Europe has some of the best film schools in the world. And many of them cost far less than schools in the US.
Most European film schools are state-funded. That keeps tuition very low — sometimes just a few hundred euros a year. The trade-off is that most are very competitive and take a small number of students each year.
The most important thing to know: language
Most European film schools teach in their national language.
La Femis in France teaches in French. The DFFB in Berlin teaches in German. The National Film School of Denmark teaches in Danish. If you do not speak the local language, your options are limited.
A few schools in this directory teach entirely in English:
European Film College — Ebeltoft, Denmark
Baltic Film and Media School — Tallinn, Estonia
London Film School — London, UK
NFTS — Beaconsfield, UK
MetFilm School — London & Berlin
If you want to study at a non-English school, start learning the language at least a year before you apply.
Types of schools in Europe
National film academies are state-funded schools that train a small number of students each year. They are prestigious and competitive. Examples: NFTS (UK), La Femis (France), DFFB (Germany), National Film School of Denmark.
University film programs are part of a larger arts or media faculty. They take more students and are more academic. Examples: HDK-Valand in Sweden, Tallinn University in Estonia.
Specialist schools focus on one craft or approach. Zelig in Italy focuses entirely on documentary. Super16 in Copenhagen has a more experimental approach.
International chain schools like SAE Institute have campuses across Europe. They are commercially run and focus on practical skills. More accessible, but different in character from national academies.
Cost
EU students at public European schools often pay very little — sometimes just a few hundred euros per year. Non-EU students pay higher fees, but European schools are still usually much cheaper than US equivalents. Cost of living also varies a lot: London and Paris are expensive, while Tallinn, Lodz, and Prague are very affordable.
For students from outside Europe
Exchange programs are available between many European and US schools. Erasmus+ is the main European exchange scheme. Non-EU students need a student visa for most European countries. Start the process early.
Schools in this directory
NFTS — National Film & Television School — Beaconsfield, UK
London Film School — London, UK
MetFilm School — London & Berlin, UK / Germany
La Fémis — Paris, France
Louis Lumière National School — Saint-Denis, France
DFFB Berlin — Berlin, Germany
HFF Munich — Munich, Germany
Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF — Potsdam-Babelsberg, Germany
FAMU Prague — Prague, Czech Republic
Łódź Film School — Łódź, Poland
National Film School of Denmark — Copenhagen, Denmark
European Film College — Ebeltoft, Denmark
Super16 — Copenhagen, Denmark
Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia — Rome, Italy
Zelig School for Documentary — Bolzano, Italy
ESCAC Barcelona — Barcelona, Spain
Norwegian Film School — Lillehammer, Norway
HDK-Valand, University of Gothenburg — Gothenburg, Sweden
Baltic Film and Media School — Tallinn, Estonia
SAE Institute (European campuses) — Multiple cities, Various