Welcome University of the Arts students

We’re here to help you take steps to finish the degree you began as a student at University of the Arts (UArts). We understand that this is an incredibly disruptive moment in your education and want to ensure that you can keep moving forward to achieve your creative ambitions and artistic goals. California College of the Arts (CCA) has created a customized pathway so you can transfer your UArts credits toward a CCA degree for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Learn how you can transfer to CCA, an AICAD partner, and join a close-knit, interdisciplinary community of artists and creatives here in San Francisco.

Here’s how we’re making it possible for you to transfer to CCA and complete your undergraduate degree.

Customized and expedited transfer process

Fill out an online application using your original UArts personal essay and a portfolio of 15–20 pieces of recent work along with your transcripts. CCA will waive your application fee and the letter of recommendation requirement.

On-time graduation

We aim to support you to graduate as close as possible to your projected timeline from UArts by accepting all applicable credits and coursework.

Equivalent financial resources

We will match what your tuition and fees were at UArts as well as offer comparable financial aid offered by the school. (Please send us your offer of financial aid when you apply.)

Diverse program options

We offer many of the same undergraduate degrees as UAarts, allowing for continuity in focus of study. These are our 22 undergraduate programs:

We’re here to offer guidance, answer your questions, and provide one-on-one support as you explore how to finish your degree.

Here is how you can transfer to CCA in either the MFA Fine Arts or MFA Design programs and complete your graduate degree.

Interdisciplinary graduate degree programs

Both the MFA Fine Arts and MFA Design programs offer expansive, interdisciplinary making and exploration.

In MFA Fine Arts, focus on one medium or work across a broad range of forms, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, moving image, social practice, and installation. The MFA Design program is an open site for hands-on making and speculative design thinking, with a focus on graphic design, industrial design, and interaction design.

Customized and expedited transfer process

Fill out an online application using your original UArts personal essay and a portfolio of 15–20 pieces of recent work along with your transcripts. CCA will waive your application fee and the letter of recommendation requirement.

On-time graduation

We aim to support you to graduate as close as possible to your projected timeline from UArts by accepting all applicable credits and coursework.

Equivalent financial resources

We will match what your tuition and fees were at UArts as well as offer comparable financial aid offered by the school. (Please send us your offer of financial aid when you apply.)

We’re here to offer guidance and tailored support as you explore how to finish your degree.

We’re an action-oriented art and design school in San Francisco—growing 117 years strong—and the leading school for the arts in Northern California. Through a blend of theory and practice, we inspire our students to make work that matters, shaping the progress of their individual lives, ideas, and communities. Our students go on to become practicing artists, leading designers, innovative architects, visionary writers, and renowned scholars.

If you've ever pictured yourself making art in California, CCA might be right for you as you decide what comes next.

A state-of-the-art campus

Our expanded campus opens this fall, adding 82,305 square feet of spaces to fuel inspiration in the heart of San Francisco. You’ll be the first to make in brand-new shops and studios, open maker yards, and classrooms.

Career connections

CCA is ranked the #1 art school in the nation for return on investment. Our small class sizes and a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio support a mentorship culture where practicing faculty and sponsored studios offer direct connections to industry and with internships woven into the curriculum of our programs.

Golden opportunities outside your door

Our unique location in San Francisco allows students to pursue creative work that aligns with their values, imagine the future of art and design, and connect to professionals across a wide variety of industries, such as technology and design, museums and galleries, and fashion and entertainment.

If you’re interested in making the move to California and have additional questions or need additional resources, please contact us to learn more.

• Undergraduate students: Make an appointment to chat with an admissions counselor
• Graduate students: Make an appointment to speak with an admissions counselor