APPLICATION PROCESS

By now, we hope you have learned about the rigorous academic program, pre-professional arts conservatories, and unique school culture found only at California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV). You are ready to apply!

After becoming familiar with the school’s various conservatories through a CSArts-SGV Preview Day, prospective students are invited to fill out an application and participate in a Placement Activity to help them decide which conservatory is the best fit for them. CSArts-SGV admits all applicants on a space-available basis, except in the areas of dance and music. Should the number of applicants exceed the space available, a public, random drawing (“lottery”) will be conducted by conservatory, grade level, and when applicable, concentration, to determine which students are offered admission.

Before getting started, please make sure that you thoroughly understand the Admissions Guidelines and have gathered all of the necessary materials. You will complete your application online and should be prepared to upload all requested materials along with your application.

Additional support is available for students, parents, or guardians who require translation in order to best understand our admissions processes, as well as for those who need technology assistance. Applicants who have received or are currently receiving special services are encouraged to request any necessary accommodations to support them during the admissions process.

If you have questions, please read our Admissions FAQ. You may also contact our Admissions Office at admissions@sgv.csarts.net or 714.560.0900 ext. 5510.

Click here to read more about charter school admission rights. Click here to access the Charter School Complaint Notice and Form.

ATTEND A PREVIEW DAY

Prospective students and families are encouraged to learn more about CSArts-SGV by attending a Preview Day! During Preview Day, students and families are able to take a self-guided campus tour, attend school overview and individual conservatory presentations, participate in conservatory activities, and meet with administration and academic counselors.

Learn more here.

SUBMIT YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION

Applications for the 2025-2026 school year will be available online in mid-October 2024. Conservatory Placement Activities will be held in January and February 2025.

A limited number of openings will also be available for mid-year admission in select conservatories and grade levels. Prospective students interested in joining us for the Spring 2025 semester must fill out the Spring 2025 application.

The deadline for prospective students to apply for spring 2025 (mid-year) admission is December 2, 2024. Prospective students can apply to a maximum of two (2) conservatories. Current students applying for a conservatory transfer must submit their application by December 11, 2024.

Families with multiple students applying must use an individual, unique email address for each applicant. When creating your account, please enter the student applicant’s first and last name, but the parent’s or guardian’s email address. All admissions information will be sent via email to the primary email address associated with the application. Once an application is submitted, log in to your Applicant Portal to view your status.

Learn more and apply here.

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM

CSArts-SGV is proud to partner with Duarte Unified School District (DUSD) in offering an innovative middle school program to students in grades 6-8. Middle school students attend academic classes through one of two DUSD K-8 academies, Maxwell Academy – An International Baccalaureate World School or Royal Oaks STEAM Academy. Once the academic day has concluded, middle school students are able to receive exemplary arts instruction provided by CSArts-SGV faculty in a variety of art forms.

The middle school program allows students to begin their arts trajectory early and get acclimated to the unique culture and expectations of CSArts-SGV. Once students reach grade 9, they can seamlessly transition to receiving full-day academic and arts instruction on the CSArts-SGV campus for their high school careers.

When applying, prospective middle school students may choose from the following list of conservatories and programs. Please note that middle school students will be assigned to either Maxwell Academy – An International Baccalaureate World School or Royal Oaks STEAM Academy based on the CSArts-SGV arts conservatory or program they are admitted into.

MAXWELL CAMPUS FOR ACADEMICS | CSARTS-SGV CAMPUS FOR ARTS
Ballet & Contemporary Dance Conservatory
Commercial Dance Conservatory
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Guitar Program
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Pianist Program
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Strings & Orchestra Program
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Wind & Jazz Studies Program
Vocal Arts Conservatory

The above conservatories have minimum proficiencies for admission, as beginning instruction is not offered. A bus transports middle school students in these programs from the Maxwell Academy campus to the CSArts-SGV campus each afternoon for conservatory instruction.

MAXWELL CAMPUS FOR ACADEMICS & ARTS
School of Theatre

This program provides students with a broad introduction to the principles of theatre, including acting, musical theatre, and production and design. Conservatory instruction is provided by CSArts-SGV instructors on the Maxwell Academy campus. During the spring semester of grade 8, middle school students in the School of Theatre program will audition to be placed in the Acting Conservatory, Musical Theatre Conservatory, or Production & Design Conservatory for grades 9-12 (placement in one of these three conservatories is guaranteed). The breadth of classes offered to middle school students in the School of Theatre program ensures that they receive an understanding of all elements pertaining to their discipline and are better equipped to make an informed decision for their high school focus.

