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What Are Film Schools?
Film schools are a great way to learn about the craft of filmmaking.
They offer many different courses for all levels and types of students looking to get into the film industry.
Some teach how to shoot film from a cinematography perspective, some teach editing, sound design, producing, screenwriting, etc. The list goes on.
The best thing about film school is the connections that a student can make there. You work closely with talented future professionals who will make great connections as you grow your career.
Top film schools in the US & Canada
Top film schools in the US
American Film Institute (AFI)
The school which David Lynch said he would give up everything “in a heartbeat” to attend, the American Film Institute (AFI) is perhaps the most famous of all film schools in Los Angeles, if not the whole of the US, thanks to the fact it hosts festivals and star-studded events throughout the year.
The institute enables students to produce as many as four personal films during their studies and to get advice from visiting industry experts including the likes of 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen. Boasting 27 Emmy nominations among their alumni in 2017 alone, the American Film Institute also counts South Park producer Anne Garefino and Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky among its past fellows.
Tuition fees including production materials: US$57,340 (The AFI Conservatory Program, 1st year students); $59,348 (2nd year students)
CalArts
The CalArts School of Film and Video, dreamt up by Walt Disney shortly before he died in 1966, is another of the most prestigious film schools in Los Angeles (CalArts is located in the suburb of Valencia) and is a stomping ground for many of the best animators and filmmakers in Hollywood.
Tim Burton, one of CalArts’ earlier graduates, has since been followed by a series of notable Disney animators including Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), Brad Bird (The Incredibles) and Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee (Frozen). Film studies degrees offered at CalArts include the BA, MA, MFA and DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts).
2018/19 tuition fees: US$48,660 (all students excluding M.A. in Aesthetics and Politics students)
Los Angeles Film School
Located slap-bang in the middle of Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, it’s easy to see how the Los Angeles Film School got its name as one of the most notable schools for budding Hollywood filmmakers. Offering bachelor and associate degrees in all areas of the entertainment industry, the Los Angeles Film School also encompasses the Los Angeles Recording School, home of the famous RCA building where Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones once recorded their music. The Los Angeles Film School also offers online programs in digital filmmaking, graphic design and the entertainment business.
2017 tuition fees: US$40,270 (A.S film, domestic students program total); US$53,220 (international students)
Kanbar Institute of Film & Television, NYU
Outside of Los Angeles, leading film schools in the US include New York’s Kanbar Institute of Film & Television, which is a part of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Located in the center of one of the world’s most culturally vibrant and renowned metropolises, Kanbar Institute of Film & Television boasts world-class alumni such as respected filmmaker Martin Scorsese and the much-praised creator of US TV series Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan.
In 2017, six members of the Tisch School of Arts’ alumni community were nominated for an Oscar. In addition to the film school’s main NYC campus, the school also has a campus in Singapore. As well as a number of undergraduate film studies degrees, the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television offers a postgraduate-level MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Filmmaking.
2017/18 tuition fees: US$26,451 (all students). Students should also expect to pay an additional US$1,261 for registration per term and US$1,655 per additional unit.
USC School of Cinematic Arts
The University of Southern California’s USC School of Cinematic Arts is a place where many of Hollywood’s most famed filmmakers started out. Receiving millions of dollars of support every year from the likes of George Lucas, the USC School of Cinematic Arts offers world-class media facilities such as an IMAX theatre and research lab, making it one of the most state-of-the-art film schools in Los Angeles.
Alumni of the USC School of Cinematic Arts include comedy writer and producer Judd Apatow and Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios. Film degrees offered by the USC school of Cinematic Arts include the BA, BFA and the MFA.
2017/18 tuition fees: US$53,448 (undergraduate level); US$32,927-48,247 (graduate level). Additional fees for equipment may also apply.
Other top film schools in the US:
- Boston University’s College of Communication
- Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts
- Colorado Film School
- Columbia University’s School of the Arts
- Emerson College’s Department of Visual & Media Arts
- Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television
- New York Film Academy
- Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts
- UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television
- University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts
- University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication
Top film schools in Canada
Toronto Film School
The Toronto Film School is well established as one of the best film schools in Canada. With a wide curriculum covering everything from film and TV production to interior decorating, the Toronto Film School is a career-focused school with a strong commitment to providing practical industry knowledge. Programs at the Toronto Film School take between one and two years to complete and all students graduate with a diploma.
2019 tuition fees:
- For 18 month programs: CA$35,158 (~US$26,450). International students pay an additional fee of CA$18,458 (~US$13,900).
- For 12 month programs: $22,980 (~US$17,300). International students pay an additional CA$12,064 (~US$9,080).
