Scholarships

Merit scholarships are the first component of the CalArts financial aid package.

All admitted students are considered for merit scholarships based on the admissions portfolio or audition. The size of these scholarships will vary depending on the school and program you have been admitted to. In some programs, your merit scholarship may also be supplemented through teaching assistantships, work stipends, or other forms of campus employment.

Need-based aid

There are no Cal Grants, Pell Grants, or other state or federal assistance grants offered to graduate students through the State of California or the Department of Education.  For domestic students, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may qualify you to receive a Federal Work Study allocation, and is also required if you plan to take out a Federal Unsubsidized Loan. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. To apply, go to studentaid.gov and use CalArts’ school code 001132.

Many CalArts scholarships are donated by individuals, organizations, or foundations and carry the donor or organization’s name. Selection of the recipient is dependent upon the donor(s) requirements.

Here is a selection of scholarships currently available to students at CalArts. View a full list of all current scholarships here. 

• qey’s (Dream) Scholarship for Indigenous Artists: This scholarship provides full cost of tuition for an undergraduate or graduate student from an Indigenous community or nation, with preference given to a member of the Hopi Tribe. It is designed to provide full support of tuition expenses for the student throughout their tenure at CalArts. All Native American/Indigenous students are encouraged to apply.
• ​​Beutner Family Community Arts Partnership Award: This annually funded scholarship supports CalArts students who participated in the Community Arts Partnership (CAP) program.
• Feature Music Scholarship and Feature Arts Scholarship: These scholarships are awarded to a BFA4 in The Herb Alpert School of Music or the School of Art who self-identifies as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color).
• Roy O. Disney Scholarship: Supports the cost of attendance for a maximum of four years for up to four undergraduate students, with a preference given to students who participated in the Community Arts Partnership (CAP) program or a similar educational outreach program for the same or similar target population that CAP currently serves.
• The Michael Eisner Scholarship Fund: This scholarship supports former participants in the Community Arts Partnership program, with priority given to students studying animation, film/video, and other forms of digital and media arts.

Please note that scholarship recipients at CalArts are chosen by the faculty and administration within each school.

The CalArts Financial Aid Office may reach out to you by email if we need additional documentation or information in order to accurately process your financial aid award. Check your email regularly and respond promptly to ensure we finalize your complete award package in a timely manner.

Once your financial aid package has been finalized, we will send you notification by email that your award is ready to view. At that time you will be able to log into your self-service page to see all of the components of your educational funding options. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Financial Aid Office if you have any questions about your financial aid package, or would like to discuss other possible options for funding your education. The best way to reach the office is by email, at finaid@calarts.edu.