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Master of Fine Arts: Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Fees, Colleges, Admission 2025, Jobs and Salary

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Updated on May 10, 2025

Shibam Kumar

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a 2-year Postgraduate program focusing on visual arts, performing arts and creative writing. The course emphasises practical skills and artistic development along with theory and research. This course covers various specialisations such as visual arts (painting, photography, sculpture), performance arts (dance, theatre, film) and creative writing.


The eligibility criteria for admission to a Master of Fine Arts course is a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts or a relevant discipline with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognised university. Candidates applying for this course must also qualify for entrance exams such as CUET-PG, MAH AAC CET, LPU NEST, BHU SET and others.


The average fee for studying for a Master of Fine Arts degree in India ranges between INR 600-3,70,000 depending on the university affiliation, whether private or public. Some top universities are Jamia Millia Islamia, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Delhi University (DU), LPU, Amity University, Shiv Nadar University, Chitakara University and. Master of Fine Arts graduates can work in various fields of Arts; typical job roles are Art & Craft Teacher, Product Designer, Painter, Graphic Designer, Jewelry Designer, Art Expert, Visual Arts Teacher and many more. The average salary of MFA graduates ranges between INR 2.4-3.6 LPA for freshers and  INR 4-8 LPA for experienced.

 

Master of Fine Arts Course Highlights

Given below are some of the key highlights for the MFA Course:

ParticularsDetails
Course Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Level of Study
Post-graduation (Master's)
Duration
2-year
Eligibility Criteria
Have a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts or related with 50% marks from a recognised university.




Qualify for applicable entrance exams depending on the college or university selected for admission.
Entrance Exams
CUET-PG, MAH AAC CET, BHU SET, LPU NEST, DUET, JMI EE
Admission Process
Merit-Based/Entrance-Based
Course Fee
INR 4,600-3,70,000
Colleges/Universities
Jamia Millia Islamia, BHU, LPU, Delhi University, Shanmugha Arts Science Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA), Manipal University
Average Salary
INR 2.4-3.6 LPA (Freshers)

INR 4-8 LPA (Experienced)
Job Roles
Art & Craft Teacher, Art Curator, Graphic Designer, Jewelry Designer, Art Expert, Visual Arts Teacher

 

Master of Fine Arts Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for admission into the Master of Fine Arts program are as follows:

  • Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts or a relevant discipline from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% marks.
  • Candidates have to qualify for entrance exams depending on the college or university requirements to which they are seeking admission.
  • Few colleges and universities also conduct personal Interviews (PI) or Viva-Voice, which play key roles in the selection process.

 

Master of Fine Arts Entrance Exams

Some of the national, state and university-level entrance exams for enrolling on a Master of Fine Arts course are:

ExamLevelRegistration Date (Tentative)Exam Date (Tentative)Application Fee
CUET-PG 2025
National
2 Jan-8 Feb 2025
13 Mar-1 Apr 2025
INR 1400 (Gen.)

INR 1200 (OBC/EWS)

INR 1100  (SC/ST/TG/PwD)
BHU SET 2025
University
20 Feb-20 Mar 2025
8 May Jun 2025
INR 750 (Gen.)

INR 700 (OBC/EWS)

INR 650  (SC/ST/TG/PwD)
MAH AAC CET 2025
State
15 Jan-27 Feb 2025
5 Apr 2025
INR 1900 (Gen.)

INR 1400 (Res.)
JMI EE 2025
University
5 Mar-10 Apr 2025
26 Apr 2025
INR 700
DUET 2025
University
1-22 Mar 2025
15-31 May 2025
INR 750 (UR/OBC)

INR 300 (SC/ST/PwD/EWS)
LPU NEST 2025
University
26 Jan-10 Mar 2025
15-31 Mar 2025
INR 1000 (SCK)

INR 1500 (PCK)

 

Master of Fine Arts Colleges and Fees

A few of the top colleges in India offering Master in Fine Arts courses have been listed below:

UniversitySpecialisationsNIRF Ranking (University)Average Fees
Jamia Millia Islamia
Art History
#13 (Overall)

#3 (University)
INR 7,300
Banaras Hindu University
Applied Art, Painting, Textile Design, Plastic Art (Sculpture), Pottery Ceramics
#48 (Management)

#11 (Overall)
INR 4,620
Delhi University
Painting, Sculpture, Fine Arts
#6 (University)
INR 12,400
LPU
Painting, Applied Art, Sculpture
#27 (University)

#50 (Engineering)

#16 (Pharmacy)

#38 (Management)
INR 2,00,000
Shanmugha Arts Science Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA)
Bharatnatyam
#14 (Law)

#28 (University)
INR 1,04,000
Amity University
Applied Art
#29 (management)

#49 (Overall)
INR 82,000
Mumbai University
Painting, Applied Arts, History of Arts
#61 (University)
INR 1,16,000
Shiva Nadar University
Art History, Art Theory, Photography, Moving Image, Painting, Sculpture, Mixed Media
-
INR 1,92,000
Manipal University, Jaipur
Applied Art
#64(University)

