National Board of Review Student Grant

Overview

The National Board of Review (NBR) is one of the oldest film organizations in the United States, founded in 1909. In addition to its annual awards recognizing the year's best professional films, the NBR operates a Student Grant Program that awards cash grants to student filmmakers at participating schools. The program was initiated in 2000 and has grown from an initial pool of $50,000 to approximately $75,000 distributed annually.

The NBR screens over 250 feature films and over 60 student-made short films each year. The student films are reviewed by the same organization that awards the NBR's professional film honors, giving student filmmakers visibility within an established critical body. Grant winners are published on the NBR website with the filmmaker's name, school, film title, and award category.

The NBR also supports community outreach organizations including the Ghetto Film School, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, and the Educational Video Center. The organization's total operating budget is approximately $543,000, with total revenue of approximately $661,000 for the 2024 filing year.

What It Covers

• Cash grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 per student film. The amount varies by school and by the jury's assessment of the work
• NBR screening group membership: each grant winner receives a one-year membership in the NBR screening group, giving them access to professional film screenings
• Public recognition: winners are listed on the NBR website with their film title, school, and award category
• Additional awards: some winners also receive the Norman T. Strauss Award or the Marion Carter Green Award, which carry additional recognition

Each participating school receives a pool of grant money ranging from approximately $3,000 to $11,500 to distribute among its student winners. The number of recipients per school varies, and the number of total recipients has grown from the original cohort to approximately 20 to 30 students annually in recent years.

Eligibility

The NBR Student Grant is not an open-submission program. Grants are awarded to students at participating schools. The list of participating schools has expanded since the program's inception in 2000 and currently includes:

• Brooklyn College
• City College
• Columbia University
• Ghetto Film School
• Hunter College
• Ithaca College
• New York University
• Northwestern University
• Pratt Institute
• Ringling College of Art and Design
• School of Visual Arts
• Stony Brook University
• SUNY Purchase
• The New School
• Wesleyan University

Films must have been produced as part of an academic program at one of these institutions. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible. The program is concentrated in the New York tri-state area, with a few participating schools outside the region (Northwestern, Ringling, Wesleyan, Ithaca).

Students at schools not on the participating list cannot apply directly. The NBR works through faculty and administration at participating institutions to identify and submit student films for consideration.

How to Apply

The application process is school-mediated rather than open-submission. Students at participating schools should contact their film department faculty or administration to find out how their school selects films for NBR submission.

The NBR does not publish a single application deadline. Instead, each participating school manages its own internal submission timeline, typically in the spring. The school then forwards selected films to the NBR for review.

Award Categories

Recent Winners (2026 Cycle)

The 2026 cycle included winners from multiple schools with film titles including Last Day in the North, One Early Morning, the Alligator Swallowed, The Knock That Never Leaves, To Bury a River, and Wrap Me in Plastic. The 2025 cycle included winners from Brooklyn College, NYU, Hunter College, Columbia University, Pratt Institute, SUNY Purchase, and other participating schools.

How the Grant Compares to Other Student Film Funding

The NBR Student Grant is modest in dollar terms compared to some production grants, but it carries recognition value within the New York film community. For context:

The NBR grant is best understood as a recognition award that provides some financial support and meaningful industry visibility, rather than a production funding source. The one-year NBR screening membership gives student filmmakers access to professional screenings they would not otherwise attend, which can be valuable for networking and exposure to current industry work.

Who Should Apply

Student filmmakers at participating schools (listed above) whose films have been produced as part of an academic program and who want recognition from an established film criticism organization. Because the program is school-mediated, students should focus on producing strong work within their program and ensuring their faculty is aware of the NBR grant opportunity.

Students at non-participating schools are not eligible. Filmmakers who have already graduated are not eligible. The program is specifically for current students at the participating institutions.

Students outside the New York area should note that the majority of participating schools are in the New York tri-state area. If you are not at one of the participating schools, consider other student grant programs listed in the Film Scholarships Directory.

Common Confusions

You cannot apply directly to the NBR. The NBR Student Grant is not an open-submission program. Films are submitted through participating schools. Students should work with their film department faculty to be considered. If your school is not on the participating list, you cannot apply.

The grant amount varies by school and by film. The NBR does not award a fixed amount to every winner. Each school receives a pool of funds to distribute, and the amount per student depends on the number of winners at that school and the jury's assessment. Awards range from $500 to $5,000.

The program is concentrated in New York. The majority of participating schools are in the New York tri-state area. The NBR was founded in New York and has historically focused its student program on regional schools. Students at schools outside this region should check whether their institution is on the current participating list before assuming eligibility.

The NBR Student Grant is separate from the NBR's professional awards. The NBR's annual awards for professional films (Best Film, Best Director, etc.) are a separate program. The Student Grant Program runs on its own timeline and has its own selection process. Student grant winners are not competing against professional films.

See Also

For festival and awards strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. To plan your student film production, use the Production Budget Calculator. For exploring other funding opportunities, browse the full Film Scholarships Directory.