How to Apply - Art & Design

Graduate Programs

MFA in Visual and Literary Arts

The MFA in Visual & Literary Arts brings together visual artists and writers to both focus and expand their work through interdisciplinary discourse, creative practice and professional development. Through communal residency work and in-depth semester study, students discover the urgency that drives their stories and train in their ability as makers and thinkers to blend word and image into new narratives.

Students work each semester to gain skills to amplify their presence in the world of art and literature, including hands-on training in teaching, editing, publishing, exhibiting, and social media, allowing them pathways to becoming cultural producers. Each application is reviewed holistically, with careful consideration of all submitted materials and the unique experiences, perspectives, and qualifications of the applicant.

Contact our admissions team if you have questions or need more information.

Apply to the MFA program using the link below. Once you’ve created your account, you can save your progress and finish your application later.

2026 MFA in Visual & Literary Arts Program

Non-US Citizens or Permanent Residents: Fully online programs do not qualify for issuance of a Form I-20 or an F-1 student visa, nor maintenance of legal F-1 status. If you are currently in the U.S., please consult with an immigration attorney to determine if your current U.S. non-immigrant status permits online study from within the U.S.

Program Start Date
MFA in Visual and Literary Arts

Summer Start 

  • Priority deadline: March 2, 2026
  • Standard deadline: May 1, 2026

 

Please note: For priority scholarship consideration, you must submit your application by the priority deadline. Merit scholarships are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, we strongly recommend applying before the priority deadline to be considered. If you wish to apply after the deadline, please contact Graduate Admissions at 617-349-8300 or email luadmissions@lesley.edu.

 

You'll need to submit a series of supporting materials to complete your application. You may send the documents separately, but we cannot make an admissions decision until we've received all supporting documents.

Transcripts are an essential part of your application. Follow these guidelines to ensure that official transcripts reach us before your application deadline: 

  • Have each institution where you earned an undergraduate or graduate degree send us your official transcript.
  • If you’re enrolled in a degree program when you apply, submit a transcript of courses you’ve taken to date. Submit your final official transcript once you’ve completed the degree program.
  • If your transcript is not in English, please provide a notarized translation and submit proof of English Language Proficiency.
  • If your degree is from outside the U.S., you’ll need to get your credentials evaluated to demonstrate U.S. bachelor's degree equivalency. See ​Application Requirements for International Students for detailed information about foreign academic credentials evaluation.

Include two recent recommendations from those you’ve worked with closely in an academic or professional setting.

  • At least one of your recommendations should come from a present or former supervisor.
  • If you’re in school or are a recent graduate, one recommendation should come from a professor.
  • Include the name and email of the person writing your letter of recommendation within your application. They'll receive an email with an electronic recommendation form and can upload a letter if they choose.

Letters should be dated within two years and written by someone who is not a friend or family member.

Your statement gives us insight into your motivation, purpose in pursuing a degree program, writing skills, and communication style. It’s an important part of our review process.

Write a 500–750-word maximum personal statement. Your personal statement should discuss your work, and the creative and critical issues and ideas that your work addresses, including:  

  1. What are the significant themes and influences (e.g. artists and authors) in your work? How have they changed as the work has progressed? 
  2. What are your creative and professional goals for your work? 
  3. What do you hope to accomplish in the MFA in Visual & Literary Arts program?  

Include a resume reflecting relevant academic and work experience, exhibitions and awards, publications, and any other relevant professional information.

Applicants to the MFA in Visual and Literary Arts will need to include a digital portfolio via Slideroom as a part of their application.

Applicants have the option of submitting a writing portfolio or visual portfolio, or a combination of both.

We are interested in reviewing a cohesive body of work that demonstrates clear authorship, intent, and creative engagement. Your portfolio should reflect active involvement with your practice and strong work habits. If your recent work is limited, you may include a range of pieces accompanied by a brief explanation of their relevance. Supplemental materials are welcome. If you include them, please clearly distinguish them from your primary portfolio submission so we know which works are prioritized.

Please use the following guidelines for the portfolio submission: 

  1. Writing Sample: Please send 10 – 15 pages (10 pages minimum) of your creative writing in any genre. This can include, but is not limited to: fiction, memoir, poetry, graphic novels, comics, writing for children, young adult, dramatic writing, etc. Writing submissions must be formatted as a PDF or Microsoft Word document. 
     
  2. Visual Portfolio: 10 – 15 of your strongest works (10 works minimum) completed. This can include, but is not limited to: paintings, drawings, photography, multi-media, sequential media (e.g.: film, animation, UX). Single image files are preferred; for sequential media (e.g. film/video/new media) please submit a piece no longer than 15 minutes, cued to a 5-minute section that you want us to view. 

Allowed Media Types:   

  • Images (up to 10MB each) 
  • Video (up to 500MB each) 
  • Audio (up to 60MB each) 
  • PDFs (up to 20MB each)

To upload your materials via Slideroom, follow the instructions below: 

  • Create a Slideroom account.
  • Upload each image or document, adding the title, size, date, and medium.
  • Pay the submission fee.

Please note, BOTH a portfolio submission via Slideroom and submission of your Lesley application is REQUIRED for consideration for this program.

International students pursuing graduate degrees must complete additional application requirements, including notarized translation of transcripts, foreign academic credentials evaluation, and proof of English language proficiency. See our How to Apply page for International Students for detailed information about the requirements for your intended program of study.

Contact Graduate Admissions 

We encourage prospective graduate students to join one of our monthly virtual information sessions. These sessions provide an opportunity to connect directly with an admissions counselor and an MFA faculty member, learn more about the program and its opportunities, explore scholarship options, understand important deadlines, and have questions about the application process answered in real time.

Register for an information session

Mailing Address 

Lesley University Graduate Admissions 

29 Everett Street

Cambridge, MA 02138 

Phone, Email, and Documents 

617-349-8300 

luadmissions@lesley.edu

Send documents to: appstatus@lesley.edu 

Take the next step

Ready to begin your journey with Lesley? ​Share some basic information by filling out one of the forms below so that we can reach out to you with more information about our programs. Or, email admissions@lesley.edu to connect with a member of our admissions team.

 

Undergraduate &  Transfer: 

Inquiry Form   |   Visit   |   Apply

 

Graduate: 

Inquiry Form   |   Visit   |   Apply

 

Threshold Programs: 

Inquiry Form   |   Visit   |   Apply