SMFA Boston. Dyslexic fingers.

Thanks for the addition of info!

@OutWest - great list! I'm sure future applicants will find that very helpful.

Just a minor edit - in the East section you mention "SFMA", but I think you probably meant "SMFA" - School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Also, I get the impression that they give out just under 1/3 funding to a lot of people, probably some get more than that, and two people are chosen to receive full tuition.

[caus]

UC Davis offered a TA which covers in-state tuition plus a stipend (stipend amounts make it a wash for paying out of state first yr)
UMD College Park offered a full ride plus stipend
Tyler offered a TA for two semesters which covered 1/2 tuition plus stipend (so it amounts to 25% tuition reduction)
UNC Chapel Hill would cover tuition with the TA
U South Florida was full tuition, fellowship first yr, TA stipend in 2nd and 3rd years

[OutWest]

Here's some info on Parsons from another post:


"For those who got accepted to Parsons. How much merit based scholarship did you receive?

Apparently it goes up to 65%

Last year someone got 75%

But of course that's like very few people get a lot - they tend to dole out a little bit of money to many people in that program, so some people might get like 20% or less - but most people get something, I think"

[pourtant]

FYI: Digital Media MS at Georgia Tech is not a guaranteed full ride. I'm actually deciding whether or not to do this program and basically they say that assistantships are NOT a given, it's up to you to find one before you start the program, and people with good tech skills (like programming) have a better chance of getting one.

Another to add to your list is the DANM program at UC Santa Cruz.

[OutWest]

...Another to add to your list is the DANM program at UC Santa Cruz.

BTW...UCSC DANM, as far as I have researched, and a couple of friends who applied and/or went there, does not have terrific funding. But, it does have some.

[miyamoto81]

Just fyi, for all you painters and/or sculptors out there:

http://joanmitchellf...tist-grants/mfa

[Twashell]

Does anyone know if UC Riverside (west) provides funding?

[OutWest]

This is a good question...I have heard that it is comparable to the other UC's such as UC Irvine and UCSB, which have excellent funding. I didn't see financials listed on the UCR website, but send them an email asking about funding/TAships, etc. and I'm sure they will fill you in.

Good luck!

Does anyone know if UC Riverside (west) provides funding?

[Andre Friedmann]

I don't know if this is still true, but after I got out of Yale in the early 1980s the new Dean of the School of Art explained in a newsletter that -- for each dollar of tuition billed out (before any money rolled in) -- the School rerouted thirty-nine cents toward internal, student-funded scholarships. I interpreted that as unwitting wealthy students acting as the overwhelming source of free aid money for poor students.