Tuition and Financial Aid.

Methods of Payments

Full payment of the tuition and fees are due in the Administration Office.  Payment or arrangement of payment for tuition is due one month before each quarter’s start date.  For those students who are accepted after the due date, payment is due upon acceptance into the program.

LAAFA accepts cash, check, Master Card, and Visa.  Please note that all students, except those with a payment plan agreement with the school, must be PAID IN FULL by the payment deadline.  A late fee of $150.00 will apply for payments received after the payment due date.

Payment Plan Options
Students have the payment plan option to pay monthly, bi-quarterly, quarterly or annually. Each payment plan we be set accordingly to ensure full payment. All payments must be received by the end of your last class during the same quarter. All payment plans options must be approved.

BFA College Cost Comparison*

$ 94,854        Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art**
$142,600       Laguna College of Art and Design
$108,136       Academy of Art – San Francisco
$173,568       Woodbury University
$202,424       Art Center College of Art and Design
$207,952      Otis College of Art and Design

*Based on BFA programs beginning in Fall 2023-2024. Does not include housing or school miscellaneous costs.

**LAAFA students graduate in 3 calendar years.

Financial Aid General Information

LAAFA is authorized by the government to offer financial aid to those who qualify. Students who qualify must meet the following criteria:

1. Be accepted into the Bachelor of Fine Arts-Entertainment Arts; Bachelor of Fine Arts-Fine Arts; Certificate of Fine Arts-Entertainment Arts; Certificate of Fine Arts-Fine Arts.
2. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
3. Maintain measurable satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and uphold LAAFA policies while enrolled.
4. Not owe a refund on or be in default of any Title IV loan previously received for attendance at any post-secondary institution.
5. Must be in compliance with Selective Service regulations.

The purpose of financial aid is to help assist students whose personal and/or family contributions are insufficient to meet the total cost of education at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art. LAAFA financial aid is available from one or more of the following sources:
• Scholarships, grants, federal loans and in-house work-study programs.
• LAAFA is also eligible to participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs Educational Assistance programs

Students interested in seeking federal financial aid need to complete Free Application for Federal Assistance (FAFSA) here. In your application, please submit LAAFA School Code: 042483. Once your application has been processed, you will receive a SAR report, and LAAFA will then be able to review the ISIR report. FAFSA covers the time between July 1st of one year to June 30th of the following year. You may file your application as early as October of the year before you start.

LAAFA currently offers Federal Pell Grants, Direct Loans and/or Parent Plus Loans to students who qualify. You will need to complete the Online Counseling, as well as the MPN (Master Promissory Note) if you plan to receive any Direct Loans with your Financial Aid Package. You can find them both at https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action.

Students may receive Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans and PLUS loans regardless of need. If students do not file for financial aid, LAAFA requires that you fill out a Declaration of Finance Form. The Declaration of Finance Form may also be required for students who have filed for financial aid.

LAAFA will work with students to estimate all financial awards. LAAFA will schedule an on-campus or phone appointment to discuss financial options. LAAFA recommends students to file their FAFSA applications early.  Admissions is finalized once a student has made satisfactory financial arrangement.

Please note:
• Federal financial aid may transfer to another school, however please consult with the Financial Aid Office from both schools.

Students may withdraw anytime during the first seven days of the program start date without penalty. If a student withdraws during the first six weeks of a quarter, LAAFA is required to prorate student charges and financial aid and send back any funds that are considered ‘unearned.’ If a student withdraws between quarters, there is no refund. In addition, students must complete an Exit Interview as part of a student’s obligation to the federal government. During the Exit Interview, the Financial Aid Office will advise repayment terms and status. Typically, students have a 6 month grace period before repayment begins. A loan servicer will contact (an agency that the government has assigned to service your loan) a student within 6 months after withdraw. For more information on the return of unearned Title IV funds, please visit our financial aid refund policy.

Professional Judgement

Federal law provides students with the right to request an adjustment from the institution to their financial aid awards due to special or unusual circumstances. The institution shall consider and evaluate all requests for adjustment on a case-by-case basis, and its determination will be final. Requests for adjustment must be made by students as soon as possible or when the institution is processing the student’s financial aid package. The institution shall provide the student with the results of its review, and the details of any change to the student’s financial aid package, within 60 days of the date that the institution receives all required documentation from the student. This policy shall be followed for all students who request an adjustment to their financial aid packages based on special or unusual circumstances.

