Graduate Student Information

Use the information in this section to find relevant forms and funding opportunities. Visit the following links for information regarding:

Academic Forms

Internal Admission Form
- This form is used to apply to another graduate program at Syracuse University.
Petition to Faculty Form
- This form is used to transfer credits or petition a course to count toward your degree.
Independent Study Form
- This form is used to propose an independent study course. The form will be filled out in conjunction with the faculty member you will work with throughout the semester.

Graduate Student Support and Funding Opportunities

VPA considers graduate student research an integral part of the student experience. Grants are awarded to encourage students to pursue creative opportunities, whether they are exhibitions, conferences, performances, or other professional events.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts offers small financial awards to outstanding and deserving full-time undergraduate and graduate students in art, creative arts therapy, communication and rhetorical studies, design, drama, film and media arts, and music who may need financial assistance to engage in programs, activities, internships, and residencies that can move them forward in their disciplines. Proposals for the VPA Student Grant Program will be assessed on the clarity and feasibility of proposed activities, the expression of need for funding, and the potential contributions of the project or activity to the applicant or to the arts community. For academic year 2024-25, the VPA Student Grant Program will have two competitions. The application window for the Fall 2024 round is September 20 - October 7. The application window for Spring 2025 will be January 17 - February 3. Learn more about the VPA Student Grant Program and apply.

Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization (GSO) provides a travel grant for students traveling for academic and professional conferences. Grant funds are intended to defray the cost of travel for students presenting original work at conferences, exhibitions, performances, and other opportunities. There are multiple deadlines throughout the year; visit the GSO website for more details.

If you are looking for teaching assistantships, hourly assistantships, or employment opportunities, please contact your advisor and/or program coordinator. Many of those awards are distributed by departments and programs, so you should always begin those conversations there.

The Turner Semester is a residency program for a small cohort of M.F.A. degree students in VPA. The program allows the students to experience the arts of the West Coast and to live and work in San Pedro (the Los Angeles Harbor area). Contact the Office of Academic and Career Advising at 315.443.2517 or vpaosa@syr.edu for more information.