London Film School

Overview

An independent postgraduate film school in Covent Garden, central London, with students from over 80 countries. London Film School (LFS) offers five full-time MA programs validated by the University of Warwick (four programs) and the University of Exeter (one program). The MA Filmmaking program costs 68,652 GBP for UK students and 68,952 GBP for international students over two years, with three intake periods per year (September, January, May).

The school operates from two buildings in central London: its historic Shelton Street premises (short courses and workshops) and a expanded Parker Street hub (main programs). Facilities include two cinemas, four sound stages, multiple edit suites, and full sound facilities. Students produce more films during the MA Filmmaking than on any other MA filmmaking degree program in the UK, according to the school.

LFS received World-Leading Specialist Provider status from the Office for Students in 2022 and was recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the top international film schools of 2024. Applications require a 50 GBP non-refundable fee. Prospective students can apply through the LFS admissions portal.

Programs Offered

LFS offers five full-time MA programs plus short courses:

• MA Filmmaking - two-year intensive program covering directing, cinematography, editing, sound, and producing. Students rotate through crew positions in year one before specializing in year two. Three intakes per year (September, January, May). Validated by University of Warwick.
• MA Screenwriting - one-year program centered on developing a full-length feature screenplay with individual industry mentorship. Students collaborate with filmmaking students on short productions. Validated by University of Warwick.
• MA Film Producing - one-year program (5 modules) training producers, line producers, and production managers for global industry. First intake: September 2025. Validated by University of Warwick.
• MA Film Marketing - one-year program covering B2B and B2C marketing strategies, key art design, promotional trailers, media planning, and social media campaigns for film distribution. First intake: September 2025. Validated by University of Warwick.
• MA International Film Business - program split between Exeter and London, focused on the business side of global cinema. Offered jointly with University of Exeter.
• Short courses - workshops and professional development programs under the London Filmworks banner.

Tuition and Fees (2026/27 Entry)

MA Filmmaking year 1 costs 34,326 GBP (UK) or 34,626 GBP (international, including 300 GBP visa admin fee). Year 2 costs 34,326 GBP for all students. A non-refundable 50 GBP application fee applies to all programs. A non-refundable deposit is required to secure a place, deducted from first-term fees upon enrollment.

Scholarships and Funding

• Leverhulme Arts Scholarship - open to UK, EU, and EEA nationals accepted into MA Filmmaking or MA Screenwriting. Applicants must have an unconditional offer and register interest on their application form. Individual students may not apply directly to the Trust.
• Chevening Scholarships - available to eligible international applicants for the MA Screenwriting program.

See the LFS funding page for current details.

Admissions

MA Filmmaking has three intakes per year (September, January, May) with separate application periods and deadlines. The program is full-time only, with no part-time option. Entry requirements vary by program but generally include a bachelor's degree, creative portfolio, and personal statement. The school does not require a first degree in film or a related field.

What Students Should Know

The MA Filmmaking rotation model is the defining feature of the program. First-year students work across directing, camera, sound, and editing on multiple productions before choosing a specialization in year two. This means graduates understand the full production pipeline, not just their primary craft. Students who already know exactly what they want to specialize in may find the mandatory rotation restrictive, but the school considers cross-disciplinary literacy a core competency.

The international student body (80+ countries) is a genuine educational asset, not a marketing claim. Students collaborate with peers from different cinematic traditions, which builds a global professional network that persists after graduation. Many LFS graduates return to their home countries as working filmmakers.

London's cost of living is among the highest in the world. Students should budget for accommodation, transportation, and daily expenses on top of tuition. The school does not provide on-campus housing. Central London locations like Covent Garden command premium rents, and many students live in cheaper outer neighborhoods and commute.

LFS and the National Film and Television School (NFTS) are the two dominant UK film schools. LFS offers an urban, internationally diverse experience in central London. NFTS offers a campus-based model in Beaconsfield with stronger direct industry connections to UK broadcasters. The choice depends on whether a student prioritizes international networking (LFS) or UK industry pipeline access (NFTS).

