To be admitted into the Master of Fine Arts program at NYFA, students must possess a Bachelor's degree from a post-secondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education or a college or university outside of the U.S. that is recognized as a degree-granting institution by their respective governments. The ideal applicant must demonstrate a sincere passion and aptitude for visual storytelling and the ability and desire to pursue graduate-level work and scholarly research in his/her chosen discipline.

No particular major or minor is required as a prerequisite for admission, but applicants with a strong background in the visual arts are preferred. While an applicant's GPA will be taken into consideration and is an important component of the admissions process, the strength of the candidate's Narrative Statement and Creative Portfolio is a significant determining factor for admission.
All students pursuing a graduate degree from the New York Film Academy must submit an official, final undergraduate transcript in order to complete their application. MFA applicants must submit a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation verifying the applicant's ability to successfully take on graduate study in the relevant field. MFA applicants must submit a portfolio
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 or higher (213 for computer-based test or 79 for internet-based test), IELTS 6.5 or the equivalent.
A report from a valid English Language School verifying completion of course level equivalent to a 550 Paper-based TOEFL Score.