yale art history phd acceptance rate

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YALE SCHOOL OF ART ­ADMISSION

Entrance requirements.

Last edited by: Sara Cronquist

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ADMISSION GUIDELINES

Admission to Yale’s MFA program is for the fall semester only, annually. Preliminary admission decisions and finalist notification will be sent in early February. Offers of admission are sent in early March.

To apply for more than one area of concentration, separate applications and supporting documentation must be submitted. Applying to more than one program does not increase an applicant’s chances of selection.

Please note: An offer of admission to Yale is valid only for enrollment the year the application is made. Applicants who are offered admission but choose not to enroll are welcome to reapply to the school in a future cycle.

DEADLINE: The application for academic year 2025-2026 will open in October 2024. Take time to prepare, review, and revise application materials, get familiar with the system, and request letters and transcripts with lead time. The application will be due January 8, 2025 at 11:59PM.

Instructions for All Applicants

An application to the School of Art requires forethought and planning. Follow all instructions carefully to ensure that your application is viewed to your best advantage.

For an explanation of specific requirements for each area of study, please refer to the departmental sections that follow.

Submit the following materials to complete your application:

Application form: Open from early October until the January 8, 2025 deadline. Please note that the School of Art is NOT part of the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and it is not possible to apply by using application materials found on the Graduate School’s Web site.

Fee: Follow payment instructions at https://apply.art.yale.edu/apply/ to submit your $100 non-refundable fee. Yale School of Art practices “need blind admission” (candidate financial need or ability is never disclosed to the admission committee during review of MFA applications), as such fee waivers are not available. The only exception is applicants whose primary citizenship is a nation with cost-prohibitive US exchange rates. The 2025 list is: Venezuela, Iran, Vietnam, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Sierra Leone, Laos, Guinea, Paraguay, and Cambodia.

Statement: A one-page statement addressing your current practice, interests, influences, and/or lived experiences relative to the subject matter of your work and research, and goals for graduate study. Applicants to the Painting/Printmaking program should make reference in their statements to the “representative work” in the portfolio; this is not critical for the other programs.

Recommendations: Letters from three references, ideally practicing or teaching in your area of interest. It is recommended to seek letters of support from those familiar with your practice, community values, and potential for growth in Yale’s MFA program. NOTE: Ask recommenders for letters with plenty of lead time. The admissions committee reviews applications shortly after the deadline. Though the submission portal for references will remain open, late submissions risk possible exclusion from the first round of reviews. Applicants can view the receipt status of reference letters and send reminders on the application status page.

Transcripts: An undergraduate academic transcript showing dates of attendance, coursework, and grades from your degree-issuing institution. Junior or community college transcripts are not necessary to include when submitting transcripts. A student/unofficial copy of your transcript may be submitted to the application for the preliminary review. Yale only requires official transcripts from applicants selected as finalists invited to interview. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are NOT required.

Portfolio of work: Select work that you are most excited about; that indicates the current direction and ideas you’re exploring and demonstrates technical/formal skills you’ve achieved. Be sure to include work done within the last year; we recommend at least half the works you include to be recent. Image order will default chronologically by year; you will not be able to override this. The application system will require the designation of one “representative work within your portfolio, which is simply the default image for the cover page of each applicant’s file, so choose a piece that most represents ideas central to their current body of work. Do not include composite images (where multiple images, views, or works are grouped into one image file or layout). Do not include detail photos of work in your portfolio unless you consider them absolutely necessary (such as for three-dimensional pieces). Portfolio requirements differ depending upon area of concentration; follow the instructions for the area to which you are applying.

Last edited by: Taryn Wolf

FIND THE PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AREA OF STUDY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HERE >>

The SoA wiki admission pages provide extensive information about applying to Yale’s MFA program. Use this as your resource while preparing an application.

