Welcome Newly Admitted Master's Students

Welcome to the School of Design!

First, we encourage you to join our Slack group: cmumasters2026, where you can chat with your new classmates, ask us questions, and read updates on happenings in the School of Design as we near the start of the next academic year. You may also find it helpful to review the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website as questions arise.

Next, connect with us! We are eager to talk with you, learn about your interests, and answer your questions. We invite you to join us for virtual and on-campus visits where you can talk with students, alumni, and faculty before submitting your admissions decision. Please register for events via this survey. Once you’ve completed the form, look for follow-up details that will be sent to you via email.

Lastly, once you’ve made a decision regarding your graduate education in the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon, please submit the Admissions Decisions Form to accept or decline admission. The deadline to accept and submit your deposit is March 30. If you have questions, feel free to post them to the Slack channel or email our Graduate Program Coordinator, Donna Cardiff Frost at dfrost@andrew.cmu.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!

Our graduate students, alumni, and faculty come from a wide variety of backgrounds and will be happy to answer your questions about the program, the Carnegie Mellon community, and what you can expect during your time in the School of Design.

VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON SESSIONS, MARCH 18 – 26, 2026
Please register for upcoming events via this survey. Once you’ve completed the form, look for follow-up details that will be sent to you via email.

Note that if you did not attend a Virtual Visitors’ Session in fall 2025, we recommend that you view a recording of the presentation before attending this session. Contact Donna Cardiff Frost, the Graduate Program Coordinator, at dfrost@andrew.cmu.edu for a link.

Virtual Q+A Session with Current Students and School of Design Head, Ana Pinto da Silva
Wednesday, March 18, 12 pm – 1 pm EST

Virtual Q+A Session with Faculty, the Director of Master’s Studies, and the Graduate Program Coordinator
Monday, March 23, 9 am – 10 am EST

Virtual Q+A Session with Alumni
Wednesday, March 25, 8 pm – 9 pm EST

In-Person Campus and Classes Visit with MDes Students and Faculty
Wednesday, March 25, 9 am – 4pm EST

In-Person Campus and Classes Visit with MA Students and Faculty
Thursday, March 26, 9 am – 4pm EST

We understand that pursuing graduate education is a big decision. We aim to help you make an informed decision that takes into account curricular expenses and projected income from professional opportunities.

2026–2027 COST OF ATTENDANCE
Tuition is only a portion of the cost of attendance. Cost of attendance also takes into account residency status and any fees the university may charge. Graduate tuition in the School of Design costs $22,500 per semester for a total of $45,000 for the 2026–2027 academic year. Please reference Carnegie Mellon’s Tuition & Fees for additional information. Note, the School of Design charges a $75 technology fee each semester. Course materials are not provided by the School.

Additionally, applications that receive highly favorable ratings during the admissions process are awarded scholarships for the u coming academic year. Students should be aware that the School of Design awards scholarships solely during the admissions process, they should have a sound financial plan that spans the duration of their studies.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Masters Degree Career Statistics

School of Design Job Fair

Student Fees and Financial Aid

Financial Hardship

Emergency Funding

Mandatory Health Insurance

Financial Support can take various forms. If you are interested in gaining assistance, we encourage you to investigate options offered through CMU's Student Financial Services.

ASSISTANTSHIPS
Each semester, various units throughout campus advertise research and teaching assistantship opportunities for students. Employees of Carnegie Mellon University are ineligible for assistantships.

Students who secure assistantships receive a stipend payment in exchange for a defined number of work hours per week. Interested students are encouraged to search and apply for positions on Handshake, the university’s employment portal.

CONFERENCE AND SCHOLARLY PROJECT FUNDING
Full-time students may apply for conference funding from the School of Design. Each student can be reimbursed for travel, lodging, and/or conference expenditures up to $350 per academic year to attend a conference and $550 to present their work at a conference. Students are also encouraged to seek funding from other sources, such as the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and/or the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs for conferences and scholarly projects.

SUPPORT FOR SOD COURSE MATERIALS
The School of Design will reimburse each master’s student a maximum of $120 for material expenses incurred for courses within the department throughout the academic year. Students facing financial hardships after reaching the $120 reimbursement limit may request additional support.

PRIVATE LOANS
Students who need additional support may borrow funds through a private lender. These loans are credit based, so applicants may need a cosigner. International students may utilize private lenders if they have a US citizen or permanent resident as a cosigner. When investigating lending sources, pay close attention to application deadlines.

Finding the right Pittsburgh neighborhood for residency is an important task for new graduate students. Many popular options are in close proximity to the university.

Most students find living in Pittsburgh to be incredibly affordable. The Carnegie Mellon campus is situated among several neighbors that students often enjoy:

SQUIRREL HILL has been the center of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community since the 1920s. While other neighborhoods experienced urban decay during the ’70s, Squirrel Hill continued to thrive. Grads looking for a quaint apartment and suburban streets will enjoy Squirrel Hill.

