Admission and Tuition

Application Procedure

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ROLLING ADMISSIONS

Application submissions must be postmarked by the deadline. Applications received thereafter will be considered on a rolling basis. The Admissions Committee will only review application packages that are completed in their entirety.

Apply online.

Application Checklist

Please type or print your application and submit it with the following items:

• A portfolio consisting of 20 images as jpegs. Digital files should be 300 dpi and no larger than 5x8 in. on a CD or DVD and labeled with your last name, first name, program (ICP-Bard), year, "APP," then numbered from 01 up to 20. Example: LastName_FirstName_ICP-Bard_APP_01.jpg. Videos can be submitted on VHS or DVD. Please test all digital materials on several computers before submitting.
• A detailed list of works/images, including title, medium, date, and dimensions. • Three letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant’s personal and artistic strengths. These individuals should be conversant with the applicant’s work and may include professionals who are practicing or teaching in the field of photography, as well as arts professionals in general.
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, sent directly from all institutions attended to ICP's Education Department.
• A one-page statement of purpose of no more than 500 words in length, describing your reasons for applying to the program, and elaborating on the influences on your work and its current direction, as well as your interests and research.
• $100 Application Fee (payable to: International Center of Photography in the form of cash, credit card, bank wire transfer, U.S. money order, or U.S. cashier's check, issued from or authorized by a U.S. branch bank).

Applicants approved by the Preliminary Selection Jury are required to attend an in-person interview at ICP with the Admissions Committee with an original work portfolio of 20–30 photographic prints, no larger than 11x14 in. A telephone interview will suffice for applicants who reside outside the United States or at a great distance from New York. These phone interviews must be accompanied by an original portfolio of work that must arrive at ICP prior to the scheduled phone appointment with a complete inventory of images; applicant's name; return address; and credit card number for the return of the portfolio. All telephone calls are Eastern Standard Time.

Offers of admission are sent by letter via email and the United States Postal Service and are valid only for the year in which they are made. Decisions regarding admission will not be given in person. Applicants for admission must hold an AB, BA, BS, or BFA degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or a baccalaureate or equivalent degree from an international college or university. An applicant's undergraduate major need not be in photography; however, applicants must demonstrate that they have a broad knowledge of the practice and history of photography as well as an understanding of contemporary visual arts.

Send all application materials to:
International Center of Photography
ICP-Bard MFA Admissions
1114 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036

Current Tuition & Costs

Annual 2013–2014 Tuition $34,063
ICP Center Fee: Includes Lab/Graduation $2,700
Semester Registration Fee: two times per year $100
Application Fee $100
Bard Health Insurance (request packages available) TBD

Accepting admission to the ICP-Bard MFA Program must be received in writing by the date specified on the Letter of Acceptance sent to the applicant by the Admissions Committee and must be accompanied by a nonrefundable tuition deposit of $500. Make deposit payable to International Center of Photography, in the form of cash, credit card, bank wire transfer, U.S. money order, or U.S. cashier’s check, issued from or authorized by a U.S. branch bank.

The deposit reserves the student’s place in the ICP-Bard MFA program and will be applied to the fall semester Tuition Invoice. Tuition and fees are the same for domestic and international students. Students have the option of paying tuition and fees for the academic year either in-full by August 2, 2013, or in two installments: August 2, 2013 (fall term), November 1, 2013 (spring term).

PLEASE NOTE: Tuition and fees are subject to change and may increase from year to year. Students may not attend classes if their tuition has not been paid in full unless authorized in writing by the Associate Director of Education.

ICP-Bard MFA students are eligible to enroll in the Bard Health Insurance Program. Application and cost of health insurance are submitted directly to Bard College Student Health Services. Cost of Health Insurance Packages are available to MFA students upon acceptance into the MFA Program.

Refund Policy

100% refund: withdrawal 14 days prior to the first day of the fall semester.
80% refund: withdrawal 7 days prior to the first day of the fall semester.
70% refund: withdrawal 7 days after the first day of the fall semester.

No refunds are granted after the first seven days of the fall semester. All other fees, including the application fee, registration fee, center fee, and tuition deposit, are non-refundable. No refund is issued for cases of suspension or expulsion. All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to Suzanne Nicholas, Associate Director of Education.

Students who take an official leave of absence from the program or take longer than two years to complete the program are charged a $500 maintenance-of-status fee per year.

Living Expenses

New York is a very expensive city. ICP recommends that students budget their finances wisely. Students need to account not only for their tuition and lab fees, but also their living expenses. Monthly expenses include rent, utilities, gas, electricity, telephone, food, transportation, photographic materials, equipment, books, entertainment, and miscellaneous expenses. Average living costs are estimated below. This is a modest, "no extras" budget. It does not include items such as health insurance or unforeseen emergencies, for example. It is highly recommended that students budget at least 10 to 20 percent more than the listed costs.

Average Living Costs (for 10-month academic year)

Housing and utilities $12,650
Food $4,950
Personal items and clothing $2,970
Local transportation $1,320
Books and photographic materials $5,500
Total living costs $27,390

Tuition Assistance

Federal Stafford Loan

A student who files a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is eligible to borrow through the Federal Stafford Loan program, which makes available subsidized or unsubsidized loans. The loan is subsidized when the student demonstrates financial need according to a federal formula that ascertains the difference between the budgeted educational expenses and the student’s financial strength. In those cases, the federal government pays the interest on the loan while the student is enrolled in school; repayment of the loan principal and remaining interest begins six months after the student ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. An unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan does not require demonstration of financial need. The student begins paying interest charges on the loan while enrolled in school; repayment on the loan principal begins six months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. The procedures for filing for a loan will be explained when the student is notified of eligibility. Additional literature on Federal Stafford Loans is available online and from local banks and other lenders.
The FAFSA code number for Bard College is 002671.

Scholarships

ICP scholarships are made possible with generous support from many private donors. A limited number of named scholarships are available to full-time students only. The amount of scholarship funds awarded varies from year to year. If you would like to be considered for an MFA Scholarship, please mark the Merit Scholarship box on your 2013–2014 ICP-Bard MFA Application (see page 47). Your admissions application and work will then be considered by the Scholarship Committee for scholarship support based on merit. The next opportunity for MFA students to apply for an ICP Scholarship will be in May 2010 as part of your year-end boards, held at the conclusion of the 2013–2014 academic year. MFA students will be given the option to apply for scholarship support for the 2014–2015 academic year provided they complete an application, pass the year-end boards, and are in good academic standing.

PLEASE NOTE: All scholarships are awarded in the form of tuition reduction.

Work-Study

Work-study opportunities are available for full-time students only. Upon completing a Work-Study application, and with Program Chair approval, students can receive a tuition reduction in exchange for assisting in one of the following ICP Departments: Exhibitions, Digital Media Lab, Photo Lab, Community Programs, Library, Education Office. Permitted students are able to work up to 40 hours per term for up to $400 reduction from their tuition invoice, for a maximum of $1,200 per year in tuition reduction.