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For queries related to 2024 admissions, please write only to [email protected]

We are now accepting applications for 2024 admission! Please CLICK HERE to begin your application. Applications will be due January 9th, 2024. We have permanently waived the application fee and it is free to apply.

Class Size and Profile

In recent years matriculated classes have averaged a dozen students. The student body varies widely in age, experience, background, nationality, and citizenship status. Some entering students have just completed the bachelor’s degree, while others may have spent several years in the workplace, including many in museum jobs. The program welcomes applicants from outside the field of the history of art and offers financial aid on a need and merit basis. International students are equally eligible for these grants. A substantial number of students in the program receive a full tuition waiver plus a stipend for living expenses. All students have the opportunity of a paid internship at the Clark Art Institute, Williams College Museum of Art, or other partner institutions. Additional support for research travel and conferences is available to all students.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition for 2023-2024 is set at $64,540. A substantial number of students in the program receive a full tuition waiver, plus a stipend for living expenses. For aided students, the program also covers health insurance, relocation expenses, and a book purchase grant. Awards are made on the basis of both need and merit. Research funding and paid internship opportunities are available to each student over the four semester span of the program.

Online Application

Your application to the Williams Graduate Program will consist of the main application form, a statement of intellectual and professional purpose, unofficial digital transcripts, and a writing sample. We do not and can not to accept any other materials as part of your application packet.

For the writing sample, the recommended length is 10 to 20 pages. The writing sample should demonstrate sustained analytical engagement with a work of art or other cultural artifact and an ability to write cogently and compellingly. To facilitate the uploading, processing and printing of your materials, we ask that you limit yourself only to illustrations essential for comprehending your writing sample.

In the Recommendations section of the online application you will need to supply the names and contact information of at least three referees who will be asked to send their letters of support through our secure online system.

GRE scores are not required nor will they be considered. If English is not your first language or the official language of your undergraduate studies, TOEFL/IELTS scores are required.

Notification

Notification of admission is normally made in March and April, on a rolling basis.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Williams College is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive community in which members of all backgrounds can live, learn and thrive. In compliance with state and federal law, Williams does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, or military service.