Organizer Information
University of Washington (UW) is a public research university founded in 1861, with campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma. The Seattle campus offers undergraduate through doctoral study and includes the School of Art + Art History + Design and the Department of Cinema & Media Studies within the College of Arts & Sciences.
Key Information
- Official Institution Name: University of Washington
- Opportunity Type: University Programs & Admissions
- Study Levels: Undergraduate / Graduate / Doctoral
- Degrees Offered: BA, BFA, BDes, MA, MFA, MDes, PhD
- Academic Fields: Fine Arts / Art History / Film & Cinema Studies / Media / Photography / Design
- Relevant Programs: BA Cinema & Media Studies; MA Cinema & Media Studies; PhD Cinema & Media Studies; BA/BFA Art; BDes in Industrial Design, Interaction Design, and Visual Communication Design; graduate Art, Art History, and Design programs.
- Language of Instruction: English
- International Applicants: Yes
- Application Period: Program and study-level specific
- Application Deadline: Program and study-level specific
- Start of Studies: Autumn quarter for the highlighted programs
- Application Fee: $95 undergraduate international; $90 graduate
- Tuition: 2026–27 undergraduate nonresident tuition & fees: $45,789; graduate Tier I nonresident tuition & fees: $44,740 for four quarters.
- Funding: Graduate funding opportunities include scholarships, fellowships, and teaching assistantships; Cinema & Media Studies states that its MA and PhD programs are fully funded through teaching assistantships.
Field of Study & Eligible Disciplines
- Relevant study areas include studio art, photography and media, ceramics, glass, sculpture, painting, printmaking, art history, cinema and media studies, industrial design, interaction design, and visual communication design. The BA in Cinema & Media Studies focuses on critical and cultural study of film and media rather than formal film-production training.
- The new BA/BFA Art pathways provide focused study in 3D4M — Ceramics, Glass, Sculpture; Painting + Printmaking; and Photo, Media, New Genres. The BDes offers Industrial Design, Interaction Design, and Visual Communication Design.
- For the Cinema & Media Studies MA, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in Film Studies, Media Studies, or a related field.
General Eligibility
- Eligibility depends on the program and applicant category. UW accepts international applicants at undergraduate and graduate levels. International graduate applicants must meet the Graduate School's requirements as well as any additional program-specific requirements.
- For the new Art BA/BFA pathways, current UW students must complete the specified introductory Art coursework; transfer applicants entering from Autumn 2027 must apply separately to the Art major.
Educational Background
- The MA in Cinema & Media Studies requires a bachelor's degree in Film Studies, Media Studies, or a related field. The Art History PhD requires a master's degree in Art History before enrollment.
- Other programs have their own academic prerequisites and should be evaluated individually.
Language Requirements
- International undergraduate applicants must submit English-proficiency test scores meeting UW's minimum admission requirements.
- For graduate admission, applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Current Graduate School minimums include IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 4.0 under the new scoring scale (80 on tests taken before January 21, 2026), or Duolingo 110; programs may impose higher standards.
The Cinema & Media Studies graduate program additionally requires spoken-English proficiency of TOEFL iBT 26 or IELTS 7.0 in speaking for applicants seeking a Teaching Assistantship.
Application Fee
| Applicant category | Application fee | Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| International undergraduate | $95 | Not available |
| Graduate applicant | $90 | Available only to eligible applicants; F-1/J-1 applicants are not eligible for the financial-need waiver |
UW states that each graduate application requires a separate fee.
Tuition
| Study level | Applicant category | 2026–27 tuition & fees | Billing structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate, Seattle | International/nonresident | $45,789 | Three-quarter academic year |
| Graduate, Tier I | International/nonresident | $44,740 | Four-quarter figure |
International undergraduate students pay the nonresident tuition rate. Graduate tuition varies by program and tier, so applicants should use the rate for their specific program.
Funding & Financial Support
- UW does not provide financial aid or scholarships to undergraduate international students.
- Graduate students may be considered for scholarships, fellowships, and teaching assistantships. The School of Art + Art History + Design automatically considers applicants to its graduate programs for available funding opportunities. Cinema & Media Studies states that its MA and PhD programs are fully funded through teaching assistantships.
University Services & Academic Support
- The School of Art + Art History + Design provides academic advising, scholarship and funding guidance, career and internship resources, and connections to campus services. Students also have access to school galleries and discipline-specific facilities, subject to program and space conditions.
- Cinema & Media Studies provides internship and career resources, including connections to film and media organizations and UW's Career & Internship Center.
Application Requirements
- Requirements vary substantially by program.
- For Cinema & Media Studies MA/PhD, required materials include the online graduate application, statement of purpose, personal statement, three recommendation letters, critical writing sample, unofficial university transcripts, and English-test scores for international applicants. GRE scores are optional.
- For the BA/BFA in Art, applicants submit a portfolio, image list, transcript, and short-answer responses in addition to the departmental application.
- For the BDes, applicants submit a resume, portfolio, transcripts, and program-specific responses.
How to Apply?
- Application Portal
Deadline & Timeline
- International First-Year Undergraduate Deadline: 15 November 2026
- Cinema & Media Studies MA/PhD Application Deadline: 20 December 2026
- BA/BFA Art Application Opens: Winter 2027
- BA/BFA Art Application Deadline: Spring 2027 — exact date to be announced
- BDes Application Deadline: 31 May 2027
- BDes Decision Notifications: June 2027
- Art BA/BFA Decision Notifications: Third week of June 2027
- Start of Studies: Autumn quarter 2027 for the listed 2027-entry programs.
Location
University of Washington — Seattle, United States
Additional Details
The School of Art + Art History + Design is undergoing undergraduate Art-degree changes for the 2026–27 academic year. Students entering Autumn 2027 and later will apply to the new BA/BFA Art pathways rather than the previous open-major structure.
The Art History PhD is currently paused for the 2026–27 academic year, while MA admissions remain open.
UW's graduate tuition varies by program and tuition tier; the university specifically advises international applicants to verify the rate for their individual program rather than relying on an institutional average.