California Institute of the Arts
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California Institute of the Arts (CalArts): Rankings, Cost, Programs, Placements

  • Private University
  • Institute Icon60 acre campus
  • Estd. 1961
Dark Clock Icon Last updated on 13 Oct '25

CalArts
What's new?

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The CalArts admissions for the current year has closed for international students. The applications for the next intake year will start in during Mid Aug 2025.

About CalArts

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Year of establishment
1961
University website
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Student website
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Total foreign students
176
Campus size
60 acres
No. of campus
1
Endowment value
USD 165 million
Scholarships granted
531
Scholarship amount granted
USD 11 million
English proficiency test
Required
Accepted exams
SAT/ACT accepted
Not required
Total faculty
150
Faculty/Student ratio
7
Male/Female ratio
1.32
Total criminal offences
10
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Highlights
Q:   How much is the CalArts application fee?
A: 

International students can apply online to various courses at the California Institute of the Arts. International students applying online may submit the application fee with a credit card or send a check/money order. International applications received without application fees will not be processed or reviewed by the California Institute of the Arts. Check below the application fees at CalArts

DeadlineApplication Fees
Preferred Deadline of Dec 1, 2023USD 65
Regular Deadline of Jan 5, 2024USD 85

CalArts Admission Dates

  • Application fees :No Fees
  • Type of deadline :Depends on course
Document IconDocuments
Type of documentsApplicable for
SOPNot required
LORNeeded for few courses
EssaysNot required
CVNot required
Additional documentsRequired
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Commonly asked questions
On Admissions
Q:   What is the application deadline for CalArts?
A: 

The Institute takes admissions in two intakes the Fall season and the Spring season. For certain programs CalArts is still accepting applications. The California Institute of the Arts takes admissions on rolling basis untill all the seats are filled. Therefore, international students should check the university's website for admission deadlines for their program. 

CalArts
CalArts Scholarships

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Commonly asked questions
On Scholarships
Q:   Does California Institute of the Arts offer scholarships to international students?
A: 

Yes, the Institute offers a number of scholarships to students at the UG and PG levels. All admitted international students are considered for Merit Scholarships based on the admissions portfolio or audition. These scholarships are limited and very competitive, going only to the top 30% of the incoming class. Merit scholarships at CalArts award up to USD 10,000 per year. The merit-based scholarships are automatically renewed each year. 

CalArts Popular Courses

BFA
M.A.
MFA

₹51.75 LGet Fee Details

CalArts Fees & Eligibility 2026

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Courses1st Year Tuition FeesDuration & Eligibility
BFA(1 course)
Duration4 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 80 & Above, PTE: 53 & Above, Duolingo: 105 & Above
M.A.(2 courses)
INR 42 L - 52 LGet Fee Details
Duration1 year-2 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above, Duolingo: 120 & Above
MFA(1 course)
Duration2 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above, Duolingo: 120 & Above
Read more
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Fees and Eligibility
Q:   How to get into California Institute of the Arts?
A: 

The California Institute of the Arts offers many courses at the undergradaute and postgraduate levels. To get into CalArts international students need to meet the minimum eligibility for their program. The minimum admission requirements at California Institute of the Arts vary from course to course. Therefore, international students should check the minimum admission requirements before applying at CalArts. Check below the general admission requirements for international students

  • Upload portfolio/plan your audition
  • Academic transcripts showing all academic work
  • Two letters of recommendations
  • SAT/GRE
  • English target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACT
  • GRE
  • English language proficiency test

 







CalArts
Student profile

Quick university statsInsights on student demographics, enrolment, and academic success
UG Race

Others

72%

Hispanic

14%

Asian

9%

Black

4%

UG Student residence

Out of state

40%

In state

31%

Foreign

28%

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UG Number of Applicant

2120
grad RateIcon

Overall Graduation Rate

64

CalArts Notable Alumni

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CalArts
College comparison

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Compare CalArts with other similar colleges

BFA
M.A.
MFA
College1st Year Tuition FeesRanking
INR 51.75 L -/-
INR 28.37 L#102 US News, 2026
INR 16.5 L#1704 US News, 2025
INR 39.57 L#110 US News, 2026
INR 31.94 L#42 US News, 2026
INR 25.48 L - 26.05 L#84 US News, 2026
The values are of the latest years available with Shiksha. For more details, check detailed comparison
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CalArts
Studying in USA

Key Facts About USA

Insights on education, demographics & weather.
Education in USA
school Key Fact Icon
963+
backpack Key Fact Icon
3.38L
cashRegister Key Fact Icon
20 hours per week
cashRegister Key Fact Icon
12 months
Country stats
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Washington D.C.
keyUsers Key Fact Icon
347.28M (2025)
chartMixed Key Fact Icon
2%
letterA Key Fact Icon
English
Weather
October
CF
Popular LocationsMinMax
Boston817
New York1018
Chicago1017
Los Angeles1626
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Comments

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CalArts

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 2 months ago

The application fee for CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) is a standard part of their admissions process, and it's important to have a clear idea of the cost. For most of their programs, the application fee for a single programme is around eighty-five dollars, which translates to approximat

...Read more

A

Aman Kumar

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 7 months ago

California Institute of the Arts BFA is a 4 year bachelor's degree available for international students. The tuition fees of the course at the institute is INR 51 L for first-year. School of Art at CalArts offers Bachelor in Fine Arts and applicants need to meet the entry requirements to study the c

...Read more

S

Shiksha Jain

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 7 months ago

Mentioned below are the California Institute of the Arts admission requirements for international students:

UG Admission requirements:

  • Complete a three-year bachelor's degree.
  • A bachelor's degree from university accredited by the NAAC with a grade of “A”.
  • Meet the English language requirements.
  • GRE is op

...Read more

N

Neha Karan

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 7 months ago

International students must submit IELTS score if their native language is not English to get admission at CalArts. The table below includes the minimum IELTS score and other English language test score required for undergraduate and graduate admission at California Institute of the Arts:

English Language Test

UG Score

PG Score

IELTS

6.5

7.0

TOEFL iBT

7.0

100

PTE

53

63

Duolingo

105

120

L

Lalit Gulati

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 7 months ago

California Institute of the Arts ranks under the top 100 MFA universities in the world by QS in 2024 and #15 in the USA by Shiksha Popularity Ranking. Therefore, it's a good choice to study MFA in USA at the institute for international students. Mentioned below are the general entry requirements for

...Read more

P

Piyush Kaur

Contributor-Level 7

About the author

author image
Kanishk Aggarwal

Study Abroad Expert

Kanishk Aggarwal is a content writer at Shiksha.com, creating content for universities abroad. Having pursued an M.Sc. in Forensic Science from GD Goenka University, Gurugram, he has been creating content across diverse domains. When not guiding stud...Read Full Bio
CalArts Others(1)California Institute of the Arts Front
CalArts Others(2)CalArts Front
CalArts Others(3)Main Building
CalArts Others(1)
CalArts Others(2)

CalArts
Location

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University CityLos Angeles, California, USA
Size of cityLarge
Population of City39,99,759

CalArts
Campuses

Departments Icon1   Campuses
CalArts CampusUp Arrow Icon
Address

24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355, United States

Visit official site External Link Icon

CalArts
Contact Information

Address

24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355, United States
Los Angeles ( California)

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