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School of the Museum of Fine Arts
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Information for Admitted Graduate Students

Below is some helpful information for you as you make your enrollment decision.

Connect With Us

In response to the evolving situation with COVID-19, Tufts University has made the difficult decision to suspend all on-campus events until April 30. Admitted MFA and Post-baccalaureate students should check their email for updates about ways to connect with us virtually and should contact SMFA admissions with any questions.

Classes Offered

Visit the Tufts Student Information System (SIS) website to browse classes by semester, faculty, and department. Graduate students must take classes above the 100 level.

Financial Planning

For MFA and Post-bac students, your merit award is set for the 2020-2021 academic year and awarded again for your second year upon successful completion of your first. Please reach out to our SMFA graduate admissions team with any questions you have concerning your merit award. 

For questions regarding your aid package, contact Vy Callahan, Associate Director of Financial Aid. She is available to answer questions about your FAFSA, Stafford Loans, and the differences between unsubsidized and subsidized loans.

Student Employment

MFA candidates can apply for teaching assistantships (TA) after their first semester. The Graduate Programs Office will communicate which classes need TA positions filled each semester. Students will apply to the faculty member of the class with a cover letter and CV. 

For the 2020/21 academic year, a 4-hour per week TA position has a rate is $2,850 per semester (before taxes). For a 2-hour per week TA position, the rate is $1,425 per semester (before taxes).

Students can learn about and apply for additional positions around the through the Handshake platform using their Tufts ID. To learn more about job opportunities for students, contact SMFA Career Center advisor, Ryan Smith.

Additional local employment opportunities in the arts can be found on sites such as Hire Culture.

Medford Campus Resources for SMFA Students

Travel and Research Funding

Graduate students may apply for various grants during their study, such as the Dean’s Research Award (up to $500) or the Tufts Graduate Research Competition (up to $1000).   

The Montague Travel Grant is specifically designed to support a student’s thesis research through international travel. Applications are reviewed twice a year by a panel of graduate faculty.
 
The Hamburg Exchange with the University of Fine Arts, Hamburg (HFBK) allows students from select international art schools to participate in a live/work studio experience in Hamburg, Germany while being taught and mentored by HFBK faculty.

Our graduates are eligible to apply for our Traveling Fellowship. Each year, this fellowship provides up to $10,000 to approximately 10 artists to travel, research, and create work. Traveling Fellowship recipients are also considered for a bi-annual solo show at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.View the 2019 winners and see what some of our MFA graduates are planning.

Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowships

MFA graduates who are interested in teaching in higher education can apply for a Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship (PGTF) for the year following completion of your MFA. PGTFs receive a studio for the full year in the Mission Hill building and are responsible for all elements of their course at SMFA, from course design to preparation, ordering supplies, scheduling models, grading, attendance, awarding credit, syllabus, and 13-weeks of instruction. Due to the structure of the SMFA curriculum, which brings together students of varied skill-sets and ideological backgrounds, the PGTF experience provides a critical foundation for teaching at the university level.
 

Moving to Boston

View off-campus resources for finding apartments. This site will be available to students once they have their Tufts email and login information. 

Students tend to prefer living in neighborhoods close to public transportation and the studios. The SMFA campus has buildings in the Fenway and Mission Hill neighborhoods of Boston and many graduate students live in the nearby Allston, Brighton, Jamaica Plain (JP), Roslindale, and Roxbury areas. Learn more about Boston neighborhoods and places of interest.

 

Ready to Make Your Decision?

Log into your Tufts Portal to find your Decision Reply Form and mark if you accept or decline your offer of admission. 

If you accept, the next step will take you to a page where you will be asked to submit a deposit of $300. Note: you are able to accept admission to SMFA and pay the deposit at a later date.

Checklist

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