The ESL/Studio Program is set up so you can continue your artistic development with studio courses while studying English.

  • Majors in Advertising, Cartooning, Computer Art, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design & Photography
  • Receive transferable credits for other educational institutions
  • This program is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, as well as international students

Applicants who meet the academic and creative requirements for admission to School of Visual Arts (SVA) and have a good grasp of English but do not yet meet the English proficiency requirements for undergraduate study may qualify for the ESL/Studio Program.

This special program, lasting a maximum of three semesters, begins in summer and offers intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) study and studio coursework. The program is set up so you can continue your artistic development with studio courses while studying English.

You can enter the ESL/Studio Program as a freshman or sophomore, and transfer students may be eligible to receive credit for liberal arts or studio coursework at another educational institution. The program is also open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents whose primary language is not English or whose English proficiency does not meet the requirements for undergraduate study at SVA.

Upon successful completion of all studio and ESL requirements, students are invited to apply as a transfer student to the undergraduate program.

Majors: Advertising, Cartooning, Computer Art, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Photography

ESP Schedule for 2013

Housing Check-in: June 9th and 10th

Orientation: June 11th and 12th

Program Start Date: June 13th

Program End Date: August 7th

 

How to Apply

To apply for admission to the ESL/Studio Program for the summer 2013 semester, applicants must submit the following materials:

  • Application for Undergraduate Admission form
  • Statement of Intent
  • Transcripts from other colleges not previously received by the Office of Admissions
  • Portfolio (15-20 images) may be submitted via CD in jpeg format or via www.sva.slideroom.com
  • Demonstration of English proficiency (minimum score of 61 on the internet-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT), (minimum score of 173 on the computer-based version), or a minimum of 5.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS))
  • Declaration of Finances (Go to the Declaration of Finances form page.)
  • Verification of Finances letter from bank official

 

Due to the time involved in fulfilling legal requirements, it is recommended that applicants to this program submit all application materials by March 31.

Applicants who apply directly to the undergraduate program but do not meet the English proficiency requirements for degree study will automatically be reviewed for admission to the ESL/Studio Program.

SVA Housing for the ESL/Studio Program

International students participating in the ESL/Studio Program are eligible for summer housing at our New Residence.  After the students have paid their housing deposit and placement fee and are enrolled in the ESL/Studio Program, they will receive an email from the Residence Life Office explaining how to apply for summer and fall semester housing.

For more information on the available accommodations, please visit the Office of Residence Life page for the ESL/Studio Program.

Transfer Admission from the ESL/Studio Program to the Undergraduate Program

Upon successful completion of all studio and ESL requirements, applicants may qualify for transfer admission to the undergraduate program at SVA.

To pursue transfer admission from the ESL/Studio Program to the second- or third-year level of the undergraduate program for the fall semester, students must submit the following updated materials by mid-March:

  • Application for Undergraduate Admission form
  • Statement of Intent
  • Transcripts from other colleges not previously received by the Office of Admissions
  • Slide portfolio (for scholarship consideration only)
  • Demonstration of English proficiency (minimum score of 79 on the internet-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT), (minimum score of 213 on the computer-based version), minimum of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or minimum score of 6 in all categories on the English Proficiency Examination administered by the New York University American Language Institute.)
  • Declaration of Finances (Go to the Declaration of Finances Form page.)
  • Verification of Finances letter from bank official

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