Apply to Ruth Asawa School of the Arts

To apply to Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA) for the 2026-27 school year: Link to this section

1. Fill out a 2026-27 SFUSD application in ParentVue between October 17, 2025 and December 12, 2025. The SFUSD application must have Asawa SOTA listed as one of your requested school. If the application lists SOTA as a requested school, additional SOTA application pages will appear within the online application.
2. Complete the audition assignment on Ruth Asawa's website. Assignments are specific for the department you apply to and some require students to UPLOAD in advance (see below), Deadline: December 12, 2025.
   • Visual Art Departments UPLOAD the Audition Assignment, deadline: December 12, 2025.  This includes Architecture + Design, Media + Film, Tech: Stagecraft and Costume + Fashion Design, Visual Art, Creative Writing and Spoken Arts.
   • Performing Art Departments learn, practice, and perform the Audition Assignment during the Audition. This includes Conservatory Dance, World Dance, Classical Instrumental Music, Contemporary Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, World Music, Theater Acting, Musical Theater. There is nothing to upload in advance of the audition for Performing Art Department.
3. All students Audition In-Person at Asawa SOTA on Saturday, January 10, 2026. (PLEASE SAVE THE DATE)
   • Audition times will be posted on our website December 19, 2025, by 5pm. Please check back.

Ruth Asawa Selection Process

Students who have qualified by audition and list Ruth Asawa as their first choice school will receive an assignment offer to Ruth Asawa. Those who have qualified, but list another school as a higher choice than Ruth Asawa, will go into the assignment process for their higher choices. If they receive a placement into a higher choice school, they will not receive an offer to Ruth Asawa. If a qualified student does not receive a higher requested school, they will be assigned to Ruth Asawa. Because of the student assignment process, it’s important that students list schools in their true order of preference preference. Students who do not qualify for Ruth Asawa will not be negatively impacted for their other school choices, and will be included in the assignment process for all the other choices listed on their applications.

Any questions should be directed to admissions_asawa@sfsota.org or cauthornp@sfusd.edu. 

Admission to Ruth Asawa is solely based on audition outcomes. 

A second audition may be held in April for any department that was not filled in the Main Round. 

Residency Requirement

Admission to Ruth Asawa is limited to students who reside in San Francisco only. Residents who subsequently move out of the district will not be allowed an interdistrict permit to continue.