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Rediscover CIA

Spring term: Classes start in January; Applications are due in early December

Summer term: Classes start in May; Applications are due in mid-April

Fall term: Classes start in September; Applications are due in early August

We’ve Been Thinking About You

Why? The food industry is full of flavor and bursting with opportunities for those looking for a career that is creative, rewarding, diverse, and full of excitement. There’s never been a better time to launch or advance your career in food, beverage, and hospitality. And there’s nowhere better to do it than at CIA, where you’ll get the experiential education, academic and financial support, and professional connections you need to get right out into the industry you love.

So give CIA another look, and apply today for 2025 enrollment.

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A smiling chef wearing a tall white hat and white uniform is standing at a kitchen counter, peeling vegetables. In the background, other chefs in similar attire are busy cooking. The kitchen has a clean, organized appearance with stainless steel surfaces.

is this you?

You Belong at CIA

Make the most of your skills, knowledge, and experience with a CIA degree or certificate. We’ll prepare you to reach your career goals no matter where you are in life.

A group of people, mostly young adults, are standing outdoors near a brick wall. One person, a young man in a gray shirt with a conference badge, is smiling and looking at the camera while the others, who are slightly out of focus, are engaged in conversation.

High School Graduate

Your career in food and hospitality is waiting! Get the best preparation with hands-on instruction and practical knowledge in our CIA bachelor’s and associate degree programs.

A man in a gray suit with a striped tie stands behind a bar, smiling with his arms crossed. Several glasses, taps, and bar tools are visible on the counter in front of him. The background features shelves with various bottles and glasses.

Food Professional

Prepare to lead and advance with a CIA bachelor’s or associate degree. And check out our Turbo Option, which gets you back to work even faster.

A group of chefs, wearing white chef jackets and tall white hats, are seen in a professional setting. The focus is on a smiling female chef in the foreground, while the background chefs are slightly blurred. They appear cheerful and engaged in conversation.

Career Changer

This is your time! Pursue the food career you’ve always dreamed of with a CIA associate degree. If you already have a bachelor’s, our culinary arts certificate program is an option too.

A group of six smiling individuals dressed in white shirts, black ties, and black aprons gather together in what appears to be a kitchen or restaurant setting. They stand in front of an oven and a wall adorned with frames and equipment.

Transfer Student

Save time and tuition—transfer the college credits you’ve already earned into a CIA bachelor’s degree completion program and launch your career in food.

A person wearing a white chef's uniform and hat is smiling slightly. The uniform has a name embroidered on it. In the background, an American flag is visible. The background is out of focus, bringing attention to the person in the foreground.

Veteran or Active Duty Military

Your career in food and hospitality is waiting! Get the best preparation with hands-on instruction and practical knowledge in our CIA bachelor’s and associate degree programs.

A person with long curly hair is sitting at a table, smiling while working on a laptop and writing in a notebook. They are wearing an orange long-sleeve shirt and a smartwatch, and appear to be in a bright, modern room with minimal decor.

Graduate Degree Seeker

Advance your career with our online master’s degree, offering programs in Food Business, Sustainable Food Systems, and Wine and Beverage Management.

A woman at a booth is presenting information to two individuals at an indoor event. There is a laptop on the table displaying an image. Other items and pamphlets are spread out on the table. Several people are visible in the background, engaging in conversations.

Career Fair

400+ Recruiters, 150+ Companies, Two Awesome Days

CIA hosts the best college career fair in the world of food—exclusively for CIA students and grads. Three times a year, every year, more than 100+ of the very best food, beverage, and hospitality companies attend the CIA Career Fair—looking to hire.

Two women wearing white chef jackets are smiling and engaging with plants in a garden. They are surrounded by lush greenery and red foliage, with a building in the background. The atmosphere is bright and sunny.

Customize your learning with a bachelor’s concentration in anything from wines to farm-to-table to Asian or Mediterranean cuisine, and more.

A diverse group of people, both men and women, are outside on a patterned patio, enthusiastically posing and raising their hands. They are dressed in casual to semi-formal attire, and some are wearing hats. Buildings and trees are visible in the background.

Join our friendly, energetic community of food-obsessed students, who come from more than 40 countries.

Three smiling chefs in white uniforms and hats stand in a professional kitchen. The chef in the foreground crosses his arms confidently while the two chefs behind stand slightly blurred, also crossed-arms, conveying a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

We’ll help you get here! CIA offers a variety of student scholarships—we awarded more than $40 million last year alone. And more than 90% of CIA students receive financial aid.

For the Life you Want

If You Have a Passion for Food, You Definitely Need to be at CIA

Why? Because every CIA student shares your passion and everything about CIA is designed to feed that passion. Our faculty have diverse backgrounds and industry experiences (they literally wrote the book on food!) that will make you hungry to learn. CIA kitchens, bakeshops, labs, and restaurants are world-class. And our internships, travel experiences, and academic concentrations will shape you into the leader you want to be. A CIA education has launched thousands of careers, from executive chef to food entrepreneur to culinary R&D and more. Yours could be next!

A round, smooth cake with a glossy caramel-colored topping and a white frosting base. The cake is garnished with fresh strawberry halves and a decorative piece of striped chocolate. A blurred flower can be seen in the background.

Two chefs working in a kitchen. One chef, wearing glasses, a black cap, and a white jacket, is stirring a pot on the stove. The other chef, wearing a white hat and jacket, is observing him with hands on hips. The kitchen is bright and modern with stainless steel appliances.

Alumni Connections

For a Lifetime of Success

As a CIA graduate, you’ll be forever connected with a thriving, influential network of more than 50,000 proud alumni who know firsthand the kind of food professional you are. Maybe that’s why so many CIA grads hire fellow grads first—and why they tell interested students like you to study here (and recommend you for a CIA Alumni Referral Scholarship!).

Ready to Get Started?

Your culinary career begins now. Reach out to get more information and we’ll be in touch, or begin the application process today.

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The Culinary Institute of America

1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538

1-800-CULINARY

[email protected]

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