How to Apply - Graduate

Applicants are required to apply online. You must complete all required fields and upload materials prior to submission. Most materials can be submitted electronically via the online application. Any additional supporting documents that need to be sent electronically or by mail must include an Application Materials Cover Sheet. All supporting materials must be received before your application can be reviewed.

If you're planning to apply using a school email address, please confirm you can receive our email first. Some schools block email from outside their domains. 

The application fee for U.S. domestic applicants and international transfer applicants is $50. Application fees are paid through the online application and are non-refundable. The New School waives application fees for those who meet the eligibility guidelines listed in the Application Fee Waivers section of our university-wide undergraduate and graduate How to Apply pages.

The New School's MFA in Contemporary Theatre and Performance seeks artists with the capacity for interdisciplinary practice who prioritize innovation, collaboration, and social engagement in the making of art that is relevant to their communities. Please provide a personal artistic statement discussing your perspective on these themes and addressing the way they inform your work. (600–750 words, to be submitted with Online Application)

At least two letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic references are required. Recommendations must be submitted by recommenders directly via the online application portal. Instructions are included in the online application.

All applicants to the MFA in Contemporary Theatre and Performance are required to submit an Artist Portfolio. We invite you to take your own unique approach to interpreting these guidelines. The most important thing you can show us is your creativity, your craft, and your willingness to take creative risks. Competitive portfolios will provide evidence of:

• Interdisciplinary collaboration and/or artistic practice
  
• Experimentation
  
• Interest in or capacity for socially engaged artistry and/or technology-based exploration

An Artist Portfolio includes two to four samples of artistic work and one Process Statement. A work sample captures a single project and must consist of the following elements:

Primary Document

• A primary document presents the work itself. This may be a video excerpt of a performance, production photos, an original playscript, a director’s notebook, or something else entirely.
  
• Videos must be no longer than five minutes; applicants submitting production photos are encouraged to include no more than ten images.
  
• Applicants are not limited to these document types. We are thrilled to see any concrete documentation of a project in whatever form best exhibits the work.
  
• Artists who identify primarily as actors may submit a recording of an audition monologue as a Primary Document.

Supporting Materials (if applicable)

• Supporting materials help illuminate the applicant’s artistic process and can include project research documents, source materials, annotated scripts and promptbooks, renderings, reviews, etc.
• Please identify any additional collaborators and their role(s) in the work.
  

Process Statement
The process statement should briefly enlighten us to your way of working. How did you translate your projects from idea to execution? How does your work relate to the values outlined in your Statement of Intent? (300 words maximum) 

Applicants who are invited to participate in a Round 2 Portfolio Conference will be notified after review of their completed Round 1 Application. Applicants who apply after the January 7 priority deadline will be considered for the Round 2 Portfolio Conference on a rolling basis as space allows. 

The Portfolio Conference is required for admission to the MFA in Contemporary Theatre and Performance program and consists of two sessions:

1. Group Collaboration and Making Experience: Faculty lead groups of applicants in a collaborative making exercise. Although applicants will be evaluated on participation and collaboration, this is primarily an opportunity to experience our program firsthand and make something new and exciting with a group of fellow artists.
2. One-on-One Interview with Faculty: All applicants have a brief interview with a member of the MFA faculty. Topics may include but aren't limited to your work samples, live performance presentation, professional goals and artistic interests, experiences with socially engaged creativity, and particular interest in The New School’s Master of Fine Arts program in Contemporary Theatre and Performance.

Your Interview will be scheduled for the same day as your group collaboration session. 

Conferences will take place in person at the College of Performing Arts in New York City, with a virtual option for those who prefer it. If you have any questions or concerns or you need accommodation, please email us at [email protected].

Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript, mark sheet, or academic record for each institution (even if you didn’t receive a degree) in the Academic History section of the online application.

All uploaded transcripts must be accompanied by a key, a legend, or the back copy of the transcript. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation. Records from non-U.S. institutions must have grades or marks and contain a copy of diploma if the degree has been conferred. Make sure your name appears on the transcript/record. Scanned documents must be clear and legible.

If you experience trouble uploading your transcript, email [email protected] and give a detailed description of the issue and attach the document in question.

The New School reserves the right to require official transcripts or an official NACES course-by-course evaluation at any time during the admission process. Any fraudulent activity or discrepancies found between uploaded and official transcripts will result in the immediate revocation of admission and/or dismissal from The New School. Transcripts uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial.