#73 (Management)
INR 2,25,000
Chitakara University
Painting, Printmaking, Art History, Sculpture
-
INR 3,70,000

Master of Fine Arts Admission 2025

The admission process for the Master of Fine Arts course at Lovely Professional University (Phagwara) is given below:

  • The applicants must check whether they meet the eligibility criteria as per the college and then fill out the application form for their particular course.
  • Applicants must provide all the required information when filling out the application form and pay the application fee while submitting the form.
  • The applicants will have to sit for the online or offline LPU NEST examination as per their feasibility.
  • The candidates qualifying for the entrance examination will be called for personal interview (PI) or viva-voice (VV).
  • The final selection of applicants will be based on marks obtained in LPU NEST, performance in PI or VV and past academic performance.
  • The candidates will be informed about their selection via mail or call from the admission counsellor.
  • Selected candidates must pay the admission fee to book their seats in their respective courses.
  • After this, they can attend orientation sessions and start a new academic journey.

 

Master of Fine Arts Syllabus

The syllabus of the MA in Fine Arts course may vary depending on the course curriculum and specialisation offered by the universities. The syllabus for the Master in Fine Arts course at Amity University (Gurugram) has been listed below:

Semester-1Semester-2
Advertising & Marketing Research-I
Report & Viva
Creative Painting-I
Advertising & Marketing Research - II
Drawing-I
Creative Painting - II
Graphic Designing-I
Drawing-II
History Of Art (20th Century)-I
Graphic Designing - II
Visualization-I
History Of Art (20th Century) - II
Basics Of Communication
Visualisation - II
Foreign Business Language
Corporate Communication
Open Elective Course
Behavioural Communication And Relationship Management
Outdoor Activity-Based Course
Foreign Business Language
-
Open Elective Courses
-
Outdoor Activity-Based Course

 

Semester-3Semester-4
Dissertation & Viva - I
Dissertation & Viva - II
Advertising & Business Organization-I
Advertising & Business Organization - II
Art Criticism (Painting)-I
Art Criticism (Painting) - II
Creative Painting-III
Creative Painting - II
Drawing-III
Drawing-IV
Graphic Designing-III
Graphic Designing - IV
Visualization-III
Visualisation - IV
Interpersonal Communication
Cross-Cultural Communication
Leading Through Teams
Professional Excellence
Foreign Business Language
Foreign Business Language
Open Elective Courses
Open Elective Courses
Outdoor Activity-Based Course
Outdoor Activity-Based Course

 

Why study Master of Fine Arts?

The advantages of studying for a Master of Fine Arts are:

  • MFA offers focused and advanced training in the chosen art form, which allows students to enhance their skills and deepen their artistic practice.
  • The program assists in fostering professional development, building a portfolio, building networks with industry professionals and receiving high-quality training or mentorship.
  • MFA graduates are qualified for teaching positions in schools or colleges and also open doors to various career opportunities such as working in art galleries, museums and other creative domains.
  • MFA graduates have increased job opportunities in diverse areas such as animation, commercial art, photography, and theatre.

 

Master of Fine Arts Jobs & Salary

MA Fine Arts graduates can work in various fields related to the arts; some of the job roles available on job portals like Naukri.com and Indeed are given below:

Job RoleRecruiterExperience LevelAverage Salary
Teacher-Graphics
Image Creative Education
0-1 year
INR 2.4-3 LPA
Art Expert
Art Beat
0-1 year
INR 3-3.6 LPA
Visual Arts Teacher
Redbricks Education Foundation
1-2 years
INR 4.8-5.4 LPA
Jewellery Designer
Lalit Gems
2-4 years
INR 5.4-7.2 LPA



Graphic Designer
Janrise Advertising
3-5 years
INR 6-8 LPA

 

Master of Fine Arts FAQs

What is the difference between a Master of Arts and Fine Arts?

Although both are master's degrees, the Master of Art focuses on subjects related to humanities and social sciences. On the other hand, the Master of Fine Arts program is a practice-based program that focuses on one artistic specialisation and is more about hands-on experience.

What is the next level of study after completing a Master of Fine Arts?

Generally, a Master of Fine Arts is considered a terminal degree, the highest degree in this discipline. However, one can take specialised certification courses or any other skill-development course to enhance one's knowledge and expertise in particular fields of art.

Can I start my own business after a Master of Fine Arts degree?

Yes, it is possible, and it is one of the common paths for MFA graduates to take to start their businesses. They can begin to create and sell their art or paintings, provide freelance artistic services, open photography studios, start an art supply business, and open event design and decoration centres.

Can an MFA graduate get a job in the government?

Yes, an MFA graduate can get government jobs in public-funded cultural institutions, art galleries or museums, and various government organisations for roles related to developing public policy, communication, or cultural initiatives.


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