About Vancouver Film School

Vancouver Film School is a recognized world leader in entertainment arts education, offering full-time programs across eight campuses. Established in 1987 ,the school offers 15 post-secondary programs that delivers the industry-standard techniques and applicable skills that student needs to start a rewarding career in acting, animation, film and television production, screenwriting, programming, makeup, sound, digital, game, or VR/AR design.

VFS functions like a major studio, with multiple production facilities that are essential for creating content for film, TV, games, animation, design and digital applications. The school has outstanding facilities with master instructors and mentors, and the institute regularly updates and realigns curriculum to be in lockstep with the most current industry standards.

Vancouver’s film, animation, game and design industries surround its campuses, and its students benefit from career guidance and expertise from industry mentors, instructors and guest speakers. The faculty at VFS are veteran professionals with experience at the forefront of the industry, boasting credits on the hottest and most well recognized franchises, products and entertainment properties.

Located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, B.C., all of VFS campuses offer workshops and production spaces, film sets, studios, screening rooms, theatres, a 280-degree green screen room, motion and performance capture facilities, and 24/7 access to computer labs with industry-standard software.

Vancouver Film School Rankings

Vancouver Film School was ranked as the #1 Global Animation School by The Animation Career Review.

The Hollywood Reporter has placed VFS in the list of top VFX schools in the world.

Vancouver Film School Campus

• 198 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 392 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 400 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 420 Homer St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 151 West Cordova St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 142 Water St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 88 East Pender St., Vancouver, BC, Canada
• 1248 Franklin St., Vancouver, BC, Can

Vancouver Film School Academic Divisions 

Film Production, 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Classical Animation, Acting for Film & Television, Digital Design, Entertainment Business Management, Foundation Visual Art & Design, Game Design, Makeup Design for Film & Television, Sound Design for Visual Media, and Writing for Film & Television. The school also runs a four-month Acting Essentials course and a 6-month Digital Character Animation program.

Teaching Quality

The keys to the VFS educational model are structured intensity and immersion in the industry. Vancouver Film School was founded on the philosophy that one year of concentrated work, that balances industry-led theory and hands-on production, gives students the necessary skills to craft a professional-level portfolio or reel..

Advantages of Vancouver Film School

• Vancouver Film School tops Animation Career Review’s Top 25 professional training programs rankings, based on a survey of 192 colleges and schools worldwide.
• A number of fellow institutions including Vancouver Institute of Media Arts, Think Tank Training Centre, and Capilano University also make the list, showcasing the strength of the creative economy in Canada.
• The list also features internationally recognized powerhouses like Germany’s Filmakademie Baden-Wurttemberg, England’s National Film and Television School, and Malaysia’s The One Academy.

Vancouver Film School Famous Alumni’s

• Magda Apanowicz – actor known for her roles as Andy Jensen on the TV series Kyle XY and Lacy Rand on Caprica.
• Shakun Batra – Bollywood director of Kapoor & Sons" and "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu".
• Neill Blomkamp – Oscar nominated screenwriter and director of District 9.
• Anugrah Bohrey – writer of Best of Luck (2012 film) and Himmat Singh.
• Sara Canning – series regular (Seasons 1 and 2) on the television series The Vampire Diaries as well as numerous film and television credits.
• Jonathan Cherry – actor in House of the Dead, Final Destination 2, and many other television and film productions.
• Colin Cunningham – actor in television and film on both sides of the border.
• Garth Dyke – actor, writer, director, and award-winning producer with Tellies and Promax awards to his credit
• Clint Eland – founder & president of Mercury Filmworks, Canada's largest privately owned animation production studio.
• Hanna Hall – most known for her acting roles in Forrest Gump, The Virgin Suicides and the 2007 remake of Halloween.
• Dave Klein – cinematographer, best known for work with Kevin Smith.
• Neil Kopp – producer of Old Joy and director Gus Van Sant's 2007 film Paranoid Park for which Kopp won a 2008 Independent Spirit Award.
• John G. Lenic – TV producer and production manager best known for his work on Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, and Stargate Universe.
• Seth Lochhead – writer of Hanna.
• Steve Lund – actor, best known for Schitt’s Creek, Haven and Bitten.
• Niall Matter – actor, best known for Primeval: New World and Eureka.
• Chad Moffitt – Academy Award–winning animator on The Lord of the Rings
• Lon Molnar – co-founder, CEO, and senior visual effects supervisor at Toronto-based visual effects studio Intelligent Creatures.
• Scott Mosier – film producer, editor, and cameo actor who produced the Academy Award-nominated documentary Salim Baba. He met Kevin Smith and cinematographer Dave Klein at VFS, and since graduating, the three have collaborated on the films in the View Askewniverse.
• Andrew Overtoom – Animation Director on SpongeBob SquarePants, for which he was nominated for Emmy Awards in 2004 and 2007.
• Emily Bett Rickards – actress best known for her role as Felicity Smoak on Arrow.
• Stacey Roy – actor, new media producer and creator of Whabam Media and WHABAM.tv
• Manmord Sidhu – Bollywood producer, director & distributor. He formed a production and distribution company named White Hill Production & White Hill Music.
• Kevin Smith – director of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Jersey Girl and Clerks II; Smith dropped out in 1993 and was presented with an honorary diploma in 2005.
• Tara Spencer-Nairn – actor in Corner Gas.
• Jewel Staite – Canadian-born actress famous for her work on Joss Whedon's Firefly, and Stargate: Atlantis.
• Emilie Ullerup – actor in Sanctuary.
• James Wootton – co-director of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.

