JoshuaHave you dreamed of pursuing a career in film but worried about how to pay for it? Film school is an exciting opportunity for hands-on learning, but the costs can be prohibitively high. Fear not – there are film schools that offer exceptional students the opportunity for full or near-full scholarships to ease the financial burden.
A Note on Definitions
Before exploring specific schools and programs, it’s important to define some key terms related to scholarships:
Full scholarship: Covers 100% of tuition, fees, room, and board. The student pays $0 out of pocket.
Partial/merit scholarship: Covers a significant but not complete portion of costs, usually based on merit. The student still pays a portion of the expenses.
Need-based aid: Financial assistance based on demonstrated financial need, usually involving filing the FAFSA form. Need-based packages can include grants, work-study, and low-interest loans.
Fellowship: Prestigious award that fully funds graduate study, often including a stipend for living expenses. Awarded based on academic or artistic excellence.
Keep these definitions in mind as we look at specific film school programs and the types of funding they offer top students. Scholarship opportunities exist at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Undergraduate Film Programs with Scholarships
Let’s start our exploration at the undergraduate level, where many students first discover their passion for film. Some exceptional film programs offer full-ride scholarships to attract the most talented applicants. Here are a few to consider:
University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Degrees: BFA in Cinematic Arts
- Scholarships: USC is renowned for its merit scholarships, including full-tuition awards. The prestigious Presidential Scholarship covers full tuition, fees, room & board for all four years. Highly competitive – awarded to less than 50 students annually across all majors.
- Requirements: Minimum 3.7 GPA, 1350+ SAT, superior art portfolio. Presidential applicants are interviewed on campus.
- Outcomes: USC alumni include Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kat Coiro, and many other top film industry figures. Nearly guaranteed success after graduation.
The prestigious USC film program is highly selective but offers full-ride opportunities to exceptional students. Located in the heart of the entertainment industry, USC provides an unparalleled network and experience.
New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts
- Location: New York City
- Degrees: BFA in Film & Television
- Scholarships: NYU offers the prestigious Presidential Scholarship for full tuition, fees, and housing for four years. Also, merit scholarships up to 50% of costs. Need-based aid is available.
- Requirements: 3.7 GPA, 1300+ SAT, outstanding portfolio/audition. The presidential process is very competitive.
- Outcomes: NYU alumni thrive in the NYC film/TV industry and beyond. Internship and networking opportunities abound at the heart of it all. Another top option for full-ride potential.
Located in the epicenter of the East Coast entertainment business, NYU’s film program allows hands-on training and access to the New York film scene. Presidential Scholarships give top students an affordable path to an elite education.
University of Texas at Austin
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Degrees: BFA in Film & Media Production
- Scholarships: Texas has generous merit scholarships up to 100% of tuition & fees. The top 10% Automatic Admission Program also grants full tuition to Texas residents.
- Requirements: Strong academics, talents, and extracurriculars. Presidential Scholars selected from the top 1% of applicants.
- Outcomes: UT film program has strong industry ties in Austin & beyond. Alumni success stories include Richard Linklater. TX residency furthers full-ride chances.
While less prolific than USC or NYU, UT Austin is an excellent public option with talented faculty. Automatic Admission and generous merit aid for residents give ambitious Texans an affordable path to top film education.
Other Considerations
Several other schools provide exceptional merit aid, like Chapman University, Emerson College, Boston University, and Loyola Marymount University. For particularly talented writers or directors, attending a top liberal arts school and self-funding film work can be a path. Schools like Vassar offer dedicated film studies and access to NYC.
The undergraduate programs highlighted award full-ride scholarships very selectively, so success relies on extraordinary talent, academics, and ambition. However, these film schools provide world-class training, access to industry, and scholarship chances for a debt-free education.
Graduate Film Programs with Fellowship Funding
For students ready to take their talents to the next level, graduate film programs offer extensive technical and craft training. While costs are higher, many elite programs provide full-funding fellowships for top applicants:
University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts
- Location: Los Angeles
- Degrees: MFA in Film Production, Screenwriting, Directing
- Funding: USC offers full fellowships covering tuition & fees, plus $30k living stipend for two years. Highly competitive – around 15 fellowships annually.
