Start or continue your application here.

The application will ask for your personal information, and you will be able to submit the following items as attachments within the application form:

• Digital Portfolio
• Personal Essay
• Curriculum Vitae

You will be asked to fill in your recommenders’ contact information in the application. Afterwards, we will send an email with a link to your recommenders to complete an Endorsement Form.

After you submit your application, you can use the Applicant Portal to upload your college transcripts, track your application progress, and if offered admission, make an enrollment decision.

To submit the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable application fee of $70. The fee can be paid by credit card within the web application.

We offer application fee waivers to anyone. Please be in touch with us at GraduateAdmissions@meca.edu for instructions to receive a fee waiver.

Please submit a digital portfolio directly in your application. Your portfolio should include 10–20 digital images of work, or up to 15 minutes of video. At least 5 of your images should address your ability to make in a variety of mediums and show a fundamental understanding of both 2D and 3D artmaking.

A strong portfolio should be properly documented to succinctly convey your studio practice, and include detail shots as necessary. Detail shots count towards the 20-image limit. We strongly encourage you to submit your most recent complete works to demonstrate an active studio practice and your creative trajectory at the time of application.

We do not accept portfolio submissions in any other formats, such as mailed in CDs, USB drives, or physical slides.

The Personal Essay for the MAT program consists of three prompts with a total word limit of 750 words. Please upload this document as one PDF attachment in your application:

• Please outline your interest in MECA&D’s MAT program. Why are you pursuing an MAT, and why now? How is MECA&D a good fit for you, and how do you see yourself being a strong addition to the cohort?
• Please describe your creative practice in the context of your portfolio submission and the program application. Why are you presenting this body of work for the program application? What art historical connections have you identified in your portfolio, and how might your relationship with your practice translate into teaching in the art classroom?
• Please share your goals for graduate studies. What do you want to achieve during your time in our MAT program? What are your goals as an art educator after graduate school? How can our community and network help you reach these goals?

A strong Personal Essay should place equal emphasis on all of the above, and show a clear understanding of the relationship between your personal journey, your vision, and your goals for graduate study.

Please submit a curriculum vitae which includes your education, employment history, exhibitions, publications, honors, and any relevant experiences.

Please upload this document as a PDF directly in your web application.

Instead of writing a letter of recommendation, your recommenders will complete an Endorsement Form. The form will ask your recommenders to address qualities that a strong art educator should possess:

• Passion for the visual world;
• Capacity for innovation and intuition;
• Willingness to foster respectful critique; and
• Ability to reflect on challenging situations.

In the Application, you will be asked to enter the names, titles, emails, and phone numbers for your two recommenders, the nature of your relationships, and how long you have known them. The Application will send an email with a link to your recommenders to complete an Endorsement Form.

As you identify your recommenders, be sure to take into consideration whether or not they can speak to the above at a professional capacity. Refrain from citing them as “friends” in your application as it may introduce bias, even if your relationship is both professional and personal.

You do not need to wait for your Endorsement Forms to be completed to submit your application, but please be diligent with following up with your recommenders. You can check their submission statuses in the Applicant Portal​.

All applicants should either be a bachelor degree holder or an undergraduate senior with an expected graduation date ahead of our program start date. We ask our applicants to have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and above from all previous degrees and a minimum of 30 studio credits and 9 art history credits on their transcripts. However, each applicant will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

MECA&D alumni can request a free transcript transfer via email at registrar@meca.edu.

Applicants can either submit unofficial transcripts in the web application as a PDF attachment, or request official college transcripts to be sent to us electronically to admissions@meca.edu, or to the following address:

Maine College of Art & Design
Attn: MAT Admissions
522 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101

Admitted students who enroll must submit all transcripts included in the application as official documents with conferred dates (whenever applicable) either electronically by the issuing institution through a transcript delivery service, or by mail from the issuing institution’s registrar office.

Note: We reserve the right to rescind offers of admission for undergraduate seniors who do not meet the GPA requirements upon completion of their undergraduate studies.

Applicants will be interviewed virtually by the MAT Admission Committee upon completion of their application. You will be notified via email when the application is approved for the interviewing stage. Please note that you must meet the requirements listed above in order for the Admissions office to move forward with your application.

In addition to the above application materials, international applicants will also need to have their transcripts evaluated, as well as submit a demonstration of English Proficiency.

Evaluated Transcripts

Applicants who attended postsecondary institutions outside of the United States are required to have their transcript(s) evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES.org), such as World Education Services (WES.org).

All documents must be in English and converted into a 4.0 GPA scale, therefore official evaluations are required.

Demonstration of English Proficiency

If your primary language is not English, you will be required to demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English. The following are acceptable forms of documentation and their minimum test scores, if applicable:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Written TOEFL Test: 550.
• Internet TOEFL Test: 79.
• Pearson PTE Test: 53.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 6.5.
• Duolingo English Test: 100.
• Graduation from a US high school with at least two (2) years of high school English, not in conjunction with English as a Second Language (ESL), and documentation of a B average or higher.
• Completion of two (2) consecutive semesters of English Composition taken at a regionally accredited US college while carrying a full-time course load and not in conjunction with ESL. A minimum grade of B is required in each semester.
• Completion of the equivalent of two (2) years at an English speaking higher education institution and a minimum 3.0 GPA. A school official should provide a written statement that English is their primary language of instruction as documentation.

Evaluated transcripts, demonstration of English Proficiency, and other documents can be delivered electronically to admissions@meca.edu, or by mail to the following address:

Maine College of Art & Design
Attn: MAT Admissions
522 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
United States

In addition to paying the enrollment fee, accepted international students must also submit a completed Declaration of Finances form, a Verification of Finances document, and a scanned copy of the passport you intend to obtain your Student Visa with. These documents are required in order for us to issue your I-20 form. Once you have your I-20 form, you can then apply for a Student Visa (F-1) at your local US consulate or embassy.

Declaration of Finances (DOF)

The United States Citizen and Immigration Service requires that international applicants submit a DOF to MECA&D indicating that the applicant has financial resources adequate to provide for their expenses without resorting to unauthorized employment.

The amount declared in your DOF must be enough to cover the total sum of tuition, fees, and living expenses for one academic year of study. The completed DOF must be dated within a year of initial enrollment at MECA&D.

You can download the DOF form here.

Verification of Finances (VOF)

For your DOF to be processed, all funds declared on the DOF must be supported by a VOF. This can be a bank statement either from your own bank, or your sponsor's bank (e.g. your parents or your partner). All documents must be in English, and the funds declared should be in US dollars or the equivalent under current exchange rates supplied by the bank. The VOF must be dated within a year of initial enrollment at MECA&D.

Scanned Copy of Passport

For your DOF to be processed, we will need a scanned copy of your passport in color. Make sure the entire page is legible and the information matches what you provided in your DOF.

Note: if your mailing address is different from the address provided in the DOF, please let us know so we can properly mail your I-20 form.

To ensure prompt processing, please submit your DOF, VOF, and scanned copy of your passport directly to your Graduate Admissions Coordinator Joel Tsui at GraduateAdmissions@meca.edu.

If you have any questions about the application and enrollment process as an international student, you can contact our Assistant Director of Admissions and International Student Counselor Emily Brighi at ebrighi@meca.edu.