Please do not contact Yale School of Art faculty and/or current students seeking program information, application, or portfolio advice. Please respect the personal/private spaces (such as email, social media, direct message, etc.) and time of our community by utilizing the wiki and, when necessary, directing your inquiries to School of Art Admissions

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students MUST use their passport name on all application materials.

English Proficiency Requirements In order to undertake graduate study, students for whom English is not their first language must present evidence of competence in the use of the English language. Although we have no official score cut-off, you will have difficulty in the program without a level of language proficiency appropriate for graduate study.

Yale School of Art accepts the following English Proficiency exams to fulfill this requirement.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

The Duolingo English Test.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) , which is administered by the Educational Testing Service, www.ets.org . The TOEFL code number for the Yale School of Art is 3982 . Candidates for admission generally achieve a composite Internet-based test score of at least 100, or a computer-based score of at least 250, with speaking and listening scores of at least 28. If the TOEFL iBT is not available in your area, you are required to complete the TOEFL that is available, plus you are required to take the Test of Spoken English (TSE). A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is generally achieved for the pbt.

IELTS test scores may be accepted with a minimum score of 7. Your ability to listen, read, write and speak in English will be assessed during the test. IELTS is graded on a scale of 1-9. www.ielts.org IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English.

The Duolingo English Test is an online English proficiency test that can be taken online, on-demand, in under an hour. The test is taken via a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview, and writing sample, which are shared with Yale when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session. Students generally receive a score of 120. englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants

The English Proficiency Test may be waived if the undergraduate degree has been obtained from a four-year, English-speaking institution. When completing your application, please submit without confirming your scores. Our faculty reviewers know to verify your language proficiency via transcripts.

Next Steps After Applying

Once an application has been submitted, you should familiarize yourself with the admission status page within our application portal. Here you will be able to track the receipt of required supporting materials (such as recommendations).

Applicants are encouraged to check the status of their application materials and follow up as necessary. Submitted items are updated in real time on the application status checklist page. Our office is unable to provide application status checks or confirm the receipt of items by phone or by email due to the high volume of incoming applications.

Applicants who have passed the Preliminary Selection Jury will be notified in early February. At this time, applicants invited to interview are required to submit official transcripts to the School. Candidates are asked to prepare supplemental portfolio materials to be presented digitally during the interview. Detailed instructions will be included in the invitation to interview. Individual interviews will be scheduled for mid-late February, depending on the program. The interview is an important component of the final selection process.

YALE UNIVERSITY’S NONDISCRIMINATION/TITLE IX STATEMENTS

Last edited by: Sarah Stevens-Morling

Art History Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 197 results

Stanford University Department of Humanities and Sciences

• Stanford, CA ·
• Stanford University ·
• Graduate School

Stanford University, Graduate School, STANFORD, CA.

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

• New Haven, CT ·
• Yale University ·
• · Rating 4.5 out of 5   2 reviews

Yale University, Graduate School, NEW HAVEN, CT. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says The resources at Yale are outstanding. While some of the required courses are slow-moving and less informative, I do have more academic freedom in my second year to the program to take classes that I... Read 2 reviews.

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

• Cambridge, MA ·
• Harvard University ·
• · Rating 4.56 out of 5   9 reviews

Harvard University, Graduate School, CAMBRIDGE, MA. 9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars. Featured Review: Other says I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student'... Read 9 reviews.

Miami University

• Graduate School ·
• · Rating 4.59 out of 5   32

Pratt Institute School of Art

• Pratt Institute ·
• BROOKLYN, NY

Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts

• University of Dallas ·

Princeton University

• Princeton, NJ ·
• · Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Graduate School, PRINCETON, NJ. 3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help... Read 3 reviews.

Duke Divinity School

• Durham, NC ·
• Duke University ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   4 reviews

Duke University, Graduate School, DURHAM, NC. 4 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says The professors are top tier and the hybrid model has been fantastic. I am excited to continue in this program and see how I continue to grow in faith and academic training for a future of serving the... Read 4 reviews.