Applicants offered admission will be required to submit official transcripts with proof of their degree conferral(s) prior to enrollment. Admitted applicants must submit all official transcripts pertaining to their entire academic career. Transcripts uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial, and do not satisfy this requirement.

How to Submit Electronic Transcripts
The New School accepts electronic transcripts only from our approved vendors:

• National Student Clearinghouse
• Parchment Exchange
• Credentials eScrip-Safe
• TrueCopy Credentials

Electronic transcripts sent directly by a student are not considered official.

Whenever possible, please send all official communication electronically, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, and tuition deposits.

In rare circumstances where items must be mailed, please send to:

The New School
Office of Admission
55 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011

All materials and documents submitted in association with The New School application become the property of The New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

All applicants whose first language is not English must submit valid results of an English language proficiency test taken within the past two years.

We permit applicants to submit one of the following tests: TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge English C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency.

Minimum required scores are:

• TOEFL iBT - 100
• IELTS - 7.5
• PTE - 68
• Duolingo English Test - 135
• Cambridge English - 191

Our TOEFL institution code is 2521.

The New School does not accept English language proficiency test results from IELTS Indicator, IELTS for UKVI, iTEP, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL ITP Plus for China, TOEFL My Best Score, or the University College London preparatory certificate program.

The New School does not require TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge English for applicants who have earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college or university or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction (minimum of three years' attendance). After reviewing your application, the Office of Admission may require you to submit an English language proficiency test score to evaluate your candidacy.

We accept test scores taken within the past two years. If your scores are older, you must retake the test.

Applicants also have the option of enrolling in The New School English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Students must pass Level 6 to waive the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/DET requirement. Visit the ESL website for more information.

All admitted students are considered for merit scholarship awards determined by the strength of their applications. International students are eligible only for merit scholarships. If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid  (FAFSA) in order to be considered for federal financial aid. The FAFSA is available each year on October 1. The New School’s federal school code is 002780. You don’t need to wait for an admission decision to apply for federal aid. Our Financial Aid staff are available to guide you through the process of applying for financial aid.

Applications become complete and ready for review once all required items have been received by the Office of Admission. You can check your application status in the Admission Hub.

Allow at least 14 days from the date you submitted your application for items to be marked as received in your Admission Hub. Applicants are responsible for following up with schools and recommenders to confirm that transcripts and recommendations have been sent.

The Office of Admission will periodically notify applicants by email if their file is missing any documents and again when their file is complete for review. These notifications are sent to the email address provided in the online application.

If you need to change your email address, mailing address, or other contact information, email the Office of Admission.

Spring admission decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in November.

Fall admission decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in late March.

Fall transfer admission decisions will be released on a rolling basis starting in April.

In any given academic year, a student can apply to only one department or program within The New School. Applicants who file more than one application in an academic year will be required to withdraw one of the applications, and application fees will not be refunded.

All materials and documents submitted in association with The New School application become the property of The New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

Students who wish to return to a graduate degree program after an absence of four semesters must reapply via the graduate application. They must first confirm that their program is still accepting applications and that they are meeting time limit requirements (if applicable), before completing the application.

The New School welcomes undocumented students and students who hold DACA status to apply. Undocumented status does not affect the admissions process or your final admission decision. For questions about financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected].

Learn more about how we support undocumented students.

While applicants are expected to show developed skill in one or more theatrical disciplines, no formal training in an individual discipline is required to be considered for admission into the MFA in Contemporary Theatre and Performance. The program values all forms of theatrical creation that lead to original work.

We invite you to interpret this requirement in a way that best suits your artistry — comedic, dramatic, classical, or contemporary; from an extant play or something original. We are looking for your unique creativity as it is displayed in your work, and that includes interpretation of criteria.

We understand socially engaged art as artistic practices that involve individuals and communities in the creative process. Socially engaged art interrogates the context in which it is being created and in which it will exist and reflects an understanding of the artist's own responsibility to be aware of, responsive to, and provocative toward this context. The concept of socially engaged art recognizes the potential for artists to participate in and lead community-driven change. Socially engaged art is connected to principles of equity, inclusion, and social justice.

There is no preference given to those who have a creative technology background. However, the creative use of technology is encouraged in our program, and those who already incorporate electronics and technology in their practice are encouraged to apply. There are numerous resources at The New School that tech-inclined students can take advantage of, such as the Making Center at Parsons and the Equipment Center, where students can access a wide range of professional audio and video production equipment.

Yes. The selection committee is interested in learning about a candidate’s breadth of work and how that work is conceived. Therefore, the committee is interested in works-in-progress as much as it is interested in final versions of works.