Coming up
Student
opportunities
2026–27 school year
Festivals, scholarships, contests, and SkillsUSA. Deadlines below.
Top twelve film schools — application deadlines under Film schools.
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Film schools- ScholarshipNational
Wed Sep 30, 2026 (2pm AZ)
Coca-Cola Scholars
Cost Free · Who Seniors
$20,000; Phase 1 is a short form with no essays (seniors)
Official link - FestivalNational
Thu Oct 1, 2026
ConnectHER Film Festival
Cost Fee not posted, confirm on site · Who Anyone
3–6 min short on an issue affecting women and girls; ages 13–25
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Tue Oct 6, 2026 (5pm AZ)
YoungArts Film
Cost $35 or fee waiver · Who Standouts
$250–$10,000 cash awards; grades 10–12
Official link - ContestNational
Tue Oct 6, 2026 (register by)
Fall48 Film Challenge
Cost Free for HS · Who Anyone
48-hour film: prompts Oct 9, films due Oct 11
Official link - ScholarshipArizona
Tue Oct 13, 2026 (5pm AZ)
Flinn Scholars
Cost Free · Who Seniors
$140k+ full ride to an Arizona public university
Official link - CTSOArizona
Registration opens Wed Oct 14, 2026 (closes Jan 12, 2027)
SkillsUSA AZ Region 3 — Video / Video News
Cost $45 per competitor · Who Anyone
State CTE video contest; regional qualifier for state
Official link - FestivalArizona
Sat Oct 17, 2026 (extended Nov 14)
Chandler International Film Festival (Student Shorts)
Cost $72 / $75 extended · Who Standouts
Local East Valley festival with a student category
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Tue Oct 27, 2026
NSHSS Film and Media Production Scholarship
Cost Members only · Who NSHSS members
Two $2,000 awards
Official link - FestivalNational
Fri Oct 30, 2026 (final Dec 11)
NFFTY 2027 (Seattle)
Cost $50 regular / $60 final · Who Standouts
Top youth film festival, ages 24 and under; fest Apr 1–4, 2027
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Sat Oct 31, 2026
VFW Voice of Democracy
Cost Free · Who Anyone
3–5 min audio essay; $35,000 national top prize
Official link - FestivalArizona
Sun Nov 1, 2026 late (extended Nov 20)
Sedona International Film Festival (student short)
Cost Standard short fee $60 late / $75 extended; student rate needs ID (amount not posted) · Who Standouts
Arizona's top destination festival, Feb 20–28, 2027
Official link - FestivalNational
Mon Nov 2, 2026
Philadelphia Youth Film Festival 2027
Cost Free · Who Anyone
HS-only (ages 14–19); fest Feb 26, 2027
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Wed Nov 11, 2026
Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship
Cost No fee listed · Who Seniors
Up to $55,000/yr for high-achieving seniors with financial need
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Thu Nov 12, 2026 (12:59am Nov 13 AZ)
Elks Most Valuable Student
Cost No fee listed · Who Seniors
500 four-year awards, $4,000–$30,000
Official link - FestivalArizona
Sun Nov 15, 2026 earlybird (regular Jan 31, late Mar 7, 2027)
Arizona Student Film Showcase 2027
Cost Free · Who Anyone
AZ HS-only showcase in Tucson, May 1, 2027
Official link - ContestNational
Sun Nov 15, 2026
Kinolime NXT High School Short Screenplay Competition
Cost Free · Who Anyone
5–15 page script; winner gets a $5,000 production grant + $2,500 scholarship
Official link - FestivalNational
Mon Nov 30, 2026
Reel and Roar Film Festival
Cost Free · Who Standouts
Juniors/seniors, 1–4 min films; $200–$500 scholarships
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Tue Dec 1, 2026 (earliest regional date; AZ regional date unconfirmed)
Scholastic Art & Writing — Film & Animation
Cost $15/entry or $40 portfolio, waiver available · Who Anyone
Gold Keys, national medals, senior portfolios up to $12,500
Official link - ContestNational
Tue Dec 1, 2026 (host-bank deadlines may be earlier)
Lights, Camera, Save!
