Located in one of the world's largest creative meccas, Vancouver Film School (VFS) is Canada's premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution, offering an immersive curriculum in film, animation, game, design, and beyond. VFS's production-based education is taught by industry professionals and delivered in accelerated time frames. With 12 advanced production programs to choose from, students graduate in 12 months as in-demand creative professionals with powerful portfolios that will serve as their industry calling card. In 2022, VSF alumni were credited on all top 10 domestic grossing films, 5 of the 10 best-selling games, and 9 of the 15 most streamed shows.
Recognized as the #1 Game Design School in Canada by ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Review Journal, VFS trains students in world-class facilities for all levels of game development. Students choose their specialization: Game Art, Coding, or Level Design. Outside of this program, virtually all VFS advanced industry programs incorporate elements of game design into the curriculum, from Programming to Sound Design, Acting, Writing, 3D Animation & VFX, and more.
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Admissions
Overall
From The School
Over the years, VFS Advisors have helped thousands of individuals through the application process. Advisors encourage applicants to be well-informed about their educational options and help ensure there is a strong fit between program choice and desired career outcomes. Advisors also assist prospective students in putting together the components needed to satisfy specific portfolio requirements when applicable.
Application Process & Criteria
- Students can apply to VFS at any time, from grade 11 and up. However, before attending classes, students must either be 19 years old or have completed grade 12.
- C$100 non-refundable application fee
- Photo ID copy
- Two Reference Letters — Preferably, these should be from someone who can comment on your passion and abilities in the area for which you are applying. Please note that family members are not eligible as references.
- Transcript from High School or University
- Online Application Form (https://vfs.edu/admissions)
- Applicants may be asked to submit a program-specific portfolio, when applicable.
Overview
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Academics
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From The School
Academic Programs
Graduating students receive a diploma.
Upon completing a one-year diploma programs, students can obtain an accelerated bachelor's degree through Pathway programs at the universities listed below:
Royal Roads University (Victoria, BC)
Capilano University (North Vancouver, BC)
Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, ON)
University of the Fraser Valley (Fraser Valley, BC)
BCIT (Metro Vancouver, BC)
Regent's University in London (London, UK)
Majors and Degrees Offered
Game Design
Programming for Games, Web & Mobile
3D Animation & Visual Effects
Classical Animation
Animation Concept Art
Foundation Visual Art & Design
Digital Design
Acting Essentials
Acting for Film & Television
Writing for Film, Television & Games
Film Production
Sound Design for Visual Media
Makeup Design for Film & Television
VR/AR Design & Development
English for Creative Arts
Faculty and Class Information
Student/Faculty
:1
Total Faculty
with Terminal Degree
Most frequent lab / sub section size
2 - 9
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
Graduate in 5 years
Graduate in 6 years
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
No
Notable Faculty
Careers
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
Graduate in 5 years
Graduate in 6 years
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On-Campus Job Interviews Available
No
ROI & Outcomes
Tuition & Aid
Overview
From The School
Tuition, Room, Board and Fees
VFS tuition is all-inclusive. All school supplies (books, equipment, and incidentals) are included in your tuition fees. The rates listed below are in Canadian dollars.
Game Design: https://vfs.edu/programs/game-design
Domestic: C$32,750 (current); C$32,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$49,250 (current); C$49,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Programming for Games, Web & Mobile: https://vfs.edu/programs/programming
Domestic: C$32,050
International: C$49,050
3D Animation & Visual Effects: https://vfs.edu/programs/3D-animation-vfx
Domestic: C$35,750 (current); C$35,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$53,250 (current); C$53,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Classical Animation: https://vfs.edu/programs/classical-animation
Domestic: C$25,500 (current); C$25,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$30,500 (current); C$30,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Animation Concept Art: https://vfs.edu/programs/animation-concept-art
Domestic: C$25,500 (current); C$25,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$33,500 (current); C$33,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Foundation Visual Art & Design: https://vfs.edu/programs/foundation
Domestic: C$20,500 (current); C$20,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$30,500 (current); C$30,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Digital Design: https://vfs.edu/programs/digital-design
Domestic: C$27,750 (current); C$27,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$42,250 (current); C$42,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Acting Essentials: https://vfs.edu/programs/acting-essentials
Domestic: C$7,500 (current); C$7,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$10,500 (current); C$10,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Acting for Film & Television & Games: https://vfs.edu/programs/acting
Domestic: C$20,500
International: C$30,500
Writing for Film, Television & Games: https://vfs.edu/programs/writing
Domestic: C$20,750 (current); C$20,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$28,250 (current); C$28,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Film Production: https://vfs.edu/programs/film-production
Domestic: C$36,750 (current); C$36,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$53,250 (current); C$53,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Sound Design for Visual Media: https://vfs.edu/programs/sound-design
Domestic: C$28,750 (current); C$28,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$43,250 (current); C$43,750 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
Makeup Design for Film & Television: https://vfs.edu/programs/makeup
Domestic: C$32,250 (current); C$33,950 (Aug. 31, 2020 and later start dates)
International: C$46,750
English for Creative Arts: https://vfs.edu/programs/english-creative-arts
Domestic & international: C$6,720
VR/AR Design & Development: https://vfs.edu/programs/vrar
Domestic: C$22,000
International: C$33,000
Room and Board:
VFS offers a robust housing and homestay placement service. Renting in Vancouver is expensive. VFS aims to provide convenient accommodation that makes it easier for students to focus on their academic and personal growth.
