Organizer Information
New York University Tisch School of the Arts (NYU Tisch) is the arts school of New York University, offering undergraduate and graduate education across cinematic, performing, and emerging media arts. Its academic areas include film and television, cinema studies, theatre, dance, interactive media, game design, photography, recorded music, and related fields.
Key Information
- Official Institution Name: New York University Tisch School of the Arts
- Opportunity Type: University Programs & Admissions
- Study Levels: Undergraduate, Graduate, Doctoral
- Degrees Offered: BA, BFA, MA, MFA, MPS, PhD, MBA/MFA
- Academic Fields: Film & Television, Cinema Studies, Dramatic Writing, Performing Arts, Dance, Theatre, Game Design, Interactive Media, Photography, Recorded Music, Arts & Public Policy, Moving Image Archiving & Preservation, Virtual Production
- Relevant Programs: Cinema Studies; Film & Television; Dramatic Writing; Dance; Drama; Collaborative Arts; Game Design; Interactive Media Arts; Performance Studies; Photography & Imaging; Recorded Music; Graduate Film; Cinema Studies; Arts Politics; Design for Stage & Film; Dramatic Writing; Game Design; Graduate Acting; Graduate Musical Theatre Writing; IMA Low Residency; ITP; Media Producing; Moving Image Archiving & Preservation; Performance Studies; Virtual Production; MFA/MBA Dual Degree in Film.
- Language of Instruction: English
- International Applicants: Yes
- Application Period: Undergraduate applications open August 1, 2026; graduate applications open in September 2026.
- Application Deadline: Program- and decision-plan-specific; see Deadline & Timeline.
- Start of Studies: Fall 2027; IMA Low Residency begins in summer.
- Application Fee: Undergraduate $85; graduate $65; Graduate Acting MFA $115 including audition fee.
- Tuition: Undergraduate $75,326 for 2026–27; standard graduate tuition $82,900 for 2026–27.
- Funding: Tisch scholarships are available to eligible graduate applicants, including international students; doctoral students in Cinema Studies and Performance Studies receive Corrigan Fellowship funding.
Field of Study & Eligible Disciplines
- Tisch accepts applicants across cinematic, performing, and emerging media disciplines. Undergraduate study includes Cinema Studies, Film & Television, Dramatic Writing, Dance, Drama, Collaborative Arts, Game Design, Interactive Media Arts, Performance Studies, Photography & Imaging, and Recorded Music.
- Graduate study includes film production, cinema scholarship, arts policy, theatre and stage design, dramatic writing, game design, acting, musical-theatre writing, interactive media, moving-image preservation, performance studies, media producing, and virtual production.
- Graduate applicants generally may come from varied academic and professional backgrounds. Previous professional experience is specifically required for the MFA in Dance: Interdisciplinary Research, which expects at least seven years of professional dance experience.
General Eligibility
- Undergraduate applicants apply through NYU's undergraduate admissions process and must meet NYU requirements for their applicant category. Tisch undergraduate admission combines the general NYU application with a program-specific artistic review.
- For graduate master's programs, applicants generally must hold or be completing the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree by enrollment. PhD applicants must have earned or be completing an MA or MS; MFA and MPS degrees are not accepted as the qualifying degree for Tisch PhD admission. Graduate Film accepts bachelor's degrees from any field.
Language Requirements
- International graduate applicants must demonstrate English proficiency unless they meet Tisch's stated exemptions, including qualifying English-medium degrees or native-English status. Tisch accepts TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, IELTS Academic, and PTE Academic, but does not publish a minimum language-test score for graduate admission; the school states that competitive applicants submit very high scores.
- International undergraduate applicants may be asked to submit an accepted English-language proficiency examination. Tisch's Performance Studies guidance lists TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1/C2 and iTEP among accepted examinations.
Application Fee
| Applicant / Program | Application Fee | Additional Mandatory Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate applicants | $85 | Program/platform fees may apply |
| Graduate applicants | $65 | Program-specific fees may apply |
| Graduate Acting MFA | $115 | Includes $50 audition fee |
| Graduate Film MFA | $65 | $12 SlideRoom fee |
| Clive Davis Recorded Music BFA | $85 | $10 SlideRoom fee |
Fee waivers are available under specified circumstances.
