International Art Studio Admission Requirements

The department does not accept applications for the summer or spring semesters. All application materials must be received by the application deadline of January 15, for the following fall with no exceptions - this includes transcripts and letters of recommendation.

A prospective student in the graduate studio program must have completed an undergraduate degree including 42 hours in studio courses and 18 hours in art history. 3-D students must also have completed a course in shop foundations, which includes the proper use of shop machinery and equipment and related safety practices. Any deficiencies in the required preparation must be removed during the first year of course work for the degree.

International Applicants should direct all inquiries to:

Office of International Admissions
Student Services Center, Room 140
MSC06 3720
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

Telephone: (505)277-5829. E-mail: goglobal@unm.edu. Additional information is available on the following web page: http://www.unm.edu/preview/na_intlgrad.htm

The following application materials should be sent directly to the department:

          Department of Art & Art History
          Graduate Office
          MSC04 2560
          1 University of New Mexico
          Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
  • Three Letters of Recommendation (forms available for downloading at the OGS web page)
  • Statement of Intent. A clearly written statement of intent describing in detail reasons for wishing admission. This statement (no more than three pages in length) should include information about the proposed field of concentration, a self-evaluation of current work, an account of any special experiences which might indicate a background in art more extensive than most students with a B.A. or B.F.A., a statement of goals while attending and after graduate study, reasons for choosing the University of New Mexico. Both content and form will be carefully considered. A guideline for writing a letter/statement of intent can be found on the following website:
    http://www.unm.edu/~grad/eforms/intentletter.html
  • Original transcripts, with an approved English translation (through an agency approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) must be sent to the Office of International Admissions. However, to guarantee a timely review of your application materials, you must also send a photocopy of the English translation of your transcripts to the Department of Art & Art History.
  • Studio applicants are asked to submit fifteen to twenty images on CD of your best artwork as a portfolio. Please be sure the CD can be read on both PC and Mac machines (jpgs or tiffs, no program-specific documents, please).

Digital applications should be in the following formats (20 examples of work):

Stills: High quality jpegs not exceeding 1200 pixels in any dimension. Files should be submitted in a folder (LastNameFisrtName) and each should be named with the following format: 01_Title_of_Work.

Videos: 2 minute Quicktime movies using the H.264 codec.

We take no responsibility for incompatibility or media failure. It is your responsibility to represent yourself well in this context; avoid complex presentations and excessive packaging.

Print your name, address and email address on portfolio, portfolio identification sheet and return postage. Include ID sheet, return postage, and any special mailing instructions inside portfolio. To ensure prompt return of portfolio, include mailing label with return address.

  • A check or money order for $5.00 is required for return of slide carousel. If you submitted a print portfolio, please also submit a check or money order for amount of return postage plus $2.50 for handling. (For example, if return postage is $15.00, you must include a check for $17.50). If you fail to include your check or money order, your carousel and/or portfolio will not be returned.

All materials will be returned by first class mail. If you want your materials to be insured, or mailed other than first class, you must make additional arrangements and include a prepaid form.

In order to easily confirm that your application materials have arrived prior to our application deadline, we strongly urge you to submit these materials with delivery confirmation from the carrier.

Our application process is very competitive and your attention to detail is essential. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Our telephone number is (505) 277-6672 and our e-mail address is art255@unm.edu.

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For more information about undergraduate programs contact the College of Fine Arts at finearts@unm.edu.
For graduate information click on Graduate Programs above or e-mail art255@unm.edu.
For comments about our website the department webmaster.