California Schools Transfer Students
Are you passionate about art and design and looking to turn that passion into a career? If you’re close to finishing your AA degree and want to find the perfect school to help you build your portfolio and gain the skills needed for success, it’s time to transfer to the Academy!
Are you tired of taking required classes that don’t spark your interest? At the Academy, our “No Barriers” policy makes it easy for transfer students to join us at any point in their college journey. No matter where you are in your studies, we welcome you to dive into the classes that truly inspire you and explore your artistic potential. Transfer in any semester and start your creative journey with us!
Here at the Academy, you’ll experience hands-on, project-based learning that blends cutting-edge art and design technology with essential artistic principles. Our flexible on-campus, online, and virtual classes are designed to fit your lifestyle.
You’ll be taught by working professionals and have access to valuable networking opportunities. As a student at the Academy, you can participate in collaborative classes, work on projects with industry-leading companies, and build an extraordinary portfolio of professional quality work.
Our 14 STEM programs offering 25+ degrees will give International Students the opportunity to enroll in three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation.
Talk to an adviser today to learn how the Academy can help you work towards the career of your dreams!
Schedule your career planning session today!
What The Academy Offers You
- There are NO portfolio requirements to transfer into the Academy
- There are NO test score or grade requirements to transfer into the Academy
- You do NOT have to be in San Francisco to study at the Academy; we offer two distinct online modalities for attending the Academy remotely
- We are a portfolio-focused university; you will graduate with a professional-level, career-ready portfolio of work
- We offer industry collaboration opportunities that can give you a leg up when seeking employment in your chosen field
- We have 13 NCCA Division II sports teams with walk-on opportunities
Don’t wait; connect with an advisor today and join us at the Academy—on campus or online—for a creative education unlike any other.
Study At The Academy From Anywhere In The World
Studying art and design online at the Academy of Art University offers you the same hands-on education you’ll receive on campus, and you can do it from anywhere in the world and on your schedule. Online classes are taught by the same instructors who teach on campus—most are working professionals employed in the disciplines they teach.
San Francisco is the
Place to Create
When you study on-campus at the Academy, you become part of a vibrant community of creatives who work together and play together. We offer state-of-the-art lab facilities equipped with 3-D printers, high-end still and cinema cameras, wood and ceramic shops, private artist studios, and so much more. It’s all available for student use in and out of class, making your on-campus experience exceptional.
We provide you with a variety of housing options, from rooms with ensuite bathrooms and their own kitchens to standard dorm rooms. We offer free gym classes, or you can workout on your own in the on-campus gym and pool.
Our free shuttle service whisks students around the city from dorms to classrooms, all located near fabulous parks, museums, and shopping options. Living in San Francisco is an urban experience offering the best of art, design, shopping, and eating. It’s all just steps away from your on-campus home; beaches, forests, and mountains are not much further.
When you join us as an on-campus student, your mind, body, and heart will be immersed in a world of challenging creativity, multicultural magic, and overwhelming opportunity.
Two Ways To Study Online
Our online programs are tailored to your needs and lifestyle choices. We offer both asynchronous (study on your schedule with no traditional classroom participation) or Zoom/virtual online classes where you participate in class at a set time “live” with other students who are on campus in San Francisco.
Traditional Online Courses
Asynchronous learning is all about flexibility. Asynchronous courses are a mix of video lecture content, written content, recorded audio, interactive slideshows, virtual libraries, exchanges across discussion boards or social media platforms, and hands-on work. You will complete one module a week and upload your work for critique.
Virtual Online Courses (via Zoom)
You will attend our regularly scheduled on-campus courses from wherever you are in the world via Zoom in real time, learning alongside on-campus students. You will be a welcome participant in all classroom projects and team assignments. Best of all, your work will be critiqued by your classmates and instructors just as if you were an on-campus student.
Liberal Arts Waivers
You may be able to meet certain liberal arts requirements through placement exams and waiver options for written communication, quantitative literacy, art history and appreciation, historical awareness, and comparative ideas and influences.
Industry Collaborations
The Academy partners with industry-leading companies, filmmakers, and manufacturers such as GM, Adidas, Jeep, Hasbro, Audi, Pininfarina, Jaguar, NASA, Camelbak, and Volvo, to offer our students exposure to working professionals and to create valuable networking opportunities.
These cross-disciplinary collaborative classes work on real-world, industry-supplied design briefs to create concepts for the industry sponsor. You will have the opportunity to work with representatives from our corporate and agency sponsors in small collaborative teams. These classes are designed to maximize individual recognition, build portfolios, and create employment opportunities for you and your fellow students.
Explore Past Collaborations
Students in our Studio X classes collaborated with the producer and director to create the visual effects for this Academy-Award-nominated film.
Students from our Industrial Design, Interior Design and Architecture, and Interaction & UI/UX Schools collaborated with Subaru to envision their 2030 vehicles.
Attend a Virtual Open House
Learn all about the Academy and your transfer options.
