27 Top Ranked Best Film Schools In The World 2024

Earning a degree in film is one of the first steps to becoming an artist. Film as a degree program varies in different areas – cinematic arts, media production, filmmaking, and theatre, yet all have the same concept.

The entertainment industry offers a variety of degree programs, and there are several best film schools in the world to help you achieve your passion in the industry.

Looking for the best film schools in the world can be time-consuming. Hence, in this overview, we will provide you a some of the top-ranked film schools in the world and everything you need to know about them.

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27 TOP RANKED BEST FILM SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD

Here are some of the best film schools in the world:

1. AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE

The American Film Institute ranks as one of the best film schools in the world. It is a non-profit film organization located in Los Angeles, California, offering a good range of programs in film and television. The Institute has a mission of celebrating Excellence in the art form and creating national education initiatives that inspire artists and audiences alike.

The programs offered at the American Film Institute are at the master’s level. Accepting candidates who have a minimum of five years of experience working in film, television, or visual arts.

The AFI Conservatory is a two-year master of fine arts degree program in six disciplines: cinematography, directing, editing, producing, production design, and screenwriting.

2. CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE

film schools in the world — Source: csun.edu

The California State University, Northridge is a highly recognized public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is one of the best film schools in the world.

The Cinema and Television Arts major at California State University, Northridge is under the Mike Curb College of Arts, media, and Communication, offering students the chance to gain conceptual thinking and technical skills needed for the filming industry. Students will gain the practical knowledge required to produce a TV show, film, or mass media storytelling forms.

3. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The University of Southern California is a private research university in Los Angeles. Established in 1880, it is the oldest research university in California and one of the best film schools in the world.

The School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California is highly recognized and accepted as one of the best in the country.

The school of cinematic arts is divided into seven divisions, including film and television production, Cinema and media studies, John C. Hench division of animation and digital arts, John Wells division of writing for screen and television; Interactive media and games, Media arts and practice, and Peter Stark producing program.

4. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS

The California Institute of the Arts ranks as one of the best film schools in the world. It is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was established in 1961 as the first degree-granting school for students of both the visual and performing arts.

The School of Film/Video at The California Institute of the Arts is one of the best destinations for the study and practice of the art of the moving image as a personal, evolving, and innovative art form. The school of Film/video has four areas of study: Character Animation, Experimental Animation, Film and video, and film directing.

The following degrees are offered at the School of Film/Video: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Video or a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Video.

5. BEIJING FILM ACADEMY

Beijing Film Academy is one of the world’s top film schools and the largest in Asia. It was established in 1950, and since its establishment, it has continually offered academic excellence that embraces the entire spectrum of filmmaking, including production, teaching, creation, and research for training film talents.

The degrees offered include B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in cinematography, performing, directing, and animation.

6. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

UCLA’s School of Theatre, film, and Television serves as a globally recognized interdisciplinary professional school that develops humanistic storytellers, industry leaders, and scholars. It is one of the best film schools in the world.

The school has a reputation for maintaining an uplifting, supportive, and motivating atmosphere where students can experience the transformative power of filmmaking and film production.

UCLA’s School of Theatre, film, and Television offers BA degree, minor, MFA, MA, and Ph.D. degree programs.

7. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

LMU’s School of Film and Television is one of the fastest-growing departments at Loyola Marymount University. The school ranks as one of the best film schools in the world.

The school is highly recognized for its degrees and the opportunities it provides both in and beyond the classroom, providing access to a wide range of industry professionals and special programs.

The LMU’s School of Film and Television is consistently ranked among the top 10 film schools in the world. It is dedicated to preparing students to master the creative, practical, and business aspects of filmmaking.

8. CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

Source: chapman.edu

Chapman University, Dodge College of Film and Media Arts is one of the most renowned film schools in the world, designed to encourage and facilitate creativity. It provides foundations in all aspects of film and television making, as well as expertise in a specific area of your choice.

Chapman University, Dodge College of Film and Media offers the following degrees, including BFA, BA, MA, MFA, and JD/MFA.

