Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Information about our programs can be found online by visiting the department web pages. Please contact the department directly for any printed material.

Tours and campus visits are arranged individually by department. Please contact the department ahead of time to see if they will be available to give you a tour.

Visit the VCUarts Graduate How to Apply page which will walk you through the application process. If you need further assistance, contact artsgrad@vcu.edu with any procedural questions.

Yes. You must submit a separate university application and an additional application fee for each program to which you apply. In order to have more than one active application account, you’ll need to use a different email address for each application. You will receive two emails, one for each program that you’re applying to, with supplemental account information. You may choose to use the same supplemental materials (résumé, statement of purpose/artist’s statement, references and portfolio) for both applications or submit different ones for each.

If you have previously applied you will need to submit a new university application for the new intended semester of entry. You’ll need to use a different email address for the new application than the one used for your previous application. You may use the supplemental materials on file or submit new supplemental materials using the supplemental account information that will be emailed to you.

International applicants should apply one month before the deadline to ensure that application materials are received in time. If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, be sure to review additional requirements on the International Admissions graduate student page.

Acceptable files:
Documents: .PDF only
Images: .JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, .TIFF, .BMP, .TGA
Videos: .M4V, .MOV, .MP4, .WMV, .TLV, .ASF, .MPEG, .MPG, .MKV
Audio: MP3, MP4, OGG
You may also link media from YouTube and Vimeo
For portfolio submissions, you must submit each image separately. The maximum file size for each submission is 10MB.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we cannot provide individual confirmation of the receipt of application materials. There is a checklist of required materials on your online application profile which you can use to check the status of your application materials. If you have questions regarding the receipt of specific application materials please email artsgrad@vcu.edu.

Unfortunately, we are unable to grant fee waivers.

Decision letters are typically sent out in March. Please refer to your program’s guidelines on the how to apply graduate page for specific notification information.

VCUarts offers competitive, merit-based Graduate Teaching Assistantships. Graduate Teaching Assistantships provide tuition support and a nine-month stipend. The VCU Graduate School offers a limited number of Graduate Assistantships with tuition support and a twelve-month stipend for our most outstanding candidates. These awards are granted through the departments and require an exceptional academic history in combination with work that demonstrates the highest level of accomplishment and potential.

Graduate students are also encouraged to apply for federal student aid by filing a FAFSA.

All students are automatically considered for funding upon acceptance. Applicants are notified of awards upon acceptance.

Enrolled students are eligible to apply for graduate scholarships, Graduate Travel Grants and Graduate Research Grants.

Yes, all of the same funding opportunities are available to international students with the exception of federal student aid.