School of Visual Arts, located in the heart of New York City, has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for over seven decades. With a faculty of more than 1,000 distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising more than 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 35,000 alumni in 100 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world.
Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees are offered in Advertising; Animation; Cartooning; Computer Art, Computer Animation and Visual Effects; Design, Film; Fine Arts; Illustration; Interior Design; Photography and Video; and Visual & Critical Studies.
Master of Arts degrees are offered in Curatorial Practice; and Design Research, Writing and Criticism.
Master of Fine Arts degrees are offered in Art Practice; Art Writing; Computer Arts; Design; Design for Social Innovation; Fine Arts; Illustration as Visual Essay; Interaction Design; Photography, Video and Related Media; Products of Design; Social Documentary Film; and Visual Narrative.
Master of Professional Studies degrees are offered in Art Therapy, Branding, Digital Photography and Directing.
A Master of Arts in Teaching degree is offered in Art Education.
SVA also offers workshops, continuing education classes, studio residencies, international student programs, summer programs abroad, and a pre-college program for high school students.
For more information on the College and its offerings, visit sva.edu.
About
From the School
Contact & Visit
Campus Visits Contact
Contact
Magdalena Segura
Visiting Services Coordinator
Visiting Services Coordinator
Address
209 East 23 Street
New York, NY 10010
New York, NY 10010
Phone
212-592-2100
Email
admissions@sva.edu
Experience College Life
Most Popular Places On Campus
Visual Arts Gallery
Westside Gallery
Visual Arts Museum
Visual Arts Student Association
Student Lounge
Westside Gallery
Visual Arts Museum
Visual Arts Student Association
Student Lounge
Most Popular Places Off Campus
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
Central Park
Museum of Modern Art
Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
Central Park
Museum of Modern Art
Campus Tours
Campus Tours
Appointment Required: No
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: Varies
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: Varies
On Campus Interview
Campus Interviews
Yes
Information Sessions
Available
Times
Faculty and Coach Visits
Dates/Times Available
N/A
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Advance Notice
2 weeks
Class Visits
Dates/Times Available
Varies
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Overnight Dorm Stays
Overnight Dorm Stays
Not Available
Transportation
Types of Transportation Available to Campus
SVA offers a shuttle service that makes regular stops between different campus locations
Driving Instructions to Campus
FROM THE NORTH
From the Triboro Bridge, follow signs for FDR Drive. Exit FDR Drive at 23rd Street, and continue to 209 East 23rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
From the George Washington Bridge, follow signs to the Harlem River Drive, and then to the FDR Drive. Exit FDR Drive at 23rd Street, and continue to 209 East 23rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
FROM THE EAST
Take the Long Island Expressway (I-495) to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Exit tunnel to left and travel downtown on Second Avenue to 23rd Street.
FROM POINTS SOUTH OR WEST
From the Lincoln Tunnel, travel downtown on West Street to 23rd Street. Head East on 23rd Street to 209 East 23rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
From the Holland Tunnel, travel uptown on West Street to 23rd Street. Head East on 23rd Street to 209 East 23rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
From the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, travel uptown on West Street to 23rd Street. Head East on 23rd Street to 209 East 23rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
Save SchoolAdmissions
Admissions
Overall
From The School
Undergraduate Application Deadlines:
Deadline for freshman and transfers: rolling
Deadline for Early Action: December 1
Deadline for all application materials to be submitted for the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship Program: February 1 for first-time freshman applicants and March 1 for transfer applicants. There is no separate application for the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship Program.
Requirements:
-Application for Undergraduate Admission
-A nonrefundable $50 application fee
-Official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended
-Results of the SAT or ACT
-Statement of intent
-Portfolio
-Interview (optional)
-Demonstration of English proficiency (required of all international applicants whose primary language is not English)
Overview
Applicants: 2,821
Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average HS GPA: 3.11
SAT & ACT Test Scores
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
450 - 580
SAT Math
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
460 - 590
ACT Composite Scores
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
20 - 25
Testing Policies
Deadlines
Early Action — December 1
Other Admission Factors
Academic
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Academic GPA
Application Essay
Non-Academic
Interview
Talent / Ability
Level of applicant's interest
Selectivity Rating
Get a personalized plan for a competitive application from an admissions expert.
Learn MoreAcademics
Academics
Overall
From The School
Majors and Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees are offered in Advertising; Animation; Cartooning; Computer Art, Computer Animation & Visual Effects; Design; Illustration; Interior Design; Film; Fine Arts; Photography and Video; and Visual and Critical Studies.
A Master of Arts degrees is offered in Critical Theory and The Arts, and Design Research, Writing and Criticism.
Master of Fine Arts degrees are offered in Art Writing; Art Practice; Computer Arts; Design; Design for Social Innovation; Fine Arts; Illustration as Visual Essay; Interaction Design; Photography, Video and Related Media; Products of Design; Social Documentary Film; and Visual Narrative.
Master of Professional Studies degrees are offered in Art Therapy; Branding; Digital Photography; Directing; and Fashion Photography.
A Master of Arts in Teaching degree is offered in Art Education.
