Organizer Information
Vassar College is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. The College offers undergraduate study across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, with relevant opportunities in areas including Art History, Studio Art, Film, and Media Studies. Vassar’s Art Department offers majors or correlates in Art History and Studio Art, while Film and Media Studies provide additional study in cinema, media theory, production, and interdisciplinary media practice.
Key Information
- Official Institution Name: Vassar College
- Opportunity Type: University Programs & Admissions
- Study Levels: Undergraduate
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Academic Fields: Fine Arts, Art History, Studio Art, Film, Media Studies, Photography, Video, Digital Art, Architecture
- Relevant Programs: Art History; Art, Studio; Film; Media Studies; Architecture track within Art
- Language of Instruction: English
- International Applicants: Yes
- Application Period: Early Decision I, Early Decision II, Regular Decision; Fall and Spring Transfer
- Application Deadline: 15 November; 1 January; 15 March; 1 November, depending on application round
- Application Fee: US$65
- Tuition: US$76,140 for 2026–2027
- Funding: Need-based financial aid available; Vassar states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students who apply for aid.
Field of Study & Eligible Disciplines
- Vassar’s relevant undergraduate study includes Art History, Studio Art, Film, and Media Studies. Studio Art encompasses drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, video, architecture, and digital art. Film covers film history, theory, production, and screenwriting, while Media Studies takes a multidisciplinary approach to film, visual media, digital media, communications, and media technologies.
- The Studio Art program welcomes students with a wide range of prior experience; its introductory Foundations course provides an entry point to the curriculum.
General Eligibility
- Vassar accepts first-year applicants who have completed secondary education and transfer applicants who have earned a high school diploma or GED and enrolled at a college or university. International applicants who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents are considered international students.
- For international applicants, supporting academic documents must be provided in English, or accompanied by an appropriate English translation.
Educational Background
First-year applicants must submit their high school transcript and school report. Transfer applicants must submit transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended, together with a Transfer College Report and Transfer Academic Evaluation.
International transfer applicants are not eligible for Vassar financial aid.
Language Requirements
International applicants must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test results when English is neither their first language nor the primary language of instruction in their secondary schools during the last three years. Vassar’s current international admissions page does not state a minimum score.
Application Fee
| Applicant Category | Application Fee | Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| First-Year | US$65 | Fee waiver available |
| Transfer | US$65 | Fee waiver available |
Vassar states that first-year and transfer applicants submit a US$65 application fee or request a fee waiver.
Tuition
| Academic Year | Tuition | Housing & Dining | Mandatory Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026–2027 | US$76,140 | US$19,800 | US$1,020 |
The published 2026–2027 figures are Vassar’s current tuition and fee figures. Students living on campus are required to participate in a college board plan. All students are required to have health insurance, although students with qualifying existing coverage may request a waiver.
Funding & Financial Support
- Vassar provides need-based financial aid rather than merit scholarships. The College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students who apply for aid at the time of admission. International first-year applicants are considered under a need-aware admission process and must request financial aid when applying for admission. International students admitted without financial aid in their first year are not eligible to receive Vassar funding in later years.
- International applicants seeking aid must complete the CSS Profile and provide requested documentation through College Board IDOC.
University Services & Academic Support
- Relevant support includes the Center for Career Education, which provides career exploration, résumé and cover-letter support, internship and job-search resources, networking opportunities, and graduate-school advising.
- Film students have access to dedicated production and post-production facilities, including screening, sound, editing, and multimedia resources, as well as film-related internships and career programming.
- International students receive support from the Office of International Services, including immigration and international-student services.
Application Requirements
- Common Application, Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application
- US$65 application fee or fee-waiver request
- School Report with counselor recommendation and high school transcript
- Teacher Evaluation
- Mid-year report
- Required English-language proficiency test for applicants meeting Vassar’s international-language condition
- SAT and ACT scores are optional.
- Optional Art Portfolio: First-year applicants may submit an arts portfolio. For Studio Art, the portfolio consists of 10–15 examples of work. It is an optional submission rather than a general admission requirement.
International applicants residing overseas cannot request an alumni/student interview; Vassar may contact them if an international interviewer is available.
How to Apply?
Deadline & Timeline
- Early Decision I: 15 November 2026
- Early Decision II: 1 January 2027
- Regular Decision: 1 January 2027
- Spring Transfer: 1 November 2026
- Fall Transfer: 15 March 2027
- Early Decision I Arts Portfolio: 17 November 2026
- Early Decision II Arts Portfolio: 5 January 2027
- Regular Decision Arts Portfolio: 5 January 2027
- Regular Decision Financial Aid Application: 1 February 2027
Location
Vassar College — Poughkeepsie, New York, United States.
Additional Details
Vassar’s relevant arts offerings are undergraduate programs within a liberal arts curriculum rather than graduate professional degrees. The Film program offers a BA and a correlate sequence, with study spanning film history, theory, production, and screenwriting.
The Studio Art arts portfolio is specifically intended for applicants interested in pursuing visual arts at Vassar. Vassar identifies photography, video, digital art, and architecture among its studio-art areas, but the portfolio itself is optional.
The current published tuition figures are for 2026–2027; Vassar has not published a 2027–2028 tuition figure on the current tuition page reviewed for this article.