Film Schools
Here's the index page for film school database. Most film education in the world is offered in the US with Europe on the second place, Latin America on the third, and the rest of the world behind that - admittedly also because I know less about these countries.
Films schools in the United States and Canada
North-American film schools are well researched, especially in the U.S.; and there are many students to reach out to, with both success and failure stories to tell. There are also books written on the subject, with detailed descriptions of major programs. For example, the Film School Confidential, available on Amazon.
California
Most American film schools are in California and Southern California (SoCal) as Los Angeles is where a lot of the U.S. entertainment industry is concentrated.
UCLA TFT
The UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television. According to X person on Quora, he had a good experience. MFA in Cinematography is 4 years.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
CalArts
Located in Valencia, CA, the California Institute of the Arts offers both bachelor and master's level courses. Founded by Walt Disney.Application fee:
Tuition: $37,700 / €26,300
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Art Center
Located in Pasadena, CA, the Art Center College of Design (ACCD) offers a MFA in Broadcast Cinema. This is a favorite, as it promises special focus on your individual development and has rolling admissions.Application fee: $70 / €50
Web - Wikipedia - Quora - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
USC School of Cinematic Arts
At the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. (MFA in Film&TV production - 3 years, I hope someone knows if I could get finantial aid to pay the entire third year) USC is also involved in the MFA project in Jordan. There's a brilliant take on USC film school on Quora.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Quora - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
Stanford University
Yes, you can study film at Stanford. There's the MFA for the Documentary Film and Video program. Stanford spring event with links to a number of this year's work.Application fee: $125 / €90
Tuition:
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
Duke University CFS
Duke University has a Center for Documentary Studies with an MFA offer. MFDAE. Good article about the MFDAE program, led by photographer Rankin. Located in Durham, North Carolina.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Vimeo - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
AFI Conservatory
The American Film Institute Conservatory MFA in cinematography - 2 years and sounds impressive. Graduates include many big-name Hollywood stars, such as David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Darren Aronofsky, and Mimi LederApplication fee: $75 (€52).
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
AAU
Academy of Art University School of Motion Pictures and Television offers an MFA in Film. Located in San Francisco.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
LFS
The Los Angeles Film School doesn't offer a MFA and only associate degrees are available, from programs lasting 12-18 months. The school is located at Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Experience by student Cameron Butterfield "You get in and get out ready to take on the film Industry without having to spending 4 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on a University."Tuition: $42,700 / €29 800 (per annum)
Application fee: $75 / €55
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work - Admissions: Apply.
New York
The second biggest hotspot for film education is in New York. There's nothing like living in New York City for mindblowing inspiration.The New School
Documentary Media Studies.Tuition: $12,085 per term
Application fee:
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Flickr - Vimeo - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
School of Visual Arts
SocDoc program in New York City.Web - Blog - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
Syracuse University
Not really a film school per se but a college focusing on communication in general, the Newhouse School offers a MA program in documentary filmmaking and history.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
CUNY
This is a relatively little known program, but yes you can do an MFA at the City College of New York and still get the experience of studying in New York City, right in Manhattan.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
Tisch School of the Arts
At NYU, the New York University. MFA in Filmmaking and a 3-year combined MBA/MFA are program available. Alumni include numerous Academy Award winners such as Woody Allen, James L. Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, and Emmy award winners, Tony Award winnes, and other notable people in film.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
Columbia University
Two 3-year MFA courses available at the Columbia College Chicago 1) MFA in Creative Producing, and 2) MFA in Screenwriting/Directing.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Elsewhere in the U.S.
The American University
Located in Washington DC. I asked Matthew Gordon, a student at this program for his experience.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube. Admissions: Apply.
Northwestern University
Located at the Great Lakes in Chicago, Illinois.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.
Chatham University
Web - Blog - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Vimeo - Student Works. Admissions: Apply.SAIC
While the main program is not that inspiring, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago also offers a new communicationprogram in Qatar.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Wake Forest University
Formed by staff of the closed University of Florida program, this new master's based in North Carolina offers both a MA and MFA in documentary production.Web - Twitter - YouTube. Admissions: Apply.
Ohio University
3-year MFA available. School of Film located in Athens, OH.Florida State University Film
FSU Located in Tallahassee offer of a 2-year MFA in Production based at the College of Motion Picture Arts. FSU Production MFA student Micah Ranum wins Nocholl fellowship.Tuition: $91,700 (3 years)
Application fee: $30 / €20
Web - Blog - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
U. Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin offers a 3-year MFA in Film & Media Production.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Flickr - Vimeo - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
U. Colorado, Boulder
The University of Colorado at Boulder offer a Filmmaking MFA.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Yale
Located in New Haven, Connecticut. While you cannot get and MFA you can do Film Studies at Yale, leading to a M. Phil.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Harvard
Whil you cannot get a practical film education from Harvard, you can apply to the Graduate Program in Film and Visual Studies leading to a PhD. Harvard film students have achieved some success, with people like Andrew Wesman's film "Shelley" accepted to Cannes.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Canada
Vancouver Film School
Web - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work - Admissions: Apply.York University
Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work - Admissions: Apply.Concordia University
Web. Facebook. Twitter. Student Work. Admissions: ApplyFilm Schools In Latin America
While some of the biggest names in film of recent times are from the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking South America, only a few countries in the region offer film education. There are no film schools (that I'm aware of) in Bolivia, Equador, and Paraguay.
Argentina
There's a great blog post about film education in Argentina. I speak Spanish and have lived in Argentina before, so would that be an obvious choice? Maybe not.Universidad del Cine
2-year MA in documentary cinema available (Magister en Cine Documental).Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work - Admissions: Apply.
