Visit

Visiting SVA
Information on upcoming virtual events can be found below. Please note, at this time all in-person tours and on-campus events are suspended due to COVID-19.
Virtual Events
Live Virtual Campus Tours
Prospective students are invited to join us for live virtual tours conducted by current SVA students. Each tour will present undergraduate department facilities and common spaces through a series of images, videos, and YouVisit panoramas. Admissions Staff will also be available for a live Q&A with tour guests following the tour. Virtual tours are offered by department as outlined below:
Mondays @ 3:00pm ET
BFA Film; BFA Photography and Video
Wednesdays @ 3:00pm ET
BFA Interior Design: Built Environments; Visual & Critical Studies
Thursdays @ 3:00pm ET
Foundation Majors
(BFA Cartooning, BFA Design/BFA Advertising, BFA Illustration, BFA Fine Arts)
Fridays @ 3:00pm ET
BFA Animation; BFA Computer Art, Computer Animation and VFX
Open Houses
On three dates in the fall, prospective undergraduate students and their families have an opportunity to meet with the president of the College, the chair of each undergraduate department being showcased that day, current SVA students, and members of the administrative staff.
These events have passed. You are invited to view recordings of our Fall 2020 Virtual Open House events here.
Live Webinar: Portfolio Tips & Info Session
Admissions is pleased to offer unique webinars focused on portfolio development. During each presentation, Admissions Counselors will provide tips on developing a visual art, lens-based, or film-focused portfolio. Join us to view successful portfolio samples and to hear directly from current SVA students. Admissions Counselors will also provide an overview of SVA’s 11 undergraduate programs and discuss application requirements.
Event Schedule:
- Portfolio Presentation by Admissions Counselor (20 minutes)
- Overview of SVA's undergraduate programs (20 minutes)
- Student Portfolio tips from current SVA Students (15 minutes)
- Live Q&A (5 minutes)
Fridays @ 11am ET
Live Webinar: Transfer Day
Prospective transfer students are invited to join us for Transfer Day. Throughout this virtual event, our Manager of Transfer Admissions will discuss awarding transfer credits, offer course recommendations, and highlight the benefits of joining the undergraduate community at SVA.
You can also sign up for a one-on-one transfer counseling session with an Admissions Representative. Your counseling session is an opportunity to ask questions about potential transfer credits and to get feedback on your artwork.
This event has passed. Please contact our Manager of Transfer Admissions, Asha Sheshadri, for questions about the transfer application process at asheshadri@sva.edu.
Accepted Students Day
Virtual Accepted Students Day will offer accepted students an online opportunity to connect directly with their respective undergraduate departments, current SVA students, and view presentations from Student Affairs and Career Development. Learn more about the event here.
This event will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2021.
Portfolio Reviews
Please consider visiting us at a virtual National Portfolio Day to receive a portfolio review. Prospective students are also encouraged to submit portfolio works online via the AICAD Portfolio Review Portal.
National Portfolio Day Events
SVA is an active participant in the Portfolio Days sponsored by the National Portfolio Day Association (NPDA). As a member of NPDA, representatives from SVA will join other National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accredited colleges to review portfolios, offer helpful suggestions and provide information on specific programs and requirements.
This year all National Portfolio Day events will be held online, rather than in person. Events are free and open to the public. Students are encouraged to take digital photos of any physical pieces they wish to share with college representatives and gather 10–15 images into a multipage PDF in preparation for these events. More information will be available on the National Portfolio Day Association website.
You will find a schedule of events listed below for spring 2021.
Undergraduate Events
for High School students/graduates
Saturday, February 27, 2021 12pm-4pm EST
Friday, March 19, 2021 8pm-12am EST
Friday, May 7, 2021 11am-5pm EST
Graduate Events
for Undergraduate students/graduates
Friday, April 16, 2021 8pm-12am EST
Saturday, May 22, 2021 9am-1pm EST
Visit the National Portfolio Day Association website for more information about Portfolio Day.
What to Have Prepared:
The SVA portfolio review is a great opportunity to receive helpful feedback on your work before you submit your official portfolio submission with your application. We will review finished work as well as works in progress or your sketchbook. We will give you an informative critique of your work, as well as discuss with you how your work aligns with various majors at SVA to help you edit and curate your portfolio for admission and scholarship consideration.
