Southern California Institute of Architecture

What is the cost of studying for a year at Southern California Institute of Architecture?

For 2024-25, reported full-time tuition at SCI-Arc was $54,562, with $1,600 in required fees, for a combined published tuition-and-fees charge of $56,162. The reported charges were the same for in-state and out-of-state students. These figures are not a complete cost of attendance and should not be treated as the current year's bill without checking the latest schedule.

• Full-time tuition, 2024-25: $54,562.
• Required fees, 2024-25: $1,600.
• Reported room-and-board allowance: $16,800; this is not a charge for a SCI-Arc residence hall.
• Reported books-and-supplies allowance: $1,680.

Adding those reported categories produces $74,642, before transportation, personal expenses, and other costs an individual student may face. Because SCI-Arc does not operate undergraduate housing, actual rent and food spending may differ sharply from the room-and-board allowance. Architecture students should also examine program-specific materials and production expenses when budgeting.

Financial aid can reduce the amount a student pays, but published tuition, total cost of attendance, and net price are different measures. The reported average net price for families with annual income of $48,000 or less was $38,430; it describes a group, not a guaranteed offer. SCI-Arc applicants should use an individualized aid estimate and distinguish grants, which generally do not require repayment, from loans. Reported undergraduate grant recipients received an average of $25,262 in grant aid, but that average does not mean every student received a grant. Eligible students can explore federal aid, applicable California programs, institutional scholarships, and veterans' education benefits through the relevant application processes.

What are the work-study opportunities at Southern California Institute of Architecture?

Student employment may help with expenses, but a part-time job should not be assumed to cover SCI-Arc's tuition or Los Angeles living costs. Federal Work-Study, when included in an eligible student's aid package, is an opportunity to earn wages through a qualifying job; it is not an upfront grant credited automatically to the tuition bill.

Students interested in campus jobs should ask SCI-Arc's financial aid and student employment staff how positions are posted, whether they must qualify for Federal Work-Study, and what hours are compatible with studio commitments. Paid internships and ordinary off-campus jobs operate under different hiring and aid rules. Architecture-related work may offer professional experience, but applicants should not assume an internship is required for every SCI-Arc degree.

For career development, SCI-Arc's public lectures, exhibitions, reviews, and contact with practicing designers can provide ways to learn about professional work and meet people in the field. Students seeking specific help with résumés, interviews, internship searches, or employer introductions should confirm which advising and recruitment services are currently offered; participation in a public program is not the same as job placement.