Film School MFA Acceptance Rates, Minimum GPAs, Decision Dates, and more... (2020 stats) (2024)

Film School MFA Acceptance Rates, Minimum GPAs, Decision Dates, and more... (2020 stats) (1)

People often ask "What is the minimum GPA for USC film school?" Or "What is the acceptance rate of NYU film school?"

The problem is that Film Schools are often very tight lipped and secret about their acceptance rates and the minimum GPAs that they accept. However thanks to the over 3,200 applications (and counting) in the Application Tracker, we are able to get a pretty good idea of what these numbers might be. For example using this data we can see the lowest reported Minimum GPA for USC Directing is 2.4. The data also shows us that the USC acceptance rate for Writing for Screen and TV is 26% (39 out of 159 applications), that the NYU acceptance rate is 19% (43 out of 222 applications) and the Columbia Acceptance Rate for Directing and Screenwriting is 26% (58 out of 223 applications). What's the lowest reported Minimum GPA for AFI Screenwriting you ask? Well it's 1.37!

The Application Tracker additionally has portfolio information for applications and much much more. Check it out. Also, and this is important, if you have applied or are applying to a film school please add your own application data to the database to help your fellow and future applicants.

For up to date statistics, check out our new Acceptance Rate & Application Data pages for each school:

Your Chances of Getting into Film School: Acceptance Rates, GPA Requirements, Waitlist Data, and More...

You've been wondering how hard it is to get into film school and what your are chances getting into top film programs such as USC. Maybe you’ve heard that their acceptance rate is 2% — but what is it, really? You've been wondering what is the lowest GPA a film program will accept and what is the...

  • Chris W
  • Category: Admissions Data

Up to date Acceptance Data calculated from applications in our database for each program can be accessed by clicking on the new Acceptance Rate & Application Data tab on all of the film school pages in our database. (or any of the links below)

But without further ado, onto the a summary of the data...

Below is the information tabulated from the 2015-2020 application seasons. If a school had less than 5 applications added to the database it was not included.

AFI - Cinematography

  • FilmSchool.org AFI Acceptance Rate: 55% (16 out of 29 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.9
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 1
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 1
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 13

AFI - Directing

  • FilmSchool.org AFI Acceptance Rate: 26% (22 out of 83 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.8
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 18
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 31
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 3

AFI - Editing

  • FilmSchool.org AFI Acceptance Rate: 80% (8 out of 10 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.4
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 17
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 3
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 13

AFI - Producing

  • FilmSchool.org AFI Acceptance Rate: 68% (22 out of 32 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.31
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 17
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 27
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 15

AFI - Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org AFI Acceptance Rate: 53% (38 out of 71 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 1.37
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 15
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 28
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 13

Art Center - Graduate Film

  • FilmSchool.org Art Center Acceptance Rate: 82% (14 out of 17 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.8
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: March 20
  • Earliest Interview Date: March 23
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 16

BU - Cinema and Media Production

  • FilmSchool.org BU Acceptance Rate: 45% (5 out of 11 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 29

BU - Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org BU Acceptance Rate: 66.66% (18 out of 27 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.8
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 1

CalArts - Directing/Film Production

  • FilmSchool.org CalArts Acceptance Rate: 48% (24 out of 50 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.55
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 3
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 22
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 4

CalArts - Film/Video

  • FilmSchool.org CalArts Acceptance Rate: 18% (2 out of 11 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 3
  • Earliest Interview Date: March 6
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 4

Chapman - Cinematography

  • FilmSchool.org Chapman Acceptance Rate: 82% (18 out of 22 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.0
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: March 18
  • Earliest Interview Date: March 20
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 14

Chapman - Directing

  • FilmSchool.org Chapman Acceptance Rate: 44% (25 out of 47 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.05
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 15
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 8
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 27

Chapman - Editing

  • FilmSchool.org Chapman Acceptance Rate: 79% (15 out of 19 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.5
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: March 28
  • Earliest Interview Date: March 1
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 1

Chapman - Producing

  • FilmSchool.org Chapman Acceptance Rate: 71% (29 out of 41 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.9
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: December 14
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 3
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 11

Chapman - Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org Chapman Acceptance Rate: 85% (40 out of 47 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.4
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 7

  • FilmSchool.org Chapman Acceptance Rate: 50% (11 out of 22 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.4
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 28
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 4
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 26

Columbia - Creative Producing

  • FilmSchool.org Columbia Acceptance Rate: 65% (51 out of 79 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.13
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 16
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 1
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 9