Faculty and Class Information
Student/Faculty
8.5:1
Total Faculty
865
with Terminal Degree
182
541
Men
324
Women
77
Minority
Most frequent class size
10 - 19
Most frequent lab / sub section size
2 - 9
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
Graduate in 5 years
Graduate in 6 years
Majors
-
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
Cinematography and Film/Video Production.
Commercial and Advertising Art.
Commercial Photography.
Design and Applied Arts, Other.
Drawing.
Film/Cinema/Video Studies.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other.
Fine/Studio Arts, General.
Graphic Design.
Illustration.
Interior Design.
Painting.
Photography.
Printmaking.
Sculpture.
Degrees
Bachelor's
Master's
Master's
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
Yes
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Internships
Opportunities at School
Internship
Notable Faculty
Prominent Alumni
Bill Plympton
Animator, Academy Award nominee
Harris Savides
Cinematographer: Gerry, Finding Forrester
Joe Quesada
Editor-in-Chief, Marvel Comics
Carlos Saldana
Director of Animation, Blue Sky Studios
Paul Davis
Principal, Paul Davis Studio
Sol Lewitt
minimalist installation artist
Lorna Simpson
Fine arts photographer
Careers
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
Graduate in 5 years
Graduate in 6 years
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
Yes
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Internships
Opportunities at School
Internship
ROI & Outcomes
Tuition & Aid
Tuition & Aid
Overview
From The School
Tuition, Room, Board and Fees
Expenses for 2018-2019
Application fee: $50
Tuition: $39,900 per year for undergraduate programs; for Graduate program tuition, please visit http://www.sva.edu/students/student-accounts/tuition-and-fees
Departmental fees: $640 to $1,465 per semester depending on undergraduate major
Estimated Supplies: $1,050 to $3,150
Housing Charges: range from $15,000 to $18,500 per year
Financial Aid
Currently, 43% of SVA first-time freshmen receive some form of financial aid. Undergraduate merit scholarships are also available through Admissions. A payment plan is available.
Dates
Application Deadlines
Mar 1
Notification Date
Feb 15
Required Forms
FAFSA
State Aid
State Aid
Financial Aid Statistics
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$8,758
Average Undergraduate Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$7,759
Average Need-Based Loan
$4,844
Financial aid provided to international students
Yes
Expenses per Academic Year
Tuition
$26,800
Required Fees
Average Cost for Books and Supplies
$3,150
Tuition / Fees Vary by Year of Study
No
Board for Commuters
Transportation for Commuters
$1,800
Available Aid
Financial Aid Methodology
Federal
Scholarships and Grants
Need-Based
Alternate loans
Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
Need-Based Federal Pell
Need-Based Other
Need-Based Private Scholarships
Need-Based SEOG
Need-Based State Scholarships
Non-Need-Based
Institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid is available
Federal Direct Student Loan Programs
Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL)
Federal Perkins Loans
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
Yes
Direct Lender
No
Student Body
Student Body
Overall
From The School
The Student Engagement and Leadership Office provides a diverse range of programming designed to enrich the SVA student's experience. Students are offered the opportunity to tap into a multitude of social, cultural, educational and recreational activities. Students are encouraged to take advantage of all New York City has to offer.
The Visual Arts Student Association (VASA), the student government, represents the students' point of view at SVA. Participating in VASA gives students the opportunity to develop leadership skills by coordinating events and activities. VASA funds and supports a number of clubs and activities that are organized by students.
Student Body Profile
Total Undergraduate Enrollment
3,539
Foreign Countries Represented
55
Demographics
56% female
44% male
57% are out of state
93% are full time
7% are part time
Campus Life
Campus Life
Overview
From The School
Location
SVA's urban-style campus comprises 15 buildings with state-of-the-art studio facilities, workshops, residence halls and gallery spaces. As the creative capital of the world, New York City is home to more artists than any other U.S. city, with a creative workforce of 300,000. It is also home to over 14,000 creative businesses and non-profits. Students come here to be immersed in real-world experience, not the insulated experience of other schools. Surrounded by a thriving and artistic urban environment during their years at SVA, students are able to transition to the working world with ease, finding unique opportunities for internships and mentorships.
Campus Life
Undergrads living on campus
31%
Help finding off-campus housing
Yes
First-Year Students living on campus
69%
Campus Environment
Large Urban
99/99
Housing Options
Dorms Coed
Dorms Female
Special Needs Admissions
College Entrance Tests Required
No
Interview Required
No
Special Need Services Offered
Student Activities
Registered Student Organizations
23
Number of Honor Societies
Number of Social Sororities
0
Number of Religious Organizations
3
Sports
Athletic Division
None
Student Services
Health
LGBT Support Groups: Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender support group run through the college's office of Student Health and Counseling Services.
Sustainability
60*
Campus Security Report
Campus Security Report
The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.
Please visit The Princeton Review’s page on campus safety for additional resources: http://www.princetonreview.com/safety
The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/
Other Information
Campus-wide Internet Network
Yes
% of Classrooms with Wireless Internet
100
Fee for Network Use
No
Partnerships with Technology Companies
Yes
Personal computer included in tuition for each student
No
Discounts Available with Hardware Vendors
Yes
Description
Students can purchase software and hardware products from campus computer store (CAVA) at educational prices.
