Is an interview required?
While an interview is not required, students are encouraged to meet with an admissions representative at any time during the admissions process for a portfolio review and/or the opportunity to ask any questions that they may have about the school. To set up an appointment, please contact the Admissions Office at (800) 643-6078 or email us at admissions@smfa.edu.

What is a portfolio review?
A portfolio review is an opportunity for you to meet with a counselor prior to submitting your application to the SMFA. This can occur by appointment in the Admissions Office or at a National Portfolio Day event. (National Portfolio Days take place across the country. For more information on National Portfolio Day, please visit www.npda.org.) While a portfolio review is not required for admission, it is an opportunity for you to receive guidance from an admissions counselor on the development of your portfolio. If you choose to have a portfolio review, you should plan on bringing approximately 15 pieces. It is always best to show original works of art. If this is not possible, you can bring reproductions of your work in the form of slides, photographs, or CDs. To set up an appointment for a review, please contact the Admissions Office at (800) 643-6078 or email us at admissions@smfa.edu.

If I have a portfolio review, do I still need to submit a portfolio with my application?
A portfolio review is an opportunity for you to meet individually with an admissions counselor before applying to the SMFA. It is meant to give you guidance on the development of your portfolio. Since all admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee and not by an individual counselor, it is necessary to submit a portfolio with your application. In addition, you must submit a portfolio in order to be considered for a Merit Scholarship. More about submitting your portfolio…  

How do I apply for a Merit Scholarship?
All undergraduate applications that are complete and received in the Admissions Office by March 1st are automatically considered for a Merit Scholarship. More about scholarships…

What happens if I miss the priority deadline? Can I still submit my application?
The Admissions Committee continues to review applicants for the Diploma and the Bachelor of Fine Arts programs after the priority deadline on a space available basis. Students applying to either BFA program after the priority deadline are not guaranteed academic courses during their first semester. Combined Degree applicants must meet the Tufts University priority deadline.

When I submit my application, does it have to be complete?
Your application does not have to be complete when you submit it to the Admissions Office. Any additional materials (such as letters of recommendation, transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, etc.) that arrive after we receive your application will be added to your file. However, the Admissions Committee will not review your application until it is complete.

Do I also need to apply to Tufts?
If you are applying to either the BFA degree program or the BFA in Art Education degree program, you should send your application to the SMFA; the SMFA will then render a decision on your application. If you are applying to the Combined Degree program, you must apply to both the Museum School and to Tufts; you will then receive a decision letter from each school.

Is there housing?
Yes, the Museum School offers on-campus, apartment-style housing on a limited basis in the Artist’s Residence Hall for first-time undergraduate students. Since on-campus housing is not guaranteed, and the majority of our students do live off-campus, our Student Affairs Office hosts housing assistance days to help both new and returning students meet potential roommates, hear presentations about what it’s like to live in Boston, talk to real estate agents, and see a slide show of neighborhoods near the Museum School. The Student Affairs Office also publishes a bi-weekly list of housing opportunities with current room, apartment, and roommate listings. Housing packets with information on residence and off-campus housing are sent to first time students upon acceptance to the School. To request information or an application form for residence housing, please contact Student Affairs at (617) 369-4041 or studentaffairs@smfa.edu. More about residential life…

Do you have a meal plan?
Students have the option of purchasing a meal plan through Chartwells, located at both the Massachusetts College of Art and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. There are three different places to eat directly across the street from the Artist’s Residence Hall (and only a block away from the School) and three different plans available to you. Please contact Student Affairs at (617) 369-4041 or studentaffairs@smfa.edu for more information or to be mailed a brochure/enrollment form. More about dining options…

How do I get to Tufts?
You can take the free Tufts University Shuttle to and from the Museum School several times a day. The Shuttle Service schedule can be found online at http://publicsafety.tufts.edu/adminsvc/shuttle/shuttlemedfordsummary.html. Public transportation is also available by taking the Red Line to the Davis Square T-stop. You can then take either the #94 or #96 bus or walk 15 minutes along College Avenue to the Tufts campus.

Can I take a class at another school while at the SMFA?
The Museum School is a member of the Professional Arts Consortium www.proarts.org (ProArts), which is an association of six neighboring Boston institutions of higher education dedicated to the visual and performing arts. Through this organization, full-time Museum School students have the option of taking studio classes for one block of credit per class at the following schools:

• Berklee College of Music
• The Boston Architectural Center
• The Boston Conservatory
• Emerson College
• Massachusetts College of Art

Please contact the Registrar’s Office at (617) 369-3621 or visit  ProArts www.proarts.org for additional information.

Can I play a sport while at the Museum School?
If you are enrolled in a degree-granting program, then you are considered both a Museum School student and a Tufts student. As a Tufts student, you may use the gym facilities and participate in any activity or club. You may also participate in Tufts sports, although the scheduling of afternoon practices can present scheduling conflicts with afternoon studio classes. As an alternative, students may participate in athletics at Emerson College through the ProArts Consortium.

What majors do you offer?
There are no specific majors at the Museum School. Instead, we offer students the largest multidisciplinary, all-elective studio arts program in the country and the freedom to experiment, explore, and move within it. Under the guidance of a faculty art advisor, students develop individualized programs that best suit their needs and goals.

Where can I go to find an internship, a job, or career assistance?
The Artist’s Resource Center (ARC) is dedicated to assisting you with your career development at the SMFA and beyond. ARC’s services are available to both current students and to Museum School alumni. ARC offers an extensive variety of programs and resources, including:

• One-on-one career advising sessions, including résumé and proposal writing assistance 
• Internships for studio credit, including help in securing an internship and support and guidance throughout
• In-office employment/internship listings and resource publications (grants, residencies, exhibition opportunities and more)
• artSource, a free online index of arts-related employment, internships, grants, residencies, exhibitions, public art commissions, and community resources
  Professional development workshops

For more information, please call 617-369-3635 or see ARC.

Can I study abroad?
Yes, a variety of study abroad programs are available to full-time students through our Student Affairs Office. In the past, Museum School students have studied in The Netherlands, Israel, Paris, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, and many other countries. More about studying abroad…