Special Circumstances

Adjustments based on special circumstances allow the institution to adjust ISIR income information in cases where the student’s or family’s current income is materially less than the income used to determine the student’s financial aid eligibility. A special circumstances adjustment may also be requested to modify cost of attendance components to account for additional expenses incurred by the student or family that are not reflected in the standard cost of attendance calculations.

Any request for consideration of an adjustment based on special circumstances must be made by the student, in writing, to the institution’s financial aid department. The following information must be submitted to the institution by any student requesting an adjustment:

• A written request for an adjustment due to special circumstances
• The type of adjustment being requested (income adjustment or expenses adjustment)
• A detailed description of the circumstances involved
• Evidence documenting the reduction of income for adjustments to ISIR income
• Evidence documenting the additional expenses for adjustments to the Cost of Attendance

In cases where the student has not submitted all documentation required by the institution, or in cases where the student has already been packaged for the maximum amount of financial aid offered by the institution, the student’s request for adjustment shall be declined. In all other cases, the institution shall review the student’s file, consider the special circumstances involved, and determine whether the documentation submitted by the student supports the request for adjustment.

If an adjustment to income is authorized by the institution, a correction to the student’s ISIR information will be filed by the institution. The corrected ISIR will then be used to re-package the student’s file for any additional financial aid eligibility. For adjustments to cost of attendance components based on additional expenses, the institution shall adjust the cost of attendance accordingly and shall re-package the student’s file for any additional financial aid eligibility.

Unusual Circumstances

Adjustments based on unusual circumstances, commonly known as “dependency overrides”, allow the institution to treat as independent any student who, based on the criteria and definitions in the in the Higher Education Act, should otherwise be considered to be dependent for federal financial aid purposes. Unusual circumstances adjustments are extremely rare and, in accordance with U.S. Department of Education guidelines, shall only be considered if the student’s situation is unusual. An example of a qualifying circumstance would be one that might involve cases of human trafficking, asylum or refugee situations, parental abuse, abandonment, or incarceration. An example of a non-qualifying circumstance would include one in which the student is self-supporting and receives no financial assistance from the parents. While the latter may appear to be a situation in which adjustment is warranted, this example is not “unusual” and based on USDE guidance, would not qualify for an unusual circumstance’s adjustment.

Any request for consideration of an adjustment based on unusual circumstances must be made by the student, in writing, to the institution’s financial aid department. The following information must be submitted to the institution by any student requesting an adjustment:

• A written request for an adjustment due to unusual circumstances
• A detailed description of the unusual circumstances involved
• A detailed description of the sources of financial support covering living costs
• Evidence documenting the unusual circumstances and sources of financial support (must include evidence from unrelated third-party individuals or organizations)

The institution shall decline any request for adjustment due to unusual circumstances if the student has not submitted all documentation required by the institution. In all other cases, the institution shall review the student’s file, consider the unusual circumstances involved, and determine whether the documentation submitted by the student supports the request for adjustment.

If an unusual circumstances adjustment (dependency override) is authorized by the institution, the institution shall complete such adjustment to the student’s FAFSA / ISIR as required. The corrected ISIR will then be used to re-package the student’s file for any additional financial aid eligibility. The student shall continue to be considered independent under the unusual circumstance’s adjustment for each subsequent award year at the institution unless the student has informed the institution that circumstances have changed, or if the institution determines that it has conflicting information regarding the student’s dependency status.

Acceptable Documentation

The following guidance, as published by the U.S. Department of Education’s Dear Colleague Letter GEN-22-15, outlines acceptable documentation for request for adjustment. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to:

Special Circumstances

• A documented interview between the student and the financial aid administrator
• Supplementary information, as necessary, about the financial status or personal circumstances of eligible applicants as it relates to the special circumstances

Unusual Circumstances

• A documented interview between the student and the financial aid administrator
• Submission of a court order or official Federal or State documentation that the students’ parents or legal guardian are incarcerated
• A documented phone call or written statement from an attorney, guardian ad litem, a court-appointed special advocate (or similar), or a representative of a TRIO or GEAR UP program that confirms the circumstances and the person’s relationship to the student
• A documented determination of independence made by a financial aid administrator at another institution in the same or prior award year
• Utility bills, health insurance, or other documents that demonstrate a separation from parents or legal guardians.

