High School Program

Translations
Please use the following translations of CCA's Summer High School English + Design Program information sheets (PDFs): Korean | Chinese (simplified or tradtional) | Spanish

California College of the Arts is pleased to offer a Summer High School English + Design Program, specially created for international students who would like to further develop their English language and art/design skills and explore beautiful San Francisco.

Summer High School English + Design Program is a four-week program for international students currently enrolled in high school, who will complete the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade by summer 2012.

Dates: July 9 – August 3, 2012 (four weeks)

Applications now being accepted

Location/Housing | Making Summer Travel Plans | Application Process | Program Fees/Payment Information | Refund/Withdrawal Policy | Arrival/Airport Information | I-20 Document for F-1 Student Visa | Health/Travel Insurance

About the Summer High School English + Design Program

This program is for students who know they want to become part of the growing international design field. Our program takes advantage of CCA´s unique location, the cultural vibrancy of San Francisco, and the high-tech, entrepreneurial influence of Silicon Valley. As an institution, CCA enjoys the many benefits of its exciting location, including access to the best instructors in the creative industries.

The Summer High School English + Design Program offers English instruction that develops all skill areas -- speaking, writing, reading, and listening -- with an emphasis on art and design content. The English language classroom component supports the design studio portion of the program. Students learn the language necessary to talk about their creative interests, to present their studio projects, and to respond to classmates’ works in group discussions the way students do in an American college classroom.

From packaging to branding, from fashion to websites, designers are the creative forces shaping some of the most exciting images and ideas in contemporary culture. The design studio component of this program is structured to help students move to the next level in their own creative interests through a broad exploration of communication through design.

Experimenting with visual and verbal language, students become familiar with concept development and a range of processes and materials. Individual and group projects allow students to demonstrate creativity and craft in their admissions portfolios and to experience collaboration as a part of studio practice.

The Summer High School English + Design Program is a four-week, noncredit program.

Students have the opportunity to:

• Improve English language and presentation skills necessary for success at an American art college
• Create design projects for college admission portfolio
• Visit the Bay Area’s most exciting destinations, historical sites, and museums, including the Cantor Art Center at Stanford University
• Learn about American culture and what to expect as a college student in the United States
• Make friends with classmates from around the world, while sightseeing and having fun in beautiful San Francisco

The program is highly unique.

• With an anticipated class of 16 students, the small size provides participants with a great deal of personal attention.
• The program format, combining English language and design, allows students to explore the field of design while improving their English-language skills.
• Placed within CCA, thee program provides the opportunity for participants to interact with American high school and college students who are also studying art and design at CCA.

Takeaways (program outcomes)
Participants will leave the program with the following:

• Improved English-language skills (particularly speaking, listening, and writing)
• Photographs of their art/design projects suitable for submission as portfolio pieces
• Drafts for their college application essay
• A personal experience with American culture and San Francisco

Location

The program takes place on CCA’s San Francisco campus. Take a CCA campus tour!

San Francisco is one of the most popular destinations in the world, well known for its world-class art museums, shopping, music, restaurants, street festivals, Golden Gate Bridge, and the energy created by the technology and design industries.

Housing

Students are housed at a historical student residence in San Francisco. CCA staff members are available 24 hours a day. An on-site chef prepares breakfasts and dinners in the residence dining room. Students prepare lunches for themselves on the weekdays (microwave and refrigerator in room), or purchase lunch at the inexpensive campus café. Each room (double occupancy, private bathroom) is fully furnished and includes wireless internet access. Students also have access to spacious community lounges and study areas.

The student residence is staffed by residential assistants. These individuals serve as an onsite resource and plan special evening and weekend activities for program participants.

Housing Fee
The Housing Fee is $990 for a shared room (shared bathroom) with breakfast and dinner meal plan for four weeks.

A refundable damage deposit of $150 will be collected upon program payment. If there is no damage to the room or residence, this $150 will be refunded to the student in full.

Important Housing Dates
Housing check-in: Saturday, July 7, 2012
Housing checkout: Saturday, August 4, 2012

Back to top

Summer Family Travel Planning

This four-week summer program is an immersion experience. Participants are fully engaged the entire time, including days, evenings, and weekends. This full-time, focused commitment is the reason students are able to accomplish so much in four weeks, making the program a success.