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9. THE NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL

The national film and television school is a place of action, emphasizing the highest level of training, and state-of-the-art facilities, and will work with the latest advancements in high-performance technology. It is one of the best film schools in the world.

The school has been around for half a century and has since been continually providing the industry with the next generation of talents. The national film and television school boasts of educational excellence in all its areas of study. The school has a reputation as a globally renowned production and talent powerhouse.

The national film and television school offers the following programs: Masters, Diploma, Certificate, Workshops, Short course, and Bitesized.

10. SAM SPIEGEL FILM AND TV SCHOOL (ISRAEL)

Located in Jerusalem, Israel, The Sam Spiegel film and television school is one of the world’s leading film schools, with a 70% employment rate after graduating.

The school was founded by Renen Schorr in 1989 as Israel’s first independent national school. The school offers training in all the practical and theoretical arts of film and television making, as well as expertise in a specific area of your choice.

11. STANFORD UNIVERSITY

The MFA in documentary film and video program at Stanford University is exclusive and designed to prepare students for professional careers in film, video, and digital media, with the qualifications to teach at the university level. It is one of the best film schools in the world.

The Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Film is a two-year program, that provides students with the fundamentals of storytelling, documentary, and history, and art practice courses. The philosophy of the program is predicated on a paradigm of independent media that values artistic expression, aesthetics, social awareness, and an articulated perspective.

12. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1965, NYU’s Tisch School of the Art is a major training department for artists and filmmakers. The department is unique and world-renowned. Students can earn a BA, BFA, MA, MFA, MPS, or PhD in a wide range of disciplines. It is one of the best film schools in the world.

Artists come from around the world to study acting, cinema studies, design for stage and film, dramatic writing, film and television, game design, photography, and more.

13. THE LOS ANGELES FILM SCHOOL

The Los Angeles Film School ranks as one of the best film schools in the world. It is a private for-profit college in California offering accredited programs in the entertainment industry.

The school offers a comprehensive curriculum tailored to dedicated and interested students. It integrates technical knowledge with artistic exploration and creativity in a hands-on learning environment, taught by experienced instructors in the heart of Hollywood, the premier entertainment capital of the world.

The Los Angeles Film School offers the following degrees in film: Bachelor or completion degree in Entertainment business, bachelor’s degree in digital filmmaking, Associate or bachelor’s degree in Film directing, and more.

14. VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL

If there is one film school anywhere in the world has been acknowledged to be the best, it’s the Vancouver Film School. Vancouver Film School is one of the best film schools in the world.

The school is Canada’s premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution, founded in 1987. It has achieved international recognition for offering an immersive curriculum in film and television, animation, design, and games. Vancouver Film School offers its students a one-year program focused on film production.

15. WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Wesleyan University, College of Film and Moving Image is one of the best film schools in the world. It incorporates the Department of Film Studies, the Jeanine Basinger Center for Film Studies, and the Ogden and Mary Louise Reid Cinema Achieves.

The department offers majors and minors in film studies, host screenings, and events, and support initiatives like the first and second film workshop and the elementary school outreach program.

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16. NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY

New York Film Academy ranks as one of the best film schools in the world. It is also a world-renowned private for-profit school, that offers master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees, as well as one-and-two-year conservatory programs, and short-term workshops in acting, film, photography, and more. It is located in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

New York Film Academy offers in-person degree programs as well as a selection of innovative online degree programs. Each degree program is nationally recognized, providing students with a concentrated education in film, media, and entertainment.

17. LONDON FILM SCHOOL

The London Film School is one of the world’s best postgraduate film institutions, offering MA, Ph.D., and workshop programs in filmmaking and screenwriting.

The MA filmmaking is an intensive two-year course designed to train students to a professional level in a full range of filmmaking skills. Students graduate with a portfolio of directing, cinematography, editing, producing, production design, and sound credits.

18. THE POLISH NATIONAL FILM, TELEVISION, AND THEATRE SCHOOL IN ŁÓDŹ

The Polish national film, television, and theatre school in Lodz is a Polish academy founded in 1948. It is considered one of the oldest and most prestigious film schools in the world.

