AFI General Admissions Requirements in 2024-2025

Before you apply, the Admissions Office urges you to:
  • Read about the six AFI Conservatory disciplines.
  • Review the cost of attendance to determine if AFI Conservatory is a good financial fit.
  • Visit the Conservatory's Scholarship page to learn about additional donor-based funding.
  • Add Applications@AFI.com, admissions@afi.com and the domain address AFI.com/AFI.edu to your list of contacts to receive important updates about your application.
When you're ready to apply, follow these guidelines as listed on the Conservatory's website:
  1. Pay the application fee. There is an application fee of $110 per application.
  2. Write the narrative statement. The narrative statement is a critical part of the admissions application. It’s an opportunity for applicants to show who they are as a person and storyteller. It should be no longer than 3 pages in length, in an easy-to-read forma with with a conventional font (Times New Roman), size 12; double-spaced; and 1-inch margins. It must answer the following:
    • Applicant’s Personal Story: The majority of the narrative statement should convey an applicant’s unique story and what shaped them as a person. Applicants should consider sharing what kind of stories they want to tell, why those stories are important to them and how their life experience has informed these story choices. In general, the Admissions Office wants to get to know applicants outside of their resume and professional accomplishments.
    • Discipline(s) of Interest: Narrative statements should clearly state why an applicant is applying to a specific program and include the people, plus movies or art that inspires them in that field.
      • For applicants applying to two disciplines, the Admissions Office recommends writing a unique narrative statement for each application, tailoring it to their experience and passion for each specific discipline.
    • Collaboration Experience: The AFI Conservatory is a hands-on, collaborative learning environment. Applicants should share their experience as a collaborator in the filmmaking process.
    • Long Term Goals: Applicants should communicate how the AFI Conservatory can benefit their long-term goals.
  3. Academic and professional resume. Your resume should detail professional work, set experience, education level and degree(s) earned.
  4. Transcripts. The AFI Conservatory Admissions Office accepts unofficial transcripts* during the admissions process. A transcript is a document that provides a list of courses and grades earned by a student at an institution of higher education. Unfortunately, diplomas cannot be accepted in lieu of transcripts. In the online application, please list only schools of higher education where a transcript can be obtained. A transcript is required for any school listed on the application. Please note, a school cannotbe removed or deleted from your application once it is submitted. All transcripts and credentials are due before or on the application deadline date.
    • If a transcript cannot be obtained, applicants are required to procure a letter from the school stating why transcripts are not available.
    • For applicants who attended other schools that may be pertinent to your application (for example, extension courses or a workshop), these schools should be listed on their resume and not in the GradCAS application system. The Admissions Office will reach out to any applicants directly if additional information about their academic background is needed.
    • International Applicants: Please submit all credentials and transcripts with an official English translation (if applicable). A Bachelor’s Equivalency Report will be required for Admitted Fellows who decide to enroll at the AFI Conservatory. For more information, please visit our International Applicants page. The Registrar determines final evaluation of applicants’ records.
    • Certificate of Completion applicants: Applicants with some higher education history should list that school in the Academic History section. Applicants with no higher education post high school (primary school), should list where they received their high school diploma and answer the academic history questions to the best of your ability.
  5. Two letters of recommendation. Applicants are required to submit the names of two individuals who will provide a professional (academic or artistic) recommendation. Recommenders will be e-mailed a link from the GradCAS application portal. No personal recommendations are allowed from family members or friends in a non-professional capacity.
    • Applicants are responsible for ensuring their recommenders have completed the online recommendation by the application deadline date. Applications cannot be reviewed without them. AFI will only accept letters directly from the recommender and not from the applicant. Submissions provided by the applicant will not be considered. No hard copy letters are accepted.
    • Letters of recommendation are due before or on the application deadline date.
  6. Complete the Scholarship Application form. The AFI Conservatory is a need-blind institution. Scholarship or financial need is not taken into consideration during the admissions process and would never be used in hindrance to an applicant’s admissions decision. Applicants who wish to be considered for a scholarship must complete a Scholarship Application Form by February 1, 2025. Applicants must submit their Admissions Application before their Scholarship Application.
    • Click Here to complete the Scholarship Application Form. Please note that submissions will be accepted starting September 6, 2024, and will close February 1, 2025.
    • AFI Scholarship consideration is open to domestic and international applicants. Late applications will not be considered.
*Admitted Fellows who decide to enroll at the AFI Conservatory will be required to submit official transcripts. Transcripts are considered official if the AFI Conservatory receives them directly from the issuing school either digitally or by post mail, or if the Admitted Fellow sends a physical copy in a signed and sealed envelope.

Additional instructions for Certificate of Completion applicants​


Applicants who do not hold an earned undergraduate degree or equivalent may be eligible to apply as an Associate Fellow. Eligibility is based upon exceptional skill demonstrated in an applicant’s field and a required number of years of applicable experience.

Requirements for Associate Fellow Applicants:
  1. Complete the full application including discipline specific requirements;
  2. Document a minimum of 3 years of professional experience and accomplishments;
  3. Demonstrate the maturity to participate in a graduate level program (and apply a minimum of 4 years post completion of high school in the U.S. or secondary education abroad).
Associate Fellows are required to meet all the requirements and obligations of degree-candidate Fellows. Associate Fellows are awarded Certificates of Completion upon successful completion of all requirements of the AFI Conservatory program within their respective discipline.

The AFI Conservatory's stance on AI​

You must disclose any use of LLM Artificial Intelligence technology on the Narrative Statement. In a brief footnote, explain how you utilized AI. Failure to provide a disclosure may disqualify you from admissions or result in early dismissal, if you are enrolled.