We are committed to providing our international students with the necessary support and resources so that they may thrive in their new community. We offer campus housing for undergraduate students, safe living and learning environments, small classes, multicultural and international student organizations, student advising, career services, and health insurance.

To learn more about student services at the college, see Student Life.

The International Student Affairs and Programs Office

The International Student Affairs and Programs Office serves as a resource for international students at CCA and for domestic students who are interested in one of our popular study-abroad programs. More than 100 international students are currently studying at CCA, representing 20 different countries.

We provide orientation programs for new students, as well as immigration and academic advising. We also host workshops, social events, and exhibitions.

For questions about additional services, email the International Student Affairs Office.

International & Exchange Student Orientation

Immediately before each semester, CCA conducts a week-long orientation for new students. It is intended to familiarize new students with the college, its programs, and its campuses. It also introduces new students to returning students, faculty, and staff. Be sure to arrive in the San Francisco Bay Area in time to participate.

International & Exchange Student Orientation is designed specifically for international students. You will meet other international students, possibly others from your native country, as well as International Student Affairs and program staff. These introductions can help you successfully acclimate to your new environment.

All international students are required to participate in each student orientation. Topics related to the particular transition of international students, such as U.S. academic expectations and social norms, intercultural adjustment strategies, and immigration regulations, as well as a variety of support services provided for international students will be discussed.

Academic & ESL Resources

Academic and English as a Second Language (ESL) tutors are available to assist you during your academic career at CCA. These tutors can work with small groups of students or individual students. Tutors will not execute your assignments or make decisions for you, but they will ask questions and demonstrate ways of solving problems, and they will guide you as you practice these behaviors yourself.

Tutoring is free to all currently enrolled students. For more information, see Learning Resources Center.

Academic Advising

Academic advising exists to guide students through the course selection and registration process, ensuring each student plans a path through the curriculum that will meet all established educational goals.

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor according to the declared (or intended) program major. First-year advisors specifically focus on students who are in their first year at the college. For more information, see Academic Advising.

Career Services

For more than a century CCA has prepared individuals for a life of professional work in myriad creative fields. Our graduates find their CCA education opens doors to a host of career options both within the United States and internationally.

We offer courses that prepare students for the future.

While many of our programs build professional practice into their curricula, some students elect to enroll in courses that prepare them for specific careers, such as teaching or working in the community.

Career Services assists students in this process, linking them to internships and jobs positioned around the globe. Also offered: career counseling, an online job-posting database, and workshops that prepare students for a successful job search.

In addition, the International Student Affairs Office hosts the following workshops, though this list is not exhaustive:

• Optional Practical Training (employment options after graduation)
• Career Services for International Students
• Fulbright Grant Writing
• H-1B Information Session (presented by a licensed immigration attorney)

Interning is one of the most effective strategies in launching your career. Internships often connect you directly or indirectly to the top art and design industry leaders.

All students have the opportunity while at the college to explore professional work. In fact, many of our programs require students to complete an internship prior to graduating.

Upon graduating, CCA’s international students have found employment at the following organizations and colleges. (Note: this is a partial list only):

• Architekten Sievert/Liesler, Germany
• CW Architects, Belgium
• Havas Advertising, France
• Kawar Interiors, Jordon
• Mairanzi Arts Centre, Australia
• Peopleworkz, Singapore
• Pigasus Publishing, Greece
• PRAD: Partners in Planning, Architecture & Design, Scotland
• Samsung Art & Design Institute, South Korea
• Shimano, Japan
• Studio Urban House, Inc., Japan
• Sung Hung Kai Engineering Co., Ltd., Hong Kong
• Tel Aviv Center for Design Studies, Israel
• Weiden + Kennedy, Netherlands

Personal Counseling

Free professional student counseling is available to all CCA students, including international students, through the Student Affairs Office.

Counselors are licensed psychologists and graduate-level psychology interns who are carefully selected for their experience and sensitivity to the issues facing artists in an academic environment.

Counselors are available to discuss any personal concern, including confusion over drug and alcohol use, life direction, relationships, sexuality, or general feelings of depression and anxiety.

All information disclosed during counseling sessions, including the fact a student has entered counseling, is confidential. No information is released to college officials, faculty, family, or outside agencies except with the written permission of the student.