Admissions

International Students

A blonde student in a white shirt smiles and talks to another student looking down at a piece of paper.

International students play a vital role in our vibrant community, with students from 32 countries calling MassArt their home.

We’re thrilled you’re interested in attending MassArt for your degree program! Ready to apply to MassArt? Here’s an overview of how the process works for international students.

You are an international student if you are not currently a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States.

You may apply to MassArt as either a first time undergraduate student, transfer student, or graduate student, depending on your level of education.

Which type of applicant am I?

You’re a first time undergraduate if:

You’re still in high school (even if you completed dual-enrollment credits), or You graduated from high school or earned your GED, and didn't enroll in college-level coursework.

First Time Undergraduates

You’re a transfer applicant if:

You enrolled in university coursework (after your high school graduation).

Transfer Students

You're a graduate student if:

You have completed (or about to complete) a 4 year Bachelor’s degree program.

Graduate Students

International Student Application Requirements

All admissions application requirements are the same for international and domestic students, with the exception of the additional requirements below.

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Massachusetts College of Art and Design requires official translations and course-by-course evaluations of transcripts or records from outside the U.S. These evaluations can take up to six weeks to complete, so please begin this process early.

Evaluations must be arranged through a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE) approved member, or provider listed below:

Evaluated transcripts must include:

Name of the educational institution
Country where it is located
Length of study and its U.S. equivalent
Courses studied by year
A conversion of grades and/or examinations to the U.S. grade equivalents of A, B, C, D and F on a 4-point scale
Total credits earned and conversion of course hours to U.S. semester hours
U.S. degree equivalent

MassArt does not offer an intensive English language program. Students are expected to be proficient in English before applying for admission. To demonstrate English proficiency, an official copy of TOEFL, IELTS, DuoLingo, or Pearson Test of English exam scores is required:

MassArt’s code is: 3516

213 Computer-based test score
550 Paper-based test score

550	Paper-based test score Internet-based composite test score (iBT) and TOEFL iBT Paper Edition:
21	Reading
19	Listening
23	Speaking
22	Writing
85	Overall total
	TOEFL Essentials test score:
9	Reading
8	Listening
9	Speaking
9	Writing
9	Overall Total

IELTS
6.0

DuoLingo
105

Pearson Test of English
59

MassArt can generally waive English Language Proficiency Exams for:

Students currently studying in the U.S. for all 4 years of their high school education.
Students who have earned a 3.0/B or better in two consecutive semesters of college-level (non ESL) English courses at a U.S. college or university.
Students who have completed a 4 year Bachelor’s program, in good standing, at a school where English is the primary language of instruction.

Questions about exemptions should be sent to admissions@massart.edu.

Once international students are formally admitted to MassArt, they are required to submit information in order to apply for F-1 student visa status.

Visa Deadlines

Enrollment Deadline (Summer start – Master of Architecture program): March 15
Enrollment Deadline (Summer start- Graduate programs): April 1
Enrollment Deadline (Fall start): May 1

MassArt starts processing I-20’s upon receipt of the enrollment deposit and all required visa documents. Allow ample time to fulfill legal requirements associated with obtaining a visa. The sooner you complete this process, the sooner your I-20 will be issued.

Questions about obtaining a student visa should be directed to the International Education Center.