If you’re interested in a film major—or just movies in general—a summer pre-college program focused on film and the entertainment industry is a great way to get an introduction to the business. These summer programs can help you show colleges just how interested you are in film. Precollege programs also give you a preview of college life—you can live on your own and meet students from all walks of life.
Let’s look at some of the best programs focusing on film. These programs are offered both in-person and online—you can choose whether you’d like to work from home or live on a college campus.
While application requirements vary by program, you’ll probably be asked to provide a copy of your transcripts, a letter of recommendation from a teacher, and a personal statement explaining why you’re interested in the program.
NYU Tisch Summer Filmmaking Program
Location: Online
Overview: NYU’s Tisch School of Arts offers an online summer filmmaking program that introduces students to the theory and practice of producing short films. Students work together to develop short films and music videos over the course, and the program includes discussions and panels with various professionals in the movie industry.
Age: High School Seniors
Application Deadline: May 25th, 2022
Dates: July 10th – August 6th, 2022
Tuition: $7,065
Columbia Summer Immersion Program
Location: Columbia University, NYC, NY
Overview: Columbia’s Summer Immersion Program offers numerous courses focusing on film and the visual arts. Students can choose from courses such as Digital Filmmaking: From Initial Concept to Final Edit, Introduction to Digital Filmmaking, and Understanding Cinema: Analyzing Film Language and Style. While Columbia offers a variety of courses both online and in-person, it looks like most of their film courses will be in-person this summer.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: March 3rd, 2022
Dates: Various dates depending on course selected
Tuition: $12,449.00 per course
USC Cinematic Arts Summer Program
Location: USC, Los Angeles, CA // Online
Overview: USC’s Cinematic Arts School offers a variety of summer classes focusing on the theory and practice of filmmaking. Students can choose from courses such as Documentary Filmmaking, Digital Cinematography, and Creating the Short Film. Students are expected to live on-campus at USC for the in-person courses, although there are a few courses available online. The program tuition varies by the number of courses taken.
Age: 16+ years old
Application Deadline: Rolling, Final Deadline of June 19th
Dates: June 27th - August 5th, 2022
Tuition: $4,070 (2 credits) / $8,140 (4 credits)/ $12,210 (6 credits)/ $16,280 ( 8 credits)/ + Housing
Brown Pre College Programs
Location: Providence, RI, Online
Overview: Brown offers a number of online and on-campus options that focus on film and the visual arts. The most relevant course for aspiring filmmakers is probably Digital Media Production, but there are others that focus on the visual arts and cinema history.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: April 18th, 2022
Dates: Various, courses offered in different sections throughout the summer
Tuition: $2,500-10,000
UCLA Film and Television Summer Institute – Digital Filmmaking
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Overview: UCLA’s Film and Television Summer Institute offers Digital Filmmaking, which focuses on designing and creating a short film in partnership with other students. The Film and Television Summer Institute offers a number of programs—take a look at Cinematography and Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen if you’d like to examine other facets of the industry.
Age: Juniors and Seniors
Application Deadline: May 1st, 2022
Dates: June 26th– July 9th Or July 24th – August 6th, 2022
Tuition: ~$6,000
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Online
Overview: Stanford offers online courses through their Summer Institute, which is open to all high school students. Courses for filmmakers include Writing for Film and Television and Cinematography.
Age: All HS Students, but certain courses are Juniors/Seniors only
Application Deadline: March 15th, 2022
Dates: June 20th-July 1st 2022 OR July 11th-July 22nd 2022
Tuition: $2,700
Yale Summer Sessions
Location: New Haven, CT, Online
Overview: Yale’s Summer Sessions program has a number of courses related to filmmaking and the movie business that are offered both online and in-person. Students can choose from courses such as Screenwriting, Money and Media: the Business of Hollywood, and Film, Video, and American History.
Age: Seniors
Application Deadline: April 30th, 2022 (Session A), June 3rd, 2022 (Session B)
Dates: May 30th-July 1st, 2022 (Session A), July 4th-August 5th, 2022 (Session B)
Tuition: $4,650 (1 credit), $3,630 (residential fee)
Harvard Summer School
Location: Cambridge, MA, Online
Overview: Harvard’s Summer School offers several film and cinema courses both online and in-person. Courses include Making the Short Film, Beginning Screenwriting, and Introduction to Digital Media Production.
Age: 16 or older by June 18th, 2022
Application Deadline: March 2nd, 2022 (regular decision), May 11th, 2022 (Late Decision)
Dates: June 18th-August 6th, 2022
Tuition: $3,500–$13,200
The School of the New York Times
Location: New York City, Online
Overview: The School of the New York Times offers various courses focusing on film and digital media, including The New Narrative: Video Storytelling and Advanced Media Methods: Visual Storytelling. These programs are probably best for students looking for documentary-style experience.
Age: Students 15+ (including graduating seniors)
Application Deadline: April 4th, 2022
Dates: Various
Tuition: $5,325 (commuter) or $5,925 (residential)
National Student Leadership Conference – Film Intensive
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Overview: The National Student Leadership Conference offers multiple sections of their Film Intensive in Los Angeles. The program sets students up to produce a short film, and also features panel discussions and speakers who inform students about the different careers in the film industry.
Age: All HS Students
Application Deadline: Rolling Decision
Dates: June 23rd -July 10th, 2022
Tuition: $5,995
If you’re serious about film and you’d like to attend one of these programs, get applying now—many of the deadlines are fast approaching. Summer precollege program aren’t always the way to go—if you’ve got other responsibilities or would rather work that’s fine too. Think about how you can convey your interest in film without attending a program—maybe try producing a short film with your friends or writing a script.
If you have any further questions, or if you’d like to discuss your upcoming summer plans, feel free to reach out to us here.