California College of the Arts International Students

“Make art that matters” is the motto of our CISL Pathway Partner, California College of the Arts. Are you looking for a career in the arts? A degree from this college might be for you!

Meet our CISL Pathway Partner, California College of the Arts!

California College of the Arts (CCA) was founded in 1907 as a private college. Today, the college has 21 undergraduate and 13 graduate majors in many fields, including:

  • Fine arts
  • Architecture
  • Design
  • Writing

California College of the Arts International Students

Why CCA?

CISL selected CCA as a Pathway Partner because of its dedication to student involvement. Students do not just attend class and then go home and study: both of the campuses (in Oakland and San Francisco) also host events, lectures, and talks from esteemed artists. The college believes it is important for students to receive this inspiration and motivation from others in the industry: these are the valuable experiences that cannot be taught in the traditional classroom!

California College of the Arts International Students

About CCA

CCA has campuses in Downtown Oakland and in SF’s Portrero Hill neighborhood. Its small student population provides students the opportunity to work closely with their professors: on average, courses have an average of only 13 students per class and the school has an 8:1 student/faculty ratio.

California College of the Arts International Students

CCA also prides itself in offering students real-life skills. Students are offered more than 600 internships per year and classes focus on teaching students skills that can be used in the workplace. CCA is also a great value: in 2016, it was voted “Best Value School” by PayScale, a website which ranks the value of colleges using the world’s largest database of salaries and tuitions.

California College of the Arts International Students

Attending CCA as an international student

With CISL’s Pathway Program, CISL students can attend California College of the Arts without taking the TOEFL. Students simply need to complete CISL’s English for Academic Purposes Course and apply to CCA. With the help of CISL’s Pathway Advisor, students receive guidance throughout the application process.

To learn more about CCA or CISL’s Pathway Program, visit the CISL website.