Moore College of Art and Design

Moore College of Art & Design attracts qualified students from diverse economic backgrounds through its extensive financial aid programs. A private education should be affordable to all deserving students. About 85 percent of our students received assistance through federal financial aid in 2005-2006.

Scholarships are merit based awards and do not have to be repaid. Moore offers more than $600,000 in merit scholarships to first-year and transfer undergraduate students. Awards are based on the applicant's academic and artistic achievements.

One of the following five MCAD Scholarships are available for eligible First-Year & Transfer students:

Moore College of Art & Design Board of Trustees Scholarship
Up to $10,000 awarded to a limited number of students who demonstrate exceptional artistic and academic ability upon entering the college. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 per year.

Moore College of Art & Design Presidential Scholarship
Up to $9,000 awarded to eligible students. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 per year.

Moore College of Art & Design Dean’s Scholarship
Up to $6,000 awarded to eligible students. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 per year.

Moore College of Art & Design Admissions Scholarship
Up to $5,000 awarded to eligible students. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 per year.

International Scholarship
Up to $10,000 awarded annually to eligible students. Scholarships are based on portfolio, academic achievement and TOEFL Score. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of between 2.5 and 3.0 per year, depending on amount of scholarship.

Other Competitive Scholarships for First-Year Student:

Early Decision Scholarship
Priority housing and a $500 one-time scholarship awarded to all first-year students who complete an application for Admission by November 15 and have paid tuition deposit by March 1. All early decision students who submit their tuition deposit by March 1st will be eligible to compete for an Early Decision Merit Scholarship of $1,000.

Visionary Woman Scholarship
Up to 7 scholarships valued at $18,000 each are awarded by the Admissions Committee based on academic and artistic achievements that demonstrate the potential for great success in the visual arts. These competitive scholarships are automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 per year. Students must be nominated by their high school art teacher (or equivalent) to compete for this scholarship. Nomination deadline is February 1, and Admissions applications must be completed by March 1 to be considered for competition.
Download the form to nominate a high school student

Emerging Leader in the Arts Scholarship
Up to 12 scholarships valued at $2,000 each and annual leadership training awarded by the Admissions Committee to qualified first-year students based on portfolio excellence, exceptional academic history and evidence of future potential of leadership in the arts. These competitive scholarships are automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 per year. Students must be nominated by the Admissions Committee to apply for this scholarship. Application deadline is March 1.

Philadelphia Scholar Award
Up to two scholarships are awarded annually to qualified Philadelphia high school seniors, guaranteeing full tuition for four years in combination with other institutional, federal and state grants & scholarships. College fees and room and board are not included. This program was developed in conjunction with the Philadelphia Schools Collaborative of the Philadelphia School Board in 1990. The Admissions Committee will notify Partnership Scholarship recipients by May 1.

Andrea Baldeck and William Hollis Endowed Scholarship in Photography & Digital Arts
One endowed scholarship valued up to $5,000 awarded to a First Year student on the basis of portfolio excellence, academic history, financial need and an interest in Photography & Digital Arts. The scholarship will be applied towards the first-year tuition at MCAD. The Admissions Committee will select candidates in April.

Evelyn Andres Whitaker Art Endowed Scholarship
One endowed scholarship valued up to $5,000 awarded to a first-year student on the basis of portfolio excellence, academic history and financial need. The scholarship will be applied towards the first year tuition at MCAD. The Admissions Committee will select candidates in April.

Fran R. Graham ’66 Endowed Scholarship
One endowed scholarship valued up to $5,000 awarded to a First Year student on the basis of portfolio excellence, academic history, financial need and an interest in Design. The scholarship will be applied towards the first-year tuition at MCAD. The Admissions Committee will select candidates in April.

Philadelphia International Sister Cities Scholarship
$10,000 awarded annually to eligible students. Scholarships are based on the strength of academic achievement, portfolio of artwork and TOEFL (or SAT or IELTS) scores. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Residents of the following cities are eligible to apply for Moore College of Art & Design’s Philadelphia International Sister Cities Scholarship:

• Florence, Italy
• Tel Aviv, Israel
• Torun, Poland
• Tianjin, China
• Incheon, Korea
• Douala, Cameroon
• Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
• Kobe, Japan
• Aix-en-Provence, France
• Abruzzo, Italy

Jane Walentas '66 Endowed Scholarship and International Travel Fellowship
Up to $11,500.00 awarded to an incoming student who demonstrates artistic and academic merit, and articulates an interest in international travel. Automatically renewed for up to four years of full time enrollment as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 per year.

The scholarship will be awarded to one incoming First-Year student but there are no restrictions with respect to geography, academic discipline or financial need. The scholarship also recognizes the importance of the global perspective in educating contemporary visual artists. With this recognition, the selected student will also be awarded a $4,000 international travel fellowship to be used between their junior and senior years at Moore College of Art & Design.

Scholarship & Fellowship Donors:

• AICUP
• Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation
• Adelaide Florence Reinold Binder
• Loraine Marie Binder
• Charming Shoppes Inc.
• Katharine Liesmann Fetter
• Dolya Goutman
• Fran R. Graham
• Fred & Naomi Hazell
• Russell P. and Elizabeth C. Heuer Foundation
• Mothers Work
• Maude C. Read
• Mary Heher Reiber
• Mary Emma Schwarz
• NAMSB
• The Philadelphia Foundation (Elizabeth Swartz)
• W.W Smith Charitable Trust
• Jane Walentas
• Dorothy Tomkins Warner
• Evelyn Andres Whitaker

Other Awards & Prizes include:

• Frieda M. Fehrenbacher First-Year Prize for Drawing
• Frieda Fehrenbacher Women’s Leadership Fellowship
• Miriam Troop Portrait Prize
• Philadelphia Water Color Society Award
• Rohm and Haas Fine Arts Achievement Award
• Tiffany & Co. Women’s Leadership Fellowship

Traveling Fellowships include:

• Frieda M. Fehrenbacher International Traveling Fellowship—one $2,500 fellowship awarded annually to an outstanding member of the junior class for international travel and study.
• Emily Sartain Fellowship—one $2,000 fellowship awarded annually to an outstanding member of the junior class for advanced study and international travel and study.
• Harriet Sartain Fellowship—one $1,500 fellowship awarded annually to an outstanding member of the junior class for advanced study; travel is encouraged.