ROYAL OAKS CAMPUS FOR ACADEMICS & ARTS
School of Fine & Media Arts

This program provides students with a broad introduction to the principles of fine and media arts, including creative writing, integrated arts, and visual arts. Conservatory instruction is provided by CSArts-SGV instructors on the Royal Oaks STEAM Academy campus. During the spring semester of grade 8, middle school students in the School of Fine & Media Arts program will audition to be placed in the Creative Writing Conservatory, Integrated Arts Conservatory, or Visual Arts Conservatory for grades 9-12 (placement in one of these three conservatories is guaranteed). The breadth of classes offered to middle school students in the School of Fine & Media Arts program ensures that they receive an understanding of all elements pertaining to their discipline and are better equipped to make an informed decision for their high school focus.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

In grades 9-12, students receive their academic and arts instruction full-time on the CSArts-SGV campus.

When applying, prospective high school students may choose from the following list of conservatories and programs.

Acting Conservatory
Ballet & Contemporary Dance Conservatory*
Commercial Dance Conservatory*
Creative Writing Conservatory
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Guitar Program*
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Pianist Program*
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Strings & Orchestra Program*
Instrumental Music Conservatory – Wind & Jazz Studies Program*
Integrated Arts Conservatory
Musical Theatre Conservatory
Popular Music Conservatory
Production & Design Conservatory
Visual Arts Conservatory
Vocal Arts Conservatory*
*Conservatories with minimum proficiencies for admission, as beginning instruction is not offered.

CONSERVATORY PLACEMENT ACTIVITY PROCESS

Conservatory Placement Activities provide applicants with an opportunity to demonstrate their art form proficiency. All CSArts-SGV conservatories require participation in a Placement Activity to be considered for admission. Upon completion of the Conservatory Placement Activity, applicants will receive a scored rubric with helpful feedback and a proficiency level from our conservatory staff.

CSArts-SGV admits all applicants on a space-available basis, except in the areas of dance and music. Conservatories in the School of Dance and School of Music do not have an entry level of instruction, thus applicants must meet a minimum proficiency level on their scored rubric in order to select the Ballet & Contemporary Dance Conservatory, Commercial Dance Conservatory, Instrumental Music Conservatory, Popular Music Conservatory (grades 9-12 only), or Vocal Arts Conservatory for admission.

We encourage all applicants to participate in Placement Activities for two different conservatories, in order to best prepare themselves to select a conservatory that would be a good fit for them. We strongly recommend that all applicants who have selected one of the minimum proficiency conservatories listed above also participate in a Placement Activity for another conservatory with no minimum proficiency.

Applicants should carefully examine the specific Placement Activity Guidelines for each conservatory, as ALL aspects of the guidelines are required for an application to be considered complete. If the guidelines specify that materials are to be submitted digitally, those materials will need to be included when the application is submitted on or before February 12, 2025 for prospective students and December 11, 2024 for current students applying for a transfer of conservatories.

For in-person Placement Activities, applicants will be scheduled into the first available Conservatory Placement Activity appointment by the Admissions Office. All in-person Placement Activities for the upcoming school year will be conducted in January and February 2025. Once a Placement Activity appointment is scheduled, changes can only be made due to applicant illness or in the case of emergencies.

ADMISSION LOTTERY

Upon completion of the Conservatory Placement Activity, applicants will receive a scored rubric with helpful feedback and a proficiency level from our conservatory staff. Applicants will only be able to select a conservatory for admission for which they have completed a Placement Activity. If an applicant does not meet the minimum proficiency in their Placement Activity for the Ballet & Contemporary Dance Conservatory, Commercial Dance Conservatory, Instrumental Music Conservatory, Popular Music Conservatory (grades 9-12 only), or Vocal Arts Conservatory, they will need to select their alternate conservatory choice for admission. Applicants will not be able to change their conservatory selection after submission.

Should the number of applicants exceed the space available, a public, random drawing (“lottery”) will be conducted by conservatory, grade level, and when applicable, concentration, to determine which students are offered admission. Each applicant will be given one (1) entry for the admission lottery. Applicants may place their lottery entry into their desired conservatory's lottery pool for admission.

A public lottery will be conducted, in accordance with the admission preferences in CSArts-SGV’s approved charter petition, in order to determine admission in each conservatory. Once all available spaces are filled for a particular conservatory, Applicant Numbers will continue to be drawn and placed on a waitlist in the order drawn.

OFFER OF ADMISSION NOTIFICATIONS

All applicants who participate in a Placement Activity will be notified of the results of the admission lottery via email by early March 2025.

Admissions Timeline

Early September	Preview Day Registration Opens
Mid-October	Online Application Available
December 2	Deadline to Apply for Spring 2025 (Mid-Year) Admission
December 11	Deadline to Apply for Conservatory Transfer for Fall 2025
February 12	Deadline to Apply for 2025-2026 Admission
January-February	Placement Activities
February 26 & 27	High School Student Shadow Days on CSArts-SGV Campus
March 1	Deadline for Conservatory Selection (in the case an admission lottery is necessary)
Early March	Admission Lottery (if necessary)
Early March	Applicants Notified of Admission Status