SCI-Arc offers a five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch). Students who have a high school diploma or its equivalent and have earned college credit(s) after graduating high school are considered transfer applicants. Students who have completed general education courses but have not taken any architecture studio courses may apply for the fall term only. Applicants who have taken design and/or architecture studio courses may seek advanced standing and may apply for either the fall or spring term.
Transfer Applicants
Spring 2026 Deadline: October 15, 2025 (advanced standing only)
Fall 2026 Priority Deadline: March 15, 2026
SCI-Arc accepts application on a rolling basis. Applications received after this date will be considered on a case-by-case basis as space permits. To be reviewed for both admission and scholarship consideration, all required documents must be submitted by the priority deadline.
Detailed Application Requirements
Application Fee
To apply, applicants must complete SCI-Arc’s Application and submit the nonrefundable $85 application fee.
Personal Statement
The personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to gain insight into the applicant’s interests, motivations, and goals.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit recommenders’ contact information. Recommenders will receive an email prompting them to complete the request. Recommenders may include professors (current or former), employers, and other professionals.
Portfolio for Applicants with no Architectural Studio Coursework (optional)
When submitting a portfolio, consider the following guidelines:
- Upload 5–25 individual files. Each upload counts as one image, page, or spread.
- PDF portfolios must be split into single-page PDFs.
- Showcase a range of your creative work—architectural work is not required.
- Work may come from school, extracurricular activities, or independent projects (e.g., drawing, sketching, painting, graphic design, photography, video, sculpture, ceramics, furniture design).
- Include a brief description with each upload (e.g., dimensions, media, intent).
- Do not upload multi-page files.
Portfolio for Advanced Standing Applicants (required)
When submitting a portfolio, consider the following guidelines:
- Upload 15–35 individual files. Each upload counts as one image, page, or spread.
- PDF portfolios must be split into single-page PDFs.
- Include a brief description with each upload (e.g., dimensions, media, intent).
- For group or professional work, clearly state your specific contribution.
- Include work from architecture design courses. You may also include creative projects from independent or non-architecture courses that showcase your design sensibility.
- Do not upload multi-page files.
College Transcripts
Transfer applicants must submit college transcripts from all colleges/universities they have attended since graduating from high school, regardless of credits received or courses completed. These records must include coursework through the most recent term at each school. Unofficial college transcripts can be used and submitted via SCI-Arc’s Application portal. If an applicant is admitted to SCI-Arc, an official transcript must be submitted directly to SCI-Arc by the issuing institution via postal mail or electronic delivery services.
Applicants who have attended or are attending an educational institution outside the United States are required to have their transcripts evaluated by a NACES member organization.
Official High School Transcript(s)*
Transfer applicants who have not earned an associate’s degree at the time of application, are required to submit official high school transcripts that clearly shows date of graduation.
TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo
International students whose native language is not English, are required to submit official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores directly to SCI-Arc. SCI-Arc’s TOEFL School Code: 7802. Reference the International Applicants page for more details.
Submitting Materials
The application and all required materials must be submitted electronically via SCI-Arc’s Application portal.
If physical mailing is required, be sure to use the following address:
ATTN: SCI-Arc Office of Admissions
960 E. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Applicant Portal
Students who complete SCI-Arc’s Application are issued login credentials where they can check the status of their application.
Decision Timeline
Applicants applying for the fall semester by the priority deadline will receive their admissions decision during the months of April and May. Applicants applying after the priority deadline will be notified on a rolling basis beginning in May. Applicants placed on the waitlist will be notified on a rolling basis as positions become available. SCI-Arc does not rank its waitlist.
Contact Us
For any questions during the application process, contact the Office of Admissions at 213.356.5320 or email admissions@sciarc.edu.