The School of Art + Design at the University of Illinois is a thriving community of artists, designers, educators, and historians committed to excellence and innovation in the practice, study, and teaching of the visual arts. Situated in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, students in the school have access to all the interdisciplinary resources of a research one university.

The University of Illinois’s Studio and Design Programs offer MFA degrees with concentrations in Studio Art (Painting, Sculpture, New Media, Printmaking, and Photography) Design for Responsible Innovation, and Industrial Design. Graduate students in the Art Education Program can earn EdM, MA, and PhD degrees; while the Art History Program offers both an MA and PhD as well as a Minor.

View work by the MFA Class of 2022 and meet some of our current students.

Graduate Funding

Significant financial support packages are available to most graduate students in the form of fellowships and graduate appointments, which include a full tuition waiver and stipend.

In addition to accessible financial support, students also enjoy the institutions, resources, events, and opportunities that the university has to offer. Of particular interest to our new cohort are the School of Art and Design Visitor Series, the Krannert Art Museum, the Siebel Center for Design, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Center for Advanced Study, and the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities. 

We invite prospective students to visit campus, meet with faculty and current students, attend an event or two, and experience our community. Due to the current pandemic, we’re currently offering virtual events, which include tours, open houses, and live-chat opportunities.

Explore the websites for Art + Design and the Graduate College to learn more about the different programs and their application details, including deadlines and funding.

For more information, visit art.illinois.edu.

Left: Sydney Vize (MFA Studio Art), “manicure self portrait” (2020), resin, acrylic nails, nail polish, PVC, plastic, vellum | Right: Angela Baldus (MA 2019), “The Confessional” featuring Ask Questions by Erin Hayden at Monaco, St. Louis in 2018 (photo by Jeff Robinson)
Listeners attend the participatory lecture “Works Like A River” (2017) by Allison Rowe (PhD 2021) (photo by Larissa Issler)
Jennifer Bergmark (PhD 2014), “Chromotopia” (2018) with Amanda Browder at Stratton Fine Arts Academy (photo by Jennifer Bergmark)

Please direct any questions regarding the graduate admissions process to Ellen de Waard, our Coordinator in Graduate Academic Affairs, at edewaard@illinois.edu or (217) 333-0642.