Frequently Asked Questions

Accreditation

Additional information regarding the ACICS accreditation of the International Academy of Design & Technology may be obtained from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, 750 First Street NE, Suite 980, Washington, DC 20002-4241, (202) 336-6780.

Licensing and Approvals

The Academy– Online is Licensed by Means of Accreditation by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding this licensure may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, toll-free telephone number (888) 224-6684.

The Academy– Online is authorized for operation as a postsecondary education institution by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. In order to view detailed job placement and graduation information on the programs offered by The Academy, please visit www.state.tn.us/thec and click on the Authorized Institutions Data button.

Students who previously attended an accredited college or university may be granted transfer credit, at the sole discretion of the International Academy of Design & Technology, if the courses taken at the previous school are determined by the Academy to be sufficiently equivalent to courses offered at the Academy. In addition, the Academy must determine that those courses are applicable to their program of study at the Academy. Only courses in which the student earned a grade of C or above will be considered for transfer.

Students seeking transfer of credit are responsible for having official transcripts forwarded to the Academy for review. A student must petition for transfer credit with the Registrar as soon as possible after acceptance into the school. Transfer credit will only be considered for coursework completed prior to the student’s term start date at the Academy.

Students should apply as soon as possible to secure acceptance for a specific program and start date. All applicants are required to complete a personal telephone interview with an International Academy of Design & Technology Admissions Representative. Parents and/or significant others are encouraged to be present and participate in this conversation. This interview provides prospective students and their families with the opportunity to learn about the college's degree programs and the support services that are available to all students. Personal interviews also enable school administrators to determine whether an applicant is a strong candidate for enrollment into his/her desired program.

The following items must be completed or provided at the time of application:

• Attestation of graduation from a secondary school with a standard diploma, high school equivalency certificate or diploma through any state Department of Education or through the U.S. military; or completion of a home education program pursuant to the requirements of F.S. 232.02(04).
• Request for college transcripts if applicant is seeking transfer of previously earned credit to the Academy
• Application for Admission
• Enrollment Agreement (the signature of a parent or legal guardian is required if the applicant is under 18 years of age).
• Payment of application fee (non-refundable unless applicant is denied admission or cancels application within three days of the school's receipt of the Enrollment Agreement and application fee).

The school reserves the right to deny admission to applicants.

Non-Discrimination Policy
The Academy admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability or any other factor prohibited by law.

For additional information about applying to the Academy - Online, please contact an Admissions Representative.

If you are ready to get started, you can apply online right now!

International students may have additional information to consider when applying for admission.

One of the many advantages of choosing the Academy - Online to pursue your education is that the application and enrollment processes have been streamlined and can be completed almost entirely online. The entire process can take as little as four to seven days to complete. The length of time depends on how soon you complete the personal telephone interview and return all required documentation to the Academy - Online.

The reasons creative people choose the Academy - Online are as diverse as our student population. We've compiled a Top 10 List of reasons many people choose to earn an industry-current degree entirely online on our interactive Virtual Campus.

The Academy - Online offers career-focused degree programs for tomorrow's creative professionals. For an up-to-date list of academic programs currently accepting applications for admission, please click here.

The primary difference is that online degree programs are offered to meet the needs of students with time and location restraints.

At the Academy - Online, academic programs are continually evaluated and updated for relevance and applicability. Faculty members work closely with industry representative boards made up of respected professionals in numerous creative industries.

Online learning allows you to study whenever and wherever it's most convenient for you. This format provides a great deal of flexibility to people who have complicated schedules, demanding jobs, or family responsibilities.

Getting your degree online involves interaction with instructors and classmates online, rather than attending class on a traditional campus. Courses are delivered entirely online via the Internet; you will complete all your work using a computer.

But at the Academy - Online, our online degree programs offer more than just a simple email exchange between faculty and students. Our students become part of a vibrant online learning community that offers many opportunities for interaction—including discussion boards and live chat sessions. Our courses include innovative multimedia presentations, instructor-led discussions, lectures and group projects.

The Academy - Online offers an array of support services to ensure students have every opportunity to succeed. From the Virtual Campus you will have one-click access to multiple departments, including your instructor. Plus, the Academy - Online has a 24/7 Help Desk to provide technical support. You can speak with a trained tech support person at 866-755-4238 (option 2).

The Academy - Online offers multiple sessions throughout the year. That means you won't have to wait long to begin pursuing your degree of choice. Once you have spoken to an Admissions Representative, they will let you know the start date of the next available session. To find out how to get enrolled in time for the next session, contact an Admissions Representative.

At the Academy - Online, you can apply online. Once we receive your application, an Admissions Representative with work with you to complete the enrollment process.

The Academy participates in various federal and private financial aid programs that are available for those who qualify. Students who are either enrolled or accepted for enrollment may qualify for financial assistance if their personal financial resources are unable to meet the full cost of their education.

Many of the Academy - Online students discover that they can qualify for some form of financial aid, which can help them pay for their education. Our knowledgeable Financial Aid staff is available to assist you through the financial aid process and to help you discover a variety of programs including:

• Federal Grants
  These include Federal Pell and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, which are awarded based on financial need. Federal grants do not have to be repaid.
• Federal Student Loans
  These include Federal Stafford and Federal Parent-PLUS loans. These loans have different criteria and requirements and must be repaid after graduation or if you drop below half-time enrollment.
• Private Loans
  These are offered by various lending institutions as alternative loans to help cover the gap between the cost of education and the amount of federal programs offered.

Yes. If you are accepted to the Academy - Online, our Financial Aid staff will explain to you how this process works and will assist you with other items pertaining to financial aid.

