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Financial aid basics

Financial aid office

Room F305
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355

Phone: (661) 253-7869
Toll Free: (800) 443-0480
Fax: (661) 287-3816

finaid@calarts.edu

Office hours:
9am-4pm Monday through Friday
(closed on Fridays during the summer)

Important dates

Application deadline
Your application for financial aid should be submitted after January 1 and before March 2 of the year prior to that for which you are applying. March 2 is the priority deadline. Accepted applicants whose financial aid applications are complete as of March 2 will have priority for all federal and institutional funds.

Financial aid awards
Financial aid awards will be emailed approximately April 1. Aid is awarded in a package usually comprising funds from several different programs and includes recommended loans. These awards are for one academic year and are subject to reapplication each year.

You will receive your financial aid funds when you arrive at school and have registered for classes. Funds will be disbursed equally between the two semesters.

Types of aid

At CalArts, as with most colleges and universities, there are two types of financial aid:

Grants and scholarships are outright gifts that do not need to be repaid. Some examples include:

Self-help aid includes both loans and work-study. Loans must be repaid according to the terms of the agreement. Examples of self-help aid include:

Tuition Payment Plan

CalArts offers payment options that can help you afford your education. Once accepted, you may enroll in one of the monthly payment plans offered by our partner, Tuition Management Systems.  The payment option is available for a small enrollment fee and includes personal account service, automated account information 24 hours a day and access to your account through their website.  Please visit our payment plan page for more information on payment options.

CalArts Payment Plan Information
Estimated Payment Worksheet

Prospective students

If you are a prospective student, we urge you to apply for both admission and financial aid simultaneously.

Financial aid deadlines are important and can easily be missed if you wait to apply. To be considered for campus-based federal funds, you must have applied  and have filed the FAFSA by the March 2nd priority deadline.

A financial aid counselor will review your file, and if your information needs clarification, you will receive a Request for Documentation. The requested additional information must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office on paper in order for your file to be considered complete and ready for awarding.  Parent and/or student 2009 IRS returns are required to verify data submitted on the FAFSA and should be submitted no later than April 19th.

Continuing students

If you are a continuing student, please be aware that financial aid is not automatically renewed. You must reapply for financial aid each year by the priority deadline of March 2nd in order to be considered for all forms of aid.

Renewal of Institute funds is always based upon satisfactory academic progress, faculty recommendation, need, and the availability of funds. Federal funding is renewed based upon satisfactory academic progress, computed need and the availability of funds.

Online financial aid resources

FinAid: The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid
An independent site providing information about financial aid

students.gov
Online government resources for students

National Student Loan Data System
U.S. Department of Education’s student aid database

National Student Clearinghouse
Information on who services your loan

Americorps
National service program that offers some financial aid benefits

Selective Service
Male U.S. citizens over 18 must register to be eligible for federal and state aid

U.S. Internal Revenue Service

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