GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSAPPLYING TO

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

California College of the Arts (CCA) was founded in 1907 and offers 21 undergraduate and seven graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and writing. Its students, alumni, and faculty are at the cutting edge of every creative field, working in industry and the community, and founding businesses of their own. CCA students discover cross-disciplinary opportunities, innovative courses with real- world applications, sustainable practices, and a world-class campus environment.

CCA is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The region is known for creative and techno-logical innovation, environmental leadership, and its thriving art and design communities. It is home to renowned museums and alterna-tive gallery spaces as well as active scenes in theater, music, dance, film, and literature. Close by are breathtaking coastlines, national parks, and cosmopolitan restaurants and shopping.

CCA is a private, nonprofit college, accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Architec-tural Accrediting Board (NAAB), and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

CCA grants Bachelor of Architecture (BArch),

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts

(BFA), Master of Architecture (MArch), Master

of Arts (MA), Master of Business Administration

(MBA), and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees.

Named one of the world’s best design schools by BusinessWeek magazine

The Princeton Review designates CCA as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada.

MAKE ART THAT MATTERS

CCA prepares its students for lifelong creative work and service to their communities through a curriculum in fine art, architecture, design, and writing.

CCA has two dynamic campuses. Each offers excellent facilities and a stimulating environ-ment to inspire students’ creativity. Incoming first-year students begin their studies on the Oakland campus, where they explore different approaches to creative practice while building their skills in preparation for their majors. In their second year of study, depending on their major, they may stay in Oakland or move their home base to CCA’s San Francisco campus.

The college offers a free and convenient shuttle on weekdays between the Oakland and San Francisco campuses.

SAN FRANCISCO CAMPUS

CCA’s urban San Francisco campus is located in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, near the design district and the University of California Mission Bay research campus. It is home to all of CCA’s graduate programs and approximately half of the undergraduate programs:

UNDERGRADUATE

Architecture, Fashion Design, Film, Furniture, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, Interior Design, and Painting/Drawing (Painting/Drawing courses are offered on both campuses)

GRADUATE

Architecture (MArch), Curatorial Practice (MA), Design (MFA), Design Strategy (MBA), Fine Arts (MFA), Visual and Critical Studies (MA), and Writing (MFA)

OAKLAND CAMPUS

CCA’s Oakland campus occupies four beautifully landscaped acres in the Rockridge neighbor-hood, two miles south of UC Berkeley. This campus is home to the First Year Program, the first-year residence halls, and the following undergraduate programs:

UNDERGRADUATE

Animation, Ceramics, Community Arts, Glass, Jewelry / Metal Arts , Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textiles, Visual Studies, and Writing and Literature

TWO CAMPUSES, ONE CREATIVE COMMUNITYcca.edu/admissions/undergrad/campuses

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE cca.edu/alumni/featured

CCA students gain the tools and skills needed to launch their creative careers, not only through their coursework but also via internships, sponsored studios, faculty mentorship, and the many events and services offered by the Career Services Office.

CCA alumni have gone on to work at such prom-inent firms as BMW Group DesignworksUSA and Pixar Animation Studios. They have created fashions for BCBG and DKNY and transformed spaces for Banana Republic and Nike. They have been praised in Artforum, the New York Times, and BusinessWeek. They have entered presti-gious graduate programs at Yale, Columbia, and UCLA; designed bold graphics for MTV and VH1; and exhibited at the New York Museum of Modern Art and the Venice Biennale.

RESIDENTIAL LIFE cca.edu/students/housing/incoming

Students under the age of 20 have the opportunity to live in several Oakland-based, on-campus housing facilities. Students over the age of 20 can live in CCA’s off-campus housing facilities in San Francisco or Oakland.