We will try and look at as much of your work as possible in the amount of time we have, however, we recommend that you have your top 15–20 pieces tagged for easy access. We recommend showing us recent work or pieces that you feel best represent your technical and creative ability.
Even if you don’t feel like you have a full portfolio of work to show, you can still meet with an Admissions representative to ask questions and get info on our undergraduate programs.
Virtual Events
SVA hosts a variety of events and experiences to help prospective graduate students learn about our programs and the application process. We invite you to attend as many as you wish and we look forward to meeting you!
Graduate Department Information Sessions
Graduate Department Information Sessions usually take place throughout the fall. They provide a unique opportunity for prospective applicants to meet with the Chair, faculty, department staff, current students, and alumni.
The following departments have recordings of these events available:
- MFA Art Practice
- MPS Art Therapy
- MPS Branding
- MFA Design
- MPS Digital Photography: Chair Overview/Application Requirements; Facilities
- MFA Fine Arts
- MFA Illustration as Visual Essay: Program Documentary; Program Overview; Studio Tour; Portfolio FAQs
- MFA Products of Design
- MFA Visual Narrative: Information Session; Alumni Panel
You may also check back or contact each department directly for more information about other upcoming events and opportunities to visit throughout the year.
Graduate Department Contact Info
Please contact your chosen program directly to find out about other opportunities to visit or ask questions about the curriculum or faculty.
- MA / MAT Art Education – arted@sva.edu
- MFA Art Practice - artpractice@sva.edu
- MPS Art Therapy - arttherapy@sva.edu
- MPS Branding - branding@sva.edu
- MFA Computer Arts - mfaca@sva.edu
- MA Curatorial Practice - macp@sva.edu
- MFA Design - mfadesign@sva.edu
- MA Design Research, Writing and Criticism - designresearch@sva.edu
- MFA Design for Social Innovation - dsiinfo@sva.edu
- MPS Digital Photography - mpsphoto@sva.edu
- MPS Directing – directing@sva.edu
- MPS Fashion Photography - mpsfashionphoto@sva.edu
- MFA Fine Arts - mfafinearts@sva.edu
- MFA Illustration as Visual Essay - mfaillustration@sva.edu
- MFA Interaction Design - interactiondesign@sva.edu
- MFA Photography, Video and Related Media - mfaphoto@sva.edu
- MFA Products of Design - productsofdesign@sva.edu
- MFA Social Documentary Film - mfasocdoc@sva.edu
- MFA Visual Narrative - mfavn@sva.edu
New York City’s population is truly a microcosm of the globe. International students, no matter where they come from, can find a slice of their home culture somewhere in the streets and neighborhoods of NYC’s five boroughs. In this way, New York is unlike any other city in the world.
SVA is committed to maintaining a global perspective and community. In the 2018–2019 academic year, more than 1,900 students from over 63 countries studied at the College. To accommodate and serve SVA’s growing and diverse international population, the International Outreach Office, a subset of SVA Admissions, was created in 2013.
The International Outreach Office consists of artists and administrators who travel the world to build relationships with students, teachers, parents and professionals, visiting high schools, colleges, partner schools, art and design fairs, exhibitions and industry events. Team members discuss SVA’s offerings and new trends in art and design, and often conduct portfolio reviews with prospective undergraduate applicants.
International applicants have the opportunity to meet an SVA representative in person in their home country. Applicants receive one-on-one attention throughout the application process.
Staff
Don't hesitate to contact our multi-lingual staff with your inquiries.
Addresses inquiries in English
Addresses inquires in Spanish and Portuguese
Addresses inquires in Mandarin
Addresses inquiries from India
Special Information by Country
China
SVA has a year-round presence in China. Follow us on Weibo and WeChat using the QR codes below. Please contact Renyi Hu for more info at rhu@sva.edu.
QR code for following SVA on WeChat.
QR code for following SVA on Weibo.
South Korea
SVA has a year-round presence in Seoul. Please contact the SVA Seoul Office for more info about SVA in South Korea.
Andrew ChangDirector of Programs for International StudentsGeneral InquiriesEnglish/Korean
SVA Seoul Office/ Seocho Gallery
Gangnam-daero 89-gil 30 (suite B1) Seocho-gu,
Seoul, 06534, Korea
Tel: 02.742.9454 / Fax: 02.742.9454