CalArts Commitment to International Students

CalArts has a long and rich tradition of attracting and welcoming the most talented international students in the world. One out of every five students at CalArts is international, representing nearly 50 different countries. Many of CalArts distinguished faculty are also international, adding to the artistic and academic diversity of our community.

The executive order issued on Jan. 25, 2017, by President Donald Trump, which put a temporary ban on entry from seven predominantly Muslim countries, has not changed or diminished CalArts’ commitment to international students.

CalArts declared itself a Sanctuary Campus on January 18, 2017, a week prior to President Trump’s order, to ensure that our students and community know that the Institute is fully committed to international and undocumented students.

CalArts President Emeritus Steven D. Lavine issued a response to President Trump’s Executive Order, in which President Emeritus Lavine reiterated, in very clear terms, that CalArts will continue to recruit and enroll the very best international students regardless of their country of origin or religion.

Read President Emeritus Lavine's full statement.

The Dream Act

The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident documented students who meet certain provisions to apply for and receive private scholarships funded through public universities, state-administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants.

Dream Act FAQs

International Student Application Requirements

In addition to the general application requirements, international students must submit officially translated international transcripts and proof of English language proficiency to be considered for admissions.

International students who are accepted to the Institute will receive additional instructions for completing the Declaration of Finances form which is required to complete the I-20, and begin the student visa application process.

CalArts offers scholarships to international students, providing important support to ensure a high quality arts education.

International Academic Transcript

Credentials, diplomas and certificates of secondary-school and college-level work must be presented in English translation.International students applying to MFA programs must submit evidence of receipt of an undergraduate degree or its equivalent. The records must clearly state the date of completion (or the anticipated date of completion) and the level of education received with notations as to the number of hours attended per week and the total number of weeks completed.

Submission of Transcripts

Scan and upload copies of transcripts for all institutions attended. In the online application, you will be prompted to upload a PDF of your scanned documents. Please upload both the front and back sides of the transcript, even if the back side is blank.

Uploaded transcripts should be recent and include the following: your name, the institution name, dates of attendance, grades/marks received, credits, and grading legend. If no transcript is available, please upload a PDF document with a statement explaining the circumstances.

Do not mail hard copies unless from the following countries.

  • Bulgaria
  • Colombia
  • Cuba
  • India
  • Iran
  • Palestine
  • Russia

If you have transcripts from these countries, we require that you submit official documents directly from the issuing institutions. Please arrange to have them sent as soon as you decide to apply to give plenty of time for their arrival. Please contact admissions@calarts.edu if you have any further questions.

Graduate Applicants from India with a Three-Year Bachelor's Degree

Graduate Applicants from India with a Three Year Bachelor’s Degree

CalArts will accept a three year Bachelor's degree from India as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in the US on the basis of specific criteria:

University Quality - University accredited by the NCAA with a grade of "A"
Student Performance - The degree was earned in the Division/Class I

Here are the minimum education admission documents required for a graduate program for students from India:

  • Final or Provisional Degree Certificate (send legible copy of document to CalArts)
    Examples: Bachelor Degree, Master Degree, Postgraduate Diploma, Doctorate
  • Annual Statement of Marks / Academic Transcript

This is an official document issued by the institution responsible for conducting the examinations (e.g. university, constituent or autonomous college). It lists all subjects/papers taken and marks earned for each year of study. This document should be sent directly from university or autonomous college responsible for conducting examination to CalArts.

Upon Admission to CalArts

Official transcripts can be submitted electronically using any credentialing service (Naviance, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, Scribbles, eTranscript) or by physical mail.

Applicants from Chinese institutions may request and submit official transcripts directly through CHESICC. Requests are processed by CHESICC and will be sent electronically to the CalArts Office of Admissions. Do not submit a paper copy of your transcript if you have requested transcripts through CHESICC. Get started.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants are expected to be proficient in the English language before applying for admission. In the online application, you will be asked about native language (the language you speak at home) and your experience with English in an academic setting. Please follow the prompts in the online application in order to be considered for a language proficiency waiver. Applicants with a native language other than English, and who have not attended a school where the language of instruction is English for at least three years prior to graduation, must take the internet based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ibt) or the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Minimum scores for admissions are 80 TOEFL ibt or 6.5 IELTS for undergraduates and 100 TOEFL ibt or 7 IELTS for graduates.  The TOEFL or IELTS score must be received by the Regular Application Deadline. Applications from international students with a native language other than English may not be reviewed if they do not include a TOEFL or IELTS score.

Please note that CalArts reserves the right to ask you to take the TOEFL or IELTS at any point during the application process if your English proficiency is in question.

TOEFL

The Institution code for CalArts is 4049. The Department code is 99.

IELTS

CalArts only accepts IELTS results delivered to our Electronic Download account by the IELTS test center. An institution code for IELTS is NOT required. Please contact the test center directly where you took the IELTS test and request that your test scores be sent to our E-Download account using the IELTS system. All IELTS test centers worldwide are able to send scores electronically to our institution. You must provide the following information to the test center where you took the test when requesting your scores:

California Institute of the Arts
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355

 

Declaration of Finances

All students who are not U.S. Citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. must complete the online Declaration of Finances form after they have been accepted and submitted their Statement of Intention to Register (SIR) form. This form is to verify that you have sufficient financial resources to pay all educational and living expenses while attending the California Institute of the Arts. The U.S. consular office in your home country or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (if you are already in the U.S.) will require this document when you apply for a student (F-1) visa.

We encourage international students to be fully prepared to fund their education and living expenses for the entire length of their time at CalArts. International students coming to the U.S. on a student visa are expected to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds available to them to support their living costs as well as their educational expenses while in the U.S. 

Financial aid for international students is very limited and highly competitive. Since they are not eligible for federal or state financial assistance, international students are only eligible for a CalArts scholarship and/or CalArts work-study, if they qualify.

Visit the Student Visa and 1-20 page to learn more.