Southern California Institute of Architecture, commonly known as SCI-Arc, is a world-renowned university and is one of America’s few independent architectural institutions. With an acceptance rate of 100%, the university manifests an undiscriminating admission policy. International students can pursue undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs in SCI-Arc around architecture-focused areas.

The university welcomes applications from 50 countries around the world. International students need to pay 85 USD (~6,300 INR) as an application fee for SCI-Arc. The basic requirements for admission to the institute includes competitive SAT or ACT scores, proficiency in English, personal statement, CV, and LORs. The university accepts GRE scores on an optional basis due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Highlights

Type Private
Setting Urban
Accreditation NAAB & WASC
Academic Calendar Semester-Based
Total Students 500
Faculty 80
Programs Offered Undergraduate, Graduate, Postgraduate
Financial Aid Available
On-Campus Housing Not Available
Official Website www.sciarc.edu
Admission Helpline admissions@sciarc.edu.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Campus and Accommodations

The SCI-Arc institution is located in the Arts District of Los Angeles, in a quarter-mile-long former freight station. Its studios are known for their lively ambiance, which gives students a uniquely inspiring environment in which to learn architecture and design. It offers various facilities to its aspiring architecture students. Some of the facilities are described below:

  • Magic Box- It is a technologically innovative digital fabrication lab that expands the school's experimental design approach.
  • Fabrication Shop– It is a 60002-foot shop outfitted with a variety of metal and woodworking gear and tools. It allows for hands-on material and construction experimentation.
  • Store– It is a Supply Store that provides architecture and art products for affordable prices to students.
  • Robot House- It is a conceptual and physical intersection between studio-shop and the academic industry that enables experimentation as well as speculation on architecture.
  • Kappe Library– It is Southern California's largest academic library committed to architecture.
  • SCI-Arc Galleries– It is Los Angeles' exclusive cultural institution dedicated to displaying experimental architectural projects by contemporary architects.
  • Print Center- Students and teachers can use the Print Center to access a selection of conventional and large-format high-resolution color plotters.

Accommodations

SCI-Arc University doesn’t provide on-campus housing information. The majority of SCI-Arc students reside in apartments or lofts near the school in downtown Los Angeles' Arts District, or in adjacent towns, many of which are accessible by bike or public transportation.

Students stay in Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights, Echo Park, Chinatown, Silver Lake, Koreatown, and the Arts District itself. Students attending SCI-Arc have access to a housing area on their my.sciarc.edu portal, which includes listings for roommates, sublets, and apartment openings. On an average, the cost of residing off campus ranges around 6,700 USD per annum.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Programs

SCI-Arc offers various undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and summer programs to international students. With liberal arts-based education, students are prepared to enter the competitive market holding a strong portfolio, progressive architectural education, and architectural licensure for professional practice.

  • Programs available under postgraduate programs are MS in Architectural Technologies, Fiction and Entertainment, Design of Cities, Design Theory and Pedagogy, and Synthetic Landscapes.
  • B.Arch, a five year program is offered, focusing on design, excellence, and intellectual breadth is prioritized.
  • M.Arch 1 in SCI-Arc is a 3-year program for students with a non-architectural background.
  • M.Arch 2 program is for students who want to build expertise on their previous architectural foundation through gaining knowledge of digital design, fabrication, and conceptualization.
  • Postgraduate programs are provided on Critical Thinking, Design Technologies, Training, Innovation, Advanced Knowledge, And Expertise.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Admission Process

The application information of undergraduate and graduate applicants are described below:

Application deadlines: The priority deadline is January 15 for undergraduate and March 15 for graduate applicants.
Admission Requirements: Following are the basic requirements for admission to the institute:

  • Complete application form
  • Evaluated high school transcripts
  • GRE has become optional for graduate applicants. (COVID-19)
  • SOP
  • SCI-Arc supplement
  • LOR
  • Portfolio – optional for undergraduate applicants, required for graduate applicants
  • Resume/CV for graduate applicants
  • SAT/ACT scores
  • English proficiency test scores
  • I-20/DS-2019 completed form –After acceptance to the university

Note: Official documents should be mailed to the university.

English Proficiency Requirements

International students require demonstration of proficiency in English for admission to the institution. Below are the minimum English proficiency test scores required for admission:

Test Scores
TOEFL 92
IELTS 7.0
DET 115

Southern California Institute of Architecture Cost of Attendance

As an international applicant, you should prepare with an average estimation of the total expenditures for studying in SCI-Arc. The average cost per semester is tabulated below:

Cost Per Semester Amount In USD
Tuition & Fees
Tuition 23,908
Annual Student Health Insurance Plan 2000
Lab Fee 50
Administrative Fee 500
Student Union Fee 50
Mandatory Expenses
Room & Board 6,720
Books & Supplies 1,050
Transportation Expenses 740
Loan Fees 250
Miscellaneous Expenses 5,500
Total Cost Of Attendance 40,768

Southern California Institute of Architecture Scholarships

SCI-Arc provides financial support to its domestic and international students through scholarships and work-study programs. However, students can always look for various external scholarships to study in USA. Below is the only equality-based scholarship available to people of color, Black people, and indigenous people. Most of the financial grants are available to domestic students.

