How to apply to art and design at CalArts: choosing a BFA program at application with no foundation year, and the portfolio requirements for Art, Graphic Design, Photography and Media, Character Animation and Experimental Animation, plus portfolio requirements and timelines for students in China, Canada and transfer applicants

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is an arts-only institute in Valencia, north of Los Angeles. Its undergraduate visual art and design programs are four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees, chiefly Art, Graphic Design and Photography and Media in the School of Art and Character Animation and Experimental Animation in the School of Film/Video, plus a BFA in Creative Computing. This guide summarizes the official requirements for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Choose a program at application; there is no foundation year

• Applicants must select a specific program. CalArts states that it offers no general program of study and no foundation year.
• You may apply to more than one program, each with its own application, portfolio and fee; if admitted to several, you choose one as your major.
• You cannot change majors after admission. To switch, you must submit all materials, including a portfolio, and a fee at the next available application period.
• The BFA Art page notes that applicants interested in character design and storytelling should consider Character Animation or Experimental Animation instead; CalArts has no dedicated illustration or comics program.
• Curriculum: each student builds a course of study with a faculty mentor. In BFA Art the first two years build a foundation in artmaking and critical thinking and the last two focus on one-on-one study, exhibitions or projects; students pass a mid-residence review in the third year and a graduation review, and most have their own studio and solo show by the third year. BFA Graphic Design is built around core studios Graphic Design I–IV followed by topics such as web, motion graphics and type design; Photography and Media students mount solo shows by the third year. All undergraduates complete 46 units of general education (Critical Studies).
• Minors such as Digital Arts or Arts Education are available.

2. Portfolio requirements by program

Every portfolio must be uploaded through the CalArts application itself; CalArts does not accept SlideRoom, other third-party platforms, PDFs or website links. Put one work on each slide, avoid pre-formatted pages or composites, show details as separate slides, and type titles and captions in the text fields rather than on the images. Nothing can be changed after submission. Besides the portfolio, every program requires an artist statement, a 30–90-second video introduction and two letters of recommendation.

• Art: about 20 slides of images or videos, preferably from the last three years; works in progress are welcome and a variety of media is encouraged. Avoid generic technical exercises (standard class assignments, routine life drawings, still lifes) unless they show a highly personal approach. Portfolio videos may total no more than 7 minutes (excluding the video introduction). The 500–1,000-word statement must address at least three of the listed questions (inspirations, why this program, which faculty you want to work with, the impact you want your work to have). The video introduction goes last in the portfolio: speak to the camera without reading a script, with no effects or edits; a phone is fine. At least one recommender should know your work, such as an art teacher.
• Graphic Design: 20–30 slides showing your point of view as a designer and your technical ability; graphic design, typography, illustration, animation, web, 3D, photography, painting and drawing are all welcome. Applicants who need graphic design samples are strongly encouraged to complete the optional Graphic Design Project (PDF on the site). The 500–1,000-word designer statement should cover your interest in and knowledge of graphic design, your design projects and experience, and your goals.
• Photography and Media: about 20 slides of images or videos, preferably from the last three years, avoiding generic exercises. The 500–1,000-word statement answers three questions: your artistic interests and goals, the issues that inform your practice, and why you are applying to this program.
• Character Animation: the committee looks for strong observational drawing, originality and the potential to tell stories and develop characters through sequential images. Part 1 is at least 15 observational works drawn from life, not from photos or screens: life drawings of human models (short gestures to longer poses, showing faces, hands and feet; applicants should have at least a year of life drawing with a live model) and drawings from real life (people, animals, interiors and exteriors, location sketches). Keep construction lines and do not trace or copy. Part 2 is other creative work: storyboards, comics, flipbooks, short animations and other sequential storytelling, digital work, traditional work, and sculpture, ceramics, installation or photography; you may add a link to your website or social media. A video of your sketchbook is also required.
• Experimental Animation: the program treats animation as a fine art and looks for a strong personal aesthetic; include animation samples if at all possible. Group projects are discouraged, and class exercises such as technical drills, CGI character rotations or figure, landscape, still-life and perspective drawings are generally not acceptable. Additional written materials are required: a one- or two-sentence synopsis of each work, a one-paragraph autobiography, comments on films, books or art that influenced you (why and how, not plot summaries) and project plans.

• Open houses and virtual portfolio reviews are available before you apply; email admissions@calarts.edu for upload problems.
• CalArts publishes AI Guidelines for Admissions: any use beyond basic grammar and spelling checks must be disclosed in essays and portfolio descriptions. Read the admissions page before you apply.

