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California Institute of the Arts

  • The CalArts Way

    Learn about our approach to the full development of the creative abilities of visual and performing artists.

    How We Work

    Programs of Study

    Explore our unique undergraduate and graduate degree programs and specializations from our six world-renowned Schools. 

    Find a Program

    CalArts Schools

    • Art
    • Critical Studies
    • Dance
    • Film/Video
    • Music
    • Theater
    • Extended Studies

    Academic Resources

    • Academic Calendar
    • Library
    • Academic Catalog
    • Registrar
    • Academic Support
    • Provost's Office
    • Performance and Exhibition Spaces

    Beyond Campus

    • REDCAT
    • Community Arts Partnership (CAP)
    • Center for New Performance (CNP)
    • Reef Residency
  • Why CalArts?

    Start your CalArts journey by learning more about our vibrant community.

    What sets us apart

    Admissions

    • Application Process
    • Admission Requirements
    • International Applicants
    • Transfer Applicants
    • Veterans
    • Accepted Students
    • FAQs

    Tuition

    • Tuition and Fees
    • Payment Options
    • Payment and Refund Deadlines

    Financial Aid

    • Financial Aid Basics
    • Aid for Undergraduate Students
    • Aid for Graduate Students
    • Aid for International Students

    Visits and Events

    • Campus Tours and Information Sessions
    • Open Houses
    • Regional Events
    • Meet Our Counselors
  • Career Services

    Explore our holistic approach to creative career development with workshops, advising, and networking opportunities.

    Patty Disney Center for Life and Work

    Campus Life

    • The CalArts Student Experience
    • Housing
    • Dining
    • City of Santa Clarita
    • Connecting to LA
    • Campus Safety
    • Graduation 2025

    Student Services

    • Health and Well-being
    • Sexual Respect
    • Disability Services
    • International Student Support
    • Student Conduct
    • Parents and Families
  • Giving

    Your gift empowers the next generation of transformative artists. 

    Give to CalArts

    Alumni

    Join our worldwide alumni community to grow personally and professionally with resources and support.

    Get involved

    Institute

    • About CalArts
    • Mission and Values
    • Equity and Diversity (IDEA)
    • Leadership
    • History
  • Events
  • News
  • Visit
  • Give
  • Apply

The CalArts Way

Learn about our approach to the full development of the creative abilities of visual and performing artists.

How We Work

Programs of Study

Explore our unique undergraduate and graduate degree programs and specializations from our six world-renowned Schools. 

Find a Program

CalArts Schools

  • Art
  • Critical Studies
  • Dance
  • Film/Video
  • Music
  • Theater
  • Extended Studies

Academic Resources

  • Academic Calendar
  • Library
  • Academic Catalog
  • Registrar
  • Academic Support
  • Provost's Office
  • Performance and Exhibition Spaces

Beyond Campus

  • REDCAT
  • Community Arts Partnership (CAP)
  • Center for New Performance (CNP)
  • Reef Residency

Why CalArts?

Start your CalArts journey by learning more about our vibrant community.

What sets us apart

Admissions

  • Application Process
  • Admission Requirements
  • International Applicants
  • Transfer Applicants
  • Veterans
  • Accepted Students
  • FAQs

Tuition

  • Tuition and Fees
  • Payment Options
  • Payment and Refund Deadlines

Financial Aid

  • Financial Aid Basics
  • Aid for Undergraduate Students
  • Aid for Graduate Students
  • Aid for International Students

Visits and Events

  • Campus Tours and Information Sessions
  • Open Houses
  • Regional Events
  • Meet Our Counselors

Career Services

Explore our holistic approach to creative career development with workshops, advising, and networking opportunities.

Patty Disney Center for Life and Work

Campus Life

  • The CalArts Student Experience
  • Housing
  • Dining
  • City of Santa Clarita
  • Connecting to LA
  • Campus Safety
  • Graduation 2025

Student Services

  • Health and Well-being
  • Sexual Respect
  • Disability Services
  • International Student Support
  • Student Conduct
  • Parents and Families

Giving

Your gift empowers the next generation of transformative artists. 

