Please see the application guidelines for instructions on how to apply.

Applications for our Summer programs will be available in mid-January. 

The priority deadline for all Summer Residency Programs is April 1. Applicants will generally be informed of their acceptance status between May 1-May 15. After this date, applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, as space allows. 

International applicants are welcome, however, the College cannot provide you with a visa, nor assist you in obtaining one. As a general rule, international students on a B1/B2 visa can take a vocational or recreational course as long as it is incidental to their main purpose of visiting the U.S. Please note that SVA does not issue the Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for the F-1 student visa for the Summer Residency Program. Non-matriculated students are not eligible to apply for the F-1 student visa. Further questions about visa status can be directed to the International Students Office at iso@sva.edu

Participants are expected to speak and understand English well enough to hold a meaningful conversation with faculty and other participants. A TOEFL score is not required for admission.

Required application materials may include a visual portfolio, writing sample and/or letter of intent. Detailed instructions are provided in the application materials.

We welcome applications from artists, designers and creative thinkers with a mature and cohesive body of work, from a variety of geographical locations. The majority of our participants are post-graduates with an active creative or critical practice. A limited number of advanced undergraduates (usually in their final year of study) are also accepted.

Applications for summer programs will be available in mid-January.  Early application is highly recommended. Applicants will generally be informed of their acceptance status between May 1-May 15. After this date, applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, as space allows.

If you are applying for a grant or other private funding and need earlier notification, we may be able to accommodate you. Please email residency@sva.edu to inquire.

The Summer Residency Program and Summer Housing are not the same thing.

A Residency Program is an intensive, immersive experience. SVA offers a variety of studio residencies and intensive seminars that require participants to dedicate a significant amount of their time to classes, lectures and/or studio work. Residency participants have access to facilities, equipment and faculty on a daily basis. 

Housing is available to Summer Residency participants for an additional fee. Details will be provided in the application materials.

If you are interested in housing, and are not planning on enrolling in one of our Summer Residencies, please visit the Housing page to view housing options for continuing education students and interns.

There is a $500 cancellation fee for withdrawal in writing at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program. There will be no refunds for withdrawals requested less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the program.

To withdraw from the program you must notify the coordinator of the Summer Residency Program, Division of Continuing Education, in writing, of your intention to withdraw. You may do so by emailing your withdrawal to rcohen33@sva.edu or by sending written notification via mail or fax. The Division of Continuing Education is located at 209 East 23rd Street. All refunds for payment made by American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa, will be credited to the appropriate credit card account. Payment made by check or money order will be refunded by check, payable to the registrant. Processing of refunds takes approximately four weeks.

Nonrefundable Expenses

From time to time, the School of Visual Arts may find it necessary to cancel a course or workshop, or make changes to scheduling or faculty for a course or workshop. If this occurs, the School of Visual Arts will attempt to give notice to those students who are registered for the affected course or workshop, to the email address or telephone number provided by the student in her or his registration materials. It is the student's responsibility to keep the College advised of a current mailing address, email address and telephone number at which he or she may be contacted. If a course or workshop is canceled, or the schedule or faculty for a course or workshop are changed and as a result of the change the student no longer wishes to take the course or workshop, the School of Visual Arts will reimburse to the student the tuition and course fees for that course or workshop within the guidelines published in this bulletin, but will not be responsible or liable for any other expenses that the student may have incurred, including but not limited to transportation and housing costs and the purchase of materials and supplies.

SVA is honored to welcome veterans to our campus. SVA is a Yellow Ribbon Program participating school. Veterans who register for continuing education courses will receive a 20% discount per course. To be eligible to receive this discount through the Division of Continuing Education, you must supply one of the following documents certifying proof of service: 

• DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)
• DD Form 2384 (Notice of Basic Eligibility)

This documentation should be submitted in-person at the Registrar’s Office (205 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010). Once you have submitted proof of service to SVA, you do not need to resubmit this documentation again. The 20% discount will automatically be applied when registering online, by mail, in-person, by fax or by telephone.

For more information about veterans benefits, programs and services, contact Gemma Prosper-Brown, veterans counselor, at: veterans@sva.edu or 212.592.2201.

Students who meet one of the following requirements are eligible to receive a discount of 20% per continuing education course:

• Attended SVA from 1947–1979 and enrolled for one full semester 
• Attended SVA from 1980–1995 and completed 12 credits
• All SVA degree and certificate graduates

For more information about alumni benefits, programs and services go to: sva.edu/alumni.

Office of Alumni Affairs and Development 

Telephone: 212.592.2300 

Email: alumni@sva.edu

Summer Residencies grant academic credits. You will receive a grade, and the program will appear on your academic transcript. If you are enrolled in another institution, it is up to that institution to review these credits for potential transfer.

This Web site features Alumni Profiles from the various Summer Residency Programs, giving prospective applicants an idea of the scope of our community and the type of creative and intellectual engagement they can expect.

Some residencies offer two consecutive sessions. Participants may choose between the two sessions, but are encouraged to enroll for both in order to maximize their time in the program. Session 1 is not a prerequisite for session 2 and there will be different faculty and guest lecturers teaching in each session.

Each residency has its own facilities and equipment, listed at the bottom of the individual program's description page.

In addition to our Summer Residencies, online residencies are offered in the Fall and Winter. Additionally, Continuing Education courses are offered to the general public year-round through the Division of Continuing Education. Please see the current course listing.