Call for Applications: University of Waterloo Funded MFA in Studio Art 2027

Azadeh Pirazimian, installation view of The Story of Tiles and Ropes thesis exhibition, 2025. Photo by Scott Lee.

“Come Here, Go Anywhere” with the University of Waterloo MFA in Studio Art

University of Waterloo, Department of Fine Arts
Waterloo, ON
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027

The MFA Studio Art Program
Our Master of Fine Arts program is built around studio research, practice, professional development, and pedagogical training. Studio work culminates in a thesis exhibition at UWAG (University of Waterloo Art Gallery). The pedagogical component includes a seminar in course development and the opportunity to teach an introductory, studio-based course.

James Malzahn, detail of Victory Box thesis exhibition, 2026. Malzahn received the prestigious 2026 Alumni Gold Medal for academic excellence at the master’s level. Photo by Scott Lee.

Generous Funding
We have one of the most generous funding packages in the country, $40,000, which includes $10,000 for the Shantz Scholarship, and $30,000 for five terms of study. Experience one-on-one mentoring with expert faculty, plenty of access to facilities, teaching assistantships and a teaching placement.

Come Here, Go Anywhere
A unique feature of our program offers each student a fully funded professional development experience via the Keith and Win Shantz International Research Scholarship. This prestigious six-week scholarship is a life-changing opportunity to travel and learn alongside an artist of your choice, anywhere in the world.

Behnaz Fatemi, performance from We will lose our beloveds thesis exhibition, 2024. Photo by Scott Lee. Fatemi went on to receive the 2025 GOG Award for First Exhibition in a Public Gallery with Art Windsor Essex curated by Niku Koochak.

Top University for Innovation
The University of Waterloo is one of the leading comprehensive universities in the country and has been recognized as #1 one in Canada for reputation, #7 in the world for producing entrepreneurs, and #97 as ranked by 55,000 researchers from around the globe.

Maddie Lychek, installation view of Could Be a Person or Multiple Hotdogs thesis exhibition, 2026. Photo by Scott Lee.

The application deadline for the MFA program is February 1, 2027.
Apply now.

Note: Each year Fine Arts accepts 5 MFA candidates. We have reserved one space for an international student and four spaces for domestic students (i.e. Canadian citizens or permanent residents) for fall 2027 entry.

For more information, check out the Fine Arts website and follow us on Instagram, or contact Tara Cooper (tlcooper@uwaterloo.ca), Associate Chair of Graduate Studies.

University of Waterloo
Fine Arts, East Campus Hall
263 Phillip Street, Waterloo, Ontario