NYU Tisch School of the Arts
New York University's premier arts school, home to one of the most acclaimed undergraduate and graduate film programs in the United States, rooted in the independent filmmaking tradition.
Overview
The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University is one of the most respected performing and media arts schools in the world. Its film and television programs, housed within the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, have anchored New York City's filmmaking community for decades. Tisch consistently ranks among the top film schools globally and draws students from over 40 countries.
Tisch's location in Greenwich Village places students at the center of New York's cultural and artistic landscape. Unlike Los Angeles-based programs that feed directly into the studio system, Tisch has historically cultivated a strong independent and auteur filmmaking sensibility. The school's faculty and alumni reflect this orientation, with deep roots in documentary, experimental film, and character-driven narrative work alongside commercial and studio production.
The school offers joint programs with NYU's Stern School of Business (BFA/BS and MFA/MBA), connecting creative training with entertainment business education.
Programs Offered
- BFA in Film and Television -- a four-year undergraduate program combining production, screenwriting, and critical studies
- MFA in Film -- a three-year graduate program in the Kanbar Institute focused on directing, screenwriting, and producing
- MFA in Documentary -- a specialized track within the graduate program for nonfiction filmmaking
- BFA in Drama -- acting, directing, and playwriting for stage and screen
- MFA in Animation and Digital Arts -- graduate animation program through the Tisch Department of Film and Television
- BFA in Game Design -- the Game Center program focused on interactive storytelling and game development
- PhD in Cinema Studies -- a scholarly program in film history, theory, and criticism
What Students Should Know
Tisch's undergraduate film program is larger than most graduate programs at other schools, and students begin making films in their first year. The BFA curriculum is structured around a progression of increasingly complex production exercises, culminating in a thesis film. Graduate students in the MFA program work in small cohorts and produce multiple short films before their thesis projects.
New York City itself functions as a production resource. Students shoot on location throughout the five boroughs, and the city's density of actors, crew, and post-production facilities means Tisch students work within a professional ecosystem from day one. The school maintains relationships with New York-based production companies, networks, and distributors.
Tuition at NYU is among the highest of any university in the country. Annual tuition exceeds $60,000, and total cost of attendance in New York City can surpass $85,000 per year. Tisch offers merit and need-based financial aid, but competition for scholarships is intense. Students should research funding options carefully before committing.
The school's retention rate exceeds 99%, and its alumni network spans the entertainment industry, with particularly strong representation in independent film, documentary, television, and theater.
Notable Alumni
Tisch alumni include Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas), Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, BlacKkKlansman), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi), Joel Coen (Fargo, No Country for Old Men), Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Harry Potter), M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), Dee Rees (Mudbound), and Brett Morgen (Moonage Daydream). The school has also produced prominent writers, producers, and showrunners working in television.
See Also
For understanding how New York's production landscape differs from Los Angeles, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. To estimate your student film costs, use the Production Budget Calculator.
