California State Summer School for the ArtsCSSSA

CSSSA at a Glance

Host

A California state agency created by the California Legislature and funded through a public-private partnership; first session in 1987; held at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) from 2026

Field

8 departments: Animation, Architecture & Environment, Dance, Film, Music, Theater, Visual Arts and Writing

Grades and age

Students in grades 8 to 12 at the time of application

Citizenship and residency

Mainly for California residents; no citizenship or green card requirement is listed. Up to 20 places go to out-of-state and international students, and CSSSA cannot sponsor student visas for international students.

Cost

The 2026 comprehensive fee (tuition and materials) for California residents is $5,174; 2027 rates have not been posted. Each department application costs a non-refundable $20, waived for California applicants with economic hardship. Need-based aid is for California residents only, and nearly half of the 500 California residents attending qualify; no applicant is denied admission solely for inability to pay.

Dates and format

A month-long residential arts training program; the 2027 session runs July 3 to July 31 at Cal Poly Pomona. Students enroll in one department and are taught by practicing professional artists. Graduates can earn 3 units of college extension credit from the California State University (CSU) system and are named California Arts Scholars.

Application dates

Applications for 2027 open on November 1, 2026 and close at 6 pm Pacific on February 28, 2027, with no exceptions for late applications. Decisions are emailed by April 30, 2027.

Application materials

Application form; contact information for two teacher references (letters of recommendation are no longer required, and peer references are not accepted); a current unofficial transcript to verify enrollment; the artistic assignments for the chosen department; for aid applicants, a financial aid request form and the parents' tax return. Students may apply to several departments with separate materials and fees for each, but may enroll in only one.

Size and selectivity

CSSSA describes admissions as highly competitive, based on artistic assignments and teacher references, and does not publish an admission rate. About 500 students are California residents, plus up to 20 out-of-state and international students.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · csssa.ca.gov

How to Apply to CSSSA

• The CSSSA deadline is 6 pm Pacific on February 28, 2027, and the school states it makes no exceptions. Assignments differ by department, so download the requirements for the chosen department when applications open in November and allow at least two months to complete the work.
• Families seeking aid must submit the financial aid request form and tax return with the application; aid cannot be requested after the deadline. CSSSA states that an aid request has no bearing on admission.
• Eighth graders can apply. Students with a clear interest in the arts can start applying in middle school or ninth grade, and the California Arts Scholars title can go into college applications.