BAFTA US Scholarship Program

Overview

The BAFTA US Scholarship Program is BAFTA North America's educational outreach initiative, providing financial support and career development to graduate students pursuing Master's degrees in film production disciplines at US institutions. The program was first established in 1993, supporting a single British student enrolled in the MFA Screenwriting program at UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television. Since then, the program has expanded to support multiple scholars each year across film, games, and television disciplines.

The centerpiece of the program is the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship, funded by philanthropist Mark Pigott KBE, which provides $10,000 toward annual tuition and expenses for British graduate students studying full-time at US institutions. Additional named scholarships include the BAFTA Ben Jorgensen Scholarship ($10,000 for graduate students studying filmmaking at New York universities) and other supported awards from organizations including BBC America, The Jeff Hunter Charitable Trust, DLT Entertainment, King Features Animation, and The Taffner Family Charitable Trust.

Applications for the 2026 cycle are open and due Friday, June 26, 2026. The scholarship supports students whose courses begin between August 2026 and January 2027.

What It Covers

BAFTA US Scholarships provide a combination of financial support and career development:

• Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship: $10,000 toward annual tuition and expenses for British graduate students pursuing Master's degrees at US institutions in disciplines leading to production roles in filmmaking. This includes directing, writing, producing, cinematography, production design, editing, costume design, composing, visual effects, and animation. Students of acting are not eligible.
• BAFTA Ben Jorgensen Scholarship: $10,000 for graduate students studying filmmaking at New York universities.
• Additional named scholarships: Multiple awards supported by BBC America, The Jeff Hunter Charitable Trust, DLT Entertainment, King Features Animation, and The Taffner Family Charitable Trust. Specific award amounts and eligibility criteria vary by scholarship.
• Career support: All scholars receive year-round career support from BAFTA, including mentorship connections with BAFTA members working in their discipline.
• BAFTA community access: Scholars gain access to BAFTA events, screenings, and networking opportunities in both the US and UK.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be working toward a postgraduate degree (Master's) at a US graduate school. BAFTA does not offer scholarships for diploma courses or undergraduate degrees under this program.
• Be currently enrolled, recently accepted, or awaiting word of acceptance on the program of study. If awaiting acceptance, proof of acceptance is required before the scholarship can be awarded.
• The program of study must lead to a production role in film, television, or games. Students of acting are not eligible.
• Cannot have received the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship before.
• There is no age limit for applicants.
• If the course begins between August 2026 and January 2027, applicants may still apply even if they have not yet received an acceptance decision. In that case, applicants should upload a letter confirming they have applied to the course. If awarded, proof of enrollment is required before the award is confirmed.

Additional scholarships under the BAFTA US umbrella may have different eligibility requirements. The Ben Jorgensen Scholarship, for example, is specifically for students at New York universities. Applicants should check the specific requirements for each scholarship on the BAFTA US Scholarships page.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the BAFTA US Scholarships page. The deadline for the 2026 cycle is Friday, June 26, 2026.

The application typically requires:

• Personal statement
• Academic transcripts
• Proof of acceptance or enrollment at a US institution (or a letter confirming application if acceptance is pending)
• Financial statement demonstrating need
• Portfolio or samples of creative work
• For the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship specifically: proof of British citizenship or residency

BAFTA does not accept late applications under any circumstances. Applicants should plan ahead and submit well before the deadline.

How the Scholarship Compares to Other Film School Funding

The $10,000 Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship is a meaningful contribution toward graduate film school tuition in the US, but it will not cover the full cost of most programs. For context:

The BAFTA scholarship covers approximately 14 to 29 percent of annual tuition at these programs, depending on the institution. Most BAFTA scholars combine the scholarship with other funding sources: university financial aid, federal loans, private scholarships, and personal savings. The career support and BAFTA community access components of the scholarship may provide equal or greater long-term value than the cash award, particularly for British students building professional networks in the US.

Who Should Apply

British citizens or residents who have been admitted to or are enrolled in a full-time graduate (Master's) film production program at a US university and need financial support to attend. Applicants with strong academic records, demonstrated creative talent, and a clear commitment to building a career in film, television, or games are the strongest candidates.

The program is particularly valuable for British students who want to study at top US film schools but face the additional financial burden of international student tuition rates, which are typically higher than domestic rates at public universities. The BAFTA community network on both sides of the Atlantic also provides a bridge back to the UK industry after graduation.

Students of acting are not eligible. Filmmakers looking for production funding rather than educational funding should look at grant programs instead, such as the Austin Film Society Grant or other opportunities in the Film Scholarships Directory.

