Admission to the MS First Professional program is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Graduate Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University. In addition to meeting graduate university admissions requirements, international applicants must also meet the University requirements to be considered for admission.

The Department of Interior Architecture & Design determines admissibility to the degree program. To be considered for the MS First Professional program admission, the applicants must submit the following items through the Graduate Admissions Application Portal:

• Curriculum Vitae. The CV should include details on prior education, experiences, publications, service activities, etc.
• Official transcript. An official undergraduate transcript indicating a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on the last 60 hours of the completed undergraduate degree
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE). If your undergraduate degree GPA for the last 60 hours of work is 3.25 or higher, then the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement is waived.
  If your undergraduate degree GPA for the last 60 hours of work is below 3.25, you need to submit the results of the GRE. The desired combined score should be greater than or equal to 305. GRE test scores are valid for five years from the test date.

• Official English Language Proficiency results. Students with English as a second language must meet the University proficiency standards of IBTOEFLE: 80; TOEFL: 550; or IELTS: 6.5.
• Department application. A completed Interior Architecture & Design Department Application that identifies your goals and reasons that make you a strong applicant to the interior design graduate program. The Application is available to complete via the Graduate Admissions Application portal.
• Three letters of recommendation. A minimum of three letters of recommendation written by academic and/or professional persons of your choice who are familiar with you and your previous work. This process is facilitated via the Application portal.
• Work portfolio (optional). A digital portfolio of 15-20 examples of current student and/or professional design work is to be uploaded via the Application portal. Please include short captions for your pieces that describe the project, the context, the medium, and the role you had in producing it (individual or group, independent or under supervision, and course or internship, etc.).
• Interview. After you complete and submit your application, the Department will contact you to schedule a phone, Zoom, or in-person interview with the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies.

The application deadline is February 1 of every year for the start of study in the Summer semester. The number of spots in this program is limited, and applications are reviewed as they arrive.

International applicants are encouraged to complete their applications by January 1 so they have ample time to obtain their immigration documents and make living arrangements in Tallahassee.

The application window for the 2025-2026 academic year will open in September 2024.

Application Questions? Contact Rebecca Cowart, Academic Program Specialist, at rebecca.cowart@fsu.edu or (850) 644-5473.

A limited number of teaching assistantships are available for the most qualified applicants who have completed the first year (three semesters) of their studies in the program and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The assistantship allows students to gain teaching experience and provides a tuition waiver and a stipend for Fall and Spring semesters.

For tuition, estimated cost of attendance, and financial aid opportunities, please refer to the Graduate School’s Funding & Awards information.

Financial Aid Resources

• Graduate Finances
• FSU Office of Financial Aid
• Academic Common Market