Graduate Applicants
DEADLINE
Applications for graduate admission are accepted beginning on September 1.
Deadline for all graduate applications: January 10
Students will be notified of the outcome of their candidacy no later than March 24.
ELIGIBILITY
Students who will have completed an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university by June 2017 are eligible to apply to the graduate program for admission beginning in the 2017/18 academic year.
International students completing requirements for a diploma rather than a degree must submit a written statement prepared by an appropriate school official verifying that the status of the diploma is equivalent to a US baccalaureate degree.
ITEMS YOU’LL NEED TO SEND
Application Form Submit your RISD application form, and all other credentials, through our online application. The application fee is $60.
Academic Transcripts Initially, you must provide unofficial transcripts of all undergraduate and/or graduate study indicating satisfactory completion, or evidence of anticipated completion, of an undergraduate degree program from an accredited college or university. If you are attending a school in a non-English-speaking country, your academic credentials must be translated into English by an approved translator. You can upload your unofficial transcripts within your online application. Enrolling students will later be required to submit official transcripts.
Portfolio
Graduate applicants are required to submit 10–20 examples of visual work, with certain programs suggesting more specific ideas or portfolio requirements .
Statement of Purpose
Graduate applicants must submit a written statement (500–750 words) outlining their interest and goals in pursuing graduate study.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters should be written by teachers or other professionals who have firsthand knowledge of your art or academic achievements and can comment on your potential for graduate study. You may invite your recommenders to upload their letters through SlideRoom. If your recommenders are unable to submit through SlideRoom, their letters may be emailed to admissions@risd.edu or mailed to the Graduate Admissions Office.
Tests
TOEFL or IELTS | All applicants who speak English as a second language, including US citizens, must submit results from either TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Since proficiency in English is a prerequisite for acceptance, applicants must attain an acceptable score on either test; RISD requires a minimum result of 93 on the TOEFL or 6.5 on IELTS. The language test requirement may be waived for applicants who are enrolled in an institution where English is the language of instruction.
Plan to take the TOEFL or IELTS well in advance of the application deadline since it may take six weeks for your scores to be sent to RISD by the test agency.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) | Results from the Graduate Record Examination are not required, but MA, MAT and MLA candidates are encouraged to submit their scores.
SUBMITTING YOUR MATERIALS
Our online application will allow you to submit all required materials:
Application Form
Academic Transcripts
Portfolio
Statement of Purpose
Program specific materials (if required)
Letters of Recommendation
CV/Resume (optional)
