Best Screenwriting Program

New York University Tisch Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing

NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

As one of the best film schools on the East coast, the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television at New York University Tisch School of the Arts gives film students the chance to turn iconic landscapes into low-budget film shoots and connect with world-renowned industry players. In 2022...

NYU Tisch is renowned for producing high-level award-winning writers. Its Dramatic Writing program is writing-intensive and has produced prolific authors and screenwriters, such as Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Joel Coen (Fargo, No Country For Old Men), and Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life, Wicked, Once and Again).

Students have the unique opportunity of learning to write for theater, television, and film, opening up broader post-graduate pathways and a deeper understanding of storytelling. Workshops are limited to 12 participants and taught by some of the best in the industry. Students can also take classes in film production and the adjacent disciples. Tuition is $60,768 per year, but former students have reported receiving generous grants and scholarships.

FilmSchool.org's Application Database found that 23% of our members are admitted annually to the MFA Dramatic Writing program.



Runner-up: Columbia University School of the Arts

Columbia University's School of the Arts

Columbia University's School of the Arts

In 2022, Columbia University SOA was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the no. 6 best global university. Its Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies Program combines film studies with hands-on filmmaking laboratories. Alumni include director Anna Boden (Captain Marvel, Half Nelson) and...

ColumbiaNY-Katharina Otto-Bernstein Screening Room at the Lenfest Center for the Arts (c) Joel...jpgColumbia University offers a unique Screenwriting/Directing program at the graduate level to give screenwriters hands-on industry experience. The Ivy League university is an excellent choice for aspiring screenwriters and playwrights. Esteemed alumni include Cherien Dabis (The L Word), Academy Award winner Adam Davidson (The Lunch Date), and Academy Award nominee James Mangold (Logan, Girl, Interrupted, Walk The Line). The Upper Manhattan campus is also within a short walk or train ride of vibrant local literary events.

Students collaborate with the MFA Creative Producing cohort for the first year and attend small workshops of 7-12 writers. Professors also regularly meet with students in one-on-one conferences. Tuition is $73,240 for the academic year, one of the highest in the nation. However, many students agree that the costs account for an outstanding education. Patrick Clement told us more about attending their Screenwriting/Directing Program.

FilmSchool.org's Application Database found that 21% of our members are admitted annually to the MFA Screenwriting/Directing program.