“Private art and design college in Laguna Beach offering BFA and MFA degrees.”
Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) is a private art college in Laguna Beach, California founded in 1961. With more than 700 students, it offers BFA degrees in 11 majors, MFA programs in Drawing and Painting, and partnerships with the Florence Academy of Art and other international institutions.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Post-Grad Earnings
LCAD homepage citation
Affordability
LCAD homepage citation
Game Design (Princeton Review/Animation Career Review — top 25 undergraduate)
Animation Career Review (most recent published cycle)
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceFall Priority
Priority deadline for fall admission and scholarship consideration.
Fall Regular
Rolling admissions; deposits accepted through August 1.
Spring
Spring start; deposits accepted through January 15.
Rolling Admissions
LCAD accepts applications year-round on a rolling basis until each entry term fills.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$37,500
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
4 years
Industry-taught animation program with character and experimental tracks. Faculty credits span Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Bros.; alumni place at major studios across LA's animation belt.
4 years
Game art and design tracks taught by working professionals from Blizzard, Zynga, Obsidian, and Disney Animation. Students ship portfolio-grade work tied to industry pipelines.
4 years
An atelier-style classical/representational program — figure drawing, anatomy, plein-air painting, and traditional studio practice. Connects directly to Laguna's plein-air heritage and feeds the MFA in Drawing and MFA in Painting.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $37,500
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
