STUDENT TO FACULTY ratio 8:1
STUDENTS (77% undergrad) 1,295 of FACULTY MEMBERS are practicing professionals 100% China, India, South Korea, and Canada represented most in INTERNATIONAL STUDENT POPULATION Fully Accredited by WASC, NASAD, NAAB
LARGEST ECONOMY in the world (California)
COUNTRIES represented 40 CCA education was relevant Job placement rate in one year Average salary
INTERNATIONAL students 36%
$70,470
$94,572
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO city in the WORLD FOR INNOVATION - Kearney 2024 Global Cities Report #1
4th of San Francisco is INTERNATIONAL - U.S. Census 34%
HOME
BEST CITY for Young Professionals - Niche #2 to GOOGLE, APPLE, META, NVIDIA, PIXAR, ADOBE, LUCASFILM, OPENAI, AUTODESK, SALESFORCE, and more!
At the global center of culture, technology, and innovation, California College of the Arts in San Francisco is home to a thriving international community of practicing artists, designers, makers, and entrepreneurs that is unlike anywhere else in the world.
RANKINGS
• #1 art school in the nation for return on investment - Payscale, 2024
• #4 best graphic design program and #6 best ceramics program in the U.S. - U.S. News & World Report
• #7 best masters in UX design programs - Career Foundry, 2025
• #10 best value colleges for art majors - Payscale, 2024
• #10 best MFA program in the U.S. - U.S. News & World Report
• #8 top illustration schools and colleges in the U.S. - Animation Career Review
SCHOLARSHIPS
International students are eligible for SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION up to $25,000/year undergrad up to $51,000/year graduate
CAMPUS HOUSING
900+
Admitted international students receive INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING 93% undergrad 96% graduate
student housing spots available each year
CONVENIENT ON-CAMPUS LIVING
• Founders Hall
Includes Makers Cafe, an 8,000-square-foot dining facility. Meal plans are available.
STUDENT HOUSING OPTIONS
• Founders Hall
First-year students under age 20, graduate
• Blattner Hall
First-year students age 20+, continuing, graduate
* 2022 Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) Survey, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, 2019 CCA Alumni Survey, and 2023–2025 CCA Factbook; CCA Office of Institutional Research.
UNDERGRAD PROGRAMS
Animation (BFA)
Architecture (BArch)
Comics (BFA)
Communication Design (BFA)
Fashion Design (BFA)
Film (BFA)
Game Arts and Design (BFA)
History of Art and Visual Culture (BA)
Illustration (BFA)
Interdisciplinary (BFA)
Industrial Design (BFA)
Interaction Design (BFA)
Interior Design (BFA)
Jewelry and Metal Arts (BFA)
Painting and Drawing (BFA)
Photography (BFA)
Writing and Literature (BA)
MINORS
Comics (for Illustration majors)
Computational Practices
Critical Ethnic Studies
Ecological Practices
Furniture
History of Art and Visual Culture
Industrial Design
Visual Development (for Illustration majors)
Writing and Literature
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Advanced Architectural Design (MAAD)
Architecture (MArch)
Comics (MFA)
Design (MFA)
Design Strategy (MBA)
Film (MFA)
Fine Arts (MFA)
Interaction Design (MDes)
Visual and Critical Studies (MA)
Writing (MFA)
STEM-DESIGNATED DEGREES
Animation (BFA)
Architecture (BArch, MArch)
Advanced Architectural Design (MAAD)
Comics (BFA, MFA full-residency model only)
Communication Design (BFA)
Design Strategy (MBA)
Interaction Design (BFA, MDes)
Interior Design (BFA)
F-1 students who graduate with a qualifying science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) degree may qualify for extension of post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) and may apply to extend their 12-month post-completion OPT for an additional 24 months.
For more information, contact: internationaladmissions@cca.edu
HOW TO APPLY cca.edu/international
• Application
• Personal essay
• $70 application fee
• Portfolio
• Transcripts
• Letter of recommendation
• Proof of English proficiency
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate
TOEFL iBT: 80, IELTS: 6.5, PTE Academic: 58, Duolingo: 120
Graduate TOEFL iBT: 100, IELTS: 7.5, Duolingo: 120
Students who do not meet these language requirements may be extended an offer of admission and may be placed in multilingual (ML) support classes in their first year.
Send your TOEFL and IELTS scores to CCA using CEEB code 4031.
PRIORITY DEADLINES
Undergraduate (fall): November 15 (early action) February 1 (first-year priority deadline) March 1 (transfer priority deadline)
Undergraduate (spring): October 1
Graduate (fall): January 15
internationaladmissions@cca.edu
+1 415-551-9200 (call only)
WeChat: Annie_CCA
SCAN TO FIND OUT MORE cca.edu/international