CIA Admissions FAQs

When it comes to professional bakers vs. professional pastry chefs, the fundamental difference is what they specialize in making, though there can be some crossover. Bakers create “dough-centric” products like breads, from flatbreads and baguettes to sourdoughs and seasonal breads. A pastry chef focuses on the sweet side of the profession, creating cakes, tarts, pastries, frozen desserts, and more. The baking and pastry arts degree programs at the Culinary Institute of America prepare future professionals for both sides of this delicious industry segment. For an example of a successful bread baking company headed by a CIA graduate, see the Bread Alone story.

An interest in and knowledge of wine—and food!—is critical for success as a sommelier, the professional who is in charge of wines for a restaurant and who recommends food and wine pairings for customers. The world of wines and beverages is both fascinating and complex, so college study—such as the Culinary Institute of America’s wine studies courses, Advanced Wine and Beverage bachelor’s degree concentration and master’s degree in Wine and Beverage Management—can prepare you to become a sommelier or other wine professional. Learn more about how to become a sommelier.

Connections with industry employers are crucial, and the Culinary Institute of America graduates have the distinct advantage of being members of the most powerful alumni network in food and hospitality. Another benefit of earning a degree from CIA is the free, lifelong career support you will receive from our Center for Career and Academic Advising. You’ll have access to Culinary Connect, our exclusive food and hospitality jobs database, and you can meet and interview with employers at CIA Career Fair at any time in your career.

A culinary college education offers unparalleled preparation for becoming a professional chef, baker, or pastry chef. Along with building a practical, hands-on skill foundation in food, you will also learn about business, leadership, working as a team, menus, costing, world cuisines and cultures, and so much more. The food business is exciting, fast-paced, and always changing, so you need a broad base of knowledge to make your mark as a culinary professional and be ready for the future of food. Find out more about how to become a chef.

How long it takes to graduate with a culinary degree depends on the college and the degree you’re interested in, whether that’s an associate, a bachelor’s, or a master’s. Other factors can include the major you choose, and whether you have transfer credits or significant industry work experience that might lessen the number of credits you need to take. Start your research here, by comparing a culinary arts certificate with a culinary arts degree. Then, compare programs at different culinary schools.

No matter which academic path or subjects you choose at CIA, you will graduate with a powerful combination of foundational hands-on skills, professionalism, critical thinking skills, and business and management savvy you need for success in food and hospitality.

And when you’re ready to take your food and beverage knowledge to the next level, you can earn your master’s degree from CIA’s School of Graduate Studies.

There are so many things you can do with a culinary degree (or one in Baking and Pastry Arts, Food Business Management, Culinary Science…)! The opportunities in the food and hospitality industry are vast and varied. Perhaps the best way to learn more about what you can do with a culinary degree is to read about the career paths of the Culinary Institute of America alumni. They’re leading the industry, doing what they love, and changing the world through food all at the same time.

Nurture your passion for food in every way you can! In addition, you can get experience working in the food industry and/or enroll in a vo-tech program at your high school. While neither are a requirement for culinary school, they can be a great way for you to explore.

If your interests include the Culinary Institute of America, it’s also a great idea to come to campus for one of our campus visit programs and events, like an Open House or Campus Tours. Experiencing CIA firsthand and envisioning yourself as a CIA student is one of the best ways to mentally prepare for culinary school!

In all that we do, and since our founding in 1946, the Culinary Institute of America has earned a stellar reputation as the best culinary school in America—and the world. Not only does CIA prepare the future leaders of food and hospitality for careers in every area of the industry, the college leads that industry and drives change around the globe through its innovative curricula, strategic partnerships, research, expert consulting, and the achievements of its more than 50,000 influential alumni. Learn more about the factors that make a culinary school the best.

Deciding on culinary school is all about getting the best return on your investment. A degree from a college of the caliber of the Culinary Institute of America will return big dividends throughout your career, with higher earning potential, the door-opening advantage of a prestigious credential, and more. So, yes, it is definitely worth it to go to culinary school, especially if it’s CIA. Read on.

Because CIA is accredited by the prestigious Middle States Commission on Higher Education, your CIA degree is recognized by other colleges and universities where you may wish to pursue a graduate degree. And you’ll be uniquely qualified to continue your education with CIA’s School of Graduate Studies, offering a variety of food-focused master’s programs.

