Pre-College Art Experience

Here's How it Works

As part of the program, you will:

• Get to take art and design classes at no tuition charge
• Earn up to a maximum of $4,000 towards your undergraduate studies at Academy of Art University
• Build a solid pre-professional portfolio of your work to take into your college career
• Discover career opportunities in various fields of art and design before enrolling as an undergraduate student

Award Information

• Pre-College Art Experience classes are graded on a PASS/FAIL basis, rather than a letter grade basis
• For every one class students PASS, they earn $1,000 toward undergraduate studies at Academy of Art University
• The scholarship will be disbursed across the first year following successful completion of the student’s first semester. It will disburse at up to $250 per class during Fall and Spring, with the remaining amount to be disbursed during the following Summer term
• Student may use the PCAE scholarship on top of other grants or scholarships that may be awarded up to cost of attendance
• The PCAE scholarship only applies to undergraduate courses taken at Academy of Art University

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Student must have taken and received a PASS in a PCAE class
• Student must be enrolled in one of the Academy’s undergraduate programs
• Student must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or greater and remain continuously enrolled
• Academy of Art University will retroactively approve any student who has previously participated in PCAE but has not yet attended Academy of Art University as an undergraduate student

How to Apply for PCAE

• PCAE classes may be taken on-site or online. To register for a PCAE class, students must be currently enrolled in high school
• While international high school students cannot take onsite PCAE classes, they can participate in the Academy’s online PCAE courses
• To attend on-site PCAE classes, high school students must be at least 15 years old
• Campus housing is offered to PCAE students only in the Summer program. PCAE students staying on-campus must take three on-site classes