Miso

exactly, if your artwork is good enough the "artworld" will find you and it won't be because of your mfa program. I think we give these schools a lil too much credit sometimes, so many successful artists didn't even get a masters. Side Note: You've had 10 years out of undergrad, I imagine your portfolio is so polished and your CV list must be like 2-3 pages long! Are you afraid professors reviewing your application may think you're overqualified? I've heard rumors and think it's totally unfair, every program should make room for more experienced applicants in their 30's.

@SocialKonstruct Congrats on completing your second app! Is there a reason you're submitting applications so early? I would think you would use these last months to completely polish written statements and add more strong pieces to your portfolio. @everyone: okay so I don’t think safe schools exists for fully funded MFA programs, they basically pay you to attend so the 5% acceptance rates make sense. (even tho if you don’t have parents helping you with rent…a 12k-30k stipend won’t be much and you’ll have to get a job while attending grad school) But even with all this said, does anyone know a fully funded program with larger class sizes? Every school I look at has a current class size of between 5-10 students at most. I am thinking if I can find one with a class size of 20-25 then that school must have higher acceptance rates.

That is dope, love that you're betting on yourself! I know you will accomplish that goal if you put in the work I think it is totally worth applying to MFA programs in prime locations. You never know if you will receive a full ride due to an excellent portfolio. But for future students that may be reading this forum years from now: If you aren't lucky enough to get a full ride to Yale, Columbia, SAIC, etc...then you will be taking on 80k-100k in debt when you account for tuition and living expenses. Now maybe you enter the art world and make millions and pay that debt off instantly. But that is rare, that's like a kid making the NBA. So think long and hard about the risk you're taking, if you don't make it big in the art world you'll realistically be like the thousands of other MFA graduates making 50k and paying off loans their entire lives. Best advice I can give any artists is know your worth....don't feel rushed to settle for a bad situation, either receive a good scholarship or go to a fully funded program. Please don't get scammed by these schools...I beg you. (okay my lil rant is over lol)

Thanks for adding this, I'm sure this will help a lot of people. I've seen this article before and overall I think it depends on the person because everyone's goals are different. If you aspire to be a full time artists and sell your artwork to rich art collectors at auctions....then being near New York or LA would be ideal. So places like Yale or UCLA would be perfect. But if someone has the goal of becoming a fully tenured art professor, going to Yale would be a financially bad decision. (unless you're the lucky 1 applicant that gets a full ride) But for future art professors, you can go to a random fully funded program like Ohio, the prestige and location of a school is less significant for people with these goals. So the idea this article gives about an MFA program only being worth it if you attend a top program...I only think this is true for a certain group of people.

No problem! Here is another list of fully funded MFA programs: https://dontpayforgradschool.weebly.com/funded-mfa-studio-art.html Although it was created in 2015, I've been double checking and everything is still really accurate. Whoever created this list also included a list of schools you should avoid. Hope this helps you find the best program for you, rooting for you!!

Hiii, This forum definitely is sparse, will probably become more frequent closer to deadlines and interviews. Would love for the lurkers to create accounts and say anything lol...probably over 1,000 people applying to MFA programs but less than 10 people in this forum haha. For all my lurkers out there, I was once a lurker too, it is completely free to make an account and takes 2 seconds, and everything is anonymous. You aren't alone in this stressful process, we want ya'll in here too. But anyways, i know a lot of good MFA programs for painting+drawing that are fully funded and give good stipend. It is hard for me to suggest a school because a lot goes into finding the best fit for you. Like location, what you plan on pursuing after grad school, if professors artwork connects to you, if previous students work connects to you, etc. I suggest just doing a lot of research and figuring out what programs are best for you. UC Davis MFA program is slept on though.

I feel you!! This is my second year applying too, I graduated June 21' and applied that same year in December. I was a bit naive to how difficult it is to get into an MFA program(especially fully funded ones)...so I was denied by all 3 programs. Having another year to work on art really allowed me to have a more polished portfolio. This time I'm applying to 7 different fully funded programs that give good stipend, although I'm confident in my art, written papers, and recommendation letters....there is still a very anxious/nervous feeling of going 0 for 7 like you explained. So initially I thought I should find a safe school so I don't have to go through this again but it's just not worth it. I would be unhappy being at a program that isn't worth my time.

Thank you for the response! I've been thinking lately, and I would love to know that I am likely to be accepted into 1 of the 7 programs I am applying to, but everything that is worth it is going to be hard. I wouldn't be happy settling for a program and location, if it takes multiple years to get into an ideal program for me I think that is worth it.

@SocialKonstruct hope you get into UCLA, there's small stipend but they do waive tuition. I'm rooting for you! Be careful with those other schools, I don't think any program is worth taking on more debt. But perhaps you come from a wealthy family that can afford it. UGA is actually on my list, the website says 10 students are accepted to the program but it doesn't give information about how many people apply. My guess would be 200 or more which makes their acceptance rate 5% or less. I wonder if there is a fully funded MFA program that has an acceptance rate of at least 30%? Because all these other fully funded programs are basically long shots, if you get accepted to a program with a 5% or less acceptance rate you are one lucky person. And personally, I'm not trying to go to a non fully funded program just because their acceptance rate is higher.

And this is for everyone who eventually sees it, do less competitive fully funded MFA in painting/drawing programs exists? I am looking at several list for fully funded MFA programs and there's a consistent theme of programs having over 200 applicants and accepting like 7 people. I understand why these programs are so competitive but I'm trying to find at least one that doesn't have the typical 5% or less acceptance rate.

@SocialKonstruct what are you getting your MFA in? (creative writing, painting/drawing, photography, etc) Also, what 10 or 11 programs are you looking at?