CCA will wind down its current operations and will close by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year. Vanderbilt will then become the owner of the campus and will establish undergraduate and graduate programming, including art and design programs, at the campus. To read the full announcement, visit cca.edu.

We understand you may have many questions and have included detailed Q&As below for all students and F-1 international students. For other questions not addressed here, please email ask@cca.edu.

CCA is moving forward to continue through the 2026–2027 academic year. We are here to support and celebrate you every step of the way.

The quality of your education remains our priority across all courses, shops, and studios, and expect your classes, capstones, exhibitions, theses, and commencement to proceed as planned. Furthermore, we are maximizing our facilities to provide continuing students with greater access to exhibition opportunities, resources, and dedicated studio spaces during this time.

Some scholarships, such as the Visionary Practice Scholarship, are specific to CCA and will not automatically transfer to another institution. However, part of our teach-out planning is to minimize disruption for students, including attention to the total cost of attendance.

CCA is working with potential teach-out partners to ensure students can complete their degrees without a significant increase in net tuition. These provisions will be finalized as part of individual teach-out agreements and we will share details as soon as agreements are complete.

Yes, CCA will offer courses during our Summer 2026 sessions that will support students on track to graduate by May 2027. These courses will also support those students looking to accelerate their degree completion at other schools after CCA closes.

Yes. CCA will be working with students to complete by the end of May 2027, but for students in MFA Comics, accommodations may be possible to allow completion in June 2027.

Once our agreement was finalized and announced, CCA staff have prioritized forging teach-out agreements and have initiated conversations with potential partner schools. These negotiations seek to maximize the benefits for our students—and they will take time to finalize, given the academic, financial, and logistical details to be addressed. Once final these teach-out agreements will take effect for students only after CCA closes.

No. Teach-out agreements only take effect when the college closes at the end of the 2026-27 academic year, when it is no longer possible for students to take courses at CCA

Teach-out agreements will benefit CCA students in two important ways: by maintaining student costs and time to graduation. The agreements establish what academic requirements, fees, etc. may be waived for students enrolling from CCA, benefits that may not be available if a student transfers out.

Transferring on your own means a new school will evaluate your application as it generally would any student applying to transfer there, including evaluating credits and coursework individually and, potentially, requiring additional verifications and supporting documents or application fees as they would any other transfer applicant. In other words, there is no commitment from the new school to providing any particular support for you as a transfer student. Under the teach-out plan, these issues are resolved by agreement between CCA and the other school(s).

Yes. Students who are not graduating this year can continue taking classes at CCA while the College remains open through the 2026-2027 academic year.

Academic advisors are available to support students with academic planning and registration based on their academic progress and individual circumstances.

Yes. CCA will remain an accredited institution through our closure by the end of academic year 2026-2027 All degrees awarded during this period are fully and permanently recognized–just as they are today.

Students who graduate from CCA in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Spring 2027 will receive a California College of the Arts diploma, and their degrees should be treated no differently by employers, graduate schools, or licensing bodies.

Yes, these activities will continue as in the past through to closure by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year.

In some cases, students may be able to take coursework at another institution and apply it toward their CCA degree. Students considering this option should speak with an academic advisor before enrolling elsewhere to understand eligibility, approval requirements, and how credits may apply.

For students who will need additional time to complete their studies, we are working closely with accredited institutions to establish transfer and completion pathways. These arrangements will allow students to continue their studies without interruption, and more information will be shared about the teach-out plans as agreements are finalized. To check your progress to date, please use this link: How do I check my progress towards degree completion?

First, determine whether an unofficial transcript, which is free, would meet your needs. Many schools can discuss initial transfer options with an unofficial transcript. Current and former students can download unofficial transcripts at any time from the Academics Hub in Workday. (How to)

Current and former students can order official transcripts (electronic or paper) at any time through the Academics Hub in Workday or through CCA’s Parchment website.

More information on transcripts can be found here.

After CCA closes by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, Vanderbilt will serve as the custodian of CCA’s student education records. Vanderbilt will maintain these records and provide access to transcripts and other official academic documentation for former students and alumni.

Additional information about how to access records after the end of the 2026-2027 academic year will be shared before the College closes.

An external teach-out agreement is a formal agreement between CCA and another accredited institution that ensures students have clear, pre-approved paths to transfer credits and complete their degrees.

A teach-out agreement prioritizes maintaining student costs and time to graduation; and establishes what requirements, fees, etc. may be waived for students enrolling under the agreement.

Because it establishes a clear pathway for students transferring, it can be advantageous for students to use the teach-out agreement when moving to another school.

Teach-out agreements will take effect when the college closes by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year.

While transferring under the teach-out agreement is optional, there are benefits to doing so that students should carefully consider as they make future plans.

Vanderbilt has shared that CCA students will have the opportunity to apply to transfer to Vanderbilt academic programs, including programs offered at its existing campuses. Admission decisions will be made through Vanderbilt’s admissions process, and more details about available programs, timelines, and application requirements will be shared in the future.

Once Vanderbilt provides more information, designated CCA advisors will be available to help students understand their options and next steps.

Academic Advising & Planning and Student Records can help students understand their current class standing, academic standing, and progress toward degree completion. Current students are invited to make an Advising & Planning appointment for additional guidance.

Questions about a student’s individual financial aid situation are best addressed by the Financial Aid Office. Because financial aid is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and depends on individual records, responses to specific questions may require careful review and can take time, particularly during periods of high inquiry volume. Students may contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@cca.edu.

General updates will be shared through official communications, and students are encouraged to review those updates as they are released.

You may find answers to many of your questions in this FAQ, but we understand that there are many unique circumstances. If you have questions not answered here, you can email questions@cca.edu, and we will route your question to the right area.

International students can contact (iss@cca.edu) or schedule an appointment. You may find answers to many of your questions in this FAQ, but we understand that there are many unique circumstances. If you have questions not answered here, you can email questions@cca.edu, and we will route your question to the right area.

Students should remain focused on the start of the spring semester and their coursework. We will share timely updates as the semester progresses. For now, here’s what you can do:

• Stay focused on making a strong start to your Spring semester.
• Stay Informed: Monitor your school email for official information and meeting invitations.
• Download an unofficial copy of your transcripts from Workday and have it handy for conversations with your advisor as more information is provided.
• When questions arise, send them to questions@cca.edu.
  

CCA continues to have approval to host F-1 international students. There is no impact on your SEVIS record or ability to maintain F-1 status while CCA is open.

You must request that International Student Services (ISS) release your SEVIS record to your new school. More information can be found on the SEVIS Transfer Information page on CCA Portal: Transferring F-1 SEVIS record out of CCA

The timeline to transfer with an active SEVIS record is something students should discuss with ISS, so please schedule an appointment to review all information.

F-1 students must be enrolled full-time each academic semester to maintain nonimmigrant status. If you are deciding to withdraw from CCA classes and leave the US once the semester has started, withdrawing from classes means that you cannot maintain your F-1 status in the United States since you aren't enrolled full-time. ISS will need to terminate your F-1 SEVIS record within 15 days of the withdrawal from CCA classes. You should make plans to depart the US before the end of that 15 day period to avoid any undue hardship with future immigration requests.

Please schedule an appointment to discuss more about your situation.

ISS is actively working on options and information for students planning to apply for OPT in light of the school’s planned closure, and we will share updates as soon as they are available. At this time, information about status continuation after closure is still being finalized, and we will let you know what your options are as soon as we can. Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 graduates should plan to apply accordingly and to apply as early as possible.

Additional questions? Submit on this Google Form.