MFA 2026 Freak out Forum

[gabagoolio]

Hi everyone! I applied to the following programs for painting:

University of Georgia

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Rutgers

Colorado Boulder

University at Buffalo

I've already received my first rejection from UGA.  I would love to know if anyone has heard back from the other schools on my list. Wishing everyone the best of luck!!!!!

[lrnpntng]

2 hours ago, sylvanian2000 said:

I am still waiting to hear back from Northwestern, UW Madison, RISD and VCU, has anyone else heard back from any of these? for painting specifically. 

I also applied to UW Madison for painting, haven't heard anything back. I know that's not helpful but maybe can offer some comfort lol. I think we'll know soon, like in the beginning of February. 

[sylvanian2000]

16 hours ago, lrntlmn said:

I also applied to UW Madison for painting, haven't heard anything back. I know that's not helpful but maybe can offer some comfort lol. I think we'll know soon, like in the beginning of February. 

It does! For sure better than finding out that others have received an invitation from them and I havent. 

[crash1996]

omg just got an interview request from WashU (for their illustration MFA)!!! YAAAY

[No-Evidence8843]

I didn't apply to either school, but for other folks, is this University of Washington, or Washington University, St, Louis?

[crash1996]

1 minute ago, No-Evidence8843 said:

I didn't apply to either school, but for other folks, is this University of Washington, or Washington University, St, Louis?

washington university st louis! not sure about the university of washington timeline

[tooold4artschool]

On 1/22/2026 at 3:48 PM, valvalval said:

Received an interview for SVA yesterday  

Which program?  

[valvalval]

6 hours ago, tooold4artschool said:

Which program?  

Visual arts

[Yoasianguy]

UT Austin (Printmaking) just sent out their interview request!

[Foehn]

good evening!

I hope everyone is hanging on and not going too crazy refreshing their email. I wanted to give a quick update for anyone waiting to hear back from UCs. 

So far I've received interview requests from UC Riverside and UC Davis. Their applications were due the first week of January. I was a little surprised I heard from Riverside about a week after their due date, especially considering one of my letters of rec was five days late. Still waiting to hear back from schools with apps due mid-January (Irvine, San Diego, VCU, UW).

UC Davis is one of the schools I applied to last year, so I'm really excited to hear from them this time around. Last year it was radio silence until I received a rejection in late February. Happy to see that the strategic changes I made to my application made a difference!

 

Edited January 27 by Foehn

[crash1996]

6 hours ago, Foehn said:

good evening!

I hope everyone is hanging on and not going too crazy refreshing their email. I wanted to give a quick update for anyone waiting to hear back from UCs. 

So far I've received interview requests from UC Riverside and UC Davis. Their applications were due the first week of January. I was a little surprised I heard from Riverside about a week after their due date, especially considering one of my letters of rec was five days late. Still waiting to hear back from schools with apps due mid-January (Irvine, San Diego, VCU, UW).

UC Davis is one of the schools I applied to last year, so I'm really excited to hear from them this time around. Last year it was radio silence until I received a rejection in late February. Happy to see that the strategic changes I made to my application made a difference!

 

congrats, i hope those interviews go well!! just out of curiosity, what strategic changes did you make between your UC Davis application last year and this year that you think made a difference? :^)

Edited January 27 by crash1996

[Foehn]

9 hours ago, crash1996 said:

congrats, i hope those interviews go well!! just out of curiosity, what strategic changes did you make between your UC Davis application last year and this year that you think made a difference? :^)

I expanded my faculty of interest, which I think was pretty critical. Last year I named three and only one of them will be on my interview panel this year, along with one of the new additions. I've learned that if the faculty you name aren't interested in your work or aren't focused on mentoring grad students that year, they'll pass on your application. I had to look outside of my usual mediums to find professors who deal with similar themes in their work. 

My portfolio the first time around also contained a lot of work that was a couple years old and didn't really reflect what my current practice is. I added 10 new images that linked everything together more seamlessly. Similarly, my statements for this year were more focused on the present and future goals I have for my work, rather than explaining work that I had made in the past. 

[tooold4artschool]

The last post has me wondering whether it is better to be specific regarding faculty, in the hopes that your work will resonate with that person, or vague, in the hope that your work will directed to the reviewer that the admissions folks think can best evaluate your work.  I've done both, in an attempt to balance being genuine with meeting expectations, and I cannot say yet what the outcome will be.  Any actual experiences?  

[ferretpalace]

Hey all, just got an interview for SAIC!

[Zipperhead]

Congrats! What program did you apply for? 

[ferretpalace]

15 minutes ago, Zipperhead said:

Congrats! What program did you apply for? 

Thank you! painting and drawing.

[artworkaholic]

Hy people!! I came to share that I just received a interview invite from BU! I applied for the Visual Narratives program.

Edited January 28 by artworkaholic

[crash1996]

just got an interview request for boston university (visual narrative, specifically)! the interviews slots were for the week of february 9th

[mindyourbees]

Hey y'all, so grateful to be joining this freak out party! Still very new to the world of visual art and this is my first time applying - very much appreciate being able to share our experiences!

Thus far, I've been invited to three interviews:

• UW-Madison (Contemporary 3D Practices - woodworking & furniture)
• UT Knoxville (Sculpture)
• UGA (Sculpture)

I'm still waiting to hear back from:

• UCSB (Spatial Arts)
• UC Davis (Sculpture)
• OSU (Sculpture)
• University of South Florida (3D Sculpture)
• Carnegie Melon (Sculpture)

I submitted all my applications closer to the deadlines. Has anyone heard back from UCSB, USF, or Carnegie Melon?

[L4mp]

Waiting for interviews from risd d+m and ucla dma!

Anyone got invites from RISD? It seems like invitations for D+M came out earlier last year.

[Painting1]

35 minutes ago, L4mp said:

Waiting for interviews from risd d+m and ucla dma!

Anyone got invites from RISD? It seems like invitations for D+M came out earlier last year.

I am waiting on RISD painting and drawing, loosing hope as it seems like they also came out earlier last year. I do know people who got invitation late last week from RISD photo and illustration, but i haven't heard about D+M. 

[676767]

I got a invite to interview for RISD painting last night

Im waiting on

Yale, Penn, Bard, BU and Rutgers for painting

[No-Evidence8843]

UCONN just emailed, they are not accepting anyone for Fall 2026, and refunding applicants. They did not say why.

Edited January 29 by No-Evidence8843

[Zipperhead]

Does RISD generally send out interview requests in batches for specific programs? I'm just worried because I haven't heard anything from RISD photo, and it sounds like you know people who have. 

[Yoasianguy]

20 minutes ago, No-Evidence8843 said:

UCONN just emailed, they are not accepting anyone for Fall 2026, and refunding applicants. They did not say why.

😭😭😭