All graduate applicants are required to complete the online application and submit the nonrefundable $80 application fee.

You must enter valid credit card information in order to submit the online application.

Applicants must submit a statement of purpose (500-750 words) outlining why they would like to receive this degree, what they hope to achieve during their course of study.

Applicants to the Masters in Branding program must submit an original Statement of Intent written entirely in their own voice without the use of AI. All written submissions will be reviewed for authenticity and originality.

Online submission is available through the online application. After you submit your application, you will have access to a checklist to upload materials like the Statement of Purpose.

If you are experiencing difficulty uploading your materials via the online application, please email them to Graduate Admissions and include your full name and date of birth in the email.

Applicants must submit a Résumé, which should include professional experience, education, and related activities such as research, awards, and exhibitions.

Online submission is available through the online application. After you submit your application, you will have access to a checklist to upload materials like the Résumé.

If you are experiencing difficulty uploading your materials via the online application, please email them to Graduate Admissions and include your full name and date of birth in the email.

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation from instructors or practicing professionals.

Online submission is available through the online application. Applicants will be required to provide the email address and contact information for their references. A "Send Email" button for each recommendation is provided to send the online form to the email address you provided for your recommender.

If your recommender is experiencing difficulty (uploading the letter via the recommendation portal, receiving emails, etc.), please instruct them to email the letter to Graduate Admissions and include your full name and graduate program in the email.

Note: The School of Visual Arts does not provide letter of recommendation forms.

Applicants must submit official transcripts from each college or university they’ve attended. In order to be considered official, transcripts must come directly from the institution(s).

Please Note: Unofficial transcripts, screenshots or PDFs emailed by applicants do not fulfill this requirement. There are no exceptions to this policy. Please follow the guidelines below.

Electronic Transcripts

• SVA accepts secure electronic transcripts from Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse and Credentials Solutions.
• Applicants from institutions in India should request and submit official transcripts directly through TrueCopy Credentials. Requests are processed by TrueCopy Credentials and will be sent electronically to SVA Graduate Admissions.
• Check with the registrar’s office at your institution to see if your school issues its own digital transcripts or if it’s a member of any of the organizations mentioned above. (Important Note: Please be sure that all electronic transcript submissions are directed to “Graduate Admissions” at gradadmissions@sva.edu.)

Mailing Transcripts

• Transcripts may also be submitted in an unopened envelope that is stamped and sealed by the college registrar of the issuing institution.

Please address to:

School of Visual Arts

Graduate Admissions

209 East 23rd Street

New York, NY 10010                                           

Special Notes

• Pending acceptance, all graduate applicants currently enrolled in school for their bachelor's degrees for the Spring or Summer 2026 semesters are required to submit verification of graduation before they attend SVA.
• All transcripts from foreign institutions must be officially translated into English and U.S. grading equivalencies. For more information, see the below accordion.

Applicants who have academic documents from institutions outside of the U.S. are required to provide original, attested or certified true copies of academic records for all institutions attended. These records should be in the original language issued.

Please Note: SVA does not review PDFs or screenshots sent directly via email from applicants.

Records Not in English

For records not in English, applicants must also submit an official translation of all academic documents. Translations must be a complete, literal, word-for-word translation in the same format of the original academic document.

All foreign post-secondary (university level) transcripts should be converted into U.S. educational equivalencies. Records that are not converted into U.S. equivalencies must be evaluated by an external evaluation agency. The evaluation should be course-by-course.

The School of Visual Arts should be listed as the recipient of the evaluation. The original academic records must be submitted in addition to the evaluation.

The School of Visual Arts requires that international academic records be evaluated by one of the following approved external evaluation agencies:

• The Evaluation Company (formerly SpanTran)
• Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
• World Education Services (WES)

Please note: Pending acceptance, all graduate applicants currently enrolled in school for their bachelor’s degrees for the Spring or Summer 2026 semesters are required to submit verification of graduation before they attend SVA.

In addition to the general application requirements, international applicants whose primary/native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English. The following are acceptable ways to demonstrate English proficiency:

A minimum score* of 79 (internet-based or paper-delivered) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

• The CEEB code for the School of Visual Arts is 2835. This is the code that must be supplied to ETS in order to have TOEFL scores mailed to SVA.
• Please note this means a composite score for a single test date. SVA does not accept MyBEST TOEFL scores.

A minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

• IELTS is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia.

A minimum score of 115 on the Duolingo English Test.

• Scores can be sent to SVA directly via the student portal.

A minimum score of 6 in all categories of the English proficiency examination administered by the New York University American Language Institute in New York.

• For information on taking the NYU test, call 212.998.7040.

A minimum score of 53 on the Pearson PTE Academic.

Requirement Waivers

• This requirement may be waived for native English speakers who are citizens of any of the following countries and attend schools where English is the primary language of instruction: England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, India, South Africa and Common Wealth Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago).
• SVA will consider waiving the English proficiency exam requirement for students who have earned a degree at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. Students seeking this waiver must submit a written request with their application materials.

Applicants are required to submit a typed short essay (750 words) analyzing a brand of their choice. Subject matter should include the following: relevance in the market, historical significance (if any), assessment of the brand’s positioning, creative analysis.

Applicants to the Masters in Branding program must submit an original Brand Analysis Essay written entirely in their own voice without the use of AI. All written submissions will be reviewed for authenticity and originality.

Online submission is available through the online application. After you submit your application, you will have access to a checklist to upload materials like the Writing Sample.

If you are experiencing difficulty uploading your materials via the online application, please email them to Graduate Admissions and include your full name and date of birth in the email.

Any other material outlining the applicant's expertise in this discipline will be accepted but not required, including any or all of the following:

• Design portfolio
• Brand strategy or positioning and/or white paper
• Any branding work currently in the market that they have contributed to, with a statement outlining the challenge, their participation, and a rationale for the final deliverable, and any marketplace results.

Please email these materials directly to branding@sva.edu.

Once your application has been processed you will be notified if a personal interview is required.

The Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts is looking for candidates seeking a deep investigation and understanding of the role brands play in business, behavior, marketing, design, and culture. They should be curious to explore the myriad challenges and frameworks involved in creating, sustaining, and reinventing brands.

The Masters in Branding program was designed for working professionals, scheduling all classes from 6:30 - 9:00pm ET Monday through Friday to accommodate daytime working hours. While our studio is based in the heart of New York City, students can also attend the program entirely online. Our department has invested in the latest technology to provide a synchronous learning experience between the online and in-person cohorts.

Over the course of the program, our diverse curriculum equips students with the academic and professional rigor needed to master the intellectual and interdisciplinary links between strategy, creativity, business, and psychology, enabling them to be more competitive in any workplace.

The SVA Masters in Branding Merit-Based scholarship is awarded to students in recognition of their outstanding application materials. Each year, the faculty and staff review the application materials submitted to apply to the program and aid-based needs to determine which candidates will receive an award.