If a program participant’s family decides to come to the United States for a vacation, this vacation should be scheduled either before or after the summer program. Students should not have outside obligations to be with family while participating in the program.

Back to top

Application Process

Applications are now being accepted.

Once the student’s application and all required materials are received, the applicant will be notified of admission within two weeks.

Enrollment is limited. Students should submit materials as soon as possible in order to receive the admissions decision, apply for their tourist (B) visa, and begin summer planning.

Application Materials

• Program application: Submit online, or download and print the PDF version and send to Grace Remy by fax 510.594.3771 or email: gremy@cca.edu.

• $50 nonrefundable application fee. Please fax or email the application fee form and credit card information to Grace Remy (fax: 510.594.3771; gremy@cca.edu). Applications are not complete until the application fee has been received.

• One-page statement, written by applicant, describing why you are interested in this program. Please email this statement to Grace Remy at gremy@cca.edu.

• One letter of recommendation from an English teacher or school counselor, describing the applicant’s work ethic and skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing English. Please ask the recommending teacher to email the letter to Grace Remy at gremy@cca.edu.

• Demonstration of English-language proficiency, test scores. Students with an IELTS score of 5.5 (TOEFL IBT score of 65, iTEP score of 3.5, or the equivalent on another exam) and above are given priority. All applicants must mail or fax test scores to the CCA mailing address below. If unofficial test scores are available immediately, please either fax or email them to Grace Remy (fax: 510.594.3771; or email gremy@cca.edu).

• Official high school transcript that includes grades from fall 2011. Transcripts must be mailed directly from the applicant’s school to the CCA mailing address below, or faxed directly from the applicant’s school to 510.594.3771.

Please mail all applications to the following:

Grace Remy, Summer ESL Coordinator
Office of Special Programs
California College of the Arts
5212 Broadway
Oakland CA 94618

Email: gremy@cca.edu
Phone: 415.594.3774
Fax: 510.594.3771

Back to top

Program Costs

Tuition Fee: $2,750, plus $50 nonrefundable application fee

• Tuition fee includes course tuition; art supplies and English language materials; excursion expenses, including museum and other admission fees; San Francisco public transportation passes

• Fee does not include airfare and transportation to/from airport, housing, weekend meals or weekday lunches, personal expenses, health/travel insurance

Payment Deadline

The tuition fee ($2,750), housing fee ($990), and housing damage deposit ($150) are due in full on or before April 18, 2012, or two weeks after acceptance, whichever is later.

Total Program Cost:

• $50 Nonrefundable application fee, submitted with application form
• $2,750 program fee
• $990 housing fee with meal plan (the Monroe Residence)
• $150 refundable housing damage deposit*

Total: $3,940
Please note the housing damage deposit will be returned to you after the program is over, provided no damage has been caused to the room or residence.

Program fees may be paid by wire transfer, check (payable to California College of the Arts), Visa, American Express, Discover, or MasterCard.

Back to top

Refund/Withdrawal Policy

Students who withdraw on or before May 7, 2012, will receive a 50 percent refund of tuition and housing fees. No refunds issued after May 7, 2012.

All withdrawal requests must be emailed to Summer ESL Coordinator Grace Remy at gremy@cca.edu, on or before May 7, 2012. Please make sure you receive an email from us confirming that we have received your withdrawal request.

Back to top

Arrival / Airport Information

Plan to arrive at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Saturday, July 7, 2012. Additional travel information will be emailed to enrolled students.

Please note we will not be able to meet you at the airport if you arrive prior to July 7. Also, you would need to make housing arrangements for the day(s) you arrive before July 7, the official check-in date.

Back to top

Visa Information

Non-U.S. citizens who are admitted to CCA’s Summer High School English + Design Program are not required to obtain an international student (F1) visa. They can apply for a tourist (B) visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

Admitted students should carefully plan ahead and make appointments for their visa interview as soon as possible, scheduling appointments in May or early June 2012 at the very latest. For more information and to make an appointment for a visa interview, visit the U.S. Department of State website.

Back to top

Health/Travel Insurance

Medical costs in the United States can be very expensive. All participants are required have health insurance for the duration of the program that is valid for medical care in the United States, should they experience illness or injury while studying in California. If a student needs a referral to summer health insurance coverage, please let us know and we will put you in touch with CCA's health insurance provider.

Back to top