Apply here.

Application ($70 nonrefundable fee required)

• Portfolio ($10 SlideRoom nonrefundable fee required)
• Personal essay
• Résumé / Curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation
• College transcripts
• Interview

Application

Applicants must complete and submit the application online.

Personal Essay

A personal essay of 500 to 1,000 words must accompany the application. The essay should be a clear statement of your desire to work within the context of comics.

While personal statements can range in content, it is often best to focus your statement to your particular area of interest and any critical influences on your work. In other words, why comics? What inspires you about the medium?

Tell us your story. We're excited about comics and hope you are too. Discuss your writing experience, your visual arts experience, and your general comics and educational objectives.

Please note essays must be in PDF document format.

Portfolio

Applicants must submit their portfolio online by registering for a SlideRoom account specifically for CCA applicants. Once an account is registered, instructions on how to create the portfolio will be provided.

The writing portfolio should consist of a selection of writing samples (not to exceed 15 double-spaced pages total) as a single PDF document that reflects your main areas of interest. You may include short stories, a section of a novel, creative nonfiction, a portion of a screenplay, or comic book script.

The visual portfolio must also include up to 15 still images (not to exceed 5 MB each). Although these visual images may represent work in the comics medium, other types of work (e.g., painting, photography, storyboards, and graphic design) may also be submitted.

While these creative visual pieces may consist of academic and professional work, applicants are encouraged to include examples of personal work as well.

Résumé / Curriculum Vitae

Please outline your educational and professional background and relevant experiences and activities, including community work. Please note resumes must be in PDF document format.

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required from an academic or professional source. No personal recommendations, please. We use an electronic recommendation process, which ensures that we receive your recommendations in a timely fashion and it is convenient for your recommenders.

When submitting your electronic application, you can provide the email address for your recommenders. Your recommenders will receive the recommendation form electronically and then return it electronically to CCA. Please note letters must be in PDF document format.

College Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts are used for review purposes. Applicants are required to upload their unofficial transcript as a PDF document with the online application form.

Accepted and enrolled applicants will submit the official sealed transcript of their undergraduate coursework to Graduate Admission by June 1, 2019.

Applicants who have taken graduate coursework are welcome to also send transcripts in support of their graduate application.

For international applicants, all transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation of the original.

All admitted students who were still in the process of completing a bachelor's degree at the time of applying must send the final transcript before enrolling to verify completion of the bachelor’s degree, including official notation of date of graduation, no later than June 1, 2019.

Mail your official transcript to:

California College of the Arts
Enrollment Services Office -- Graduate Admissions
1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco CA 94107-2247

Interview

While not a specific requirement, applicants may be contacted to arrange an interview with an MFA in Comics faculty member.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

English proficiency exams must be completed prior to submitting the application. Official English proficiency exam scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE) must be sent to the college directly from the testing agency.

International applications will be considered incomplete, and not reviewed until proof of English proficiency has been received.

International students must also obtain an F-1 visa to participate in each of the summer intensive sessions at CCA.

Please review the visa information for MFA in Comics students.