Brown University Graduate School

• Providence, RI ·
• Brown University ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   4 reviews

Brown University, Graduate School, PROVIDENCE, RI. 4 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says This is my first semester in the biotechnology program. The program manager is helpful and commutative. I have found a great lab match for my research interests. My classes are interesting. I have... Read 4 reviews.

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School of Arts & Sciences - University of Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia, PA ·
• University of Pennsylvania ·

University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School, PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Rice University School of Humanities

• Houston, TX ·
• Rice University ·

Blue checkmark. Rice University, Graduate School, HOUSTON, TX.

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

• Evanston, IL ·
• Northwestern University ·

Northwestern University, Graduate School, EVANSTON, IL.

Washington University in St. Louis - Arts & Sciences

• St. Louis, MO ·
• Washington University in St. Louis ·

Washington University in St. Louis, Graduate School, ST. LOUIS, MO.

Humanities Division - University of Chicago

• Chicago, IL ·
• University of Chicago ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

University of Chicago, Graduate School, CHICAGO, IL. 1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says My application process for the University of Chicago, including my interview and the prospective students welcome day was incredibly warm, informative and inspiring. I felt the community at the... Read 1 reviews.

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

• Los Angeles, CA ·
• University of Southern California ·

University of Southern California, Graduate School, LOS ANGELES, CA.

• Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
• Music History and Literature Graduate Programs
• History Graduate Programs

Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences

• Ithaca, NY ·
• Cornell University ·

Cornell University, Graduate School, ITHACA, NY.

Rackham School of Graduate Studies

• Ann Arbor, MI ·
• University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ·
• · Rating 4.86 out of 5   7 reviews

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Graduate School, ANN ARBOR, MI. 7 Niche users give it an average review of 4.9 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says The Landscape Architecture program at UMich School for Environment and Sustainability is rooted in advancing sustainable design and ecological function, rather than pure aesthetics. We have some... Read 7 reviews.

Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Graduate School, ANN ARBOR, MI.

School of Arts and Sciences - Tufts University

• Medford, MA ·
• Tufts University ·

Tufts University, Graduate School, MEDFORD, MA. 4 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says My experience was mostly great! I felt supported by faculty and staff and became involved in student activities. It was just unfortunate that my on-campus experience was cut short due to the pandemic... Read 4 reviews.

School of the Museum of Fine Arts - Tufts University

• Boston, MA ·
• · Rating 1 out of 5   2 reviews

Tufts University, Graduate School, BOSTON, MA. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 1 stars. Read 2 reviews.

UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture

• University of California - Los Angeles ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

University of California - Los Angeles, Graduate School, LOS ANGELES, CA. 1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says Its a very good program that really encourages students to explore their artistic capabilities. The instructors are very experienced and are very good at teaching the students. The program is great,... Read 1 reviews.

Krieger School of Arts & Sciences

• Baltimore, MD ·
• Johns Hopkins University ·
• · Rating 4.52 out of 5   21 reviews

Johns Hopkins University, Graduate School, BALTIMORE, MD. 21 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says Starting this fall, my graduate journey is set to begin on an exciting note. I’ve already connected with two professors who have proven to be incredibly supportive and kind. I can't wait to dive into... Read 21 reviews.

Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts

• Pittsburgh, PA ·
• Carnegie Mellon University ·
• · Rating 3.67 out of 5   6 reviews

Blue checkmark. Carnegie Mellon University, Graduate School, PITTSBURGH, PA. 6 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says I graduated from the School of Design at the College of Fine Arts. This is one best design program at a major research university. The cross disciplinary approach, and ability to take courses at... Read 6 reviews.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - University of Virginia

• Charlottesville, VA ·
• University of Virginia ·

University of Virginia, Graduate School, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. 1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars. Featured Review: Alum says Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study Read 1 reviews.

Laney Graduate School

• Atlanta, GA ·
• Emory University ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Emory University, Graduate School, ATLANTA, GA. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says I chose the graduate programs at Emory because they are ranked among the best in the country. The school of nursing also provides the clinical experiences, something many of the online only nurse... Read 2 reviews.

