Associate's or Bachelor's Degrees

A prospective student seeking admission to The Art Institute of California – San Francisco must be a high school graduate, hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of postsecondary education as a prerequisite for admissions. Students who submit a California High School Certificate of Proficiency satisfy the proof of high school graduation requirement. An applicant who holds a bachelor’s degree may submit proof of the bachelor’s degree to satisfy the proof of high school completion requirement. High school seniors who have not yet graduated should submit their most recent partial transcript that indicates their expected graduation date.

Students that matriculate without submitting their official high school transcript showing proof of graduation will be accepted conditionally. Students must submit the official transcript within 90 days after matriculation and before continuing in a subsequent term. No financial aid can be paid until the transcript is received. In the interest of time, The Art Institutes will pay for these transcripts up to a maximum of $10 per transcript.

Master of Fine Arts

Students seeking admission to the Master of Fine Arts program at The Art Institute of California – San Francisco must submit an application and official transcript indicating the completion of a bachelor’s degree with an overall minimum 3.0 average GPA. Additionally, prospective students for the MFA in Computer Animation are required to submit a portfolio consisting of a digital or demo reel and 15 (minimum) 35 mm slide or digital format examples of life drawing and/or related work. Two letters of reference are also requested. Students must write a statement of why they have chosen advanced study in computer animation and what goals they hope to achieve as a result. A qualifying TOEFL score of 500 is necessary for all students who are not native English speakers. requirements). Each applicant for the Master of Fine Arts degree will be considered individually. The potential student is evaluated in light of his or her experience, achievement and potential for artistic or creative growth. Preparation for graduate-level creative work is assessed as indicated through the demonstration of drawing skills, demo reel or digital portfolio, academic transcripts, letters of reference, personal statement and, when applicable, TOEFL scores.