Prospective Students

The Ruth Asawa School of the Arts is a San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), public high school for 9th - 12th grade students.  We offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum in addition to visual and performing art classes daily. 

Students apply for one art department or strand within a department and remain in that department for 4 years.

Students attending Asawa SOTA are expected to perform and/or rehearse outside the regular school hours.

Asawa SOTA has 8 art departments with 10 strands.  Students select one art department or strand within a department.

• Architecture & Design

• Dance - Conservatory Dance or World Dance

• Media & Film

• Music - Classical Instrumental, Contemporary Instrumental, Vocal, or World Music

• Technical Theater -  Stagecraft or Costume & Fashion Design

• Theatre - Acting, Musical Theatre

• Visual Arts - Drawing, Painting, Digital, Sculpture

• Writing - Creative Writing or Spoken Arts

Ruth Asawa SOTA Application  -  Deadline December 15, 2023 

Audition Assignment (by art department)  -  Deadline December 15, 2023

Audition (In-Person at Asawa SOTA):    Saturday, February 3, 2024, Times TBD,  SAVE THE DATE,

Where prospective students connect with Asawa SOTA students

The SOTA Buddy Program is an initiative aimed at helping prospective or incoming SOTA students connect with current SOTA students via email to gain valuable insights into student life and the SOTA experience.

Sign Up HERE if you are interested in connecting with a current SOTA student.

We offer 2 School Tours:  No appointment is necessary and all are welcome!

• Wednesday, October 4, 2023, from 1:00pm - 2:30pm
• Wednesday, November 1, 2023, from 1:00pm - 2:30pm 

Tour Details: 

• Tours begin promptly at 1:00pm
• Tours are held in the Dan Kryston Memorial Theatre, DKMT (main theatre) on the Asawa SOTA campus, located at 555 Portola Drive, San Francisco.
• Tours include an auditorium presentation, student guided school tour, and visit to the art department prospective students are applying to.
• Tours end at 2:30pm

Please note: 

• Campus parking is available but limited.
• School tours are held on early dismissal days for Asawa SOTA students. Students guide school tours but are not present in art classrooms.

There are no student shadow opportunities. We recommend you attend a School Tour.