Master’s Degrees in New York Admission Requirements

Fall 2025 Application Deadlines:

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

**To be eligible to enroll in the Field Study trip and course for Fall 2025, please note that students must submit a complete application by June 15. Those that submit applications after this date will be added to a waitlist and enrollment in this course cannot be guaranteed for the Fall 2025 semester. 

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 deadlines listed here.

Spring 2026 Application Deadlines:

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

**To be eligible to enroll in the Field Study trip and course for Spring 2026, please note that students must submit a complete application by November 1. Those that submit applications after this date will be added to a waitlist and enrollment in this course cannot be guaranteed for the Spring 2026 semester. 

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 deadlines 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.  

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. 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. We also accept the following:
  • MA Art Business: A previous submission 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.
  • MA Contemporary Art: A previous submission from an art history related course OR an original mock gallery/museum/exhibition review written as if it were to be published in an art publication or website.
  • MA Historic Art and Design: A previous submission from an art history related course OR an original mock gallery/museum/exhibition review written as if it were to be published in an art publication or website. 

• 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 and Spring 2026

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. 

CREDITS

Semester 1: 15 credits
Semester 2: 15 credits
Semester 3: 6 credits

TUITION AND FEES

Tuition: $1,878 per credit
Travel Fee: Each field study trip typically ranges from $4,500 to $6,500 according to program, entry semester, and destination. Travel fees are indicative only and subject to change.
Materials Fee: $824
International Student Fee: $206

Sotheby's Institute of Art tuition and fees are updated annually based on the curriculum and field study destinations.

Capstone (thesis or project) may be undertaken remotely or while working. Students may also choose to do an optional 3rd semester of coursework + field study at Sotheby’s Institute of Art-New York or London. Tuition and fees will vary by campus.

Credits: The Master’s degree is awarded for 30 taught credits across semesters one and two, as well as the completion of a 6-credit thesis or capstone project in the third semester. Course work is completed in semesters 1 and 2 for 30 credit hours, the minimum necessary for a Graduate Certificate. For students pursuing a Master’s degree, a thesis or capstone project is required and represents a total 36 credit hour requirement for the MA. This is undertaken in the third semester, either independently off-campus or alongside continued coursework on campus, which includes a third field study opportunity.

Field study is required of all students and is non-refundable. The travel fee covers all transportation, accommodations, and privileged access to venues and events.

The materials fee allows Sotheby’s Institute to operate as a fully-fledged and independent academic center including our library, full technology resources, student and academic advising, and career services.

The international students fee is required of students who are not United States citizens to ensure support for the unique needs of our international population.

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: March 31, 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: May 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 on a rolling basis. The need-based scholarship application includes: 

• Domestic Students: Scholarship Form, FAFSA, Two consecutive years of IRS tax forms (additional documentation may be required including parents’ IRS tax forms) 

• International Students: Scholarship Form, Equivalent of proof of income (additional documentation may be required including parents’ financial information) 

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: March 1, 2025

Financial Aid Opportunities

SIA-NY participates in Title IV Financial Aid Program.

• For more information on FAFSA please visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

FAFSA Code: G41798

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 by email to the address used in the application.

2025/2026 Academic Calendar - New York

2026/2027 Academic Calendar - Spring 2026 Start

Please note that 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) 
  • 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

• 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

Visas

We recommend that applicants who require a visa to study in the US apply through the appropriate consulate or other government agency at least 12 weeks prior to the start of class to allow sufficient time for processing.

As visa processing times vary by country, students applying to a program less than 12 weeks before the start of class should refer to the US Department of State information on estimated wait times by Embassy/Consulate and contact us at admissions@sia.edu for further guidance.

Some of your questions may be answered in the frequently asked questions section of our website. If you do not see your question, we are happy to help. 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
+1.646.438.7234