Definitely! The Culinary Institute of America offers many study abroad opportunities:

• Students pursuing a CIA bachelor’s degree can take a Global Cultures and Cuisines elective course that includes two weeks studying in China, France, Italy, Peru, or Spain.
• CIA bachelor’s degree students majoring in Food Business Management and Applied Food Studies at the New York campus can choose an academic concentration that includes a semester in Spain, Japan, or Singapore—or in the U.S. at the California or Texas campuses.

The Culinary Institute of America does not offer part-time degree programs. However, students interested in earning their CIA degree while working should consider CIA’s online bachelor’s degree in Food Business Leadership, CIA’s online master’s degree in Food Business, CIA’s online master’s degree in Sustainable Food Systems, CIA’s online master’s degree in Wine and Beverage Management, or CIA’s online master’s degree in Culinary Therapeutics. In addition to these online programs, the Culinary Institute of America offers a 30-week program that can enable students to earn a CIA credential quickly: the Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program (ACAP), held at CIA’s California campus in the Napa Valley.

Yes. The Culinary Institute of America offers an online master’s degree in Food Business, an online master’s degree in Sustainable Food Systems, an online master’s degree in Wine and Beverage Management, and an online master’s degree in Culinary Therapeutics. These two-year online culinary master’s degrees are ideal for working professionals who want to advance their career or launch their own food or beverage business with the advantages of a CIA education, credential, mentoring, and industry connections.

CIA also offers an online bachelor’s degree in Food Business Leadership, a 30-credit program exclusively for graduates of the college’s associate degree programs. The program gives students the advanced knowledge and essential connections they need to grow their careers and become next-level leaders.

There are a total of five Culinary Institute of America campuses and locations. The flagship campus of CIA is located in New York’s bountiful Hudson Valley. There are also branch campuses in California’s Napa Valley and San Antonio, TX, and an international location in Singapore. These four locations offer the college’s world-famous degree programs:

The Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499
845-452-9600

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
2555 Main Street
St. Helena, CA 94574
707-967-1100

The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio
312 Pearl Parkway, Building 2, Suite 2102
San Antonio, TX 78215
210-554-6400

The Culinary Institute of America, Singapore
Temasek Polytechnic
Block 31, Temasek Culinary Academy, 21 Tampines Avenue 1
Singapore 529757
+65 6780-6382

In addition, CIA offers food adventurers the chance to experience the past, present, and future of food at CIA at Copia, a “foodie wonderland” located in California’s Napa Valley.

The Culinary Institute of America at Copia
500 1st Street
Napa, CA 94559
707-967-2500

We can’t wait to welcome you to CIA!

• If you’re interested in a career in food and a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, we invite you to join us for one of our Open Houses and visit events for prospective students and families at our New York, California, and Texas campuses.
• Whether you are eating at a CIA restaurant, taking a CIA class for food and wine enthusiasts, or just curious about all that happens at the college, make plans to take a guided tour of campus while you’re here!

New York campus visitor tours.

California campus visitor tours and events.

Texas campus visitor tours and events.

If you want success in food and hospitality, then the Culinary Institute of America is the only place to be. Your career is your biggest and most important financial asset, affecting your quality of life, earning potential, and future opportunities. Our incomparable education, industry reputation, and professional connections add up to the best investment you can make for your future success. Read the other reasons why the Culinary Institute of America is your best and only college choice for a leadership career in food.

The Culinary Institute of America has been the recognized leader in culinary education since its founding in 1946. We encourage you to do your research and compare what CIA offers against that of other colleges. You can start with these six key traits of the best culinary colleges.

CIA alumni work for the food industry’s biggest employers and enjoy extraordinary career opportunities and salary growth. Within five years of graduation, many get promoted and see their salaries increase by 50 percent.

There’s probably no one who better understands the lifelong value of a degree from the Culinary Institute of America than our proud and successful alumni. CIA graduates are working and leading in every segment of the food and hospitality industry, and it’s no exaggeration to say that they are changing the world through food.

Check out this list of some of the Culinary Institute of America’s alumni, and then see what several famous Culinary Institute of America alumni are saying about their alma mater. You’ll probably recognize some of the names, because many CIA graduates are celebrity chefs, Top Chef winners, Food Network stars, Iron Chefs, and award-winning competitors leading the industry.

Yes. There is a wide variety of student housing available at the New York and California campuses. And they include community kitchens (of course!).