Application Fee : CAD$ 75 Non Refundable

English Language Requirement:

Programs with Level 1 Language Requirements

Acting Essentials

Foundation Visual Art & Design

Makeup Design for Film & Television

Sound Design for Visual Media

• IELTS Band 6.0 – Academic level
• TOEFL – score of 68 internet-based (iBT), or 520 Paper based (PBT)
• PTE - score of 52 - 57
• TOEIC – score of 700
• B2 First (formerly Cambridge English: First (FCE)) – Grade C
• LPI – Level 4
• Duolingo - score of 95 - 100

Programs with Level 2 Language Requirements

3D Animation & Visual Effects

Acting for FIlm & Television

Animation Concept Art

Classical Animation

​Digital Design

Film Production

Game Design

Programming for Games, Web & Mobile

Writing for Film, Television & Games

VR/AR Design & Development

• IELTS Band 6.5 – Academic level
• TOEFL – score of 80 internet-based (iBT), or 550 paper-based (PBT)
• PTE - score of 58 - 64
• TOEIC – score of 785
• B2 First (formerly Cambridge English: First (FCE)) – Grade A
• C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)) – Grade C
• LPI – Level 5
• Duolingo - score of 105 or higher

 

Vancouver Film School Highlights

Type	Private
Setting	Urban
No. of Campuses	8
Admissions Helpline	+1 604 631 3562
Mode of Program	Full-time/Part-time
Academic Calendar	Semester-Based
Student Population	1,200 (approx.)
Tuition Range	$10,500 to $53,250

Vancouver Film School Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

The cost of attendance includes various expenses apart from the tuition fee. Some of these expenses are detailed below:

Category	Fees
Tuition	$10,500 to $53,250
Monthly Expenses
Food	$200-$300
Rent (One Bedroom)	$1100-2400
Rent (Two Bedrooms)	$1200-2700
Rent (Three Bedrooms)	$2100+
Rent (studio lodges)	$900-1600
Rent (Shared)	$650+
Additional Costs	Amount
Local Transport	$109
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Laundry, etc.)	$200

Vancouver Film School Admission Process

All international students are expected to be conversant enough in English in order to succeed in any VFS program. They are also required to understand technical terms to be able to participate in presentation and in-depth discussions.

Vancouver Film School also provides conditional admission to international students if they fail to score the minimum required scores of standard English proficiency tests. English as a second language programs are available to help the applicants improve their English before starting a course at VFS. Additionally, those students are required to schedule and paas an approved test no later that one month before their starting date

• Admission Portal: VFS Online application
• Admission Fees: CAD 100
• English language requirement should meet level 1 or level 2, depending upon the course

Supporting Documents:

• High school transcripts or government-issued birth certificate, showing the candidate is at least 19 years old.
• Contact details of two references, who can comment on the passion and abilities in the area the candidate is applying.
• A financial plan to cover tuition and living expenses.
• Health insurance
• Study permit for international students.
• Proof of English language proficiency.
• A portfolio in the area the candidate is applying.

Vancouver Film School  English Proficiency Requirements

Standard Tests	Minimum scores for level 1	Minimum scores for level 2
IELTS	6.0	6.5
TOEFL iBT	68	80
TOEFL PBT	520	550
PTE	52 - 57	58 - 64
Duolingo Test	95 - 100	105 or higher

Know more about Studying in Canada

Tuition Fees in Canada (1st Year Average)	BE / BTech: CA$22,600 | MBA: CA$25,375 | MS: CA$17,225 | BBA: CA$20,560 | MEng: CA$22,225 | BSc: CA$20,745 | MASc: CA$20,375 | MIM: CA$28,900 | MA: CA$12,970 | MFin: CA$32,785 | BHM: CA$20,560 | MEM: CA$17,040
Average Accomodation & Food Costs in Canada	CA$8890 Per Year
Entrance Exams in Canada	TOEFL: 86 | IELTS: 6.5 | PTE: 60 | GRE: 309 | GMAT: 560 | SAT: 1177
Work and Study in Canada	Permitted for 20 hours/week with a valid study permit.
Post Study Work Permit in Canada	Up to 3 Years after graduation depending on the course.
Cost of Student Visa in Canada	CAD 150
Student Visa in Canada	A Canada student permit is a document issued by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) for international students in Canada. To study in Canada, you will require a student permit, which serves as a student visa.
Intakes in Canada	There are Three Intakes in Canada: Fall (September), Winter (January) and Spring (May)
Top Job Sectors in Canada	Business Management, Engineering, Economics, Dentisty, Law, Computer Science.
Economy in Canada	GDP Growth of 1.9% (2018) 1.5% (2019e), 10th Largest Economy in the World by Nominal