California College of the Arts is a private college, located across the bay area with two distinct campuses in San Francisco and Oakland. It has been ranked by many national and global ranking institutions as one of the best arts and design colleges in the U.S. The college has a total enrollment of 1,456 undergraduates and 394 graduates. It has an inclusive culture and environment that attracts international students from over 50 countries. Around 42% of the student body comprises international students.
The California College of the Arts offers 22 undergraduate and 11 graduate programs in areas of architecture, design, humanities, science and fine arts. Some of the most well-known disciplines of the college include graphic design, ceramics and fine arts. The acceptance rate of the college is seen to be 88%. The college has a retention rate of 81% for first-year students pursuing bachelor’s degrees returning for the sophomore year. California College of the Arts has been named one of the 10 most diverse colleges in the U.S. The college has landed as the #1 art school in the U.S., #16 best art schools in terms of salary potential and top 20 best value colleges for art majors by Payscale.
California College of the Arts Rankings
California College of the Arts is a top-tier arts college in the U.S. which has been ranked as follows:
U.S. News and World Report
- #10 in Best Fine Arts programs
- #6 in Ceramics
- #4 in Graphic Design
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- 401-500th in U.S. College Rankings
Highlights
| Type | Private |
| Campus Setting | Urban |
| Student Retention Rate | 81% |
| English Proficiency Score | TOEFL or equivalent |
| Financial Aid | Scholarships |
| Admission Helpdesk | admissions@cca.edu |
California College of the Arts Campus
- CCA is one college with two dynamic campuses in the Bay Area in San Francisco and Oakland campuses.
- While most of the undergraduate programs are spread over both the campuses, the majority of graduate courses are based in San Francisco.
- The main campus of San Francisco includes facilities like academic buildings, writer’s studios, residence halls, family event centers, street galleries, and planning center.
- Open to all undergraduate and graduate architecture students, the Digital Craft Lab (DCL) is a collaborative space for advanced research, digital fabrication, data visualization, and material experimentation.
California College of the Arts Residence
- There are four residence halls on the CCA campus, Founders’ Hall, Blattner Hall, Panoramic Residence are in San Francisco and Irwin Hall in Oakland campus.
- All the students are required to stay on-campus for the first two years of study. The basic amenities of these halls comprise of :
- Founders’ Hall: open-air indoor courtyard, common spaces, storage, beds, desks, and shower stalls to minimize traffic for morning classes.
- Blattner Hall: environmentally sustainable design, eat-in kitchen, living room, ample closet space, ground-floor retail space, two outdoor courtyards, on-site laundry facilities, and mailboxes, etc.
- Panoramic Residences: extra-long twin beds, dining space, a kitchenette with steel appliances, on-site bike storage as well as a bike repair station.
- Irwin Hall: TV, couches, tables, microwave and refrigerator units in every room, laundry facilities across the street, and high-speed internet jacks in every room.
California College of the Arts Programs
- The rich curriculum of CCA offers 22 undergraduate and 11 graduate programs. These programs vary over the disciplines of Architecture, Design, Fine Arts, Humanities + Social Sciences.
- Popular majors among international students are Animation, Video Graphics and Special Effects, Illustration, and Industrial and Product Design.
- Four dual-degree courses are also available. Specializing in foam, plastic, and wood, the Model Shop is open to all students.
- Pre-college programs, Summer Atelier, and the Young Artist Studio Program are some short term courses available for school students.
California College of the Arts Application Process
Application Portal:
- For UG: Common Application/ CCA Application
- For PG: CCA Application
Application Fee: USD 70
Supporting Documents:
- Personal Essay
- High school and/or University transcripts
- Letter of Recommendations
- Portfolio (login to Slide Room)
- Proof of English proficiency
Admission Deadlines
Given below are the deadlines for undergraduate and graduate students:
| Semester | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | November 15 | January 10 |
| Spring | October 1 | - |
California College Of The Arts Cost Of Attendance
The cost of studying in the U.S. must be estimated before applying to the university. Given below is the undergraduate cost of attendance for the California College of the Arts:
| Expense | Amount (in USD) |
|---|---|
| Tuition | 50,592 |
| Fees | 545 |
| Housing/room | 13,057 |
| Food | 5,536 |
| Personal/miscellaneous | 2,200 |
| Transportation | 1,250 |
| Books and supplies | 1,500 |
| Total estimated cost | 74,680 |
The total estimated graduate cost of attendance is as follows:
| Expense | MFA Film, MFA Fine arts, MFA Design (in USD) | MFA Writing, MA Curatorial practice (in USD) | MA Visual+Critical Studies (in USD) | MFA Comics (in USD) | MDes Interaction Design (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 53,250 | 42,600 | 31,950 | 34,128 | 63,900 |
| Fees | 545 | 545 | 545 | 545 | 545 |
| Housing/room | 9,815 | 9,815 | 9,815 | 11,396 | 10,906 |
| Food | 5,536 | 5,536 | 5,536 | 6,151 | 6,151 |
| Personal/miscellaneous | 2,570 | 2,570 | 2,570 | 2,856 | 2,856 |
| Transportation | 1,590 | 1,590 | 1,590 | 1,767 | 1,767 |
| Books and supplies | 2,200 | 1,760 | 1,320 | 1,760 | 2,640 |
| Total estimated cost | 75,506 | 64,416 | 53,326 | 58,578 | 88,765 |
California College of the Arts International Student Scholarships
- Every year the College awards more than 24 million USD college-funded scholarships and 45 million USD in combined scholarships, grants, loans, and employment to students. 74% of CCA’s students receive scholarships or some other type of financial aid.
