Graduate Admissions FAQs

The MFA program is a full-time, on-campus program that lasts two academic years, including one summer session in between.

UW-Madison is awaiting approval of this new academic program by the Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) before we can accept prospective F-1 students into the program or issue a Form I-20. International students may apply for this program, but will only be considered for admission if or when the program is approved.

Graduate students will have a designated workspace in a shared office. They will also have access to studio spaces in Lathrop Hall. The department provides an online reservation system that allows both faculty and students to reserve studio space within the building. Graduate students will have access to these facilities for their creative research. More information is available in the Dance Department Graduate Student Handbook (coming soon). Additionally, graduate students will have access to sound and video lab facilities and the equipment available in those spaces.

The campus DesignLab is another resource for students with project-specific needs. This is a digital media design consulting service that provides brief consultations and links to relevant resources. Our students can also access services through the School of Education’s Media, Education Resources, and Information Technology (MERIT) library, which provides IT and AV support and equipment loans.

We strongly encourage students to utilize the resources and opportunities available on campus. We promote studying and collaborating across various fields. Students will work together with peers, faculty, and staff from both their primary discipline and other areas.

The McBurney Disability Resource Center is the designated office at UW-Madison for students with disabilities. The resources available through the McBurney Center include, but are not limited to: accommodations for various types of disabilities, alternative formats for class materials, alternative testing options, notetaking assistance for temporary conditions, support for undiagnosed students, accessible transportation, and housing accommodations.

Visit Accessibility@UW–Madison to learn about disability rights, ableism, accessibility resources, and information that faculty, students, and staff need to help create accessible events and content. UW–Madison values all individuals and commits to a shared responsibility towards designing inclusively and accessibly for people with disabilities. 

The department accepts applications annually in the fall. Applications will open on September 1st. The deadline to apply is December 1st at 11:59 PM. 

The application process for the Dance MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is competitive. Our program offers full tuition remission, annual graduate appointments, stipends, and access to health insurance, making it an attractive choice for prospective students.

Our department does not provide grants for application fees. However, if you qualify, you can apply for a fee grant from the Graduate School. 

Students applying to the Dance MFA program must apply directly to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School. The application materials required include an application fee, transcripts from previously attended institutions, English proficiency test scores (if applicable), a resume or CV, two to three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, an artist statement, and a portfolio. 

Your Statement of Purpose should include relevant information related to your creative practice and how attending UW-Madison will benefit your artistic work over the course of the program. This is your opportunity to share specific aspects of your artistic practice and related research that connect to what the Dance Department can offer. It’s appropriate to mention individuals and departments or units, as well as spaces and other university resources, inside and outside of the Dance Department, that will support your creative projects during your time in the program. If applicable, please include a teaching statement outlining your experience, interests, goals, and any areas of support for growth that you need.

Your statement of purpose should be no longer than 500 words.

Your Artist Statement should help situate you and your professional work within the dance field at present. How do you envision your work? What is your artistic voice? What more can you add about how the UW-Madison MFA in Dance program aligns with your artistic agenda? Provide insight into your philosophical frame/viewpoint, approach, and methodology. Highlight significant details of your previous professional experience, and focus on your current creative practice, research, and your major artistic influences. If your work is inspired by or in conversation with the work of other artists, please discuss that here.

Your artist statement should be no longer than 500 words.

Provide a PDF or Word document containing active links to your choreography or screendance works, along with passwords, if needed. Submit a minimum of 3 works created within the past three to four years. For the Creative Research, Culture, and Practice named option, submit whole, unedited videos of choreographic samples. Recent projects provide the admissions committee with a clearer understanding of your skills and the contributions you can make as a first-year graduate student. For each work sample, please include a brief narrative about why you have selected this work sample, including key collaborators and your role(s), and highlight the unique qualities of this work. Additionally, it’s important to include examples that are relevant to your intended area of creative research. It is your responsibility to ensure that our Admissions Committee can access these videos. 

You can submit either a CV or a resume as part of your application to the MFA program. Both formats are acceptable; the choice is yours and should reflect how you want to showcase your qualifications and experience. 

You can include links to your art practice and research in your CV or resume. You can include links to your social media accounts, professional website, or other online platforms where you showcase your work. These links offer valuable context and insights into your artistic practice, helping the admissions committee better understand your work and potential as an MFA student.

The MFA programs in the Dance Department do not require applicants to submit GRE scores.

Applications will close on December 1st at 11:59 PM. Finalist candidates will be contacted in mid-January. Admission offers will be issued during the first week of February. Students placed on the waitlist will also receive notifications about their status on that date. Applicants who receive an admission offer to our program will have until April 15th to accept.

Many MFA students receive funding packages that often include fellowships, teaching assistantships (TAs), or project assistantships (PAs). These packages typically cover tuition, provide a stipend, and include health insurance.

The program guarantees students graduate assistantships. Students are guaranteed an assistantship each year in the program and are automatically assigned one.

Yes, every student receives a stipend linked to their graduate appointment, intended to help cover the costs of attending the program and available at the student’s discretion to support living expenses.

All graduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have access to health insurance and medical benefits, which can also be extended to their spouses and dependent children. 

Yes, the program provides full tuition remission for all students, regardless of whether they are in-state or out-of-state, domestic or international.

Students are required to pay segregated fees to the university each semester. For further details, visit the Bursar’s Office segregated fees webpage.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is recognized as one of the top college campuses in the country. It boasts a lively campus community that offers a diverse range of events, student organizations, and clubs. Whether you’re interested in outdoor activities, attending sporting events, or enjoying live music, the campus and city have something for everyone.

For more information about graduate student life, visit https://gradlife.wisc.edu/.

Tour the campus virtually at https://exploreuw.wisc.edu/.

See Madison through the seasons at  https://madison.wisc.edu/.

Madison is consistently ranked among the best cities to live in the United States. Nestled between two lakes, the city is renowned for its stunning scenery. It offers more than 200 biking and hiking trails and is known for its vibrant year-round arts and music scene, farm-to-table restaurants, and commitment to sustainability.

For more information, please visit the City of Madison visitor website.

While many of our graduate students choose to live off campus, several housing options are available to master’s and doctoral students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The university offers on-campus housing specifically designed for graduate students. These university apartments are conveniently located near campus and offer a range of amenities and services tailored to the unique needs of graduate students. 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison provides extensive support for students with children through the Office of Child Care and Family Resources (OCCFR). This office offers a variety of services designed to help student-parents balance their academic goals with family responsibilities. Available resources include information about the campus and affiliated child care centers, financial assistance, a resource library, a parents’ listserv, and various events tailored to meet the needs of families.