Acceptable documentation may also include a documented phone call or written statement, which confirms the unusual circumstances with:

• A State, county, or Tribal welfare agency
• An independent living case worker who supports current and former foster youth with the transition to adulthood
• A public or private agency, facility, or program servicing the victims of abuse, neglect, assault or violence

Please refer to the Student Handbook for further information on our policies.

LAAFA – Financial Aid Office Contact:

Crystal Nitz
(818)708-9232
cnitz@laafa.edu

Financial Aid

Federal Grants
A grant is gift aid that does not have to be repaid as long as the student continues to meet all eligibility requirements. LAAFA participates in one federally funded grant program: The Federal Pell Grant. The maximum Pell Grant award for 2023-2024 is up to $7,395.00. (changes yearly)

Direct Loan Program
The Direct Loan Program consists of low-interest, subsidized and unsubsidized loans funded by the federal government. Loans are available to LAAFA undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Loan repayments begin six months after graduation. Students are also welcome to pursue Private loans on their own.

The difference between Federal Loans and Private Loans:
• https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/federal-vs-private

Chart of Award Limits for Direct Loans:
• https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized

Types of Federal Direct Loans

A. Direct Subsidized Loans for Undergraduate Students

This is a long-term, low-interest federal loan. The current interest rate is 5.50%, but is subject to change. “Subsidized” means the interest is paid by the federal government while the student is in school at least half-time or during the grace period. This is a need-based loan as determined by the FAFSA information. This loan must be repaid. The maximum aggregate loan (subsidized and unsubsidized combined) amount allowed for undergraduate studies is $31,000 for dependent students and $57,500 for independent students and those students for whom the parent(s) are unable to borrow Plus loans.

B. Direct Unsubsidized Loans for Undergraduate Students

This is a long-term, low-interest federal loan. The current interest rate is 5.50%, but is subject to change. “Unsubsidized” means the student is responsible for the interest on the loan. Interest payments can be capitalized, which means they will be deferred with the principal while the student is in school. This interest amount will be added to the principal balance. This is a non-need-based loan as determined by the FAFSA information. This loan must be repaid. The maximum aggregate loan (subsidized and unsubsidized combined) amount allowed is $31,000 for dependent students and $57,500 for independent students and those students for whom the parent(s) are unable to borrow Plus loans.

C. Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (Plus)

The PLUS loan program is available to parents of dependent students and has a fixed rate of 8.05%, but subject to change. These loans serve as a supplemental source of money to parents on behalf of their dependent son or daughter. Plus loans, unlike the Federal Loans program, are subject to credit approval by a lender and repayment begins within 60 days of full disbursement, although deferments are available if the student is currently enrolled at least half-time. If the parent’s credit is denied, the student may be eligible for additional Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loans. There are no aggregate loan limits however Plus loan amounts cannot exceed the cost of attendance for the award period less other financial assistance for the award period. This loan is in the parent’s name.

Personal Finances

When budgeting for each school year, the following fixed expenses should be considered in the calculation of your total budget. These expenses vary greatly depending on your lifestyle. The amounts listed below are general estimates. Once enrolled in the program, we will be happy to email you a budget worksheet with a more detailed list of expenses to help you manage your money wisely. You can also visit our net price calculator to help you estimate your costs.

Tuition and Fees – BFA Tuition for the 2023/2024 academic year will be $31,618per year.
Atelier Certificate Tuition for 2023/2024 academic year will be $30,943 per year.

Housing (includes utilities) – $9,000 to $12,000 a year

Food and Incidentals – $2,400 and $5,400 a year

Books and Supplies – $500 to $1,500 a year

Additional items to consider are transportation, personal and miscellaneous expenses. You should also have an Emergency Fund for unexpected expenses. Many local stores, retailers and movie theatres offer discounts to students. Have your student I.D. on hand!

Please click here for the HEERF reporting information.