- Undergraduate scholarships are based on student’s portfolios and academic success and range from 10,000 USD to 22,000 USD.
- Graduate scholarships are based on the strength of the student’s application and are highly selective. It ranges from 10,000 to 36,000 USD.
- Six scholarships that are open for all International students are given below:
Some of the scholarships are given below:
| Scholarship | Eligibility | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate scholarship | Based on the student's portfolio and academic success. | 10,000-20,000 USD |
| Graduate scholarship | Based on the student’s application. | 10,000-36,000 USD |
For need-based Financial Aid, International Student Affairs and Programs office enlist the following for reference:
- Education USA
- Fulbright
- International Student Loan Centre
California College of the Arts Alumni Network
- CCA Alumni Association consists of more than 200 active members’ in fields of architecture, art, design, writing, arts administration, nonprofit organizations, and more.
- The unique benefits to alumni are:
- Triannual Magazine ALUMNI NOTES and Biannual Magazine GLANCE publication
- Access to CCA Library and resources
- Discounts at Kala Art Institute, Artist & Craftsman Supply, FLAX Art Supply, Sports Basement and more
- Sell personalized work at Shop CCA store Directory
- Attend lectures, exhibitions, events and more
- Access to vend wares for free at biannual CCA Arts and Crafts Fair
- Some distinguished alumni are:
- Patrick Coyne: editor and designer of Communication Arts magazine
- Tecoah Bruce: art consultant, former board chair, and current trustee
- Gaby Brink: designer, founder, and chief designer of Tomorrow Partners
California College of the Arts Placements
- CCA organizes a private employment job fair known as Career Expo. This fair helps students to meet local and global industry-leading employers.
- Graduates are highly sought after by companies such as Pixar/Disney, Apple, Intel, Facebook, Gensler, Google, IDEO, Autodesk, Mattel, and Nike.
- The Career Development team of CCA helps a student to build skills they need to grab an internship. They help them to access a wide range of internships and career opportunities by exploring Handshake, alumni, CCA’S job board for students and employers.
- The popular companies which recruit from CCA are Hirsch Bedner, Facebook Inc, Perkins, and Will, Adobe Systems Incorporated, and Capital One Financial Corp.
- The average salary of CCA graduates is $74,073. Amongst these, Senior Product Designer and Product Designer earn $146,000 and $92,000 respectively.
- According to the college website, 83% of undergraduates and 81% of graduates got jobs after 12 months of graduating.
FAQs
Ques. Is California College of the Arts a good school?
Ans. California College of the Arts is a top tier school of arts and design in the U.S.
Ques.What GPA is required for admission to California College of the Arts?
Ans. An average high school GPA of 3.2 is required for admission to California College of the Arts.
Ques. Are SAT/ ACT scores required for admission to California College of the Arts?
Ans. No. SAT/ ACT scores are not required for admission to California College of the Arts.
Ques.What is the tuition fee at California College of the Arts?
Ans. The tuition fee at California College of the Arts is 50,592 USD for undergraduates and varies between 31,950 USD to 63,900 USD for graduate students.
Ques.What is the average financial aid available at California College of the Arts?
Ans. The average amount of financial aid available to students at California College of the Arts is 21,837 USD.
Ques.When are applications for admission to California College of the Arts available?
Ans. Applications for admission to undergraduate programs are available from August 1 and applications for admission to graduate programs are available from October 1.
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Overview:
Faculty who still are an integral part of the industry, Bay area location, Various backgrounds of the cohort members, Good Ranking and Alumni network
Fees:
$65,000 for a year
California College of the Arts Scholarships
| Name | Scholarship Per Student | Level of Study | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| TEC Scholarship | Scholarship per student₹ 82,890/Yr$1,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarships | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyMaster | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Microsoft Tuition Scholarship | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| QS scholarships | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Susan R. Meisinger Fellowship For Graduate Study in HR | Scholarship per student₹ 16.6 L/Yr$20,000 | Level Of StudyMaster | TypeMerit-Based |
California College of the Arts Admissions
Application Portal: https://www.cca.edu/admissions/apply
Early Action Deadlines
Important Date: November1 (Application deadline)Important Date: April1 (Application results)Regular Decision Deadlines
Important Date: January15 (Application deadline)Important Date: April1 (Application results)
California College of the Arts Exam Scores
| Exams | Avg. Score | Min Score | Max. Score | %Submitted' |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate | ||||
| GRE updated | 315 | - | - | - |
Attendance Cost
The table shows average yearly cost of attendance for international students. Amount may vary with the course opted, nature of accommodation, and personal spending habits of a candidate.Check Program wise Fees
Faculty
| Total Faculty | Full Time | Part Time | Graduate Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7835 | 1517 | 6318 | - |
California College of the Arts Campus Location
Nearby This Campus
- Shopping Mall
- Book Store
- Airport
- Super Market
- Pharmacy
- Train Station
Shopping Mall
Airport
Pharmacy
Book Store
Super Market
Train Station
● All distance are measured radially. Actual distance may vary
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