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Applying
Applications for admission are accepted once per year. Applications and portfolios are reviewed and evaluated by a committee of faculty within the applicant's field. Candidates are selected from this pool and invited to interview. Admissions decisions are made by the end of March; admitted students must submit a $500 enrollment deposit in order to secure their position in the program.
The 2008 summer session dates are Monday, June 9 to Friday, August 1. The dates for summer 2009 are yet to be determined.
To Apply
The application deadline for summer 2008 has passed. Applications will be accepted starting in September for summer 2009. The deadline to apply for summer 2009 is January 15, 2009.
For 2009 we are changing to an online application format. This site will be updated with the new requirements and information once it is available, and no later than September 1, 2008.
General application requirements include:
1. Completed online application form
2. Application fee of $75 (payable by credit card, electronic debit of checking account, cashier's check or money order). We do not offer application fee waivers.
3. Personal statement: 1–2 pages written by the applicant discussing his or her work and artistic goals in a personal as well as critical context
4. History of activity in the arts/C.V.: 1- to 2-page biography listing publications, shows, performances and other artistic involvement (resumé format is acceptable)
5. Two letters of recommendation
6. Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended for at least one academic year, regardless of whether credits were transferred to another institution or a degree was received
7. Portfolio of recent work in the chosen discipline. Work submitted may span more than one discipline, but the applicant must choose one primary discipline for the application.
We do not require the GRE for any discipline.
Foreign Applicants
Because Bard's M.F.A. program relies heavily on one-to-one conversation and dynamic group discussion, it is critical that our students have an ease and familiarity with spoken English. To show English language competency, a foreign applicant must provide proof of one of the following (revised as of October 29, 2007):
- Score at least 100 on the internet (iBT) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Score at least 250 on the computerized (CBT) TOEFL or at least 600 on the paper (PBT) test and show English-speaking proficiency (via a spoken interview in March, if selected)
The test must have been taken in the past two years and a score report is to be submitted directly to Bard from ETS. For more information on the TOEFL exam, go to
www.ets.org/toefl/. Those with scores lower than the above may still apply, but if TOEFL scores are significantly lower than our requirements the application will not be given full consideration.
To enter the U.S. for full-time study, a foreign student applies for an F-1 visa using the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonresident (F-1) Student Status. Bard can issue an I-20 only after receiving financial documents that prove the student has funds to cover all the costs of his or her study for the summer program: an official award letter for a fellowship, scholarship, or government grant; for personal/family support, a bank letter confirming available funds or a Certificate of Finances Form is required. Bard will issue a new I-20 for each full-time summer session. Bard cannot issue an I-20 for the winter independent study sessions; international students must return to their home country during those periods.
Deferrals
Deferment of admission is not permitted. Admitted students who cannot attend the upcoming summer session must reapply for admission the following year.
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