Overview

All BFA Character Animation students at California Institute of the Arts CalArts are required to pass a Graduation Review in order to complete the Program.

Overview

The first year of the Program’s intensive four-year curriculum is devoted to courses in life drawing, color and design, storytelling and character animation—both traditional and CG. The second year takes this work to a higher level by incorporating elements such as dialogue, sound effects and music. In the third year, students typically move to the advanced level in their coursework, which can include story classes geared toward short-form traditional animation,

CG computer animation, and specialized work in painting, illustration, graphic novels and advanced visual design. In the fourth and final year, students move up to the highest level of the core classes and can customize their curriculum according to their own specific areas of interest. During the course of their studies, students develop a professional-caliber portfolio.

In addition to its course requirements, the program calls on students to attend lectures, demonstrations and screenings as part of an extensive visiting artist series, featuring noted animators, filmmakers, showrunners and artists.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Character Animation
Life Drawing
Design
Story
Animation Layout
Film Workshop

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-05 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

California, United States

Disciplines

Animation View 153 other Bachelors in Animation in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Graduation from an accredited secondary school or its CalArts approved equivalent
All transcripts should be uploaded to the application directly on the Academic History section prior to submitting. Applicants should plan ahead and request transcripts as soon as they decide to apply to CalArts.

Two letters of recommendation are required for BFA programs. At least one recommendation should be written by a person who understands your artistic work. Many MFA programs require three letters of recommendation (please see program-specific requirements in the portfolio/audition section).

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

60650 USD / year

≈ 60650 USD / year
Out-of-State

60650 USD / year

≈ 60650 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

60650 USD / year

≈ 60650 USD / year

Living costs

California

United States

1570 - 2658 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Character Animation.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

California

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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