Give to CalArts

Alumni

Join our worldwide alumni community to grow personally and professionally with resources and support.

Get involved

Institute

  • About CalArts
  • Mission and Values
  • Equity and Diversity (IDEA)
  • Leadership
  • History

Financial Aid Basics Menu

  1. How to Apply
  2. Understanding Your Award
  3. Policies and Eligibility
  4. Financial Literacy Resources
  5. Forms
  6. Financial Aid Appeals
  7. On-campus Employment
  • Events
  • News
  • Visit
  • Give
  • Apply
  1. Home
  2. Financial Aid
  3. Financial Aid Basics
  4. Financial Literacy Resources

Financial Literacy Resources

Financial Aid

Financial Aid Basics

  1. How to Apply
  2. Understanding Your Award
  3. Policies and Eligibility
  4. Financial Literacy Resources
  5. Forms
  6. Financial Aid Appeals
  7. On-campus Employment

Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing. The meaning of financial literacy is the foundation of your relationship with money, and it is a lifelong journey of learning. The earlier you start, the better off you will be, because education is the key to success when it comes to money.

We know that everyone learns differently, so we have created video libraries, an article library, and a resource library so that you can learn more about financial literacy in the way that best suits you.

Financial wellness survey

As we roll out financial wellness, we are interested in hearing from our students to know what they wish to learn about and what their preferences are. Please complete this brief financial wellness survey to help us better identify how we can provide topics in which you are most interested.

Boost your financial skills

CashCourse is a web-based program that will help give you the skills and resources needed to make informed and effective financial decisions both during and after college. It is an excellent way to take control of your finances and other important matters critical to your success. There are components to assist with paying for college, career launching, and repaying educational loans. 

CashCourse, powered by the nonprofit Higher Education Financial Wellness Alliance (HEFWA), features an easy online platform with budgeting tools, resources, and money management advice.

To get started, create a new free CashCourse account by visiting cashcourse.

Scholarship Universe

Scholarship Universe is a tool to match you with outside scholarships for which you can apply. When you log in to the CalArts Single Sign-On at sso.calarts.edu, you can access the Scholarship Universe application.

We collected a few helpful articles to help understand budgeting, credit, and student debt:

Budgeting

  • How much does a college student spend a month?
  • How to Make a Budget You Won’t Hate
  • Student Budget Worksheet

Loans and debt

  • Good Debt vs. Bad Debt: What’s the difference?
  • How can I lower my student loan payments?
  • What Do Interest Rates Really Mean?

Credit

  • Why Do Your Credit Scores Change?
  • How to Repair Your Credit in 11 Steps
  • How to Build Credit

It is important for students to understand the importance of financial literacy. Understanding things such as budgeting, credit, debt, and taxes can be helpful for life beyond college and can help create positive financial patterns. 

  • Financial Literacy Overview
  • How to do Taxes for Beginners

Budgeting and saving

  • Budgeting for Beginners
  • How to Budget and Save in College and After
  • Good Saving Habits

Loans

  • Everything You Need to Know About Student Loans
  • Responsible Borrowing

Credit and debt

  • Credit 101 - What is APR and why does it matter?
  • Debt 101: Good and Bad Debt

We encourage all students to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), if applicable, in order to receive federal grants, federal work study, or federal loan offers. See the videos below information on different aspects of the FAFSA process, and information on repaying federal loans.

  • Overview of the Financial Aid Process 

FAFSA

  • FAFSA Overview
  • How to Create an FSA ID
  • How to Fill Out a FAFSA
  • Determining Your FAFSA Dependency Status
  • What Happens After You Submit the FAFSA?

Loan repayment

  • Repayment: What to Expect
  • Who is My Loan Servicer?
  • Federal Loan Simulator
  • Completing Loan Exit Counseling
  • Play It Safe: Protect Yourself From Loan Scams

Resource Library

  • FAFSA Application
  • Outside Scholarship Resources
  • Outside Scholarship Resources - International Students
  • Loan Payment Calculator
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness
  • Debt Relief Information
  • Student Loan Exit Counseling
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  • About this site

California Institute of the Arts

Mailing address:
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355
Phone: 661-255-1050

Campus Safety

661-222-2702

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