Columbia - Directing/Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org Columbia Acceptance Rate: 26% (58 out of 223 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.8
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 5
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 20
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 21

Columbia College Chicago - Directing

  • FilmSchool.org Columbia College Chicago Acceptance Rate: 73% (16 out of 22 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.82
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 7
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 10
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 18

CUNY/Feirstein - Directing

  • FilmSchool.org CUNY/Feirstein Acceptance Rate: 40% (6 out of 15 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.5
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 13
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 16
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 16

Emerson - Film and Media Art

  • FilmSchool.org Emerson Acceptance Rate: 65% (20 out of 31 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.15
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: March 9
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 24

FSU - MFA Production

  • FilmSchool.org FSU Acceptance Rate: 51% (23 out of 45 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.5
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 26
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 18
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 24

LMU - Writing for the Screen M.F.A.

  • FilmSchool.org LMU Acceptance Rate: 59% (22 out of 37 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.1
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 6
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 4
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 1

LMU - Film and Television Production

  • FilmSchool.org LMU Acceptance Rate: 64% (54 out of 85 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.15
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 11
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 28
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 1

LMU - Writing and Producing for Television

  • FilmSchool.org LMU Acceptance Rate: 86% (21 out of 24 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.43
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 31
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 18
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 2

Northwestern - Writing for Screen and Stage

  • FilmSchool.org Northwestern Acceptance Rate: 36% (6 out of 19 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.9
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 13
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 24
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 9

NYU - Graduate Film

  • FilmSchool.org NYU Acceptance Rate: 19% (43 out of 222 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.2
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 8
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 22
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 24

NYU - Dramatic Writing

  • FilmSchool.org NYU Acceptance Rate: 35% (29 out of 82 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.1
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 22
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 23
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 4

NYU - Producing Program (Dual MBA/MFA)

  • FilmSchool.org NYU Acceptance Rate: 33% (5 out of 15 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.7
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 30
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 17
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 18

SAIC - Film Media Animation

  • FilmSchool.org SAIC Acceptance Rate: 55% (5 out of 9 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.54
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 25
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 17
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 21

SFSU - Graduate Film

  • FilmSchool.org SFSU Acceptance Rate: 66% (8 out of 12 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.5
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: March 12
  • Earliest Interview Date: March 15
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 21

Syracuse - Film

  • FilmSchool.org Syracuse Acceptance Rate: 39% (9 out of 23 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.33
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 9
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 13
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 18

UMiami - Graduate Film

  • FilmSchool.org UMiami Acceptance Rate: 88% (8 out of 9 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.3
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 6

UCLA - Cinematography

  • FilmSchool.org UCLA Acceptance Rate: 36% (4 out of 11 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.15
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 11
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 14
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 18

UCLA - Directing/Film Production

  • FilmSchool.org UCLA Acceptance Rate: 24% (28 out of 116 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.27
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 30
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 20
  • Earliest Decision Date: March 5

UCLA - Producers Program

  • FilmSchool.org UCLA Acceptance Rate: 29% (13 out of 45 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.05
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 23
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 5
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 25

UCLA - Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org UCLA Acceptance Rate: 36% (48 out of 134 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.8
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 15
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 28
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 17

USC - Directing/Film Production

  • FilmSchool.org USC Acceptance Rate: 32% (73 out of 230 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.4
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 3
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 6
  • Earliest Decision Date: January 25

USC - Peter Stark Producing Program

  • FilmSchool.org USC Acceptance Rate: 26% (27 out of 103 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.39
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: January 11
  • Earliest Interview Date: January 19
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 16

USC - Writing for Screen and TV

  • FilmSchool.org USC Acceptance Rate: 26% (39 out of 159 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.9
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: February 23
  • Earliest Interview Date: February 25
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 20

UT Austin - Directing

  • FilmSchool.org UT Austin Acceptance Rate: 54% (20 out of 37 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 2.82
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: January 23

UT Austin - Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org UT Austin Acceptance Rate: 33% (8 out of 25 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.7
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: January 25

UT Austin - Michener - Screenwriting

  • FilmSchool.org UT Austin Acceptance Rate: 25% (2 out of 8 applications)
  • Lowest Reported Minimum GPA: 3.576
  • Earliest Interview Notification Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Interview Date: Not Reported
  • Earliest Decision Date: February 6

To see all 3,200+ applications worth of data, use the Application Tracker.

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Film School MFA Acceptance Rates, Minimum GPAs, Decision Dates, and more... (2020 stats) (2024)

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