Transfer Credits

General transfer credit policy

Transfer credit at CalArts falls into three categories: metier, Critical Studies, and general elective. The application of transfer credit to meet specific metier requirements is approved on a case-by-case basis by the School and Program in which a student is enrolled. All other transfer credit is evaluated by the Office of the Registrar, under guidance from the School of Critical Studies.

The BFA degree at CalArts requires 120 units overall, including 46 units of Critical Studies coursework, 38 of which may be completed through transfer credit. Any transfer credit not approved by the School for metier credit or not applied to meet Critical Studies requirements will be assessed as general elective credit and applied toward the overall unit requirement.

Transfer credit may be applied toward completion of the BFA degree only when those credits are completed at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution, or a foreign academic institution recognized by its government, and when a grade of A, B, C or Pass was received.

Students are not guaranteed advanced standing in year level or early graduation as a result of transfer credit. Year level placement is determined at the time of admission by a faculty committee from the student’s school, and is based on the portfolio or audition. It may not, however, exceed a level that can be substantiated by transfer credit (15 units of transferable credit is required per semester of advanced year level placement).

How to request approval of transfer courses

Applicants must submit official transcripts of all previous college level work as part of the application process. Transfer credit will be considered toward a CalArts degree only if earned at a regionally accredited postsecondary institution (or at a foreign academic institution recognized by its government) and a grade of A, B, C, or Pass was received. In addition to an official transcript, any transfer credits from accredited institutions outside of the United States must be accompanied by an official course-by-course evaluation by World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or International Education Evaluators (IEE). Please visit https://www.wes.org/credential-evaluations, https://www.ece.org, or https://www.myiee.org for more information on ordering and submitting WES official transcript evaluations. 

Credit by Exam: For International Baccalaureate credit, students must request an official transcript from the IBO to be sent directly to the CalArts Office of the Registrar. Please visit the IBO website for more information.  For A Levels credit, students must request official exam results from either the UK Examining Boards or the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).

Exam results must be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar in order to be considered official documents. These transcripts will be evaluated by the Office of the Registrar and all applicable transfer credit will be awarded upon acceptance to CalArts.

Transcripts for any transfer work completed after the initial admission evaluation should be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar. Students are encouraged to request approval of transfer courses prior to registering at the transfer institution to confirm that the courses will transfer to meet the intended requirements.

Contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@calarts.edu for guidance on how courses will transfer.

Transferable credit - college level coursework

CalArts awards transfer toward the BFA degree for baccalaureate level coursework completed at regionally accredited colleges or universities, or at foreign institutions authorized by the government to award baccalaureate degrees. Only coursework completed with a Pass grade or a letter grade of C or higher will be considered for credit.

Critical Studies transfer coursework will be assigned credit toward degree requirements in accordance with the chart below. All other coursework will be assessed on a course by course basis or designated elective credit, unless the School has approved the course to meet specific metier requirements.

Transferable credit - college level examinations

CalArts awards credit toward the BFA degree for successful completion of Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations, for examinations for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, and for A Level examinations. The articulation of these exams is assessed in accordance with the charts below. Other college level examinations will be considered on case by case basis.

Advanced Placement

Students who have earned a score of 3 or better on AP exams will be granted 4 semester hours of credit for each exam. In cases where an exam is completed multiple times, students will be awarded credit only once.

In order to be awarded credit, students must request official paper score reports to be sent directly to the CalArts Office of the Registrar. Any score reports not received directly from the College Board are considered unofficial and will not be used to award credit. Score reports may be ordered online through the College Board website.

International Baccalaureate

CalArts awards credit for IB courses with Higher-Level examination results of 5 or higher. Standard-Level results are not considered for credit.

In order to be awarded credit, students must request an official transcript from the IBO to be sent directly to the CalArts Office of the Registrar. Any score reports not received directly from the College Board are considered unofficial and will not be used to award credit. Transcripts must be requested in mail from the IBO with a paper transcript request form. Please visit the IBO website for more information.

A Levels

CalArts awards credit for Advanced Level Examinations (”A Levels”) completed with a grade of E or higher. Ordinary Level Examinations (”O Levels”) are not considered for credit.

In order to be awarded credit, students must request official exam results from either the UK Examining Boards or the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Exam results must be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar in order to be considered official documents.