Postgraduate Gap Year
A Year That Makes a Difference
Enrolling in a Postgraduate Gap Year at Idyllwild Arts can be a defining, transformative step between high school and college. Students leave with stronger portfolios, deeper artistic confidence, and a clearer vision for their creative future.
About the Program
The Idyllwild Arts Postgraduate Gap Year Program offers motivated artists a focused year to refine their craft, strengthen their portfolio, and prepare for top college and conservatory programs.
Students join the vibrant Idyllwild Arts Academy community and spend the year immersed in advanced artistic training, creative collaboration, and personalized mentorship. With small classes and dedicated faculty, students receive the time, space, and guidance needed to grow both artistically and academically before beginning the next step in their education.
For many students, this year becomes a turning point: a chance to deepen artistic identity, build confidence, and develop the portfolio or audition materials needed for competitive college admissions.
The Right Program for You?
This program is ideal for students who:
- Have earned their High School Diploma, but want to strengthen their portfolio or audition materials before applying to college
- Are seeking an additional year of focused artistic training and mentorship
- Wish to explore their artistic voice while building confidence and independence
- Want to experience an immersive arts environment with peers who share their passion
- Are looking for time to grow creatively before committing to a college program
- Want to bolster their academic backgrounds or deepen their English language skills
Learn about what life is like as a student on our beautiful mountaintop campus.
Learn about Housing and Residential Life.
Artistic Development Highlights
Postgraduate Gap Year students work closely with faculty to identify artistic goals and create a personalized path of study. Students focus on developing new work, refining technique, and experimenting creatively. By the end of the year, students leave with a stronger artistic voice and a portfolio or audition repertoire ready for college admissions.
Program Highlights Include:
- One year of intensive artistic development within the Idyllwild Arts Academy community, with studio access and dedicated project time
- Individualized mentorship from professional artists and faculty, including valuable feedback and critiques
- Small class sizes and personalized instruction
- Participation in masterclasses with visiting artists and creative professionals
- Collaborative opportunities with Academy students across all arts disciplines
- Opportunity to serve as a Teaching Assistant for select classes, helping faculty support younger students while building leadership experience and strengthening college and portfolio resumes
- Dedicated time to develop college portfolios, audition material, and applications
Program Enrollment Information
- Online admission application
- High School diploma
- The same portfolio or audition requirements as grades 9th – 12th
- Two teacher references: 1 Art & 1 Academic
- For international students seeking to attend college in the USA or other English-speaking country, TOEFL score of 90, IELTS score of 6.5, or Duolingo score of 115*
- Student must be under 21 years of age throughout the Postgraduate Gap Year
- Academic courses complementing student’s current transcript to meet University of California admissions requirements
- Life Skills course with College Counseling
- Arts classes in the afternoon
Postgraduate Gap Year students have the same rules and expectations as Idyllwild Arts Academy 12th grade students. Postgraduate students may not live independently in town as a day student even if they are 18 or older.
Our Postgraduate Gap Year program is a customized curriculum based on the student’s goals. Because of college application deadlines, students who are English Language Learners and wish to attend conservatories/colleges/universities in the US or other English-speaking countries, we highly recommend having earned a TOEFL score of 90, IELTS score of 6.5, or Duolingo score of 115 prior to the start of their postgraduate year. However, we know college at an English-speaking institution is not necessarily the goal for all students who may wish to have a postgraduate year with us. For those students, we can offer additional ELL support through our advanced English for Academic Communication courses, as well as customized Arts training.
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