SCI-Arc teaches architecture and very little else, from a quarter-mile-long former freight depot in downtown LA's Arts District. It was started in 1972 by faculty and students who wanted a more experimental design school. Students work in open studios, build models and prototypes in the fabrication shops, and present to visiting critics from practices around the world.
Los Angeles, California, United States
Official website: sciarc.edu
1972
Independent architecture school
Former Santa Fe Freight Depot, Arts District
NAAB-accredited B.Arch and M.Arch
$52,000 – $58,000
All students, full-time studio programmes
$22,000 – $28,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on sciarc.edu before you apply.
Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
60 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
M.Arch 1
Masters DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
M.Arch 2
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
MS Design of Cities
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
MS Fiction and Entertainment
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
Studio teaching that leans toward experimental and digital design.
A long, narrow building that was once a rail freight depot.
Fabrication shops with industrial robots, CNC machines and 3D printers.
Graduates join architecture offices in Los Angeles, New York and abroad, or start their own studios.
Some move into film, games and visual effects through the Fiction and Entertainment programme.
Check whether your programme is STEM-designated, which affects how long OPT can last.
Undergrad
January deadline
Postgrad
January deadline
The building runs along Santa Fe Avenue beside the rail yards, among galleries, breweries and converted warehouses. SCI-Arc has no student housing of its own.
Students rent in the Arts District, Little Tokyo or across the river in Boyle Heights. Los Angeles is spread out and expensive, but the Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro station is a short walk away.
Form I-20 issued by the institution
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
SCI-Arc admits once a year for fall. Undergraduate and graduate applications, with a portfolio, are usually due in mid-January. Later applications may be read if places remain, but international students should aim for the main deadline.
Degree programmes start in the fall semester, in late August. There is no spring entry.
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from Southern California Institute of Architecture first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
The M.Arch 1 and M.Arch 2 are the largest programmes, followed by the B.Arch and the one-year MS degrees. You need a portfolio, transcripts, a statement and English at about IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90. M.Arch 2 applicants need a professional degree in architecture.
SCI-Arc awards merit scholarships at admission, based mostly on the portfolio, and international students are eligible. Most awards cover part of tuition. Some students also hold teaching or research assistant roles later in the programme.