ENERC
Spanish required.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
CIC
Spanish required.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work - Admissions: Apply.
CFP-SICA
Spanish required.No website - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Uruguay
ECU
Located in the capital, Montevideo. Escuela de Cine del Uruguay. Spanish required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - IMDB - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Chile
Escuela de Cine de Chile
Located in the capital, Santiago. Spanish required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Brazil
Brazil is one of the most happening countries in film, in a country with immense diversity, creativity, and with great many stories to tell in the country. You can probably tell I love Brasil.University of São Paulo
At the Escola de Comunicações e Artes, Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Portuguese required.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Escola de Cinema
Portuguese required.Web - Blog - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Fluminense Federal University
Portuguese required.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Estácio de Sá University
Portuguese required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Mexico
CUEC
The Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos in Mexico has some notable alumni; this is where Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Y tu mamá también), and Fernando Eimbcke, director of Lake Tahoe, studied. Spanish required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Cuba
EICTV
The International Film and Television School of San Antonio de los Baños (Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión). Spanish required. The schools also operates a program in Brazil.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - IMDB - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Film schools in Europe
While most of the films seen in the world are Hollywood productions, it were Europeans who invented the medium and there's a long and proud filmmaking tradition in many European countries.
Estonia
BFM
The Tallinn University Baltic Film and Media School offers masters in Crossmedia and Film Arts. Courses are taught in English.Tuition: $4,270 / €3000
Application fee: $60 / €40
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Portugal
Universidade Lusofona
Portuguese required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
ESTC
Portuguese required. School of Theatre and Cinema aka Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - IMDB - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Denmark
Denmark is the home to such directors as Lars von Trier and Lukas Moodysson. The Danish film industry is largely state-supported by the Danish Film Institute.Danish Film School
At the Den Danske Filmskole classes are in Danish and and only Danish-speaking students are accepted.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
European Film College
Tuition: 14,700 /€10,260Web - Facebook - Twitter - Vimeo - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Belgium
INSAS
French required.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
France
The country with the longest history in film has a number of film schools, mostly in french, but also some course in English. General Wikipedia article about film schools in France (in french).La Femis
French required. Ecole nationale supérieure des métiers de l'image et du son.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter. Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
EICAR
French required.The International Film School of Paris (École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalisation).
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter. Student Work. Admission: Apply.
Italy
Italy has a long history of film, with such influential movements as Neorealism. One of my very favorite films, Antonioni's L'Avventura, that I've analysed before, is Italian.Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
Italian required. Experimental film centre or Italian National film school. Located in Florence, Italy.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Florence International Film School
Courses are in English.Tuition fee: $43,000 / €30,000
Web - Facebook - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
IED - Milan
The global university network Istituto Europeo di Design has a branch in Milan. Courses are in English and Italian.Web - Facebook - Twitter. Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Spain
Spain is known for directors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Alejandro Amenábar.ECAM
Madrid Film School (Escuela de Cine de la Comunidad de Madrid). Spanish required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter. Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
The Netherlands
NFTA
Netherlands Film and Television Academy (Nederlandse Film en Televisie Academie).Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Norway
The Norwegian Filmschool
Located in Lillehammer, Norway and offers a master's course. Norwegian required.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter. Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
United Kingdom
The British have a proud history of filmmaking and this is also reflected in the number of film school in U.K., and also the quality of educational facilities available. Some of the names are similar, but altogether there are 6 film programs available.LFA
The London Film Academy is located London. Only professional diploma courses offered, no BFA or MFA available.Web - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube. Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
LFS
The London Film School located in the middle of the city. Offers 3 MA programs- MA Film Making, MA Screenwriting, and MA Film Curating.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
NFTS
The National Film and Television School located in London. Offers numerous MA programs, including Cinematography, Composing for Film and TelevisionDigital Post Production, Directing Animation, Directing Documentary, Directing Fiction, Editing, Games Design and Development, Producing, Producing and Directing Television Entertainment, Production Design, Screenwriting, SFX/VFX, Sound Design for Film and Television.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
NFS LMU
The Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Skillset
The Skillset Screen Academy at LCC at University of the Arts London located in London. Offers a MA in screenwriting.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Met Film School
Based at Ealing Studios, LondonWeb - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Film schools in Africa, Asia, Middle-East, and Oceania
Egypt
AAHCI
The Academy of Arts, High Cinema Institute located in. Arabic required.
Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
South Africa
AFDA
The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance located in 2 cities. Courses are in English.Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Ghana
NFTIG
The National Film and Television Institute in Ghana located in Accra. Courses are in English.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Nigeria
Nigeria is known most for its Nollywood industry.NFIN
The National Film Institute in Nigeria located in. Courses are in English.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Israel
The Sam Spiegel Film School in Jerusalem
Web - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Flickr - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.Jordan
RSICA
The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. first and only MFA program in Cinematic Arts for the Middle East and North Africa. The Royal Film Commission of Jordan in collaborating with the USC School of Cinematic Arts in the US. Courses are in English.Tuition fee:
Application fee: $75.
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - YouTube. Admissions: Apply.
South Korea
Korea National University of Arts
Korean language a requirement.Web - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Philippines
APFi
Asia Pacific Film Institute in the Philippines. Course are in English.
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Singapore
Tisch Asia
Located in Singapore. Courses are taught in English.
Web - Wikipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Quora - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
United Arabian Emirates
Abu Dhabi New York Film Academy
Courses are in English.
Web - Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
China
Beijing Film Academy
Web - Wikipedia - Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Student Work. Admissions: Apply.
Australia
Australian Film Television and Radio School
Qatar
Nortwestern Qatar Program
Courses are taught in English.
If you're a film student, don't forget to fill out the form here to add your experience.