Tuition and Scholarships

Direct Costs 2020

The following is an approximate Fall and Spring semester cost projection for a full-time graduate student:

August Residency & Fall Semester 2020
Tuition and Fees	$10,325.00
January Residency & Spring Semester 2020
Tuition and Fees	$10,325.00
Total Yearly Cost*	$20,650*

* The fifth and final on-campus residency is the culmination of the MFA-IA program and will feature students’ presentations or thesis exhibitions based on individual projects. This residency will be charged at a reduced rate as it does not include a subsequent remote semester.

Further tuition and fee information can be found in the current SNC Graduate Catalog.

Sierra Nevada College recognizes the importance financial assistance plays in helping students meet the goals of their artistic education. Our MFA-IA program provides a variety of merit, need and material-based scholarships as well as teaching assistantships and travel stipends to support students while they study. In addition, we keep an active listing of external resources for funding, and encourage student to creatively engage the specific resources of their home community in sustaining their practice.

Graduate Financial Aid at Sierra Nevada College

Available Scholarships

For questions, please call (775) 881-7525 or email Julia at jschwadron@sierranevada.edu.

Starland Portfolio Tuition Scholarship

The Starland Portfolio Tuition Scholarship is the MFA-IA’s most prestigious student award. By submitting your application to the MFA-IA program, you are automatically placed in consideration for this award.

Based on the quality of an incoming student’s portfolio, he or she may be awarded a scholarship to be used towards tuition. Once awarded, this scholarship will be automatically granted to the student for four consecutive terms.

Streamline Travel and Residency Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to selected students each term to offset residency and travel costs. Student financial need will be a significant factor in eligibility for this award.

DBC Creative Problem-Solving Award

This award supports projects that span the duration of one or more terms. It is awarded based on the quality of project proposals, and honors creative solutions to the challenges of the contemporary artist working today.

J. Jewel Material-based Award

This award is granted to selected students for materials for short-term projects, and is designed to promote innovative thinking, specifically in the creation of the art object.

Other SNC MFA-IA Opportunities

“You are Here” Teaching Assistant Award

This award offers regional artists who demonstrate an ability to mentor to be considered for a teaching assistantship within undergraduate programing at SNC.

Ygor Lab Assistantship

This award offers regional artists with good organizational and problem-solving skills to be considered for lab manager positions on campus, which will vary in the funding amounts available.

Perspectives on Design Award

The SNC Perspectives On Design Award for Outstanding Student Artist of the Year is an annual award that showcases the work of graduating Sierra Nevada College student artist(s). It has been funded by anonymous donors who have a deep love for higher education and are committed to supporting emerging artists as they continue their artistic endeavors. The award, presented at Sierra Nevada College Commencement in May of each year, recognizes extraordinary graduating artist(s) with a stipend of $2,500 to offset the costs of art supplies and incidentals related to art making during the year following graduation. For more information, please click here.

Outside Scholarship/Financial Aid Links

College Affordability Guide: How to Pay for Grad School
Joan Mitchell Foundation: MFA Grant Program to assist painters and sculptures
Aaron Siskind Foundation: Individual Photographer’s Fellowship
Dedalus Foundation: Master of Fine Arts Fellowships in Painting and Sculpture
Jacob K. Javits Fellowship: Fellowships to students undertaking studied in fields of art and humanities
Worldstudio AIGA Scholarships: Scholarships to minorities and economically disadvantaged students
Bill Raskob Foundation: Selected interest free loans for students
National Sculpture Society: Scholarships to students of figurative or representational sculpture
HGA Dendel Scholarship: Scholarships to students pursuing work in fiber arts
AIGC Cobell Graduate Scholarship: Scholarships for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship: Fellowship for students whose focus has been in the fields of art+
Point Scholarship: Scholarships for students involved in the LGBTQ community
Fastweb: Scholarship search engine
Student Loan Consolidation Guide
LGBTQ College Student Resource Guide