Application & Admissions Process
To apply for the BA in Filmmaking, you must fill out and submit the electronic application form (and attach all required documentation) and then pay the application fee. Once this is done, and once we confirm that all required information is included in your application, you’ll receive email confirmation that the application has been received.
You can find the electronic application form here.
Application Instructions
Below are special instructions for certain elements of the application:
Statement (required)
In 300 words or less, tell us about yourself. Why are you applying to this programme and why do you want to become a filmmaker? Why you, why now, and what are your hopes and dreams for the future?
Portfolio (required)
This is the creative part of the application, to give us an idea of your aptitude or talent in this field.
In the space provided, attach one PDF document that includes the following two elements:
- Writing sample: Tell us a story, in no more than three pages, in any format of your choosing (screenplay, treatment, prose, etc.) The story should include at least one character, one location, and last no more than one day.
- Visual sample: Select 10 photos or images (your own or someone else’s) and organize them into a story that engages and sustains the viewer’s attention. In no more than half a page, describe your work and the intention behind it.
Certificate / transcript (required)
Here you may attach additional certified certificates, diplomas, or transcripts for any other educational experiences you have had.
Links (optional)
In the space provided, you may attach links to previous film, video, or other creative work you have done, if you think it enhances your application.
Course selection (required)
In this programme, students begin in a common course of study that teaches fundamentals across a variety of filmmaking disciplines. Later in the curriculum they gravitate toward specialization in one of these disciplines.
Admissions Process
An admissions committee, made up of professional filmmakers and/or Film Department faculty, reviews all applications from applicants who meet all qualifications and requirements for the programme.
A select group of applicants is then invited to be interviewed by the committee. The purpose of the interview is to explore the interests and attitudes of applicants toward their prospective studies, and their ideas about filmmaking and their own work. Applicants being interviewed should be prepared to discuss information provided in their applications, especially their creative portfolios. For applicants living abroad or unable to attend an in-person interview, an online interview can be arranged.
The incoming cohort is then selected from those applicants who were interviewed. Applicants offered a place in the programme must confirm by paying a confirmation fee. This fee is non-refundable but is applied toward tuition payments for the first semester. All decisions made by the admissions committee are final and the committee has no obligation to provide further justification for them.
Admissions Requirements
It is assumed that applicants have completed an upper-secondary education or comparable studies. Studies in filmmaking or related fields at the upper-secondary level are a plus but not required. The university may grant admission in special circumstances to applicants who can demonstrate knowledge and experience considered to be satisfactory preparation for a bachelor’s degree, but it is usually assumed that applicants have completed no fewer than 105 credits from the old upper-secondary system or no fewer than 150 credits from the new system.
The language of most instruction in the programme is Icelandic, but some English is taught depending on the instructor. Therefore, students should expect to be able to speak, read, and write in both languages.