• New York campus dorms and student housing include residence halls, Adirondack-style lodges, and townhouses. Check them out and learn more about living on the New York campus in this on-campus housing video.
• In California, dorms and student housing include the on-campus Guest House and the Vineyard Lodge Housing Center (Vineyard Lodge I and II), located approximately 3/4 mile from campus and easily accessed by shuttle service.
• On-campus housing is available only for enrolled students; CIA does not offer student family housing.
• There are also off-campus student housing options near the New York, California, and Texas campuses.

Pets are welcome on outdoor campus grounds only, provided they are leashed or tethered, fully under the control of their owner, and cleaned up after. Pets are not permitted in campus buildings.

Go Steels! In addition to intramural sports, Culinary Institute of America athletics include coed intercollegiate teams in basketball and soccer at the New York campus. All CIA teams compete across the Hudson Valley, which spans from New York City to Albany, NY.

There are so many student activities at the New York campus to choose from! Students can get involved with clubs, enjoy special events like cookoffs and Wicked Weekend, take part in outdoor activities like whitewater rafting and hiking, check out farmers markets, and take day trips to New York City. There’s also lots of fun to be had at our California campus and in the surrounding Napa Valley, as well as at the CIA Texas campus and the city of San Antonio.

To view the Culinary Institute of America’s admission requirements for the specific degree or certificate program you are interested in, visit our How to Apply page. To view our programs, visit the associate degree programs, bachelor’s degree programs, master’s degree programs, or certificate program pages and, from there, choose your major.

Applying for admission to the Culinary Institute of America is easy! You can apply online with CIA’s own application or use the Common Application. See the steps for applying for admission to CIA.

Yes, international students are a big part of the Culinary Institute of America’s diverse campus community, making up more than 15 percent of our student body. CIA students currently come from every U.S. state and nearly 50 countries! Our college is enriched by the cultures and culinary traditions of people from all over the world. Learn more about international students at CIA and find out about scholarships available to international students.

The Culinary Institute of America, a proud Military Friendly® School, today has close to 200 veterans and dependents enrolled in its degree programs. Our partnership with the U.S. armed forces dates back to 1946, when the college was founded to provide career training for returning World War II veterans. We are privileged to continue to provide the best education for military veterans interested in a leadership career in the food world.

The Culinary Institute of America accepts financial benefits for veterans and their dependents (spouse and children), including those from the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon Program. Learn more about financial benefits for veterans at the Culinary Institute of America.

Yes, transfer students and transfer credits are welcome at the Culinary Institute of America. In fact, you may be able to transfer up to 60 eligible credits into one of CIA’s degree programs.

And if you began another course of study before realizing that a career in food was what you really wanted, our bachelor’s degree completion programs in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts are perfect for you. Apply the college credits you’ve already earned and you’ll be that much closer to a CIA bachelor’s degree.

Review our Transfer Credit Policy to learn more about the specifics of transferring credit to the Culinary Institute of America, including the steps needed to get your transfer credits evaluated.

While the Culinary Institute of America doesn’t offer a specific full-tuition scholarship, we do offer institutional aid in the form of scholarships and grants, along with federal and state financial aid. In addition, CIA’s industry partners and individual supporters generously provide scholarships for our students. Combined, these scholarship and aid opportunities have enabled students to defray a large portion—or even all—of their education costs.

• Learn more about scholarships offered by CIA.
• Check out these FAQs about CIA culinary scholarships.
• Read how CIA alumnus Matthew Francis Johnson earned 18 scholarships and graduated debt-free.

If you are a member of a National Student Organization (SkillsUSA, FCCLA, and others), consider entering one of their national or state level competitions. At many of them, students who place first, second, or third will receive a certificate for a scholarship to attend CIA (even a full-tuition scholarship!). Choose “Multiple CIA Campuses” on our scholarships page to learn more.

The cost of attending the Culinary Institute of America varies by campus and program. View CIA tuition and fees.

We believe that a CIA degree is the best investment you can make for your future in food and hospitality. So we’re committed to helping you secure the funding (scholarships, grants, loans, work-study) you need to realize your dream of a Culinary Institute of America education. Find out more about the ways to pay for CIA

Yes. Veterans can use Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits to help finance their education at the Culinary Institute of America—up to 100% of your tuition may be covered depending on your years of military service. CIA also participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. Learn more.