California College of the Arts (CCA) and School of Visual Arts (SVA) have established a formal teach-out agreement to provide a supportive pathway and a reasonable opportunity for eligible students to continue their studies at SVA.

SVA is widely recognized for its innovative and experimental program philosophies and its unparalleled faculty of professional artists. SVA is located in the heart of New York City, a world capital of art, design, and culture; a fact that greatly enhances the art education of its students.

One of SVA's overriding philosophies is its focus on using working professionals as faculty. This allows us to have our students taught by people who are at the top of their game. It helps that SVA is located in the heart of New York City--the epicenter of publishing, art, and commerce.

It boasts four exhibition spaces featuring the work of faculty, alumni, students, and renowned artists and designers, including the SVA Chelsea Gallery, which offers approximately 4,000 square feet of exhibition space in the heart of the Chelsea gallery district.

Location: New York, NY
Website: School of Visual Arts academics

Financial support and scholarships

SVA is committed to ensuring that, for all CCA students, the total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, and room and board) for the 2026-27 academic year will be no greater than what you would have incurred at CCA. To achieve this, SVA will provide institutional scholarships, grants, and other forms of aid to maintain parity with your current cost of attendance.

Scholarship matching: Teach-out partners base their financial aid and scholarship matches on your standard, baseline CCA institutional aid. One-time institutional aid such as the CCA Legacy Award ($5,000 for undergraduate students and $2,500 for graduate students), financial aid petitions, or other non-renewable aid is not factored into the teach-out matching calculations at any partner institution.

Students who are eligible to submit a FAFSA are encouraged to do so by April 1, 2027, in order to be considered for the full range of financial aid. Students who express interest in SVA can expect to receive a detailed financial aid offer outlining their total financial aid package and cost of attendance.

Housing

All students entering SVA under this agreement will be eligible for no-cost, on-campus housing through the completion of their degrees, as long as they maintain full-time enrollment status. Please note: SVA does not offer meal plans with on-campus housing.

Streamlined admissions

SVA will admit CCA students in good academic standing (2.0 GPA) into aligned programs without requiring a personal statement, essay, or portfolio. In limited additional cases, such as students applying from outside the established program mappings, SVA may request a portfolio to confirm appropriate program placement.

Students who are not in good academic standing at the time of transfer can still be considered for admission, but will be asked to submit additional materials (such as a portfolio or personal statement) for review.

There is no application fee. An enrollment deposit may be required to enroll, but it will be applied to your tuition or other charges.

Credit and general education transfer

SVA will accept all earned undergraduate credit from CCA, including undergraduate credit previously accepted by CCA from other institutions. In addition, SVA will accept all CCA-approved grades for credit, even if they do not meet SVA’s typical minimum grade thresholds.

If you have completed CCA’s General Education requirements, you will be considered to have satisfied all SVA General Education requirements. If you have completed some, but not all, of CCA’s core requirements, your coursework will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. . Additionally, SVA will waive any minimum academic residency requirements (minimum amount of coursework taken at SVA to graduate) for transferring CCA students.

International students

SVA will waive any additional English-language proficiency testing or documentation requirements for international students transferring under this agreement, such as TOEFL or IELTS, recognizing that CCA has already confirmed English-language proficiency for full admission and enrollment.

¹ STEM-designated program

² There may be differences in how transfer credit is treated, depending on the coursework that a student has taken and the program in which a student chooses to enroll; a portfolio demonstrating ability in the selected major may be required.

Step 1: Learn about your options
Attend upcoming virtual information sessions with SVA and other teach-out partners. These sessions will provide program details and allow you to ask questions. Dates and registration information will be shared as they become available.

Step 2: Explore your pathway (optional)
Meet with a Transition Hub counselor to discuss your program options, transfer pathway, and how each partner aligns with your goals.

Step 3: Indicate your interest
CCA will soon share a brief interest form for students considering SVA, allowing partners to begin preparing and creating a smooth pathway for you to transition in Fall 2027.

Step 4: Complete the application process
SVA will provide a streamlined application pathway specifically for CCA students. Additional details and instructions will be shared once the process is available.

Step 5: Transcript and records exchange
CCA will securely transmit your official transcripts and relevant academic and financial records to SVA as part of the transfer process.

Admissions contact

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
+1 212-592-2100
admissions@sva.edu

SVA Virtual Info Session
May 6 • 2:45–3:30 PM • Zoom link TBA