VCUarts Qatar Invites Applications for Academic Year 2025

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) has opened the application process for students seeking admission for the academic year 2025. The priority deadline for applying is November 15, 2024, while the final deadline is January 15, 2025.  Applications that are submitted before the priority deadline will be reviewed first by the admissions team, and decisions will be made on these applications first.  

Students can apply to the University’s four-year undergraduate programs which offer specializations in Graphic Design, Interior Design, Kinetic Imaging, Painting + Printmaking, and Art History. Those seeking to augment their undergraduate qualifications or enhance their existing careers can do so through VCUarts Qatar’s MFA in Design program. 

Interested students are urged to complete the application process by the priority date of November 15, 2024. Admissions counselors at VCUarts Qatar are available for consultations every day. Besides, the university’s website https://qatar.vcu.edu/  includes comprehensive information on application requirements and answers to frequently asked questions and program details.

Students joining VCUarts Qatar will be part of a worldwide network that boasts more than 1000 alumni employed in roles as varied as art and design, filmmaking, interior design and incubation development. Over the last two decades, many of them have garnered international recognition on the global stage, winning coveted awards such as the Red Dot Award, the International Property Awards and others. Alumni, faculty, and students from the campus were actively involved in various creative fields, ranging from film direction and production, creative direction, set design, and wardrobe design to public art, curation, stage performance, and so on, during the latest FIFA World Cup tournament held in Qatar in December 2022.

The creative work and projects of VCUarts Qatar’s students, alumni, staff, and faculty have been exhibited at prestigious exhibitions in Dubai, Paris, Moscow, Hong Kong, and at the University’s home campus in Richmond, Virginia.  

At VCUarts Qatar, students regularly get to take part in world-class art and design events, and field trips to study, work and network. The University also makes it a point to invite internationally acclaimed designers and artists such as Valentino, Hassan Hajjaj, Richard Serra, Shirin Neshat, Jeff Koons, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Diane von Furstenberg, Reza Abedini, Marina Abramović, Wissam Shawkat, Rami Al Ali, Naeem Khan, and Hector Ayuso, to give talks and lectures, and conduct workshops.

The world-class facilities at VCUarts Qatar include the region’s only Materials Library housed within an academic institution, with an impressive collection of more than 10,000 materials sourced from around the world. An expansive art and design Library offers around 40,000 titles and access to virtual academic resources worldwide.  Students have access to the state-of-the-art facilities in the Digital Design + Fabrication studios and the Innovative Media Studios, not to mention the numerous activities and courses at other campuses within Education City where VCUarts Qatar is situated.

Education at VCUarts Qatar involves participation in renowned art and design events such as Ars Electronica, London Design Week, Milan Design Week, the Venice Biennale, the Venice Biennale of Architecture, and so on. Major events at VCUarts Qatar include the annual BFA + MFA exhibition, the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art, and the Tasmeem Doha art and design conference. 

VCUarts Qatar has an active Alumni Relations section that is invested in ensuring that its graduates receive the best possible opportunities for professional growth and networking. The University has steadily expanded and built upon its Community and Continuing education programs, regularly offering members of the public, and alumni, opportunities to consolidate their learning or pick up new skills. 

Additionally, VCUarts Qatar partners with major organizations in Qatar and abroad for workshops, work experience opportunities, and project-based learning opportunities for its students and alumni.