Alabama School of Fine Arts
About
Mission Statement
The mission of the Alabama School of Fine Arts, a diverse community of explorers, is to nurture impassioned students by guiding and inspiring them to discover and fulfill their individual creative abilities in an atmosphere distinguished by the fusion of fact and feeling, risk and reward, art and science, school and society.
Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) is a state-funded public school that provides an intensive specialty-focused education in the arts, math, and science to students with outstanding talent from across Alabama. After spending each morning on robust academic coursework that exceeds state high school diploma standards, students devote sustained hours every day to honing their craft, flexing their creativity, and developing their unique voice within their chosen discipline. Our graduates build on the creative habits of mind they develop at ASFA to establish successful careers in a wide array of fields, serving as innovative leaders, cultural champions, and role models for future generations.
The only tuition-free school for the arts and sciences serving the entire state, ASFA is for students who strive for excellence in the arts and sciences in one of six specialty areas. Students can focus on creative writing, dance, math-science, music, theatre arts, and visual arts. The school offers comprehensive core academic classes. ASFA's nationally acclaimed faculty provides unmatched arts and college preparatory training.
The school operates under its own enabling legislation, policies, and procedures, guided by a state-appointed Board of Trustees, under whom serves a staff of more than 100 full and part-time administrators, teachers, and support workers. Alabama students pay a small semester matriculation fee, but no tuition or rooming fees. Students from outside Alabama pay tuition, which the school sets annually.
- Offering AP and honors classes
- ASFA students received recognitions in competitions at the state,
regional and national levels of over 470 individual and team awards
in 2022-2023 - 91% of graduating seniors receive offers of merit scholarships for
study at colleges, universities, or pre-professional conservatories. (a five-year average) - ASFA average ACT score is 26.8 (national avg: 20.8)
- $48.57 million dollars of merit scholarships have been offered to ASFA seniors over the past 5 years
- 90% of the merit offers are for multiple years of study (up to 4 years)
- 50% of ASFA graduates attend Alabama colleges and universities. UAB and the University of Alabama share a freshmen report card with us, and our graduates are always at the top of the class
The Alabama School of Fine Arts is a public school and as such, does not charge tuition to Alabama students. However, parents are responsible for certain fees, including those for specialty programs, dorm residency, and enrollment. We feel strongly that any student accepted to the school should be able to attend, regardless of family income. As such, the ASFA Foundation offers financial assistance to families to help cover these fees.