The school educates students in film, art, television, photography and acting. Most of the courses have the character of full-time studies. However, the school also offers part-time studies or postgraduate full-time studies in film production. PhD studies are also available in film, television, and theatre specializations.

19. SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY

San Francisco State University is another perfect destination to pursue a degree in film. The school ranks as one of the best film schools in the world. It offers master’s, bachelor’s, and doctoral degree programs along with credentials from six academic colleges.

San Francisco State University, School of Cinema is ranked #19 among the top schools offering film programs on this list. The school boasts of well-equipped facilities and a lab. It has a reputation for excellence in all its programs.

20. ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN

Founded in 1930, ArtCenter College of Design is a reputable private art university in Pasadena, California. It is one of the best film schools in the world.

The school presents one of the best undergraduate film programs, which leads to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film. The degree program equips students with state-of-the-art production equipment, facilities, and post-production tools to make compelling films starting in the first semester. Students can pursue the film major in one of three tracks: Cinematography, editing, and directing.

The ArtCenter College of Design also offers a graduate film program which leads to a master of fine arts in film.

21. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

Florida State University’s School of Theatre is highly recognized as one of the best theatre programs in the nation, offering three-degree options for undergraduate students, along with a wide range of opportunities to explore the many areas within the theatre. The undergraduate degrees consist of a BA in music theater, a BA in acting, and a BA in theatre.

22. LA FÉMIS

Founded in 1986, La Fémis is one of the best film schools in the world. It is consistently recognized as one of the finest film and television schools in the world. Its core activity is artist research, technical training, and professional development in the various disciplines of the film industry.

23. COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO

The cinema and television arts at Columbia College Chicago is regarded as one of the best film schools in the world, offering students the chance to express their creative ideas on screens both large and small, and develop media production skills for careers in film, television, and emerging media.

24. RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

Rhode Island School of Design is one of the best film schools in the world. It is a private art and design school offering a bachelor of fine arts degree in film, animation, video, and photography.

25. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

University of Texas at Austin ranks as one of the best film schools in the world. The Department of Radio, film, and Television at the University of Texas at Austin allows students to launch their professional careers by providing them with a unified approach that brings together the history and theory of media with hands-on experience and mentorship.

26. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1873, Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts is one of the best film schools in the world. It is a reputable school in the United States that supports creative processes and professional development.

The college is divided into seven areas including, a school of art, a school of design, a department of Drama, a school of music, a department of film and media arts, a department of creative arts therapy, and a department of communication and Rhetorical studies.

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27. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

The University of North Carolina is one of the best film schools in the world. Its Department of Film Studies provides students with the opportunity that prepares them to participate in a world increasingly shaped by moving pictures. The department offers a B.A. degree in Film Studies, an M.A. in film studies, and an MFA in filmmaking.

WHICH IS THE BEST FILM SCHOOL IN THE WORLD?

Some of the best film schools in the world include the American Film Institute, California State University – Northridge, University of Southern California, California Institute of the Arts, Beijing Film Academy, University of California, Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University, Chapman University, Sam Spiegel Film and TV school (Israel), Wesleyan University, London Film School, Syracuse University, and more.

WHICH COUNTRY HAS THE BEST FILM INDUSTRY?

The United States of America has the best film industry in the world. Hollywood is widely recognized as one of the oldest industry.

ARE FILM SCHOOLS DIFFICULT TO GET INTO?

No! Film schools are not difficult to get into. Although, requirements for enrollment vary from school to school. However, meeting up with the requirements is mandatory and a crucial step to help you achieve your dreams.

CONCLUSION

Film schools help to provide students with valuable opportunities to form good working relationships and industry connections which can help students secure a good job position in the film industry. This overview has featured some of the best film schools in the world, and we hope they serve as a guide to you.

REFERENCES

Thehollywoodreporter.com
Topuniversities.com
Wikipedia.org
Shiksha.com

27 Top Ranked Best Film Schools In The World

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