Notable Alumni

LFS alumni work across directing, cinematography, editing, and producing:

• Mike Leigh - Secrets & Lies (1996, Palme d'Or), Mr. Turner (2014), Vera Drake (2004)
• Michael Mann - Heat (1995), Collateral (2004), The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
• Duncan Jones - Moon (2009), Source Code (2011)
• Ann Hui - Hong Kong New Wave director, A Simple Life (2011)
• Tak Fujimoto - Cinematographer, The Sixth Sense (1999), The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
• Roger Pratt - Cinematographer, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Chocolat (2000)
• Jo Willems - Cinematographer, The Hunger Games series
• Erik Wilson - Cinematographer, Paddington (2014)
• Paula Huidobro - Cinematographer, CODA (2021)
• Elisabet Ronaldsdottir - Editor, Deadpool 2 (2018)
• Mark Goldblatt - Editor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
• Robert Leighton - Editor, Now You See Me (2013)
• Iain Smith - Producer, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Acceptance Rate

LFS does not publish a formal acceptance rate. The school states that admission is competitive and based on creative portfolio, personal statement, and interview. The MA Filmmaking program has three intakes per year (September, January, May), which distributes the applicant pool across multiple cycles. The application fee is 50 GBP (non-refundable). Entry requirements generally include a bachelor's degree, creative portfolio, and personal statement, though the school does not require a first degree in film or a related field. The international student body (80+ countries) suggests that admissions are not geographically restricted, but the lack of published acceptance rate data makes it difficult to quantify selectivity precisely. Prospective students should treat the portfolio and personal statement as the primary differentiators.

Standout Faculty

LFS operates on a practitioner-instructor model rather than a permanent academic faculty. Industry professionals teach on a rotating basis, which means the specific faculty available in any given term varies. The school's validation partners (University of Warwick for four programs, University of Exeter for one) provide academic oversight but not day-to-day instruction. The strength of the LFS model is that students learn from working filmmakers, editors, cinematographers, and producers who bring current industry practice into the classroom. The trade-off is that students cannot point to a named permanent faculty member as a reason to attend, in the way they might at a university-based film program. The school's Hollywood Reporter recognition as a top international film school (2024) and its World-Leading Specialist Provider status from the Office for Students (2022) validate the practitioner model.

Tuition and Aid Reality

The MA Filmmaking program costs 68,652 GBP for UK students and 68,952 GBP for international students over two years (the 300 GBP difference is a visa admin fee). Year 1 costs 34,326 GBP (UK) or 34,626 GBP (international); Year 2 costs 34,326 GBP for all students. A non-refundable 50 GBP application fee applies, and a non-refundable deposit is required to secure a place (deducted from first-term fees upon enrollment). Funding options include the Leverhulme Arts Scholarship (open to UK, EU, and EEA nationals accepted into MA Filmmaking or MA Screenwriting, requiring an unconditional offer and registration of interest on the application form) and Chevening Scholarships (available to eligible international applicants for MA Screenwriting). LFS does not offer need-based aid; the Leverhulme scholarship is merit-based. London's cost of living is among the highest in the world, and the school does not provide on-campus housing. Students should budget for accommodation, transportation, and daily expenses on top of tuition, with central London rents commanding premium rates.

Student Film Examples

LFS states that students produce more films during the MA Filmmaking than on any other MA filmmaking degree program in the UK. The MA Filmmaking rotation model requires students to work across directing, camera, sound, and editing on multiple productions before specializing in year two. Student films from LFS have screened at major international festivals. The school does not publish a comprehensive public list of student film awards, but graduates have gone on to win Palme d'Or awards (Mike Leigh for Secrets & Lies), Academy Awards, and BAFTA awards. The MA Screenwriting program produces full-length feature screenplays developed with individual industry mentorship, and screenwriting students collaborate with filmmaking students on short productions.

Watch

See Also

For understanding the differences between US and UK film education, see International Film Markets. To plan your film's production budget in a UK context, use the Production Budget Calculator. For calculating the return on investment of a film school education, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.