The Culinary Institute of America

Click any of the Frequently Asked Questions below for an answer.

• Admissions
  • Q:   How long is the associate degree program?
  • Q:   How long is the bachelor’s degree program?
  • Q:   Can you double major in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts?
  • Q:   I graduated from high school a few years ago. Do I need to fill out a secondary school report?
  • Q:   What scores are required on the SAT?
  • Q:   How can I get the 6 months work experience required for admission?
  • Q:   Why do I need the 6 months work experience required for admission?
  • Q:   Will vocational schooling be considered as experience?
  • Q:   Does working in a deli or pizza parlor meet the experience requirement?
  • Q:   What is the student-to-instructor ratio?
  • Q:   When can I start classes at the CIA?
  • Q:   Is home schooling acceptable?
  • Q:   Can I transfer credit from another school?
  • Q:   Where can I stay while visiting campus?
  • Q:   Do you offer part-time study or night classes?
  • Q:   Are CIA kitchens kosher?
  • Q:   How much will I earn when I graduate?
  • Q:   What degree will I earn?
  • Q:   Will I be a chef when I graduate?
  • Q:   How do I become a Certified Master Chef (C.M.C.) or Certified Master Pastry Chef (C.M.P.C.)?
  • Q:   As an International student, can I work while I go to school?
  • Q:   I am an International student. Can I get financial aid?
  • Q:   What scholarships do you offer?
  • Q:   Is financial aid available?
  • Q:   What does it cost to attend the CIA?
  • Q:   Can I work while I go to school?
  • Q:   What is the average age of CIA students?
  • Q:   Where is the CIA located?
  • Q:   How big is Hyde Park?
  • Q:   Do you have on-campus housing? What does it cost?
  • Q:   Do I have to live on campus?
  • Q:   Do I need a car on campus?
  • Q:   Can I view the CIA's academic catalog online?
• Disabilities
  • Q:   What is a disability?
  • Q:   What criteria are used to determine if a student is acceptable to our programs of study?
  • Q:   What type of diploma is required for entrance into our programs?
  • Q:   What is the difference between having an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and an IEP Diploma?
  • Q:   Should applicants to The Culinary Institute of America inform the Admissions Office that they have a learning disability or ADD/ADHD?
  • Q:   Will applicants with grades that are below the acceptable level receive special consideration if it is known that they have a documented disability?
  • Q:   If the Admissions Office requires an entrance exam, are accommodations such as extended time available for disabled students?
  • Q:   If I send information of my disability to the Admissions Office, am I automatically registered with the Learning Strategies Center?
  • Q:   Once accepted, how do students diagnosed with a learning disability and/or ADD/ADHD become eligible to receive services and/or accommodations?
  • Q:   What is considered proper documentation for a learning disability and ADD/ADHD?
  • Q:   How recent must my documentation be in order to receive services?
  • Q:   Is a letter from a physician sufficient documentation for learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD?
  • Q:   Must I have documentation in order to receive tutoring?
  • Q:   Is there a charge for services to disabled students?
  • Q:   Is an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) acceptable documentation for a learning disability or ADD/ADHD?
  • Q:   Can one be tested on campus for a learning disability or ADD/ADHD?
  • Q:   Can the fee be put on the student’s account for later payment?
  • Q:   By what process does a student receive in-class or out-of-class accommodations?
  • Q:   Will instructors be told by someone other than the student of that student’s disability?
  • Q:   What are some of the accommodations that The Culinary Institute of America provides to learning disabled students?
  • Q:   Are there special programs for students with learning disabilities?
  • Q:   Are learning-disabled students responsible for learning the same information and demonstrating the same skills as everyone else?
  • Q:   Are services and reasonable accommodations available for students with medical or physical disabilities?
  • Q:   Can we accommodate students in wheelchairs or scooters?
  • Q:   What is meant by "technical standards?"
  • Q:   Can a student audit our degree programs without physically participating in them?
  • Q:   Are services and accommodations available for students with emotional disabilities and or rehabilitated drug/alcohol issues?
  • Q:   Is test anxiety a disability?
  • Q:   Are services and accommodations available for students with visual impairments?
  • Q:   Are services and accommodations available for students with hearing impairments?
  • Q:   Are services and accommodations available for students with a temporary disability?
  • Q:   Will disclosure of a student’s disability remain confidential?
  • Q:   Will disclosure of a student’s disability come back to "haunt" his or her educational and professional future?
  • Q:   Is there college funding available for students with disabilities?
  • Q:   What are the most challenging classes for learning-disabled students?
  • Q:   Have the books used in our degree programs been recorded?
  • Q:   Are students with disabilities successful at The Culinary Institute of America?
  • Q:   Can I transfer credit from another school?
  • Q:   How does a student get a single dorm room?
  • Q:   Where do I obtain a disabled parking permit?
  • Q:   With whom can I speak if I have questions regarding services to disabled students?
• Financial Aid
  • Q:   How do I apply for Financial Aid?
  • Q:   When should I apply for financial aid?
  • Q:   Are other forms required?
  • Q:   When will I know what financial aid I am receiving?
  • Q:   When should I begin to make loan arrangements?
  • Q:   What do "cost of attendance"and "family contribution"mean?
  • Q:   How is financial need determined?
  • Q:   Will the college meet my financial need?
  • Q:   What is the difference between need- and merit-based aid?
  • Q:   Is there a maximum household income level which automatically makes me ineligible for financial aid?
  • Q:   If I don't think I will qualify for federal aid because my household income and assets may be too high, should I still file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?
  • Q:   I already have a degree. For purposes of a Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan and/or Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, am I considered a graduate student?
  • Q:   I have a bachelor's degree. What financial aid am I eligible for?
  • Q:   Will I receive the entire Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan and Federal PLUS or Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan in one payment?
  • Q:   What if my Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan and/or Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan funds do not arrive before I start classes?
  • Q:   When can I get my refund?
  • Q:   How do I find a Federal Work-Study job on campus?
  • Q:   Who is eligible for TAP?