Scholarship Impact

See how your contributions make a difference.

Scholarships at CalArts

For many students, the transformative experience of CalArts would not be possible without the scholarship support that they receive. Each year, CalArts provides tens of millions of dollars of scholarship and financial aid to students. This website helps to illustrate the enormous impact that that support has for our community of artists.

Student Profiles

Aza Rucker

My third year at CalArts has built my confidence in my own abilities and has opened my mind up to more possibilities. I’m excited to continue my journey at CalArts. I look forward to growing and developing into the person I am designed to be. I’m in a positive expectation that the best is yet to come.

Art BFA3

Claudia Dockery

I chose CalArts because I want to make work that fights back at tradition, rejects conventional forms of expression, and gives voice to stories that need to be heard. The passion for the arts at CalArts is overwhelming and the closeness of the atmosphere truly feels like home.

Theater MFA2

Aniya Washington

Thanks to these generous scholarships, my education is possible. I am now able to see myself and my career going in directions that I only dreamed of. I chose CalArts with the hopes of becoming a version that wouldn’t be possible at other intuitions, so this opportunity means a ton to me and my family.

Film/Video BFA1

Telesmar Sanchez

San Diego, CA

Recipient of the David Rosenboom Scholarship

I chose CalArts because of its open-ended, individualist structure, incredible faculty, and overall emphasis on mentorship and support in my artistry.

Music MFA1

Joshua Lin

San Diego, CA

Recipient of the Coyne Family Foundation Scholarship

I remember visiting CalArts for the first time and knowing it was the school I wanted to commit to. The program felt like a family and was the most inviting and welcoming which is why I chose to enroll here.

Art BFA4

Zee Yorke

Los Angeles, CA

Recipient of the Eisner CAP Scholarship

I would not be able to come here, if it wasn't for the generous scholarships I have received from donors like you and the Institute.

Film/Video BFA4

Grace Hlavacek

Cheyenne, WY

Recipient of the Lulu May & Richard Von Hagen Scholarship

The one big thing I have learned at Calarts is to never stop creating. I plan to take that ideal and run with it! I want to create with old and new technologies and take the Calarts spirit of experimentation and adapt it to the artistic world around us!

Theater BFA 3

Mônica Moura

São Paulo, Brazil

Recipient of the Disney Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship was, and still is, essential to my permanence at CalArts. Not only for financial reasons, but also for encouraging me and believing in my potential as an artist.

Film/Video MFA2

Christine Gaffney

Miamisburg, OH

Recipient of Jeremy Blake Memorial Scholarship

Collaboration at Calarts has been an amazing opportunity and experience. I have worked with dancers and musicians and more on very expansive projects. I've never been able to work like this before coming to CalArts.

Art MFA2

Jennie Park

Los Angeles, CA

Recipient of the Richard Seaver Scholarship

I will continue to build my art and writing practices in various directions; within art, I plan to continue making objects, as well as develop more socially-engaged or data-driven art. With respect to my writing, I plan to continue writing about other artists, as well as writing in connection with my own artwork.

Art and Critical Studies MFA2

Adam Boyko

Glendale, CA

Recipient of the Roy O. Disney Scholarship

All of my dreams have jumping boards that CalArts offers. We have composition classes where we work on composing our own material. We are trained in dance daily and have the chance to build relationships with professors who are helpful guides to outside experiences.

Music BFA4

Anais Arias-Aragon

Berkeley, CA

Recipient of the Fletcher Jones Foundation Scholarship & the Lavine and Sternburg Scholarship

I was attracted by the Performer-Composer program because it seemed like very few of its kind where I could hone my skills as a singer without putting composition aside.

Music MFA2

Lioness-Sia Foday

Freetown, Sierra Leone

Recipient of the Remo and Ami Belli Scholarship

I am most pleased with being able to create original music with my funk band Liberation International Funk Ensemble (L.I.F.E.) where I am able to bring forth my cultural roots with love and pride. I also had the opportunity to choreograph and execute a dance for the project of one of my friends who is an Animation.

Music BFA2

Shawnee Badger

Los Angeles, CA

Recipient of the CalArts Scholarship

My proudest accomplishment of this year is that I started a 501c3 non profit theater company called ‘Dig Deep Theatre.’ I am producing and starring in our first play, ‘Barefoot in the Park’ by Neil Simon which opened at The Main Theatre, owned by the City of Santa Clarita. I will be playing Corie in our production of Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon.

Theater BFA2

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qey’s (Dream) Scholarship for Indigenous Artists

This scholarship provides full support of tuition expenses for an undergraduate or graduate student from an Indigenous community or nation, with preference given to a member of the Hopi Tribe, throughout their tenure at CalArts.

Feature Music Scholarship and Feature Arts Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to a BFA4 in the Herb Alpert School of Music or the School of Art who self-identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color.

Charles Gaines Fellowship for MFA Art Students

This fellowship provides full support for students with a demonstrated financial need in the MFA Art program with a primary preference given to those who self-identify as Black or of being from the African diaspora.

Beutner Family Community Arts Partnership Award

This annually funded scholarship supports a CalArts student who participated in the Community Arts Partnership program.

$5,052,547

The approximate amount of scholarship aid awarded to CalArts students this academic year.

130

The number of endowed and annually funded scholarships offered to CalArts students this academic year.

Scholarship Impact

Scholarships at CalArts

Student Profiles

Scholarship Spotlight

qey’s (Dream) Scholarship for Indigenous Artists

Feature Music Scholarship and Feature Arts Scholarship

Charles Gaines Fellowship for MFA Art Students

Beutner Family Community Arts Partnership Award

$5,052,547

130

Karolina Kwaśniak unlocked her artistic aspiration at CalArt

Blending culture and ambition, this art student is ready to launch

From thrill seeker to experience creator: a love of theme parks led him to CalArts

Aza Rucker is a First-Generation College Student Finding Her Voice

She’s pursuing her dream and giving voice to those who often don’t have one

Dairys Escoto De León Continues to Push Her Art Further

For Max Fishman, Art and Technology Are a Perfect Match

Beyond the Blue Wall: Experimental Animation MFA Student, Yara Elfouly

Marisa Mata: Proving There is There There

Entering into something new, this Alumnx found much more than she expected

Foremost: An Educator and Advocate, No Longer Deferring His Dream

To make an even greater difference in the lives of students at CalArts, please consider making a gift.

© All rights reserved

Scholarship Impact

Scholarships at CalArts

Student Profiles

Scholarship Spotlight

qey’s (Dream) Scholarship for Indigenous Artists

Feature Music Scholarship and Feature Arts Scholarship

Charles Gaines Fellowship for MFA Art Students

Beutner Family Community Arts Partnership Award

$5,052,547

130

To make an even greater difference in the lives of students at CalArts, please consider making a gift.​

© All rights reserved

To make an even greater difference in the lives of students at CalArts, please consider making a gift.