- Requirements: Undergrad degree, minimum 3.5 GPA, strong GRE, exceptional portfolio/writing samples. Fellowship applicants are vetted through a lengthy process.
- Outcomes: USC grad alumni achieve immense success at the highest levels of film/TV. The program is considered number 1 in the world. Fellowship essentially guarantees admission if selected.
The highly acclaimed USC MFA program has arguably the greatest name recognition and career outcomes in graduate film education worldwide. Its selective fellowships provide unparalleled preparation.
American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory
- Location: Los Angeles
- Degrees: MFA in Filmmaking, Screenwriting, Producing
- Funding: AFI offers 5 top fellowships covering full costs of attendance for two years. Also, partial fellowships and need-based aid.
- Requirements: BA/BS, strong writing/directing sample, minimum 3.0 GPA, proven talent. Intensive application/interview.
- Outcomes: AFI Conservatory alumni work at top levels of film/TV production nationally. Well-connected network upon graduation.
With Hollywood celebrities and leaders on faculty, AFI provides excellent hands-on training and industry preparation. Selective fellowships fund a prestigious graduate education.
New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts
- Location: New York City
- Degrees: MFA in Film, Directing, Producing
- Funding: NYU offers full fellowships including $20k-$30k stipends. Merit scholarships are also possible.
- Requirements: BA/BFA, minimum 3.0 GPA, strong writing samples. Admission is extremely competitive.
- Outcomes: Tisch alumni thrive in New York and international film/TV circles. Resources of NYC at their fingertips.
Situated in the center of the film and television industries, NYU’s graduate programs immerse students in the NYC production environment. Full fellowships make this elite training financially possible.
University of Texas at Austin
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Degrees: MFA in Film & Media Production, Screenwriting
- Funding: UT offers competitive graduate fellowships and assistantships funding 50-100% of the costs of attendance. Merit scholarships are also available.
- Requirements: BA/BFA, 3.0 GPA, written work sample, proven skills. Admission is selective. Texas residency is a plus.
- Outcomes: The program ranks in the top 10. Many alumni become leaders in the independent film world and beyond.
While less renowned than USC or NYU, the UT Austin graduate film program still provides an excellent affordable education through selective merit aid opportunities. Texas residency enhances full-funding chances.
Career Outcomes from Top Film Schools
By earning an undergrad or grad degree from one of these top film schools, talented students position themselves extremely well for careers in the entertainment industry:
- Directors: Famed alumni from programs like USC, AFI, and NYU go on to direct major Hollywood films, television shows, documentaries and more. Names like Brad Bird, Sofia Coppola, and Ezra Edelman.
- Screenwriters: Gradutes pen scripts that get made into box office hits and award-winning films/TV. Alumni like John August (Big Fish), Diablo Cody (Juno), and Beau Willimon (House of Cards) find immense success.
- Producers: Leading producers behind movies and series have degrees from top schools. Examples include Shonda Rhimes, J.J. Abrams, and Jason Blum.
- Cinematographers: Acclaimed Directors of Photography who have studied at top schools include Roger Deakins (Skyfall, 1917), Linus Sandgren (La La Land, First Man), and Rachel Morrison (Black Panther, Mudbound), among many others.
- Editors: Accomplished film editors behind legendary movies include Michael Kahn (Schindler’s List, Raiders of the Lost Ark), Angus Wall (Social Network, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and many more.
- Producers: In addition to the aforementioned producers, celebrated alumni also include Scott Rudin, Roy Lee, and Dana Brunetti, among countless others pushing creative boundaries.
- And beyond: The extensive network of alumni in all film/television roles is almost unmatched. From VFX, animation, and production design to marketing and various executive positions, these schools bridge graduates directly into thriving careers.
Attending a premier film school with full scholarship funding opens up so many doors to tell stories at the highest level. Hard work and talent during the program prepare graduates to succeed enormously in the entertainment field.
Joshua