Apply: MFA

Start the Rackham Graduate Admission Application Form.

The Rackham Graduate Admissions Application Form will require the following:

• Academic Statement of Purpose: Provide a statement that addresses these three topics (500 words maximum):
  1. Creative work. Describe the form(s) and content of your work and the motivations and influences that drive it.
  2. Research Environment. What is the primary topic, research question, or focus of the artwork you plan to explore while at Stamps? What role does research currently play in making your artwork?

• Personal statement: Provide a statement, in 500 words or less that addresses the following question:
  • How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan’s Stamps School?
    For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either especially plentiful or especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.
    This statement should be distinct from the content of your academic statement of purpose.
• Official transcript.
  
• Curriculum vitae or résumé.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Evidence of English proficiency for students whose first language is not English.
• Required academic credentials from non-U.S. institutions.
• Application fee. If you cannot afford the fee, a waiver may be available.

• A primary criterion for admission to the MFA program at the Stamps School of Art & Design is the assessment of your portfolio by our faculty. Graduate applicants will submit a portfolio of no more than 20 examples of recent work using SlideRoom. Click here to start your SlideRoom portfolio.
• Your portfolio should represent your best work, consist of work done within the last five years, and demonstrate the current direction of your studio practice.
• Each slide on SlideRoom should be used for one image or one time-based work; do not upload files (jpgs or pdfs) with multiple pages or images.
• Time-based samples should be no longer than five-minutes, with web links to full-length versions if appropriate.
• Please order your work chronologically with the newest work first.
• Provide complete descriptions that will help us understand the image. Use the description field to add additional information about your work, including links to supplemental material, the techniques or materials used, the ideas behind the work, or other background information.