Next Steps for Accepted Students and Decision Notification

All you need to know about ArtCenter’s application notification process and what to do after you’re accepted.

Application Decisions

Applicants will be notified of the Admissions Committee's decision through the Applicant portal. An email will be sent when a decision has been released. Applicants will receive a decision after receipt of all application materials, usually within three weeks, with the exceptions noted below. For Fall Early Action applicants, decisions will be released by January. For Fall Priority Date applicants, decisions will be released in March.

ArtCenter, at its discretion, reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission if any information contained in the Admission Application is found to be incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading, if subsequent information leads to serious concerns, or if any submitted documents, materials, or test scores are inaccurate or are the result of wrongful or fraudulent activity. Violation of this Policy may result in rescinding an offer of admission, expulsion after enrollment, and retraction of degrees awarded.

Inside ArtCenter Student Portal

Following your acceptance, login information for ArtCenter’s student portal, inside.artcenter.edu, will be sent in a separate email. You will use this portal to access your financial aid, scholarships, pay tuition and view your student schedule. Your student email will be available approximately one month before the term begins.

Next Steps for Undergraduate Accepted Students

1. Review your Financial Aid offer

If you have applied for scholarship or financial aid, you will receive an email notifying you when your Financial Aid Offer is ready to view online in your Financial Aid Dashboard. You will need to log in to Inside ArtCenter with your username and password to access this information.

Financial Aid Offer notification is sent separately from your decision notification. They will typically begin going out in early April for the Fall term, mid-November for the Spring term, and early March for the Summer term. After these initial dates, Financial Aid Offers will go out on a rolling basis, typically within 3 weeks of an applicant’s acceptance and/or receiving an applicant’s completed FAFSA if required. Early Action applicants for the Fall term will typically receive notification by mid-January.

We recommend that you review your Financial Aid Offer prior to making your nonrefundable tuition deposit. You can also review A Guide to Your Financial Aid, which explains ArtCenter Scholarship and Grant Policies and other important information.

2. Submit your $300 nonrefundable tuition deposit and reply form

To accept your offer of Admission, submit the Reply Form with your nonrefundable deposit to officially hold your place in the class. Credit and debit card payments are accepted in the payment form. Please contact admissions@artcenter.edu or 626 396-2373 if you have any difficulty submitting your payment.

Tuition deposits will be accepted first-come, first-served until classes are full for each term; acceptance does not guarantee a place in the class. The availability of space can change rapidly. A student’s place in the class cannot be assured until the College has sent the student a written confirmation of deposit. With the exception of Entertainment Design, students will be offered a place in the next available term if they have been accepted but no space is currently available. Space may become available as late as registration day of the desired term.

3. Submit official copies of your high school and/or college transcripts.

If you provided unofficial copies of your transcripts as a part of your application, then your acceptance is contingent upon receipt of official transcripts with high school graduation date, which must be received one week prior to the start of your first term at ArtCenter. Submit official transcripts to the Admissions Department in a sealed official envelope sent directly from each institution you have attended, or electronically via secure electronic transcript service like Naviance, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, Scribbles, or eTranscript.

4. Submit your Student Health Information Form

The Student Health Form is available here or on the applicant portal. Log in is required using the credentials you used to apply. The form must be returned to Admissions before Orientation. The College requires a negative tuberculosis test with the health form.

5. International Students Applying for an F-1 Visa

International students will be required to show financial means for two semesters of tuition and fees and three semesters of living costs. This is required by the U.S. government in order to study on an F-1 visa. The cost for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025 to be verified is $86,786 for undergraduate students, but will vary each year. The amount can be covered through bank statements and any scholarship support received.

Once you receive your login information to ArtCenter’s student portal, inside.artcenter.edu, you can submit your documents online through isscse.artcenter.edu.

Your I-20 document, necessary to apply for the F-1 visa, will be issued no more than six months before the term begins. Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing.

6. Consider Housing Options

The Center for the Student Experience (CSE) provides students with resources for finding off-campus housing throughout Pasadena and Los Angeles. View the Housing page for more information.

ArtCenter does not currently offer on-campus housing. Prospective, admitted and current students are encouraged to contact the CSE for information on a variety of living arrangements such as roommate searches, rooms within homes, guest houses, apartments and houses for rent, as well as information about utilities, amenities, rental costs and landlord contact information for each listing.

7. Review Tuition and Fees and Payment Deadline

Please review ArtCenter’s tuition and Fee information.

Student tuition is due and payable by Friday of the first week of class (Week 1). Payments can be made in person with the Cashier or online at artcenter.edu/registration if paying by credit card. If full payment is not received by this date, a one-time non-refundable Payment Plan Fee of $75 will be assessed. Tuition may be paid by check, credit card, cash, cashier’s check or wire transfer. Payment plans allow for your balance to be paid in three equal installments with a $75 fee. You must be paid in full before registering for the next term.

Additional Information

Academic Calendar

The academic calendar, including the start and end dates for the term, are posted on our website here.

Class Schedules

New incoming students are placed in classes by Enrollment Services and do not need to register themselves for courses. You will receive a finalized class schedule the week of Orientation. Any courses you see in the Student Planning Dashboard are not final and will be subject to change until you receive your final schedule.

Disability Accommodations

Upon receiving a letter of acceptance from the College, any person with a disability who might require special accommodation by the College should discuss their needs with the Center for the Student Experience staff.

Additional policy information can be found in ArtCenter’s Student Handbook.

Deferrals

Accepted applicants may defer their admission for one consecutive term following their acceptance (provided there is room) with the exception of Entertainment Design.

The tuition deposit will apply only to the term of original acceptance; only the acceptance, not the deposit, can be carried over. A new deposit is required for the subsequent term and is nonrefundable. Financial aid and scholarships are not deferred, but are reviewed for the new term of entry.

Declining your offer of Admission

Accepted applicants who will not be accepting the offer of admission are kindly asked to notify ArtCenter of their decision by submitting the Reply Form from the applicant portal.

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