California College of the Arts

Statistics

Scholarships & Financial Aid

School Says - General Information
California College of the Arts. Empowering students to make art that makes a difference. California College of the Arts is noted for the interdisciplinarity and breadth of its programs. Founded in 1907, CCA offers studies in 20 undergraduate and seven graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and writing. The college has world-class facilities at its two campuses in San Francisco and Oakland. More than 500 highly regarded artists and scholars instruct a population of approximately 1,400 undergraduate and 400 graduate students. The average class size is 18. CCA alumni have been at the forefront of nearly every major art movement of the past century. Noted alumni include the painters Nathan Oliveira and Raymond Saunders; the conceptual artists David Ireland and Dennis Oppenheim; the ceramicists Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, and Peter Voulkos; the filmmaker Wayne Wang; and the designers Lucille Tenazas and Michael Vanderbyl. Our students begin making their mark well before graduation day. Our Architecture students, together with students from numerous other programs (from Interior Design to Glass to Ceramics) competed in the extremely high-profile 2009 Solar Decathlon, working with a budget exceeding $1 million. A student in our brand-new Animation Program was one of only 12 selected (out of a whopping 2,500 applicants) for the prestigious Pixar Animation Studios animation internship in summer 2008. And one of our Industrial Design students recently signed a contract with Universal Toys to manufacture a toy he first conceived as a freshman-year class project. Our students have won the Adobe Design Achievement Award, the James Dyson Award in industrial design, and awards from the Art Directors Club, STEP Inside Design, the Type Directors Club, and ID magazine. Their work has been featured in the Cannes Film Festival, the Slamdance Film Festival, the Milan Furniture Fair, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and the International Home and Housewares Show.

School Says - Student Body
At CCA, education takes place both inside and outside the classroom. About 80 percent of first-year students live on campus. Throughout the year, the residential-life staff hosts social and educational programs ranging from movie nights and barbecues to museum trips and professional lectures. Students are encouraged to join existing clubs and organizations or to form new ones. Clubs and activities range in focus from community building to politics to physical fitness. Students may also choose to get involved in student government. The Student Council sponsors a range of activities throughout the year, including all-college dinners, films, receptions, and shuttles to San Francisco galleries. Our students are active in many preprofessional groups that are affiliated with corresponding Bay Area professional chapters: American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), and International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Student services include counseling, tutoring, advising, disability services, fitness classes, stress relief, and safety workshops. There are many services specifically for international students, including dedicated staff, special workshops, social events, and exhibitions.

School Says - Academics
CCAÂ's curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary study. Undergraduates begin with a core curriculum, which introduces a variety of artistic media, principles, and processes as well as writing, literature, art history, and critical theory. CCA runs on a two-semester academic calendar with a six-week summer session. Summer programs include the Pre-College Program for high school students (participants earn college credit). Continuing education programs are offered throughout the year; many of these can be taken either for credit or not for credit.

School Says - Admissions
Applications are reviewed on an individualized basis, taking into account academic achievements, creative abilities, individual achievements and activities, a personal essay, recommendations, and a portfolio. Undergraduate applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent. First-year applicants should follow a college preparatory program in high school, including courses in studio art and art history whenever possible. For undergraduates, there are two priority deadlines for fall admission: February 1 and March 1. Those interested in applying for merit scholarships should submit their applications by February 1. The priority deadline for all other undergraduate applicants is March 1. The priority deadline for spring undergraduate applicants is October 1. Students who meet the admissions priority deadlines receive first consideration for housing, financial aid, and course selection. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis; that is, applications are reviewed in the order they are received. There is a nonrefundable application fee of $60. It is possible to register for courses as a nondegree student (on a space-available basis). Students may apply online at www.cca.edu/admissions. To request forms and brochures, the college viewbook, or any additional information please contact Office of Enrollment Services California College of the Arts 1111 Eighth Street San Francisco CA 94107-2247 800.447.1ART www.cca.edu enroll@cca.edu

School Says - Campus Life
CCA is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, a region known for creative and technological innovation, environmental leadership, and its thriving art and design communities. It is home to world-class museums and alternative gallery spaces as well as active scenes in theater, music, dance, film, and literature. Close by are beaches, hiking and biking trails, the Napa Valley, Mendocino, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada mountains, and Yosemite National Park. CCAÂ's Oakland campus occupies four acres in the Rockridge neighborhood, three miles from UC Berkeley. The San Francisco campus spans a city block in Potrero Hill, near Mission Bay and the design district. Both campuses are easily accessible via bus and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains. CCA also operates a shuttle between its campuses and residence halls.

School Says - Cost Aid
Tuition for the 2010Ââ€"11 academic year is $34,872 for full-time undergraduate students and $1,453 per unit for part-time students. Tuition is the same for California and out-of-state residents. Campus housing costs an additional $7,000. Total costs for 2010Ââ€"11 are approximately $49,472 per year, which includes $34,872 in tuition and fees, $9,650 for room and board, $1,500 for books and supplies, and $3,450 for miscellaneous expenses.In 2009Ââ€"10, 81 percent of CCA students received financial aid from some source. Approximately 78 percent of CCA students received CCA scholarship assistance. The college offers financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs. There are both need-based and merit-based awards. Students applying for merit scholarships must complete their admissions application by February 1. Students applying for financial assistance in 2010Ââ€"11 should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1. CCA will continue to award aid to applicants after March 1 as funding permits. Students can apply for Federal Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loans throughout the year. CCA is approved for veterans who wish to attend under the Veterans Administration Educational Benefits Program. In addition to financial awards, CCA offers an interest-free payment plan.

Other Schools To Consider Top Programs