Online Master's Degrees Admissions Requirements

Fall 2025 Application Deadlines:

The deadline to apply is 11:59 EST/EDT.

*To apply for merit scholarships, students must apply to Sotheby's Institute of Art by the priority application deadline.

We review completed applications on a rolling basis in the order that we receive them. Due to this, we recommend applying by the priority deadline. Please note that applications may close prior to the final deadline listed here.

To be eligible for admission, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution. Applicants currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree must complete all coursework and graduation requirements before enrollment.  

We welcome applicants from a range of academic backgrounds. Where an applicant to one of our programs does not have a first degree in art history or a related subject, the offer may include a recommendation or requirement to complete an introductory Art History course prior to enrollment. 

US Residents: 

At this time, we are only able to offer the MA Art Business Online program to U.S. residents with permanent residency in the following states: 

• Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York,  Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont 

If your state is not listed, please reach out to us at admissions@sia.edu.  

Students who relocate while enrolled in the online MA may be unable to complete their studies if they relocate to state where the Institute is not currently authorized to offer online programs. Current and prospective students should contact Admissions to discuss how relocation could alter their eligibility to continue on the program.

International Students: 

International students are advised to research whether their home-country will accept fully online degrees before applying to the Online MA.

All prospective students must apply using the online application. A complete application includes:

• Academic transcripts/mark sheets: from all undergraduate and post-graduate academic institutions attended. 
  • Unofficial copies of transcripts are sufficient for the application process and for issuing decisions. Diplomas are not accepted as a substitute for a transcript/mark sheet.  
  • Final Official Transcripts are required prior to enrollment. Documents are only considered Final and Official when received directly from the awarding institution and list the conferral date. Official transcripts can be sent to admissions@sia.edu.
  • If you received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. or U.K., please visit our International Students tab.

• Personal Statement (500 - 1,000 words): Please tell us about yourself, the reasons for your choice of program, any relevant academic or art related experience, and your future career goals. The statement should clearly reference the Institute and the intended program.

• Writing sample (1,000 word minimum): Writing samples should have been written within the past four years. We accept a graded paper from an art history or business-related course OR an original piece of writing that is a mock business plan, press release, or exhibition review.
  • If using a writing sample from an academic thesis or longer piece of writing, please provide an excerpt of 2 – 5 pages. Footnotes are required for any citations. 

• Curriculum Vitae or résumé

• Two (2) letters of reference: from an academic or professional contact.
  • The application form includes a section to list your referee’s name and contact information. Upon submission of the application, our reference form is sent directly to your designated referees who will be prompted to submit their letter of reference. 
  • Letters will only be accepted when submitted directly from the referee. Documents uploaded by the applicant on behalf of their reference will not be accepted.  
    • If your referee needs assistance submitting their letter, please refer them to the admissions team at admissions@sia.edu.
  • Applicants should select referees who can speak to their potential success in a graduate-level program. Referees do not need to be from an art-related background.
    • Candidates who graduated more than 2 years before applying may present two professional references if they are no longer in contact with the faculty at their undergraduate institution.

• English language proficiency exam (required for non-native English speakers): Please view the international students tab for requirements.

• Payment of the application fee: A nonrefundable fee of $100 (USD) is required for the 2025 online application. Applications are not considered complete until the fee has been paid.

Fall 2025

A non-refundable deposit of $1,500 is required to secure your place on all programs. The deposit will be applied to Semester 1 tuition. 

*Please note this is tuition only. The total MA degree consists of 36 credit hours.

*The number of credits and total tuition each semester may vary depending on your selected track

Materials Fee: $824

Deferrals: 

The Institute permits deferrals over one academic year only. To secure the place in the following year, a second non-refundable “deferral fee” payment will be due to the Institute. Any scholarship awarded will not be transferred.  

We encourage applicants who intend to defer to wait and apply when the form for the intake they wish to join goes live. Deferrals are approved at the discretion of the Institute. 

Sotheby’s Institute of Art offers partial-tuition scholarships to qualified domestic and international candidates. The scholarship award acts as a partial fee waiver and is evenly divided and applied to semester one and two tuition. Scholarship awards are not guaranteed and award decisions are final. 

Fall 2025 Applicants 

Merit Scholarship

Deadline to Apply for Merit Scholarship: May 15, 2025

Applicants that submit their application to Sotheby's Institute of Art prior to the priority deadline are welcome to apply for our Merit Scholarships. Awards are not guaranteed, and the decision will be based on the program application materials submitted and the scholarship application. 

To be eligible to apply for the Merit Scholarship, applicants must submit their application to Sotheby's Institute of Art by the priority deadline. 

Need-based Awards 

Deadline to apply for Need-Based Awards: June 1, 2025

Applicants that submit their application to Sotheby's Institute of Art prior to the priority deadline are welcome to apply for our Need-based award. Students seeking a partial-tuition scholarship based on financial need will be asked to submit the following evidence after submission of the application. Award decisions will be communicated at the point of an offer being made.

Please select that you would like to apply for a need-based award as one of the funding sources on our application form to indicate that you would like to submit a need-based scholarship form after the completed application has been submitted.

Scholarship Deadlines:

You must have applied to the program before the following date: 

• September 2025 entry: April 15, 2025

Our admissions team will follow up with you regarding any outstanding documentation or required information. Applicants whose documentation is complete will receive an invitation to attend an academic interview via email to the address used in the application.

2025/2026 Academic Calendar

Please note dates are subject to change

Application Materials

• Transcripts: from all undergraduate and post-graduate academic institutions attended.
  • Unofficial copies of transcripts are sufficient for the application process and for issuing decisions. Diplomas are not accepted as a substitute for a transcript/mark sheet.  
    • If the document is not originally in English, an official certified translation must be submitted in accompaniment with the original document.
  • Prior to enrolling, transcripts for undergraduate degrees received outside of the U.S. and U.K. must be accompanied by a certified course-by-course credential evaluation. The evaluation will convert the grades and GPA into the United States grading scale. Please view the list of accepted providers below:
    • International Education Evaluation (IEE)
    • World Education Service (WES)
  • All transcripts for graduate degrees, regardless of the institution's country, can be sent directly from the institution to admissions@sia.edu. Postgraduate transcripts do not need to be accompanied by a course-by-course evaluation.
  • If you have any questions about this process or requirements, please reach out to us at admissions@sia.edu.

• English Language Requirement (required for non-native English speakers):
  

  IELTS	7
  TOEFL	100
  Duolingo	130

Note: Exam scores expire two years after the test date

Unofficial score reports are sufficient for application processes and decisions. Please note that official score reports, received directly from the testing body to Sotheby's Institute of Art, are required prior to enrollment.

• English Language Requirement Waiver: In the application process, you will be prompted to provide proof of meeting this requirement. In some cases, an English Language Requirement Waiver may be granted. This will be reviewed in tandem with your application. You may request an English Language Requirement Waiver if:
• Your undergraduate or graduate degree is from a country where English is the national language and English was the primary language of instruction 
• Your undergraduate or graduate degree is from an institution where the degree was taught entirely in the English language.  
  • You must provide documentation stating this from the institution  
• You have extensive English-speaking professional experience

All prospective students are encouraged to contact our Admissions Office to schedule a one-on-one information session to learn more about the program, the application process, tuition, financial aid, and more.

Contact Us
admissions@sia.edu