Organizer Information
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional education. Its arts provision includes the College of Fine Arts, College of Motion Picture Arts, and other arts-related academic units. The 2026–2027 College of Fine Arts Bulletin covers Art, Art Education, Art History, Dance, Interior Architecture & Design, and Theatre.
Key Information
- Official Institution Name: Florida State University
- Opportunity Type: University Programs & Admissions
- Study Levels: Undergraduate / Graduate / Doctoral
- Degrees Offered: BA, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, MS, PhD, and combined-degree pathways
- Academic Fields: Fine Arts, Art Education, Art History, Film, Animation, Design, Interior Architecture, Dance, Theatre, Arts Administration
- Relevant Programs: BA Studio Art; BFA Studio Art; MFA Studio Art; Art History programs; Art Education programs; Interior Design; Dance; Theatre; Arts Administration; BFA Motion Picture Arts – Production; BFA Animation and Digital Arts; MFA Motion Picture Arts – Production; MFA Motion Picture Arts – Writing.
- Language of Instruction: English
- International Applicants: Yes. FSU maintains dedicated first-year, transfer, and graduate international admissions routes.
- Application Period: Program- and applicant-category-specific
- Application Deadline: Program-specific; current published arts deadlines include November 1, 2026, December 1, 2026, January 1, 2027, and January 15, 2027.
- Start of Studies: Fall 2027 for the cited 2027-entry programs
- Application Fee: USD 30
- Tuition: From USD 771.66 per credit hour for out-of-state undergraduate students; graduate out-of-state rate from USD 1,173.86 per credit hour for 2026–2027 current rates.
- Funding: Scholarships, grants, fellowships, assistantships, and other financial-aid opportunities are available, subject to eligibility and funding.
Field of Study & Eligible Disciplines
- FSU's College of Fine Arts offers study across Art, Art Education, Art History, Dance, Interior Architecture & Design, and Theatre, while the College of Motion Picture Arts offers undergraduate and graduate film programs.
- The Department of Art's programs include Studio Art at BA, BFA, and MFA levels, with studio areas including ceramics, design, drawing, electronic media, installation, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video at graduate level.
- Portfolio requirements are program-specific. For example, the MFA in Studio Art requires applicants to demonstrate artistic accomplishment and potential, while FSU Film requires creative materials for its relevant undergraduate and graduate programs.
General Eligibility
FSU accepts first-year, transfer, and graduate applicants through separate admission routes. First-year applicants are high-school seniors or first-time-in-college students, while transfer applicants have earned at least 12 semester hours after high school graduation. Graduate applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Educational Background
- Requirements depend on the program. Applicants to the MFA in Motion Picture Arts – Production or Writing must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and have at least a 3.0 GPA in upper-division undergraduate coursework. Previous film-production or film-related coursework is not required for these MFA programs.
- International applicants with non-U.S. academic records must follow FSU's credential-evaluation and certified-translation requirements.
Language Requirements
- International applicants whose native language is not English must provide English-language proficiency results.
- For undergraduate admission, FSU lists minimum scores including IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80 for tests taken before January 21, 2026 or 4.0 for tests taken on or after that date, PTE 55, Duolingo 125, Cambridge C1/C2 180, and Michigan Language Assessment 55.
- For graduate admission, the university lists the same IELTS 6.5 minimum and current TOEFL iBT, PTE, Duolingo, Cambridge, and Michigan requirements; some departments may require higher scores. Certain exemptions and waivers apply.
Application Fee
| Applicant Category | Application Fee | Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| First-year undergraduate | USD 30 | Certain qualifying fee-waiver categories apply |
| Graduate | USD 30 | Graduate application fees generally cannot be waived; limited institutional exceptions apply |
Tuition
| Study Level | Applicant Category | 2026–2027 Current Rate | Billing Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | In-state | USD 215.55/credit hour | Per credit hour |
| Undergraduate | Out-of-state | USD 771.66/credit hour | Per credit hour |
| Graduate | In-state | USD 479.32/credit hour | Per credit hour |
| Graduate | Out-of-state | USD 1,173.86/credit hour | Per credit hour |
The published 2026–2027 main-campus schedule also identifies mandatory per-credit state, local, and university fees and a USD 20 per-semester Facilities Use Fee. Proposed increases are listed separately; the figures above are the published current rates.
Funding & Financial Support
- FSU offers Foundation scholarships through its FS4U – Finding Scholarships For You platform, as well as grants, scholarships, and other financial-aid programs. Graduate students may also pursue departmental assistantships and fellowships, although international graduate funding is limited and federal grants and loans are not awarded to international students.
- The College of Motion Picture Arts states that student films receive production funding and that the College offers scholarships and financial assistance.
University Services & Academic Support
- Relevant support includes the Career Center, Center for Global Engagement, international-student advising, visa and immigration guidance, housing assistance, and the Center for Intensive English Studies.
- Arts students also have access to discipline-specific studios, galleries, museums, research facilities, and production facilities. The Department of Art identifies studio access, gallery exhibition opportunities, faculty critiques, and specialized facilities for BFA students.
Application Requirements
- For FSU Film undergraduate applicants, required materials include the FSU application, required academic information, and Motion Picture Arts supplemental materials. Creative materials include a resume, personal statement, writing sample, and creative portfolio, together with three recommendation letters for the transfer route.
- For the MFA in Motion Picture Arts – Production, applicants must submit a resume, biography, career-goal breakdown, influences, second-choice explanation, writing sample, creative portfolio, video pitch, and three recommendation letters.
- For the MFA in Motion Picture Arts – Writing, required supplemental materials include a resume, statement of purpose, three writing samples, and three recommendation letters.
- The MFA in Studio Art uses program-specific graduate admissions requirements and evaluates artistic accomplishment and potential.
How to Apply?
Deadline & Timeline
- FSU Film Freshman Deadline — Fall 2027: 1 November 2026
- FSU Film MFA Production Deadline — Fall 2027: 1 December 2026
- FSU Film MFA Writing Deadline — Fall 2027: 1 December 2026
- FSU Film Transfer Deadline — Fall 2027: 15 January 2027
- MFA Studio Art International Applicant Deadline: 1 January 2027
- MFA Studio Art U.S. Applicant Deadline: 1 February 2027
- Arts Administration International Priority Deadline: 15 January 2027
- Arts Administration Funding Consideration Deadline: 1 February 2027
- Arts Administration Rolling Admissions Deadline: 1 July 2027
- Art Education – Teacher Certification International Priority Deadline: 15 January 2027
- Art Education – Teacher Certification Funding Consideration Deadline: 1 February 2027
- Art Education – Teacher Certification Final Fall Deadline: 1 July 2027
Location
Florida State University — Tallahassee, United States
Additional Details
- FSU's graduate admissions process is department-specific: the university states that applicants should check their academic department for application terms and deadlines, and some programs have earlier deadlines than the university's January 15 international priority date.
- International applicants must also demonstrate financial resources before FSU can issue the immigration documentation required for study in the United States.
- The university's 2026–2027 tuition schedule distinguishes current rates from proposed increases. The tuition figures above use the published current main-campus rates for Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027.