Cost Free · Who Anyone
30-sec money-smarts video; national prizes up to $10,000
Official link - HighlightNational
Tue Dec 1, 2026
NYU Tisch Summer HS Filmmakers Workshop 2027
Cost $75 app fee + tuition · Who Standouts
4-week NYC film intensive for current juniors, 4 college credits
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Tue Dec 1, 2026
Hagan Scholarship (fall round)
Cost No fee listed · Who Seniors
Up to 1,500 renewable awards; 3.50 unweighted GPA and a work-hours requirement
Official link - ScholarshipNational
Tue Dec 15, 2026 (or first 30,000 apps)
Burger King Scholars
Cost No fee listed · Who Seniors
$1,000–$60,000; opens Oct 15, so apply early
Official link - FestivalNational
Fri Jan 8, 2027
Ninety-Second Film Festival
Cost Fee not posted, confirm on site · Who Anyone
75–90 sec shorts by HS directors; opens Oct 1
Official link - HighlightNational
Fri Jan 15, 2027 priority
Interlochen Arts Camp Filmmaking (HS) 2027
Cost $65 app fee + tuition · Who Standouts
Top summer arts camp; portfolio required
Official link - ContestNational
Wed Jan 20, 2027 (12:59am Jan 21 AZ)
C-SPAN StudentCam 2027
Cost No entry fee listed · Who Anyone
5–6 min documentary; $100,000 in prizes
Official link - FestivalNational
Mon Feb 15, 2027
Humanity Rising Film Festival 2027
Cost Free · Who Anyone
HS-only social-impact festival; scholarships up to $2,500
Official link - ScholarshipArizona
Mon Mar 15, 2027 (opens Jan 15)
Univision Arizona Scholarship
Cost Amount not posted · Who Seniors
Journalism/communication scholarship for 2027 seniors in AZ
Official link - HighlightNational
Thu Apr 15, 2027 (opens Dec 1)
USC SCA Summer Program 2027
Cost $85 app fee + tuition · Who Standouts
Summer film courses at USC, Jun 25–Aug 6, 2027
Official link - ContestNational
Mon Jun 7, 2027 (8:59pm AZ)
Bow Seat Blue Planet Awareness Contest (Film)
Cost Free · Who Anyone
2–4 min environmental film, ages 11–18
Official link
Film schools
- Film school
Early Oct 15, 2026 (8:59pm AZ); Regular Jan 7, 2027 (9:59pm AZ)
UNCSA
BFA in Filmmaking, School of Filmmaking
UNCSA online app; 2 references; 2-page resume/essay; portfolio incl. personal story video; interview by invitation; 3.0+ GPA or SAT 1060 / ACT 22
Fee: $95
Official link - Film school
Priority Nov 1, 2026; Regular Jan 15, 2027
ASU
BA in Film (Film and Media Production), Sidney Poitier New American Film School
ASU App or Common App (no essay); ASU competency requirements; test optional; no separate portfolio listed
Fee: $55 AZ resident ($85 nonresident)
Official link - Film school
EA Nov 1, 2026; ED Nov 1, 2026; ED II Jan 8, 2027; RD Jan 15, 2027
LMU
BA in Film and Television Production, School of Film and Television (SFTV)
Common App + 1 letter of rec; Production Portfolio (PDF project list + one visual sample up to 3 min)
Fee: $75 (waiver available)
Official link - Film school
EA / priority Nov 1, 2026; final first-year deadline May 1, 2027
University of Arizona
BA in Film & Television, School of Theatre, Film & Television
UA application, then College of Fine Arts supplemental for Film & Television; letter of rec mentioned
Fee: $50 AZ resident ($80 nonresident)
Official link - Film school
EA Nov 1, 2026; ED I Nov 1, 2026; ED II Jan 1, 2027; RD Jan 15, 2027
Emerson College
BFA in Film, Television, and Media Arts
Common App or Emerson App; creative resume + creative sample via Admission Portal; counselor + 1 teacher evaluation; test optional
Fee: $65 (waiver available)
Official link - Film school
EA / ED I / FTV priority Nov 1, 2026 (Creative Supplement 5 days later); ED II and RD Jan 15, 2027
Chapman University
BFA in Film and Television Production, Dodge College
Common App + Panther Profile; Creative Supplement (creative resume, under-2-min no-dialogue visual sample, 500-word writing sample, 200-word capstone synopsis for Directing); 1 teacher letter of rec; test optional
Fee: $70 (Common App waiver accepted)
Official link - Film school
ED I Nov 1, 2026; ED II Jan 1, 2027; RD Jan 5, 2027 (all 9:59pm AZ)
NYU Tisch
BFA in Film & Television, Kanbar Institute
Common App + NYU supplement; 5-part SlideRoom portfolio (resume, 1-2 min self-portrait video, up to 3-page short story, 1-page viewing-experience story, one creative submission) + short answers; 1 letter of rec; test optional
Fee: $85 NYU fee + $12 SlideRoom (both waivable)
Official link - Film school
Single deadline Nov 1, 2026, 11:59pm (app + all film materials)
FSU
BFA in Motion Picture Arts - Production, College of Motion Picture Arts
FSU application; Film Supplemental Application + resume, personal statement, writing sample, creative portfolio; 3 letters of rec
Fee: $30
Official link - Film school
ED Nov 1, 2026; EA Nov 1, 2026; RD Jan 10, 2027
USC School of Cinematic Arts
Film & Television Production, Kevin Feige Division of Film & TV Production
Common App; SCA SlideRoom supplement (FTV Production as 1st-choice major); 1 academic letter of rec; Kira Talent video interview after deadline; test optional
Fee: $85 (Common App waiver available)
Official link - Film school
UC Application Nov 30, 2026; FTVDM supplemental Dec 7, 2026 (12:59am Dec 8 AZ); no ED/EA
UCLA TFT
BA in Film and Television, Dept. of Film, Television & Digital Media
UC App, then FTVDM supplemental on Acceptd: personal essay, life challenge essay, critical essay or creative writing, 3-min unedited video interview, 2 letters of rec; no films; non-CA residents need 3.4 GPA
Fee: $80 UC fee + $50 FTVDM fee
Official link - Film school
Preferred Dec 1, 2026 (12:59am Dec 2 AZ); Regular Jan 5, 2027 (12:59am Jan 6 AZ); rolling after
CalArts
BFA in Film and Video, School of Film/Video
CalArts online app; film/video portfolio (~10 min, at least one piece self-shot; no reels or screenplays); artist statement 500-1,000 words; list of works, influences, future project plan; resume; 2 letters of rec; optional video intro
Fee: $65 by Dec 1 / $85 by Jan 5
Official link - Film school
Early Action (non-binding) Dec 1, 2026; scholarship consideration Feb 1, 2027; rolling after (postmark dates, no time posted)
School of Visual Arts (SVA)
BFA Film
Common App or SVA App; ~500-word Statement of Intent; SlideRoom 3-5 min film reel OR two-part film essay (500 + 1,000 words); official transcripts; test optional
Fee: $50 (waivers available)
Official link