Applying to Short-Term Workshops at NYFA
NYFA’s short-term workshops are designed to provide practical experience in the film, media, and performing arts. As our workshops are hands-on and intensive, prospective students should have enthusiasm and curiosity for visual storytelling within their chosen discipline. To apply and enroll in a short-term workshop at NYFA, prospective students must submit a completed program application.
Submitting Applications
To begin the process, prospective candidates must submit an application. We recommend that students allow 20-40 minutes to fill out the application. Please note that students must submit a non-refundable $50 application fee. This is payable as part of the online application.
Required Application Materials
Applicants must submit the following materials for admission:
- Completed Program Application
- Application Fee ($50)
- Proof of High School Completion
- Proof of English Proficiency
The following sections provide detailed information regarding each required application material.
Proof of High School Completion
All students pursuing a workshop from the New York Film Academy must show proof of high school graduation. To fulfill this requirement, applicants must submit ONE of the following documents:
– Copy of a high school academic transcript
– Copy of high school diploma
– Copy of state-issued high school equivalency certificate
– Copy of Associate’s degree or college transcript from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university (for students who have completed partial undergraduate coursework.)
– Copy of a fully-completed Department of Defense form DD-214 indicating that the applicant completed high school prior to or during his/her armed forces service
– Home school transcript accredited by the state
Students completing high school in a foreign country, where a language other than English is the official language, and who are able to produce an original transcript, must have it translated into English by an education evaluation service that offers translation services.
Proof of English Proficiency
Non-U.S. residents or international applicants, for whom English is not the first or native language, are required to submit proof of English proficiency, in the form of:
– TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 520 or higher (190 for computer-based test or 68 for internet-based test); IELTS 5.5 or the equivalent.
– A report from a valid English Language School verifying completion of course level equivalent to a 520 Paper-based TOEFL Score.
Students might be eligible to receive an English proficiency waiver under the following conditions:
– Verification that the applicant has been studying in a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 1 full year at the time of their application
– Verification that the applicant studied in a high school where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 3 full years at the time.
– For short-term certificate programs, NYFA will accept a positive language evaluation via in-person, phone, or video conference interviews.
English Proficiency | COVID-19 Special Circumstances
For international students whose first language is not English, or are not eligible for an English language test waiver based on the below*, New York Film Academy has temporarily approved the use of the Duolingo English test in place of the in-person **TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency exams. Duolingo English tests taken between December 31, 2021 and August 2024, will be accepted.
The exam portion of the Duolingo English test contains a series of speaking, reading, writing and listening exercises. Following the exam, there will be an interview portion that will ask you to respond to various prompts in 30 to 90 seconds. The exam will take about 45 minutes to complete and you will need either a passport, driver license, or other national or state identification to show the camera. The score results are generally received within a few days of exam completion.
If you choose to take the Duolingo English test, the access information is linked here: Exam Preparation and here: Test Your English. A verification email will be sent to you a few days after completing the exam containing a link to send your score to NYFA. For additional information, please review the frequently asked questions.
Please note that in order to gain admission to a NYFA degree program, students will need to score the following on the Duolingo test:
Community Ed/Workshops: 90
*Verification that the applicant has been studying in a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 1 full year at the time of their application; or
Verification that the applicant had studied in a high school where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 3 full years.
** NYFA prefers students to submit TOEFL or IELTS English Proficiency Scores – please note that TOEFL is now offering
‘at home’ testing.
Admission Stipulation
Please note that admission to any NYFA program is based upon applicant information received during the admissions process. If, however, a student, after having been admitted but before starting classes, demonstrates that they are not fully prepared to commence studies at the Academy, NYFA will meet with the student to determine a proper course of action. This may include additional testing or instruction, deferring enrollment to a later semester, or enrollment in a different program of study better suited to the student.