Where is Best

Versions of the world’s top ten film and other media programs abound. A recent one compiled by The Hollywood Reporter is probably one of the most comprehensive as it takes into account various not-so-obvious factors such as a school’s commitment to imparting a sense of the “culture of film-making”, the unusual opportunity to complete a debut feature film while still a student, or the benefit of referring to some of the personal papers and film material of filmmakers in the school’s archives.

The top ten film schools in the world according to this list are:

1. American Film Institute, Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies, US
2. University of Southern California, US
3. Beijing Film Academy, China
4. New York University Tisch School of the Arts, US
5. University of California Los Angeles US
6. California Institute of the Arts, US
7. Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic
8. Columbia University School of the Arts, US
9. Wesleyan University, US
10. National Film and Television School, UK

Which School Should You Choose?

Depending on your personal strengths and your preference for an exclusive or multidisciplinary approach, the list of top ranking film schools above or any other can be redrawn to better suit your individual interest.

If the prospect of a truly interdisciplinary experience appeals to you in addition to a deeply rooted commitment to global diversity both in student body representation and in the rare opportunity to conduct creative work and research practically anywhere on the globe then UCLA’s school of TFT (Theater, Film and Television) is tailor-made for you.

If you are pretty clear about what you want to do and already have a few years of work experience in the bag, then the exclusive and small sized American Film Institute is a better bet. Here, students get the opportunity to make a thesis film, are given access to the Screen Actors Guild for their casts and USD 13,500 in financing.

If the reputation for having probably the largest number of its graduates in the industry carries weight for you it would make USC come out on tops. In addition is what its dean calls the advantage of soaking in “the culture of film making” – thanks to its state-of-the-art facilities, its strong ties to Hollywood and its emphasis on film history and technique.

A closer look at each of the leading film school’s offerings will give you a sense of which suits you best.