3. Dates and materials

• Fall 2027: preferred deadline December 1, 2026 (11:59 pm PST) and regular deadline January 5, 2027. The preferred deadline only lowers the fee and is not Early Decision, but every material (portfolio, transcripts, letters) must be in by December 1. After the deadline, applications are accepted on a rolling basis until each program closes, and programs may close at any time.
• Spring 2027: the deadline was October 15, 2026. In the visual arts, only BFA Art and BFA Photography and Media took spring applicants, and only transfers.
• Application fee: USD 65 by the preferred deadline or USD 85 by the regular deadline, per program. Fee waivers (College Board or NACAC waiver, or a counselor letter verifying hardship) are requested by email to admissions@calarts.edu. The deadline page gives January 7, 2027 as the last day to request one, while the FAQ says January 2; prepare for the earlier date.
• Other materials: upload unofficial transcripts from every school attended; request letters of recommendation through the application (or by mailed form; Parchment and Naviance are not accepted), in English or with a certified translation. SAT and ACT are not required.
• Review and decisions: each program's faculty decide artistic admission based on the portfolio, statement and letters, then the admissions office reviews academics and English scores. Decisions for preferred and regular applicants arrive roughly from March 1 to early April.

4. English requirements

• Undergraduate minimums: TOEFL iBT 80 (4 on the new scale for tests from January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.5, PTE 53 or Duolingo 105, received by the regular deadline. Applications from non-native speakers without a score may not be reviewed.
• Waivers: the stated standard is at least three years at a school where English is the language of instruction before graduation; no country list is given. Answer the language questions in the application and follow the prompts to request a waiver; waivers are processed manually and confirmed by email.
• The FAQ says that if your score is low you should send it by the deadline and retake the test, and CalArts may still review the application, but it will not review one without a score.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Upload your high school transcripts with English translations showing your name, school, dates, grades, credits and grading scale. Official transcripts are due after admission; applicants from Chinese institutions may send them electronically through CHESICC, in which case no paper copy is needed.
• Whether or how the Gaokao is used is not published; ask admissions (admissions@calarts.edu).
• IB: Higher Level results of 5 or higher earn credit; Standard Level does not. A-Levels: the international page says students with superior results may petition the department for up to two semester courses of credit per A-Level, and the transfer page says AP, the IB Diploma and A-Levels earn Critical Studies credit, with equivalency guides in the transfer credit policy.

6. Students at Canadian high schools

• Applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents apply as international students and submit a Declaration of Finances after admission for the I-20.
• English waivers follow the three-years-in-English-medium-school standard; there is no separate rule for Canada or Quebec, so request the waiver in the application and confirm with admissions.
• Grade requirements for BC curriculum students are not published; academics are reviewed by the admissions office after artistic review, so ask admissions.

7. Transfer students

• Anyone who attended another college between high school and CalArts applies as a transfer. Year-level placement (BFA 1, BFA 2, etc.) is set by faculty review of the portfolio together with transferable credit, not by credit count alone.
• Submit transcripts from every college; without an AA or BA you also need high school transcripts and proof of graduation.
• Credit is considered only from regionally accredited institutions (or foreign institutions recognized by their government) with grades of A, B, C or Pass (the FAQ says C or higher). Studio credit is decided by portfolio review; general education is measured against the 46-unit Critical Studies requirement, and students with a prior bachelor's degree still complete at least 8 Critical Studies units at CalArts.
• Credits from outside the US need a course-by-course evaluation. The transfer page lists WES, ECE and IEE; the international page also lists Josef Silny & Associates. Confirm with admissions.

8. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 tuition: USD 31,477 per semester or USD 62,954 a year for full-time undergraduates, plus USD 730 a year in student activity and technology fees. Tuition typically rises 4%–5% a year.
• Cost of attendance: about USD 90,455 a year living on campus (including USD 8,304 for a double room, USD 9,406 for food and USD 1,306 for books and supplies) and USD 99,117 living off campus. International students' Declaration of Finances must cover at least one year at the off-campus cost of attendance.
• Merit scholarships: all admitted students are considered automatically based on the portfolio, with no separate application, and awards go only to the top 30% of the incoming class. The international scholarships page says USD 10,000 a year; the undergraduate scholarships page says starting at USD 10,000 a year. Awards received in the first year are kept each year of the degree.
• Access grants: a limited number, for which both domestic and international students may be considered; amounts and criteria are set by each school.
• International students are not eligible for federal or state aid, only CalArts scholarships and CalArts work-study; the FAQ notes that CalArts scholarships do not cover full tuition. The financial aid priority deadline is April 1 (FAFSA for US students).

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Choose one BFA program and prepare its portfolio, statement and video introduction
• Prepare TOEFL 80 (4 on the new scale), IELTS 6.5, PTE 53 or Duolingo 105
• Submit everything by December 1 for the USD 65 fee, or by January 5 at the latest
• Upload translated transcripts and request two letters through the application
• Ask admissions whether the Gaokao is considered

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply as an international student and request an English waiver in the application
• Ask admissions how BC grades are reviewed

Transfer students:

• Build a portfolio that reflects college-level work; it sets your year level and studio credit
• Get course-by-course evaluations for credits earned outside the US early
• Art and Photography and Media also accept spring transfers

Sources: California Institute of the Arts, Admission requirements by program; Application process; Deadlines and fees; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Admissions FAQs; AI guidelines for admissions; Tuition and fees; 2026-27 cost of attendance; Scholarships for international students; Undergraduate scholarships and grants; BFA Art requirements; BFA Graphic Design requirements; BFA Photography and Media requirements; BFA Character Animation requirements; BFA Experimental Animation requirements. Deadlines are for fall 2027 entry and costs are 2026-27 figures; check the CalArts website for the latest.