University of Southern California · John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts, School of Cinematic Arts

Animation + Digital Arts MFA

MFAMaster of Fine ArtsFunding not verified

Overview

MFA in Animation + Digital Arts with a thesis project, entering each fall; first-year tuition is published per program.

Official program name: Animation + Digital Arts MFA
Awarded degree: Master of Fine ArtsMaster's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Qualification classification: Academic degreeThe Division lists a Master in Fine Arts among its degrees offered.Titled as a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in its own national system.
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Degree-awarding body: The institution itself unless stated otherwise on its official page.
Country: United States
Teaching language: Not verified
School: University of Southern California — John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts, School of Cinematic Arts
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Delivery: Format not verified
Required attendance: Not verified
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Not verified
Credits and credit system: Not verified

Specializations

Specialization	Classification	Evidence
General Animation	Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.	Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Why this degree is listed

Dedicated animation master's degree (MFA Animation + Digital Arts).

Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

We list verified animation degrees only — no certificates, short courses or generic degrees with a few animation modules. Eligibility rules

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Graduation film, thesis or capstone

ThesisMasters thesis project with supporting documentation.

Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Faculty list: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Software, equipment and costs

Software and equipment are shown only as the school publishes them: required, taught, provided or bought by the student. Tuition does not include hardware, software or materials unless the school says so, and online students do not automatically share campus facilities.

Software

Software list: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Equipment, computers and facility access

Computer requirements: Animation & Digital Arts: no laptop requirement; recommended platform Windows, Config A - 3D Performance.
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Published equipment and software costs

Equipment and software costs: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

We never estimate a total cost when key expenses are unpublished. Compare equipment and software

Admissions

Each submission item is shown exactly as the school states it. Anything not listed is not verified — never “not required”.

Portfolio and submission materials

Portfolio requirements: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Other requirements

Prior qualification: RequiredBachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, conferred before the start of the first term.
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required1 letters — One letter of recommendation.
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Other requirement: RequiredSupplemental materials via SlideRoom.
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT: Required — minimum 100International applicants; 100 with minimum 20 in each section for tests before January 21, 2026
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
IELTS: Required — minimum 7International applicants
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
PTE Academic: Required — minimum 68International applicants
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness. Build an application checklist

Deadlines

Dates are shown with the year and intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
November 15: Animation + Digital Arts MFA · for Fall Semester Admission
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its original currency, applicant category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-year and whole-program figures — and different currencies — are not comparable with each other. Equipment and software costs are listed separately above.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
All students — First-year tuition, 22 units, Fall and Spring	USD 61,299	per academic year · 2026-2027The school labels this figure as an estimate: Approximate cost of tuition for the first year of each graduate program.Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026
All students — School of Cinematic Arts tuition per unit	USD 2,700	per credit · 2026-2027Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Mandatory institutional fees

USC estimated mandatory fees (full or half-time students): USD 1,899 per academic yearMandatory
Source: cinema.usc.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Funding

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Funding not verified

Funding policy: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 14, 2026.

cinema.usc.edu/admissions/apply.cfm — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
cinema.usc.edu/admissions/graduate.cfm — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
cinema.usc.edu/admissions/tuition.cfm — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 14, 2026
cinema.usc.edu/animation/index.cfm — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
cinema.usc.edu/animation/learningobj.cfm — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
cinema.usc.edu/Laptops/ — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026

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View programSelected in: Top Animation Schools in USA: Degrees & Programs

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