ADMISSIONS DEADLINES

GRADUATE

January 5: Application deadline

UNDERGRADUATE

February 1: Priority application deadline for fall semester admission (with merit scholarship consideration)

March 1: Application deadline for fall semester admission (no merit scholarship consideration)

July 15: Final application deadline for fall semester admission

October 1: Priority application deadline for spring semester admission (no merit scholarship consideration)

CCA undergraduate admissions operates on a rolling basis, which means we continue to review applications after the priority deadlines. To be considered for merit scholarships, you must submit your application by the February 1 priority deadline.

MINIMUM SCORES FOR ADMISSIONS CONSIDERATION

UNDERGRADUATE

TOEFL: PBT 550 or IBT 79 IELTS: 6.5 PTE Academic: 58

GRADUATE

TOEFL: PBT 600 or IBT 100IELTS: 7.5PTE Academic: 73

ELS LANGUAGE CENTERS (conditional admission)

Undergraduate students who need to improve their English skills before entering CCA can attend an ELS (English as a Second Language) Language Center in any part of the United States. We will issue conditional letters of acceptance to international students currently enrolled in an ELS Language Center, provided they have met all other CCA admissions requirements and are admissible. Students who complete level 112 at their ELS program will be waived from CCA’s English proficiency requirement.

SUMMER AT CCAcca.edu/summer

CCA offers a variety of summer opportunities for students currently in high school (Pre-College and the Summer High School English + Design Program), entering at the undergraduate level (Summer English + Art Studio), or entering at the graduate level (International Grad Prep Intensive). All programs focus on English instruction with art and design content. In addi-tion to gaining language skills, students get to explore San Francisco via various guided tours.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS cca.edu/admissions/international/applicants

All first-year (no college/university experience), transfer (one semester or more of college/university experience), second-degree (already completed a bachelor’s degree), and graduate (already completed a bachelor’s degree with a portfolio representing a significant body of work) students must submit the following application materials:

Application

Personal essay

Transcripts

Letters of recommendation

Portfolio

Proof of English language proficiency

Résumé (graduate applicants only)

Additional graduate application requirements are at cca.edu/admissions/grad.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AFFAIRS AND PROGRAMS (ISAP) OFFICEcca.edu/students/isap

The International Student Affairs and Programs (ISAP) Office is exclusively devoted to helping international students. The staff can assist with immigration regulations and managing cultural transitions. They develop the college’s international social community by hosting workshops, events, and exhibitions.

I-20 AND VISA PROCESScca.edu/admissions/international/applicants

The process of obtaining an F-1 student visa starts after you have been admitted to CCA, decided to attend, and paid your enrollment deposit. You will, at that point, need to provide CCA with a completed I-20 request form, financial documents that show sufficient fund-ing to cover your tuition and expenses, and a photocopy of your valid passport. Once CCA issues you an I-20, you can then make a non-immigrant visa appointment at a U.S. embassy abroad to apply for an F-1 student visa.

MERIT SCHOLARSHIPScca.edu/admissions/international/funding

Undergraduate (first-year and transfer) and graduate international students are eligible for any and all CCA merit scholarships. Undergrad-uate scholarships range from $7,000 to $20,000. Graduate scholarships range from $10,000 to $36,000. First-year and transfer undergradu-ate students who meet the priority application deadline of February 1, and graduate students who meet the application deadline of January 5 (for the fall semester), will be considered for merit scholarships. These highly selective scholarships are based on the strength of the student’s portfolio and previous academic success. International students are not eligible for need-based financial aid.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Total enrollment: 1,965 Undergraduate enrollment: 1,475Graduate enrollment: 490International enrollment: 14 percent Countries represented: 51

Design: CCA Sputnik / Nami Kurita Printed on 55 percent recycled content

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Email: enroll@cca.edu Phone: 415.703.9523Fax: 415.703.9539Web: cca.edu/admissionsSkype: cca.admission

POSTAL ADDRESS

Enrollment Services OfficeCalifornia College of the Arts1111 Eighth StreetSan Francisco CA 94107-2247USA