Williams College

• Williamstown, MA ·

Graduate School, WILLIAMSTOWN, MA.

UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

• Berkeley, CA ·
• University of California - Berkeley ·

Blue checkmark. University of California - Berkeley, Graduate School, BERKELEY, CA.

College of Arts & Sciences - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Chapel Hill, NC ·
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ·

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Graduate School, CHAPEL HILL, NC.

School of Christian Studies and the Arts - Mississippi College

• Mississippi College ·
• CLINTON, MS

American University

• WASHINGTON, DC
• · Rating 4.5 out of 5   160

Savannah College of Art and Design

• SAVANNAH, GA
• · Rating 4.47 out of 5   76

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• Art History

PhD application thread Fall 2023

By aik257 November 9, 2022 in Art History

Recommended Posts

Where are people applying? how has the feedback been from professors people have talked to? 

I spoke to a Professor who said they will be taking more people this year than the program did over the past few years...

hoping for a successful application cycle! good luck to all!

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staxdo_21 12 posts

aik257 12 posts

anonymous_crazy_cat-lady 11 posts

magnamater 11 posts

Jan 25 2023

Popular Posts

Waitinglikeits99.

March 7, 2023

Thinking about it, but also secretly hoping braver souls will volunteer first and report back here or the results page, haha. I did directly contact a DGS of a program (not art history) and received a

February 14, 2023

INFP but totally get what you mean about the weird energy coming through.. Hope all goes well for you this application cycle.

Yes, I wonder if a brave soul with reach out to all the remaining programs I haven't heard from 😂 I might reach out if only to see if I'm waitlisted at any of the schools I haven't heard from. I

What school said that to you?

Right now, I am debating whether to reapply to BU. I was accepted to their MA program last year, but not their Ph.D. program, and did not receive funding. I couldn't justify the expense, though I am still interested in their program. I am eyeing a few other programs as well. 

11 hours ago, LEANCO10 said: What school said that to you? Right now, I am debating whether to reapply to BU. I was accepted to their MA program last year, but not their Ph.D. program, and did not receive funding. I couldn't justify the expense, though I am still interested in their program. I am eyeing a few other programs as well. 

I heard this from the IFA. I did a terminal MA program at GW and only decided to do it because of the pandemic, if that did not happen I don’t think it is worth it to do a terminal MA because of the cost and there isn’t the same training for further academic careers/other paths unless you really don’t plan on doing a PhD program. 

Im applying to 6 programs (stanford, yale, berkeley, duke, cuny, princeton) but they're all pretty much reaches -- I don't have an MA because it's just not financially possible for me. Very nervous going into the application process

15 minutes ago, limoges1 said: Im applying to 6 programs (stanford, yale, berkeley, duke, cuny, princeton) but they're all pretty much reaches -- I don't have an MA because it's just not financially possible for me. Very nervous going into the application process

Good luck to you!!!! 

On 11/11/2022 at 8:39 AM, limoges1 said: Im applying to 6 programs (stanford, yale, berkeley, duke, cuny, princeton) but they're all pretty much reaches -- I don't have an MA because it's just not financially possible for me. Very nervous going into the application process

What area are you interested in?  Some of these programs are very much opposites in their focus.

22 minutes ago, Dreams said: What area are you interested in?  Some of these programs are very much opposites in their focus.

Hey - I'm looking at Modernism and sculpture with a focus on Asian diasporic artworks. I felt that those programs have strong modern/contemporary criticism scholars -- what are you thoughts?

• 1 month later...

Has anyone heard about interviews at all? I'm not sure what to expect, I've heard from some friends that their program didn't have interviews, but reading through last years thread- seems like quite a few have! I've applied to 3 PhD programs. The wait is the worst!

I know someone who was interviewed by program faculty at two universities days after the admissions deadline in December.  A lot of interview requests have come out in January looking back at some posts.  So we will see this month.