SHADYSIDE is one of Pittsburgh’s nicest neighborhoods. One of the original commuter suburbs into downtown Pittsburgh, many wealthy families built mansions on Shadyside’s streets during the first half of the twentieth century. Shadyside has numerous stylish and comfortable apartment buildings.

OAKLAND is the second heart of Pittsburgh. Many institutions including Carnegie Mellon call it home. While its residents are overwhelmingly undergraduate-aged, its convenient location can be very enticing for graduates.

OTHERS: Although more than half of the current Design Masters students live in Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, there are other great places to live, as well. Current student neighborhoods include Bloomfield, East Liberty, Friendship, Highland Park, Lawrenceville, and Point Breeze.

Given the large student population in Pittsburgh, securing housing in May or June is recommended as current residents vacate premises at that time and apartments are rented quickly. Current students and recent grads vacating their apartments will occasionally post apartment openings to Carnegie Mellon’s community housing page. Students have also successfully found housing through Pittsburgh management companies and Craigslist. The Slack channel is also a good place to look for roommates. Additionally, your Student ID includes a subsidized bus pass, which enables you to ride the Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses, and CMU and UPitt shuttles for free. To check whether a potential apartment is conveniently located to buses that reach campus, enter the address at Google Transit.

Please be sure to review and complete the following university-wide requirements, where appropriate.

HEALTH INSURANCE
All Carnegie Mellon students are required to have health insurance and will be automatically enrolled and charged for Level 3 Carnegie Mellon student health insurance unless a waiver is requested and granted. Carnegie Mellon offers several excellent health plan options for graduate student teaching and research assistants. Please visit the University Health Services website at http://www.cmu.edu/health-services/student-insurance for additional information.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT REQUIREMENTS
After students have accepted our admissions offer, the School of Design will notify the Office of International Education (OIE) to process international students’ Certificates of Eligibility documents. Students will receive instructions on how to enter the MYOIE portal and access pertain documents at: https://www.cmu.edu/oie/pre-arrival-and-settling-in/students/instructions/index.html.

CLEARANCES
Students working with individuals under the age of 18 may be required to obtain clearances under the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, known as Act 153, including the following clearances: (1) a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance; (2) a Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check; and (3) a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check (collectively, the “Clearances”). The FBI Criminal Background Check requires you to submit your fingerprints at an authorized fingerprint site. If the University determines that you are covered by Act 153, we will notify you and assist you in obtaining the clearances. Failure to obtain any required clearances may impact your ability to serve as a teaching or research assistant.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES
As a member of the Carnegie Mellon community, you will be expected to familiarize yourself with all University policies and comply with them. In particular, please carefully read the Intellectual Property Policy available at www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/IntellProp.html.

As a newly admitted graduate student to the School of Design you must complete the following steps to be onboarded into the university information networks. Please do not delay in completing these steps and please be patient as your information is processed.

Step 1: Pay the matriculation deposit to secure your place in the program
Please note that your acceptance response will not be recorded until you pay the non-refundable $500 matriculation deposit. Access to the payment portal is HERE. This payment will be deposited into a newly created CMU Andrew student account.

Step 2: Confirm Receipt of your Andrew userID
A few weeks after you complete Step 1, you will receive an email entitled “Action Required: Your Andrew userID Has Been Created” from it-help@cmu.edu. The email will provide instructions on how to receive your Andrew userID, set a password, and enroll in two-factor authentication (2fa) with DUO, Carnegie Mellon’s multi-factor authentication service provider. Please be sure to check your spam folder, in the event the email does not appear in your inbox.

Step 3: Log on to Student Information Online (SIO)
After you create your password and enroll in 2fa, you will have access to CMU’s Student Information Online (SIO). SIO is a secure website and essential resource that each student will frequently visit and use throughout their academic career.

Step 4: Verify your information in the MY INFO tab
Students should ensure their SIO account is updated with their most recent contact information (addresses, personal email, and mobile phone) and emergency contact information in the MY INFO tab. This information is used for our emergency alert system, so it is imperative for the information to be accurate.

Step 5: Access your CMU Email Account
Check your CMU email account daily for official university messages and updates. The School of Design will not communicate with you using your personal email account. You can read your CMU email using a browser or an app on your mobile device.

Step 6: Pre Arrival Travel Documents for International Students
Using your Andrew User ID you will have access to the Office of International Education’s MYOIE portal. Review Pre Arrival Information for submitting the New Student Initial Document Request E-Form in order to receive a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) from Carnegie Mellon.

Statement of Assurance: Policy Statement
Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state or local laws or executive orders.

Inquiries concerning the application of and compliance with this statement should be directed to the university ombudsman, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-3930.

Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000. The Carnegie Mellon University Statement of Assurance is available on the CMU website.