Fashion Studies (MA) Application Instructions
Deadlines
The Admission Committee will make a decision on your application only after all the required materials have been received.
Applicants who wish to be considered for a Dean’s Scholarship should submit a complete application packet by February 1. After February 1, applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Requirements
Parsons graduate programs use a self-managed application process. Submit your application online, and mail any supplemental application materials, preferably in a single packet, to the Office of Admission. Include a Materials Cover Sheet (Adobe PDF), which can also be downloaded from the Supplemental Forms section of the online application.
You may download these instructions. Applicants must submit the following items to the Office of Admissions:
- Application: Complete the online application.
- Application Fee: Payment of a $50 nonrefundable application fee is required. A credit card is required to submit the online application.
- Official Transcripts: Submit a sealed original copy of your official college transcripts along with your application packet. If that is not possible, instruct the institution to send transcripts directly to the Office of Admission at the address below. Photocopies are not acceptable.
All applicants with international transcripts are required to submit an original transcript from each institution attended outside the United States, along with a certified English-language translation. Applicants who would like to transfer academic credits earned at non-U.S. institutions are also required to have their transcript(s) evaluated by World Education Services (WES), our preferred provider, or by another member of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). A course-by-course evaluation report must be prepared for each transcript. Please start the evaluation process as early as possible, including the submission of all required documents to WES (or another provider), in order to ensure the timely completion of the evaluation report. Instruct the provider to send the report to:
Parsons Graduate Programs
Office of Admission
72 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
If applying online, search for “New School Parsons" when requesting our institution.
If your provider is unable to send the evaluation report directly to the school, please obtain a copy and send it to Parsons, along with a Materials Cover Sheet (Adobe PDF).
- Résumé: A brief resume (CV) listing education, relevant work experience, travel, etc., including dates and positions held, must be submitted online.
- Statement of Interests and Intentions: Essay must be submitted online, 500-750 word limit or 3 pages. The statement should express the applicant’s understanding of the field of fashion studies, and identify particular areas of academic interest, research questions and goals they might intend to pursue in the program. The applicant should also identify her/his professional aspirations, and articulate how this graduate program is best suited to realizing those goals. If the applicant has not been a student in the past five years, s/he should speak about anticipated opportunities and challenges in pursuing the MA degree, and future career expectations upon completion of the program.
- Recommendations: Two letters of recommendation from faculty members or people with whom you have worked professionally. References may be submitted online, or applicants may forward sealed original copies with their application packet. At least one letter should address the applicant’s research and writing abilities.
- TOEFL: If English is not your native language, submit results of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The minimum score required for acceptance to the program is 580 for the paper-based, 237 for the computer-based, or 92 for the Internet-based exam.
Students required to take the TOEFL can obtain further information from the Educational Testing Service.
- Interview: Students who meet the above requirements will be invited for an interview in person or by phone. The offer of a place in the program is subject to a successful interview.
Additional Information
Graduate students are automatically considered for merit scholarships as part of the admission. If you are a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen and want to be considered for financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The New School’s federal school code is 002780.
Mailing Address for Supplemental Material
Parsons Graduate Programs
Office of Admission
72 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY, 10011
All mailed materials must be accompanied by a Materials Cover Sheet (Adobe PDF).