VFS's Housing Coordinator has well-established connections with landlords in Vancouver and will help students find accommodation that best meets their individual and budgetary needs. Whether you want to rent your own apartment, share with roommates, or live in a homestay, VFS's Housing Coordinator can offer students a variety of excellent options.
https://vfs.edu/accommodation
Financial Aid
Vancouver Film School's programs are recognized by all Federal and Provincial loan providers in Canada. VFS regularly offers a variety of scholarship programs offering full or partial tuition funding, with partners that have included writer/director/producer Kevin Smith, animator Michal Makarewicz (Pixar), actor Emily Bett Rickards, and video game developers Blackbird Interactive and The Coalitions (Gears 5).
Past and current creative scholarship programs offered by VFS can be found here:
https://vfs.edu/scholarships-overview
For international students, VFS has a team dedicated to assisting with payment plans and can work with a student's local loan providers to assist with tuition and other costs.
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Scholarships and Grants
Need-Based
Federal Direct Student Loan Programs
Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL)
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
No
Direct Lender
No
Student Body
Student Body
Overall
From The School
The iconic Vancouver Film School backpack is a ubiquitous sign that VFS's diverse Canadian and international student body is everywhere in Vancouver. Some are attending VFS as their first post-secondary stop, while others are changing directions and pursuing a longtime creative passion. No matter what stage they're at, all are immersed in industry production experience on their first day of class.
VFS students engage in a broad range of activities both in and outside school. A passionate commitment to the arts means that most students are connected not only to their own projects, but to those of fellow students as well, as they collaborate throughout their intensive one-year programs. A number of opportunities for activism, volunteer work, and other pursuits keep VFS students engaged every day.
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Overview
From The School
Location
Located in the heart of Vancouver's Gastown district, Vancouver Film School is an integral component of Western Canada's most beautiful city. Situated among leading global tech and media companies, VFS's eight campus buildings house more than 250,000 square feet of studio and production facilities, connecting students to industry professionals and instructors, with modernized equipment in well-appointed learning spaces. At VFS, students are immersed in Vancouver's arts and culture, with the North Shore Mountains on one side and the Georgia Strait on the other. It's no surprise that some of the world's most creative talents have emerged from VFS over the past three decades.
Campus Facilities & Equipment
Vancouver Film School's commitment to innovative and emerging technologies is apparent in each of their eight modernized campus buildings. The facilities mirror those found in leading studios and production houses around the world. This ranges from a massive 280° green screen space to the LG UltraWide Monitor Academy Lab, and our unique partnership with Beyond Capture, a signature, 32,000 square foot performance capture studio available to students and used by some of the most advanced industry projects in film, television, and video games.
Off-Campus Opportunities
Vancouver provides the perfect blend of nature, arts and culture, and exposure to the industry in which VFS alumni will work. Students and graduates can hit the slopes in the morning and take a ride on Vancouver's scenic seawall in the afternoon, and drop in any of Vancouver's museums, theatres, and eclectic arts spaces in the evening. The creative economy in Vancouver is thriving, helping students and alumni connect to shoots, projects, and industry insiders in their field through a wide range of VFS-run and third-party events.
Campus Life
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Help finding off-campus housing
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First-Year Students living on campus
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Special Needs Admissions
College Entrance Tests Required
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Interview Required
No
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Sustainability
60*
Campus Security Report
The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.
Please visit The ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Review’s page on campus safety for additional resources: http://www.princetonreview.com/safety
The ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education:
Other Information
Wellness Program/Clinical Offerings
Institution has a mental health/wellness program that makes counseling, referral, and well-being services available to all students
Not Reported
Mental Health Website
Not Reported
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Engaging the Whole Campus
Institution has a Chief Behavioral Health Officer (and/or Chief Wellness Officer)
Not Reported
Peer-to-Peer
Institution has peer-to-peer offerings relating to mental health
Not Reported
Residential Life
Institution incorporates mental health and wellness into the residential experience
Not Reported
Student Orientation
Students who are provided an opportunity to participate in mental-health-orientation activities
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Entering graduate students
Not Reported
Mental Health in the Curriculum
The institution offers for-credit mental health/well-being education for students
Not Reported
The institution offers non-credit mental health/well-being education for students
Not Reported
Off-Campus Offerings
Institution offers referrals to off-campus counseling services
Not Reported
Health and Counseling Center Accreditation
Institution's counseling center is accredited
Not Reported
Accrediting body
Not Reported
Taking and Returning from Medical Leave
Institution has an official support program in place for students returning from mental health leave of absence
Not Reported
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Not Reported