Socal NOMA Scholarship

  • It is a need-based scholarship for people of color. The full tuition fee is covered under this scholarship.
  • The grant is provided for 5 years of B.Arch programs, and 2 to 3 years of M.Arc programs.
  • One-year scholarship for postgraduate programs is also available. The scholarship is evaluated on the merit scores basis and financial need.

Work while you study: Only available during the academic year, the International Student Work-Study program provides a salary of 1,000 USD every semester. It allows international students to work in any one on-campus department. On the financial aid website, a list of part-time work positions on campus can be found. Students can apply after verifying their financial aid eligibility. To work, all employees must have a valid social security number.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Alumni

SCI-Arc has a network of 5000 alumni around the world. They are encouraged to become involved with the university by attending events, receptions, annual functions, workshops, etc through joining the SCI-Arc Alumni Platform. There is an alumni council working for the assistance of SCI-Arc alumni.

Various career resources are offered such as job boards, event-board, career networking events, etc. There is a fabrication shop that is open to SCI-Arc students & alumni. The institution also offers transcripts and degree verification facilities to its alumni. Some of the notable SCI-Arc alumni are-

  • Hernan Diaz Alonso – Architect
  • Shelly Kappe- Architectural Historian
  • Mimi Zeiger – Architecture & Design Critic
  • Moses Hacmon – Artist
  • Todd Fisher – Director

Southern California Institute of Architecture Placements

Every spring, Open Season is held. It is a student exhibition for SCI-Arc where students pin up their work along the SCI-Arc's South Gallery walls. It allows students to assemble and present their most compelling work, allowing them to showcase their portfolios on a big platform ultimately helping them in their future careers. Hiring managers, employers, alumni, etc are invited to this career-networking event.

SCI-Arc graduates earn an average salary of 75,190 USD per annum. The average early-career salary of the graduates is 54,300 USD. Below is the average annual salary of SCI-Arc graduates on different job positions:

Job Position Amount in USD
Senior Project Architect 99,000
Architect 74,000
Project Architect 79,000
Architectural Designer 50,000
Project Manager, Architect 96,000

SCI-Arc University is dedicated to building innovative and expert architects for the future. For those students, holding a major interest in architectural specialized areas, it is a fair option. Even interested students without an architecture background or undergraduate architecture degree can change their career path and get admission. Applicants only need to make sure to fulfill the eligibility criteria for admission.

FAQs

Ques. Is SCI-Arc the best university for architecture?

Ans. SCI-Arc offers focused architecture education in a customized manner to its students. It was initially acclaimed as an innovative institution. Given its missions & values, community events, academic approach, and thesis projects, it can be termed as a fair option for architecture aspirants. Even though there are other architecture institutions, SCI-Arc still stands out.

Ques. How do I show that my credentials are equivalent to the US education for admission in SCI-Arc?

Ans. To determine their educational equivalent in the United States, applicants who attended an educational institution outside of America that is not accredited by a US Regional Accrediting Organization must have their transcripts evaluated.

Ques. Is there any credential evaluation agency recommended by SCI-Arc University?

Ans. SCI-Arc University advises international applicants to get their credits evaluated by a member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Ques. Are English proficiency waivers available in SCI-Arc?

Ans. Only those applicants who have attended a school where English is not the major language of instruction are required to demonstrate English proficiency. For other applicants, a waiver is available.

Ques. When the application notification is made available to applicants of SCI-Arc University?

Ans. Applicants who apply by the priority deadline for the fall semester get notified of their admissions decision between March and April. After the priority deadline, applicants are notified on a rolling basis in April. Applicants on the waitlist are notified as soon as vacancies become available. The waitlist at SCI-Arc is not ranked.

Ques. What are the school codes of SCI-Arc University for different scores?

Ans. SCI-Arc TOEFL Code is 7802. SAT and ACT codes are 1575 and 0423 respectively.

Ques. What should be included in an academic portfolio for application?

Ans. As advised by SCI-Arc University, the work selected for the portfolio should reflect the applicant's wide range of creative interests; it doesn't need to be architectural work. Schoolwork, independent projects, extracurricular activities including Drawing, Sketching, Painting, Graphic Design, Photography, Web Design, Furniture Design, etc can all be included in a portfolio.

Ques. Is health insurance coverage mandatory in SCI-Arc University?

Ans. All SCI-Arc students enrolled are required to have health insurance which amounts to 2000 USD annually. But the proof of equivalent health insurance can be used to waive the health insurance coverage of international applicants.