National Film and Television School (NFTS)

Overview

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is a postgraduate conservatory in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, approximately 25 miles west of central London. Founded in 1971 on the site of the former Beaconsfield Studios (built in 1921), the NFTS trains students across the full range of filmmaking disciplines in a collaborative, production-driven environment. The school has campuses in Beaconsfield (main), Leeds, Wales, and Scotland.

The NFTS is one of only two film schools globally to consistently appear in The Hollywood Reporter's top international film schools list. Alumni have won 14 Oscars and over 165 BAFTAs. According to the school's corporate plan, 85% of UK film and 90% of High-End TV spend involves an NFTS graduate in some capacity.

In September 2025, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed GBP 10 million toward a GBP 21 million expansion of the Beaconsfield site. The expansion adds 25,000 sq ft of teaching space, a new apprenticeship centre, and up to 12 accessible student bedrooms, with courses planned in games, virtual production, immersive storytelling, AI, and expanded apprenticeship provision. Applications are now free, with no application fees required for any NFTS course. Review the NFTS course changes for 2025/2026 for full details.

Programs Offered

Starting in 2025/2026, the NFTS restructured its qualifications:

• Two-year MFA programs (formerly two-year MAs) - the flagship conservatory programs, starting in January each year. These include Directing Fiction, Directing Documentary, Cinematography, Composing for Film and Television, Editing, Sound Design, Production Design, Producing, Animation, Games Design and Development, and Visual Effects.
• One-year MA programs (formerly Postgraduate Diplomas) - specialist programs starting in January and September. These include Digital Effects, Screenwriting, Script Supervision, Production Accounting, and others.
• Short courses and certificates - intensive programs in specific disciplines including Virtual Production.

The school offers more specialist behind-the-camera courses than any other UK film school, spanning core crafts like cinematography and editing alongside highly specialised fields including Script Supervision and Production Accounting.

Admission requires either a relevant undergraduate degree or demonstrable professional experience (typically 3-4 years). Cohorts are intentionally small: 8 to 12 students per discipline, ensuring close mentorship and generous equipment access. Some MFA courses require a short selection workshop (3-5 days, costing GBP 70-150) following interview. Directing Fiction requires a 4-week Foundation Course before the main program begins.

Tuition and Fees (2026)

The NFTS charges different rates for home (UK/Irish nationals and EU/EEA nationals with settled status) and international students. All production costs are included in course fees, including use of facilities and equipment.

Selected MFA Program Fees (January 2026 intake)

Selected MFA Program Fees (January 2027 intake)

Fees are updated yearly toward the end of June. A non-refundable deposit of GBP 500 is required on confirmation of a place. The NFTS offers scholarships to UK citizens resident in the UK for at least 3 years. UK/Irish students on their first Master's can apply for a UK government Postgraduate Master's Loan of up to GBP 12,858 (split across 2 years for MFA programs, at GBP 6,429 per year). International students who complete an MA or MFA are eligible for the UK Graduate Visa, allowing them to stay and work in the UK for at least 2 years after finishing.

Facilities and Equipment

The NFTS operates like a professional studio, with industry-rivaling equipment and facilities. Students do not pay extra for production costs or materials. Key facilities include:

• Main Stage - 7,000 sq ft, originally built in 1921 as part of Beaconsfield Studios, fully refurbished to industry standards
• Sky 4K Television Studio - state-of-the-art UHD TV galleries with HDR monitoring, facilitating large-scale multi-camera television productions. Also houses the LED Volume wall for virtual production (installed 2021)
• Three Dolby Atmos certified dubbing theatres - equipped with Avid, Dolby, and ProTools equipment
• Three cinemas - used for rushes, work-in-progress screenings, curriculum screenings, and masterclasses
• 50+ top-of-the-range cameras - including ARRI Alexa XT and Alexa Mini, plus 16mm and 35mm film cameras
• Four full-scale film stages including the Main Stage
• Post-production facilities - editing suites, colour grading suites with Resolve, Baselight, and Nucoda, motion and performance capture facilities
• Animation studios - dedicated workstations with latest design and animation software
• Recording studio - industry-standard live music and sound-to-picture recording

The school maintains close links with Panavision, Panalux, ARRI, and Avid, giving students access to the same equipment used in professional production. Professional rigging and technical staff are available to help students build any set imaginable. Past student productions have transformed stages into a space station, a submarine, a flooded hospital, and a Wild West homestead.

What Students Should Know

The NFTS is strictly postgraduate. There are no undergraduate programs. The collaborative model mirrors professional production: directing students work alongside cinematographers, editors, sound designers, and producers, replicating real crew structures. This approach is central to the school's identity.

The Beaconsfield location is not in London. Students accustomed to urban environments may find the location isolating, but the proximity to Pinewood Studios and other production facilities in the area provides direct access to the British film production infrastructure. The school does not provide general student accommodation, though the expansion will add 12 accessible bedrooms for disabled students.

The school has two intakes per year: MFA courses commence in January, and MA and Diploma courses commence in both January and September. The NFTS has a strong commitment to diversity, with 1 in 4 recent graduates from ethnic minority backgrounds. The school also formalised support for the London Screen Academy, delivering NFTS alumni masterclasses in 2024-25.

Student work regularly premieres at major festivals including Cannes, Sundance, TIFF, the BAFTA Student Awards, and the Student Academy Awards. The 2024 graduate showcase included work in competition at Cannes and double BAFTA wins for Best Short Film and Best Short Animation.

Notable Alumni

NFTS alumni have won 14 Oscars and over 165 BAFTAs across all disciplines:

• Roger Deakins - two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer (1917, Blade Runner 2049, No Country for Old Men, Skyfall). 12-time Oscar nominee.
• David Yates - director of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. BAFTA-winning director.
• Nick Park - Oscar-winning animator, creator of Wallace and Gromit.
• Lynne Ramsay - BAFTA-winning director (You Were Never Really Here, We Need to Talk About Kevin).
• Laurie Nunn - creator of the Netflix global hit Sex Education.
• Dario Marianelli - Oscar-winning composer (Atonement).
• Tarn Willers - sound designer, Oscar winner for The Zone of Interest.
• Molly Manning Walker - BAFTA-nominated cinematographer (How to Have Sex).
• Shirley O'Connor - producer (Earth Mama).
• Nick Broomfield - documentary filmmaker (Whitney: Can I Be Me, Kurt and Courtney).

See Also

For understanding the UK film industry landscape, see International Film Markets. To explore cinematography tools, use the Depth of Field Calculator. For audio delivery standards for broadcast and streaming, use the LUFS Calculator. For planning production budgets, use the Production Budget Calculator.