Vancouver Film School
Offering 13 programs covering all elements of the entertainment arts industry, Vancouver Film School is another of the leading film schools in Canada. From 3D animation to sound design, Vancouver Film School offers its students a condensed one-year program focused on gaining practical skills alongside industry knowledge. Students of Vancouver Film School graduate with a diploma.
2017/18 tuition fees, Film Production: CA$35,250 (domestic students); CA$53,250 for international students (approximately US$43,430)
Other top film schools in Canada:
- Carleton University’s School for Studies in Art and Culture
- Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema
- Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts
- University of British Columbia’s Department of Theatre and Film
- York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts
Top film schools in Europe
Top film schools in the UK
London Film School
Open only to postgraduate students looking to gain a master’s degree or a PhD, the London Film School is one of the most highly reputed film schools in Europe, located in the heart of central London. Established for more than 60 years, the London Film School focuses on building craft and production skills in a practical environment, and has been named as one of just three Film Academies in the country by Creative Skillset, a UK governmental agency. Although the London Film School has only 220 students, the student base is a truly international one, with current students hailing from over 30 countries worldwide.
2018/19 tuition fees for MA Filmmaking: US$78,0620 (in total, for all students on the two-year program) plus £200/$280 for international students’ Visa Administration Fee.
National Film and Television School (NFTS)
Often lauded as the UK’s top film school, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) is hidden away on the outskirts of northwest London, near Slough. The only film school in the UK with its own film and television studios, the National Film and Television School offers a wide range of specialized postgraduate degrees, including 17 master’s programs, 14 diplomas, five certificate awards and a number of short courses.
Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park and Harry Potter director David Yates are among notable alumni of the National Film and Television School.
2018 tuition fees: £10,000-13,800 (€11,400-15,750) per year (MA programs, domestic students); £16,000-29,000 (~US$22,750-41,230) per year (MA programs, international students)
Top film schools in continental Europe
Academy of Performing Arts’ Film and TV School (FAMU)
Established in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, in 1946, the Academy of Performing Arts’ Film and TV School (FAMU) is one of the oldest and most prestigious film academies in the world. Responsible for nurturing filmmakers such as Milos Forman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) and offering programs in both Czech and English, FAMU attracts an exceptional international cohort every year.
Tuition fees: Free for Czech students and students studying in Czech; US$21,120 for an English-taught Directing degree (international students)
La Fémis
Located in Paris on the site of the old Pathé studios where the infamous Lumiere brothers are said to have invented filmmaking in 1894, La Fémis is now considered to be one of the best film schools in Paris. La Fémis offers programs taught only in French, but also provides exchange programs with US institutions such as CalArts and Columbia University. The school has around 200 students, of whom 8 percent are international.
Tuition fees: €433 (domestic students); US$13,280 (international students)
Lodz Film School
Another of the best film academies in Europe, Lodz Film School, otherwise known as the Polish National Film, Television and Theater School, is the institution that produced a large number of Poland’s top filmmakers, helping to shape the Polish cinema industry. With new departments and modern equipment being added continually, Lodz Film School is one of Europe’s leading film institutes. By way of programs, Lodz Film School offers a full spectrum of full-time, part-time, postgraduate and PhD courses, ranging from two to five years of study.
Tuition fees: US$9,940-14,920 per year (all students)
Other top film schools in Europe:
- London Metropolitan University’s Sir John CASS Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design
- University of Television and Film Munich
- National Film School, Italy
- National Film School of Denmark
- Norwegian Film School
- Screen Academy Scotland
- University of the Arts London’s College of Communication
- Russian State University of Cinematography
Top film schools in Asia
Beijing Film Academy
With Avatar’s James Cameron as a visiting fellow and one of the world’s fastest-growing film industries as a setting, the Beijing Film Academy is well-placed as the only film academy in China and the largest in the whole of Asia. The Beijing Film Academy offers a BFA taught in English, as well as a large range of undergraduate and postgraduate Chinese-language programs. The school also offers an exchange program, a Chinese-language learning program and a short-term training program.
Tuiton fees: US$12,720 per year (English MFA, international students)
Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA)
South Korea’s flagship film school, established in 1984, the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) is at the heart of the nation’s film industry. While many alumni of the Korean Academy of Film Arts currently dominate their home market, some, such as Bong-Joon Ho (Snowpiercer), are busy creating a buzz in the US.
Other top film schools in Asia:
- City University of Hong Kong’s School of Creative Media
- Film and Television Institute of India
- Hong Kong Baptist University’s Academy of Film
- Whistling Woods International Film school, India
Other top film schools around the rest of the world:
- Australian Film, Television and Radio School
- Sydney Film School, Australia
- Tel Aviv University’s Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Israel
This article was originally published in January 2015. It was updated in February 2018.
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This article was originally published in February 2018 . It was last updated in August 2022
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