Tuition
| Study Level / Program | Applicant Type | Tuition | Billing Structure | Other Mandatory Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tisch undergraduate programs | Undergraduate | $75,326 | Two semesters, full-time, 2026–27 | Program-specific charges may apply |
| Most Tisch graduate programs | Graduate | $82,900 | $41,450 per semester, 2026–27 | Registration/student-service fees |
| MA Cinema Studies | Graduate | $88,511 estimated degree tuition | Three 12-credit terms | $4,449 estimated service fees |
| MA Performance Studies | Graduate | $82,484 | Two 17-credit terms | $3,760 service fees |
| MA IMA Low Residency | Graduate | $85,240 | 32-credit program | Program-specific fees |
| MA Media Producing | Graduate | $86,176 estimated degree tuition | 32 credits across four terms | Program-specific charges |
| MPS Virtual Production | Graduate | $82,900 | $41,450 per semester | $2,157 lab/equipment insurance |
The undergraduate figure is the official 2026–27 Tisch tuition. Graduate figures are the currently published 2026–27 figures; some degree totals are explicitly estimates.
Funding & Financial Support
Admitted master's students who request consideration are automatically considered for Tisch scholarships. Awards are tuition-only, merit- and need-informed, and can range from partial to full tuition remission, although full awards are rare. International applicants are equally eligible for Tisch scholarships.
Tisch scholarships are not available for the MA in Media Producing or MPS in Virtual Production. Cinema Studies and Performance Studies PhD students receive multi-year full funding through the Corrigan Fellowship, including tuition, mandatory health insurance, a living stipend, and additional grants.
University Services & Academic Support
Tisch provides departmental academic advising and academic services support, career coaching, industry-oriented career resources, and international student support. The Tisch Office of Career Development provides individualized career coaching, workshops, networking resources, and access to industry-oriented information.
International students can receive guidance concerning visa regulations, work permission, English-language support, career development, and referrals to NYU's Office of Global Services.
Application Requirements
Undergraduate applicants submit the Common Application plus a program-specific artistic review. Depending on the program, this may involve a creative portfolio, written materials, artistic materials, or an audition. Cinema Studies, Film & Television, Photography & Imaging, and Recorded Music use SlideRoom; other programs use Tisch's artistic-review process.
Graduate applicants generally submit academic transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a professional or artistic résumé, and a statement of purpose, along with program-specific creative, portfolio, audition, or writing requirements.
Examples of additional requirements include a writing sample for Cinema Studies MA and MIAP, a creative portfolio for Graduate Film and Game Design, an audition for Graduate Acting, and portfolio plus interview requirements for Design for Stage & Film.
How to Apply?
- Undergraduate Application Portal: NYU Undergraduate Admissions / Common Application instructions
- Graduate Application Portal: Tisch Graduate Admissions Application
Deadline & Timeline
- Application Opens — Undergraduate: 1 August 2026
- Early Decision I — Undergraduate: 1 November 2026
- Early Decision II — Undergraduate: 1 January 2027
- Regular Decision — Undergraduate: 5 January 2027
- External Transfer — Undergraduate: 15 March 2027
- Cinema Studies PhD: 1 November 2026
- Graduate Acting MFA: 30 November 2026
- Cinema Studies MA: 1 December 2026
- Dramatic Writing MFA: 1 December 2026
- Game Design MFA: 1 December 2026
- Graduate Film MFA: 1 December 2026
- MFA/MBA Dual Degree in Film: 1 December 2026
- ITP MPS: 1 December 2026
- IMA Low Residency MA: 15 December 2026
- Virtual Production MPS: 15 December 2026
- Design for Stage & Film MFA: 5 January 2027
- Graduate Musical Theatre Writing MFA: 11 January 2027
- Arts Politics MA: 15 January 2027
- Moving Image Archiving & Preservation MA: 15 January 2027
- Performance Studies MA: 15 January 2027
- Performance Studies PhD: 15 January 2027
- Dance Interdisciplinary Research MFA: 1 February 2027
- Media Producing MA: 15 February 2027
Location
New York University Tisch School of the Arts — New York City, United States
Additional Details
Graduate applicants may apply to a maximum of two Tisch graduate programs in one admissions cycle, with separate applications and fees. Certain combinations are prohibited, including Graduate Film MFA with the MFA/MBA Dual Degree and Cinema Studies MA with MIAP.
The 2027–28 admissions cycle is currently open at the graduate level, while the tuition figures presently published by Tisch are primarily for 2026–27. Applicants should therefore distinguish the 2027 admission deadlines above from the currently published 2026–27 tuition schedule.