All students are encouraged to research outside assistance that may be offered through other organizations, such as your company's human resources department. Most public libraries provide publications listing educational benefits offered by agencies throughout the United States.

The International Academy of Design & Technology annually offers tuition scholarship awards to encourage the pursuit of higher education. Scholarships do not have to be repaid. Scholarship opportunities available to the Academy students. Scholarship opportunities may be viewed in our course catalog.

To learn more, please contact an Admissions Representative.

With 100% web-based multimedia classes and industry-current technology, you won't believe how cool online learning can be. The Academy - Online's innovative Virtual Campus is open all night, accessible from any Internet-connected computer and ready when you are to advance your knowledge and skills.

You can also interact in real-time with classmates and instructors, complete meaningful group projects and learn to work in collaborative team environments designed to prepare you for what to expect in real-world work situations.

The faculty at the Academy - Online is made up of creative professionals who are dedicated to helping you achieve your personal, professional and academic goals. You can learn from industry experienced instructors and design educators eager to share their firsthand, real-world knowledge in your field of interest.

At our college, we believe creative students benefit from personal attention from teachers and administrators, so our goal is to provide a student-centric environment that not only helps you sharpen your creative skills but also prepares you use them to your strongest advantage in today's competitive job market.

You will be able to access your classes via our Virtual Campus, which is open 24/7 and is accessible wherever you have an Internet-connected computer. After you are accepted for enrollment at the Academy, you will receive a password for the Virtual Campus, which will allow you to attend classes and access all of the services available to our students.

Our Career Services representatives are assigned to particular programs to allow employers to develop relationships with someone that understands their industry and employment needs. Representatives have a strong understanding of the skill sets, portfolios/demo reels and career goals of graduates from the programs they assist.

To learn more about the Academy Career Services Department, please click here.

The Academy - Online's degree programs are designed around the current, real-world demand for knowledgeable, skilled professionals in a wide range of creative industries. Our courses are continually revised and updated to meet the needs of today's changing global marketplace for creative professionals.

Yes. The Academy - Online's career-focused degree programs emphasize real-time interaction between students and their instructors and classmates. This interaction is achieved via email, chat sessions and discussion boards. Modern technology and the Internet also make it possible for your son or daughter to complete meaningful group projects with classmates, providing them with interpersonal skills development that should benefit them once they begin their professional careers.

Outside of the virtual classroom, instructors are accessible to their students via chat sessions and email, and all keep designated office hours to accommodate their students.

One of the main advantages of enrolling at the Academy - Online is that you don't have to pay room and board for your son or daughter. Our Financial Aid Department can work with you to develop a financial plan that will show you how to make attending school affordable.

Innovative technology now makes it possible for the Academy - Online to deliver an industry-current education that's accessible from any Internet-connected computer. Our goal is to enrich our students personally, educationally and professionally. We are dedicated to ensuring your son or daughter gets the kind of education that can help prepare him or her for a bright, successful future.

At the Academy - Online, students can learn from credentialed instructors, many who have real-world experience in the creative fields they teach. Your son or daughter can interact with classmates and have opportunities to form lasting bonds.

We encourage you to learn as much as you can about our school, degree programs, faculty and career services. We encourage you to look at the Top 10 Reasons students choose the Academy - Online and read our letter to parents of prospective students.

For additional information about the Academy - Online, please contact us anytime.

People who are self-motivated and committed to earning their degree on their own terms should be right at home with the eLearning lifestyle offered on the creative Virtual Campus of the Academy - Online. Plus, your high school student may already have the necessary computer skills and Internet familiarity to be a successful online student.

Earning a degree online can be quite an exciting experience, given our multimedia classes, real-time group interaction, and dynamic, online tutorials. Outside of class, students may interact on group projects through email, discussion boards and chat rooms.

Like most traditional college courses, some of the learning at the Academy - Online takes place during classroom sessions and some takes place when students study on their own time or in groups. Many students feel that they can achieve better focus online, because the material (or exercise) is on the screen, right in front of them, without the distraction of a room full of other students.

We also hear from our students that the online format makes them more active learners. They cannot "hide" at the back of a classroom, hoping the instructor doesn't notice that they haven't raised their hand. Instead, success in an online classroom hinges on participation in discussions and group projects where everyone’s contribution is documented.

For most high school students, online learning fits like a glove. Your son or daughter should be honest about assessing their learning style and preferences, and then make an informed decision about enrolling at the Academy - Online. And once they're enrolled and learning on our Virtual Campus, we'll be with them every step of the way to help ensure their academic progress remains on track as they pursue an industry-current, career-focused degree in the exciting creative field of their choice.

In addition to meeting all of the requirements as U.S. citizens, international students must meet additional entrance requirements.

An affidavit of financial support must be submitted and then a Form 1-20 (Immigration Certificate of Acceptance) will be provided to the applicant. The school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students. Detailed information will be provided through our Admissions office and our catalog.

For additional information about applying to the Academy, please contact an Admissions Representative. Or, if you are ready to apply right now, you can click here!

Non-Discrimination Policy
The Academy admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability or any other factor prohibited by law.

Students whose native language is not English must submit Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. A minimum total score of 550 on a paper-based TOEFL, 79 on the internet-based TOEFL, or 213 on a computer-based TOEFL (or its equivalent) is required.

Assistance under federal, state or institutional financial aid programs is usually limited to U.S. citizens. International students are, therefore, encouraged to check with the appropriate authorities within their country for assistance programs that may exist for their benefit. International students are required to prearrange coverage for their education prior to acceptance at the Academy.

All students are encouraged to research outside assistance that may be offered through other organizations, such as your company's human resources department. Also, most public libraries provide publications listing educational benefits offered by agencies throughout the United States.