13 hours ago, Dreams said: I know someone who was interviewed by program faculty at two universities days after the admissions deadline in December.  A lot of interview requests have come out in January looking back at some posts.  So we will see this month.

Do you know which programs those were? Thanks!

PhDApplicant23

I applied to 12 schools, and the Art History programs I applied to were MIT, Yale, Stanford, UCSD, and WashU in St. Louis. I also applied to the AFVS program at Harvard which is really a film studies department but advises on/around contemporary art a lot.

On 1/1/2023 at 4:13 PM, SydneyS22 said: Has anyone heard about interviews at all? I'm not sure what to expect, I've heard from some friends that their program didn't have interviews, but reading through last years thread- seems like quite a few have! I've applied to 3 PhD programs. The wait is the worst!

I have an interview (?) or at least a meeting with a faculty member from Princeton Art & Archaeology tomorrow.

AnxiousAwaiter

9 hours ago, opsophagos said: I have an interview (?) or at least a meeting with a faculty member from Princeton Art & Archaeology tomorrow.

That's great! What's your field?

6 hours ago, AnxiousAwaiter said: That's great! What's your field?

10 hours ago, opsophagos said: Ancient Greek Art

I should have known based on your username, lol.

How did the interview/conversation go? Did they give you a sense as to what the process/timing is like?

• 2 weeks later...
• anonymous_crazy_cat-lady

I am applying for the art history MA/PhD programs this cycle too, my first time and I am so nervous!

I imagine this thread will pick up towards the end of the month?

6 hours ago, PhDApplicant23 said: 6 hours ago, PhDApplicant23 said: I imagine this thread will pick up towards the end of the month?  

Probably! I’ve noticed some pickup with the results page with interviews etc…

prettylittlekarl

Anyone invited to Duke's graduate student symposium?

Congrats to the Princeton poster on the interview! anyone else get any interview requests yet?

Anyone hear anything from Berkeley regarding interviews?

Peter Kandinsky

19 hours ago, anonymous_crazy_cat-lady said: Anyone hear anything from Berkeley regarding interviews?

I applied there and have not heard anything. It seems like they sent them out around this time last year...

Has anyone heard from Hopkins? I had a long convo with my POI back in November that covered basically everything I've been asked in proper interviews, so wondering if they'll ask for a more formal interview soon. 

surreal_realist

Has anyone heard from Yale or know when they usually send out interviews/acceptances/rejections? It was definitely a reach for me but I'd like to know one way or another.

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Department of the History of Art

Welcome to the history of art department website, welcome to history of art.

Here you will find information about the people who comprise the Department – faculty and graduate students – with descriptions of our fields of research. Also featured are listings of many student- and faculty-organized events. We are an intellectual community committed to studying art made by all people in many media everywhere at all times. Central to all we do is a commitment to Diversity of people, ideas, and works of art. In April 2021, the Department’s faculty and graduate students voted to adopt a  Diversity Statement   that was jointly authored through a process of open collaboration between all members of the community. This dynamic statement reflects current thinking and initiatives and is revised and updated annually.

Our Commitment to Diversity

The Department of the History of Art commits to building a diverse and welcoming community in which all members are valued and supported equally. We strive to cultivate mutual understanding within our community, as well as to support faculty and students who revitalize the Department by challenging the assumptions of our field and institution. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and anti-racism as core values of our practice, and we actively oppose all forms of discrimination. 

Statement Continued…

Programs of Study

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers a wide range of programs leading to Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Some master's degrees are awarded en route to the PhD, while others are offered as terminal degrees.

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• Application Deadline: December 15*
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• Application Deadline: January 2
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• Application Deadline: December 15
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• Application Deadline: December 1
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• Application Deadline: PhD - December 15 MS - January 2
• Application Deadline: See Combined Program
• Application Deadline: January 2*
• Application Deadline: December 1*
• Application Deadline: MS - December 1 PhD - December 15*