Fall tours are available September 8 through December 17. Campus tours are not available during Orientation or Winter Break. Our spring tour schedule will be available later this year, but are generally from mid-January through May.

Pre-registration is required to attend a campus tour. We kindly request that students bring a maximum of two guests (total party of 3).

SVA is an urban campus with buildings across Manhattan. All tours begin at the Admissions office and feature indicated majors in addition to common spaces. Please plan to be with us for about two hours.

To learn more about our majors, click here. We invite you to attend as many tours as you would like and look forward to meeting you.

1. Check-in takes place at Admissions, located at 342 East 24th Street, New York, NY 10010
2. Presentation by Admissions Counselor
3. Walk to several buildings on campus*
4. Tours of SVA Library, Campus Store, Student Center and registered BFA major(s)

*Depending on the BFA major you have chosen to see, the walk from Admissions to your major will be between five and 30 minutes.

Please note that 9:45am tours typically end at 11:30am. If you register for an 11:15am tour on the same day, you may miss a portion of the Admissions Counselor presentation. Fortunately, much of the presentation is the same regardless of the major.

Need help choosing a tour? Give us a call at 212.592.2100 and we'll be happy to help. If you're interested in arranging a group tour for high school or college students, please email admissions@sva.edu.

Animation - a tour spotlighting traditional 2D Animation exclusively.

Comics and Illustration - a tour spotlighting the Comics and Illustration majors exclusively.

Fine Arts - a tour focused on the Fine Arts major as well as first-year foundation classes for Design, Comics and Illustration students.

Photography and Video - a tour focused on the Photography and Video building.

East Side - a general tour best suited to applicants exploring a few majors at SVA:

• BFA Advertising
• BFA Comics
• BFA Design
• BFA Film
• BFA Illustration
• BFA Photography and Video

West Side - a specific tour best suited to applicants interested in:

• BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects
• BFA Interior Design: Built Environments
• BFA Visual & Critical Studies
• the Honors Program

Virtual Sessions - see Online Events below.

If you are applying to SVA this year and don’t see a tour listed when you are available, please contact admissions@sva.edu and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

SVA is committed to accessibility for all visitors. Please request special accommodations when registering for your campus tour or email us at admissions@sva.edu at least 7 business days in advance.

All campus tours begin at the Welcome Center located at 342 East 24th Street New York, NY 10010, between First and Second avenues, in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan.

Mass Transit

• 6 to 23rd Street (at Park Avenue)

• R/W to 23rd Street (at 5th Avenue/Broadway)

• F to 23rd Street (at 6th Avenue)

• New Jersey PATH (at 6th Avenue)

• Uptown M15 bus (on 1st Avenue)

• Crosstown M23 bus

• Express Bus Service

Driving

24th Street is bisected by a pedestrian plaza. You must turn left from 1st Avenue to access our building. Parking is not available in front of the Welcome Center. Nearby 23rd Street is a two-way thoroughfare with limited street parking available.

You will visit several buildings across campus during the tour. The tour will conclude at the BFA major you have chosen to see.

Please see this Google Map for parking garages near the Welcome Center.

NYC street parking is also available. Apps like SpotHero, ParkNYC, and ParkMobile can help you book ahead or feed the meter.

Make the most of your day on campus! The Office of Residence Life is located next to the Welcome Center and offers housing tours weekdays from noon to 2:00pm. No appointment is required. Learn more about our residence halls at sva.edu/housing.

Housing tours of these residence halls depart from the Office of Residence Life located at 340 East 24th Street, ground floor, New York, NY 10010.

Check out the 24th Street Residence Room Tour and 24th Street Residence Facilities Tour on TikTok.

Housing tours are offered directly from the residence at 101 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10003. Check out the Ludlow Residence Tour on TikTok!

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 accredited colleges to review portfolios, offer helpful suggestions, and provide information on specific programs and requirements at events across North America and abroad.

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 review both in-progress and finished work as well as your sketchbook. You'll receive an informative critique and discuss how your work aligns with SVA's majors to help you edit and curate your portfolio for admission and scholarship consideration. 

We will try to look at as much of your work as possible in the time we have but recommend having your top 10–15 pieces tagged for easy access. We suggest 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 to show, you can still meet with an Admissions representative to ask questions and get info on our undergraduate programs!

Accepted Students Day 2026 will take place on Saturday, April 11.

Orientation is hosted by the office of Student Affairs. Please see sva.edu/orientation for information.

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 review both in-progress and finished work, as well as your sketchbook. You'll receive an informative critique and discuss how your work aligns with SVA's majors to help you edit and curate your portfolio for admission and scholarship consideration.

Appointments are 30-minute Zoom meetings at 12:00pm ET or 3:00pm ET on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To request a portfolio review, please schedule via the SVA Virtual Portfolio Review Calendar. Appointments are not available while the College is closed for Winter Break. Portfolio reviews in 2026 resume on January 12.

Admissions Counselors can provide insight about all of our majors and portfolio requirements. Contact information for our team is available here for additional inquiries.

Even if you don’t feel like you have a full portfolio to show, you can still meet with an Admissions representative to ask questions and get info on our undergraduate programs!

We will try to look at as much of your work as possible in the time we have but recommend choosing your top 10–15 pieces. Take digital photos of any physical pieces you wish to share and place them in a shareable folder or multipage PDF. Tag or star images that may be in an app to make them easier to find.

We suggest showing us recent work or pieces that you feel best represent your technical and creative ability.

Please note: portfolio reviews are not required to apply to SVA. To satisfy the portfolio requirement, applicants are encouraged to upload their portfolio to SlideRoom. Please see Application Requirements for more information.

Join us to learn about SVA's majors and campus. Admissions Counselors will explain our application and scholarship process, as well as tips on preparing an outstanding portfolio. You'll also meet our Student Ambassador Tour Guides and have the opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A. We are here to help you!

Medium: Zoom webinar with slide presentation containing text and imagery. Attendee cameras and microphones will be off and you can write questions in the Q&A.

All sessions begin on Fridays at 3:30pm ET:

• December 5 - Register

Our 2026 schedule is forthcoming.

Join us to learn how to create a standout portfolio. SVA's Admissions Counselors will advise you on developing a portfolio based on your interests, show examples of strong work, and provide tips on what to avoid. You'll also get advice on the college application process and have the opportunity to ask your questions during a live Q&A. We are here to help you prepare for your next step!

Please note: Portfolio reviews are not available during this session.

Medium: Zoom webinar with slide presentation containing text and imagery. Attendee cameras and microphones will be off and you can write questions in the Q&A.

All sessions begin on Fridays at 3:30pm ET:

• December 12 - Register

Our 2026 schedule is forthcoming.

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 accredited colleges to review portfolios, offer helpful suggestions and provide information on specific programs and requirements. 

Saturday, September 6, 2025

12:00-4:00pm ET

Saturday, December 6, 2025

12:00-4:00pm ET

Sunday, January 11, 2026

12:00-4:00pm ET

Saturday, May 9, 2026

12:00-4:00pm ET

For virtual events, students are encouraged to take digital photos of any physical pieces they wish to share and place them in a shareable folder or multipage PDF. Tag or star images that may be in an app to make them easier to find in preparation for these events.

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 review both in-progress and finished work as well as your sketchbook. You’ll receive an informative critique and discuss how your work aligns with SVA’s majors to help you edit and curate your portfolio for admission and scholarship consideration. 

We will try to look at as much of your work as possible in the time we have. We suggest 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 to show, you can still meet with an Admissions representative to ask questions and get info on our undergraduate programs!

Access the SVA Virtual Tour at any time!