INSTITUTE FOR DOCTORAL STUDIES
IN THE VISUAL ARTS
We offer generous scholarships, and our low-residency format allows IDSVA students to keep their job while working on the degree. IDSVA students also qualify for Federally Guaranteed Student Loans that can help with tuition and the cost of living. When you graduate from IDSVA and it’s time to start paying back your student loan, we can show you how to set up a monthly payment plan that never exceeds your ability to pay.
We can help make sure that your student loan payments won’t be a burden on your monthly income. IDSVA can make the economics of a world-class PhD work for you!
Scholarships range from $2,000 to $25,000 annually, during the three-year course of study. Ninety percent of IDSVA students receive a scholarship, based on a combination of need and merit.
If you would like to be considered for an IDSVA scholarship, please submit the FAFSA at the same time as the rest of your application. Go to Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and enter the IDSVA school code: G41888.
IDSVA awards one David Driskell Fellowship with each incoming cohort. Driskell Fellows are students of color who show promise in carrying forward David Driskell's mission to encourage worldwide community and equality through art.
The Driskell Fellowship provides an annual $25,000 tuition scholarship over the three-year course of study, for the Fellow entering in academic year 2022-23. David Driskell (1931–2020) was elected to the National Academy in 2000 and honored at the University of Maryland by the establishment of the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora in 2001. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018. A member of the IDSVA Visiting Faculty since 2007, Dr. Driskell was awarded an IDSVA Honorary Doctorate in 2013 in recognition of his lifelong career as an artist, scholar, and world leading spiritual philanthropist.
Learn more about our recent David Driskell Fellows.
In conferral with the Core Faculty, the Director of the School appoints TAs and awards writing fellowships, teaching fellowships, and post-doctoral fellowships. TA Appointments and awards are given to students on the basis of need and funding support. TAs are given to 2nd and 3rd year students, while Fellowships are awarded to those that are in their 3rd year and beyond. Modest stipends are granted to IDSVA Fellows and TAs, usually $2,000 per course.
We have compiled a short list of scholarships, grants and fellowships you may be eligible for here, along with links for more extensive, and searchable, databases. Nearly all of these outside opportunities are for the dissertation period, and do not cover the first three years of the course of study.
Learn More about Outside Scholarships
IDSVA is approved for the use of the GI Bill® benefits, and participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S government website.
“IDSVA's generous financial support made it possible for me to get through the program on a meager adjunct salary. These days I'm known as Dr. Nil Santana, Associate Professor, Abilene Christian University! THANK YOU IDSVA!”
Dr. Nil Santana, IDSVA PhD ’13
Tenured Associate Professor, Abilene Christian University, Texas