Program History and Supporters

The first BAFTA US Scholarship was established in 1993, supporting a single British student at UCLA. The program expanded significantly in 2014 when BAFTA Los Angeles introduced additional named scholarships. The current roster of supporters includes:

• Mark Pigott KBE (Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship)
• BBC America
• The Jeff Hunter Charitable Trust
• DLT Entertainment
• King Features Animation
• The Taffner Family Charitable Trust

BAFTA North America scholarships support undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe who are pursuing media studies at public institutions in the United States. The program has supported dozens of scholars since 1993, with alumni working across film, games, and television in both the US and UK industries.

Common Confusions

The BAFTA US Scholarship is separate from the BAFTA UK Scholarship Programme. The US program is for students studying at US institutions. The UK program is for British citizens studying at UK institutions and offers up to 12,000 British pounds toward annual course fees. British citizens who want to study in the US should apply for the US program, not the UK program.

The scholarship is for graduate students only (under the Pigott/BAFTA track). BAFTA does not offer scholarships to diploma courses or undergraduate degrees under the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship. However, some additional named scholarships under the BAFTA US umbrella may support undergraduate students. Check the specific scholarship requirements on the BAFTA website.

Acting students are not eligible. The Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship specifically excludes students of acting. The scholarship targets production roles: directing, writing, producing, cinematography, production design, editing, costume design, composing, visual effects, and animation.

Past Recipients

BAFTA US Scholarships have run since 1993, and the alumni list is the program's strongest evidence of impact. Named past scholars and what they went on to make:

• Charlotte Wells - Received a 2017 Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship at NYU Tisch. Her feature debut Aftersun (2022) premiered in Critics' Week at Cannes, was acquired by A24, and earned Paul Mescal an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Aftersun appeared on numerous critics' best-of-decade lists and is the most internationally recognized outcome from the program in recent years.

• Sacha Gervasi - Wrote and directed Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) and Hitchcock (2012). Also a BAFTA scholar.
• Joby Harold - Wrote Awake and Edge of Tomorrow, and has produced the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
• Gil Kenan - Directed Monster House (2006), City of Ember (2008), and the Ghostbusters reboot (2016).
• Aneil Karia - Directed Surge (2020) and the BAFTA-winning short The Long Goodbye (2021, co-directed with Riz Ahmed, Oscar-nominated for Best Live Action Short).
• William Stefan Smith - Directed episodes of Top Boy and Avenue 5.
• Simon Kelton - Wrote Eddie the Eagle (2016).

Recent cohorts: the 2025 Pigott Scholars included Cameran Johal, Emily Badescu (Fulbright & Pigott), Joanna Vymeris, Rebs Fisher-Jackson, and Sang Wee. The 2024 cohort included Esther Okorocha, George Lanigan, Oliver McGoldrick, Sahar Ghorishi, and Vankshita Mishra (USC), plus Ben Jorgensen Scholar Raha Amirfazli (NYU). The full current and past cohorts are listed on the Meet BAFTA's US Scholars page.

What Made Winning Applications Stand Out

BAFTA evaluates applications on a combination of creative talent, academic record, financial need, and career commitment. What tends to advance:

• A creative portfolio that shows a developed voice. The portfolio is the heaviest-weighted component. Scholars who have gone on to working careers (Charlotte Wells, Gil Kenan) submitted work that demonstrated a specific authorial sensibility, not just technical competence.
• A personal statement that articulates a clear career direction. BAFTA looks for applicants who can explain why the specific US program is necessary for their trajectory and how they intend to build a career in film, television, or games. Generic statements about loving film do not advance.
• Demonstrated financial need. The scholarship is need-aware. The financial statement is a required component, and the award is sized to make attendance possible for students who could not otherwise afford US graduate tuition.
• The mentorship and community fit. BAFTA selects scholars it can genuinely plug into its member network. Applicants whose discipline and goals map onto working BAFTA members in that field get more out of the year-round career support, and the selection reflects that fit.

Renewal Requirements

The Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship is a one-time, non-renewable award. Eligibility explicitly states that applicants "cannot have received the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship before," so a past recipient is barred from reapplying to the Pigott track. The $10,000 is paid once toward annual tuition and expenses for the year of the award. There is no multi-year continuation, and the scholarship does not automatically renew for subsequent years of a multi-year Master's program. Scholars who need funding for a second year must seek other sources.

The year-round career support, BAFTA event access, and mentorship, however, continue beyond the cash award. Scholars remain part of the BAFTA alumni community after graduation, which is the program's durable, non-renewable benefit.

See Also

For comparing US graduate film programs, see Choosing a Film School. To plan your production budget for student films, use the Production Budget Calculator. For exploring other funding opportunities, browse the full Film Scholarships Directory.