St. Louis Missouri 63130
United States
Applications are open for the MFA in Visual Art program at Washington University in St. Louis. The two-year, fully residential program supports diverse creativity—from historical techniques and emerging media to scholarly research and social practice.
The Sam Fox School’s MFA-VA program at WashU, a tier-one research university, is a close-knit community of artists and researchers. Expansive facilities and studios—including a digital fabrication lab, time-based media art studio, printmaking and book studio, wood and metal shops, and textile studios—encourage intellectual and material experimentation across disciplines.
WashU’s curriculum prepares students for a diversified approach to contemporary art that nurtures sustained, lifelong engagement while recognizing multiple pathways for a career in the arts. Students can expand studies through the Office for Socially Engaged Practice and opportunities like the Counterpublic triennial fellowship and Berlin Sommerakadamie. Throughout the program, students prepare work for several exhibitions, culminating in a thesis exhibition at WashU’s prominent Kemper Art Museum.
Core faculty are Tiffany Calvert (chair), Jamie Adams, Josh Azzarella, Heather Bennett, Lisa Bulawsky, Joe deVera, Amy Hauft, Meghan Kirkwood, Arny Nadler, Patricia Olynyk, Jack Risley, Cheryl Wassenaar, and Monika Weiss.
Additionally, the Sam Fox School invites nationally and internationally recognized artists and critics to campus for workshops, studio visits, and lectures. This year’s visiting artists include Wafaa Bilal, Chloë Bass, Carolina Caycedo, and Juan William Chávez, among others.
Ninety-four percent of Sam Fox School graduate students receive scholarships and financial aid. There are a variety of funding options available for students, including the full-tuition Sam Fox Ambassadors Fellowship program.
Alumni are eligible for residencies at Paris’ Cité internationale des arts, the 25,000 USD Stone & DeGuire Contemporary Art Award, and a post-MFA studio fellowship. Notable MFA alumni include Kahlil Robert Irving, Lavar Munroe, Ebony G. Patterson, Carlie Trosclair, and Cayce Zavaglia, among others.
Applications due January 10, 2027. Apply for free through December 14. Learn more at samfoxschool.washu.edu.
Upcoming virtual events
Learn more about the MFA-VA program and get feedback on your portfolio at an event this fall.
MFA-VA Application and Portfolio Workshop: October 29, 12–1pm CT Register here. Virtual open house: November 18, 12–1pm CT Register here. Graduate info session: Making the most of your MFA-VA: November 19, 12–1pm CT Register here. Portfolio reviews: December 4, 12–1pm CT Register here.
