Commit + Prepare

Accepting Your Offer

To enroll at SCI-Arc, you must submit your non-refundable enrollment deposit and decision reply form by the deadline listed in your acceptance letter. Submitting these materials secures your place in the incoming class and any awarded scholarship, if applicable. Admission and scholarship availability are guaranteed only through the stated deadline.

• Accept Your Offer →
• View Enrollment Checklist →

Campus Life

Campus life at SCI-Arc is shaped by studio culture, shared space, and a strong sense of community. Students work side by side in an open, industrial campus in Los Angeles’ Arts District, with learning extending beyond the studio through lectures, exhibitions, and student-led initiatives. At SCI-Arc, we believe every student deserves to belong, and the school supports this through a range of organizations and opportunities that help students build meaningful connections that extend beyond graduation.

Explore Campus Life →

Housing

SCI-Arc does not offer on-campus housing, but living in Los Angeles gives students flexibility, choice, and a strong sense of community. Many SCI-Arc students live in nearby neighborhoods such as the Arts District, Echo Park, Highland Park, and Koreatown, often sharing apartments with classmates. The school provides curated housing resources, tips, and community connections to help you find housing and connect with other students looking for roommates, so you’re supported as you settle in and make Los Angeles your home.

Off-Campus Housing Resources →

Community

Admitted students are encouraged to connect with classmates before the term begins.

Join ZeeMee →

FAQ

How do I register for my courses?

• Course registration takes place during New Student Orientation.

Does SCI-Arc offer health and well-being resources?

• Yes. SCI-Arc offers health, wellness, and safety resources designed to support students academically, physically, and emotionally.
• Learn about student well-being →

What are the recommended computer specifications?

• Hardware needs vary greatly. A graduate student who requires their computer to render animations will need more processing power than a first-year undergraduate who may only use Adobe Creative Suite. Please refer to the computer recommendations article for a list of computers that will meet your requirements, depending on your needs.
• The three most important aspects to consider when looking at any computer are the processor, graphic card, and memory. Having the right combination of these three components will not only help you work more efficiently, but could potentially save you time. For example, a computer with eight processor cores will render a scene faster than one with four cores.
  • Processor: Choosing a processor is straightforward. The more processing cores it has, the better it will be at multitasking between programs and carrying out tasks. Think of it this way: Would you rather have 4 or 8 workers helping you with your project? Intel and AMD are the only two companies that make processors for Windows computers. Both are great choices, offering competitive levels of performance. For student workloads, an Intel Core i7 13th generation or an AMD Ryzen 7 5700 or higher is recommended.
  • Graphic Card: Workstation vs. Gaming graphic cards is one of the most debatable subjects from a technological point of view. Workstations cards are typically certified by certain software companies which states that the hardware is compatible with their software. As an example: Nvidia Quadro Video Cards are certified by Autodesk to work with most of their programs. The debatable portion of this topic is that gaming graphic cards will cost nearly half the price and have specifications that will either meet or exceed those of a workstation card. Mainly focusing on Nvidia because from our experience AMD drivers are not as fluid. It is recommended to run a RTX 4070 or higher.
  • Memory: The more memory (RAM) your computer has the easier it can run multiple programs or create something of extreme complexity in a resource demanding program. The amount of memory a computer has can greatly influence its performance, so more is better. As an example: Maya uses a significant amount of memory especially once textures are applied to the 3D model. We recommend buying at least 16GB of DDR5 if compatible, but some vendors are still transitioning so using DDR4 is fine.
• Mac vs. PC
  • Mac vs. PC is a classic debate. A PC will always be a better value and have more flexibility than a Mac. As noted above we recommend PC based workstations.
  • Newer Macs 2020 and above use Apple proprietary processors such as their M1 and M2 series.
  • These are great processors that are competitive with Intel and AMD but please be aware that not all software used at SCI-Arc are compatible with Mac OS.
  • The bottom line is that some people just prefer to work on a Mac. If you love your Mac then by all means stick with the platform that makes you comfortable. Please be aware that not all software used at SCI-Arc are compatible with Mac OS.
• Anything Else I'll Need?
  • Students are given 1 Terabyte of storage on their Microsoft OneDrive which is accessible through office365.sciarc.edu. OneDrive is an online cloud storage platform that provides users the ability to backup, retrieve, and share their work with other users.
  • USB drives and external hard drives are must-have items. Get at least 64GB for the memory stick and 1TB for the external hard drive. Backup your work! We cannot emphasize it enough. Hard drives are affordable enough nowadays that you can also buy 2 backup hard drives and keep one off site.