The New York Film Academy is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the only accrediting body for visual art programs recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Transcripts and college credits for all New York Film Academy locations are processed and

issued solely by the New York Film Academy at Universal Studios, California. No additional per credit fee is required. At the bottom of this page please see the conditions the student must meet in order to receive credit.

The Semester Credit Unit disbursement for each workshop and program is as follows:

The New York Film Academy does not accept transfer credits from any other academic postsecondary institutions nor does it consider prior experiential learning for application toward any degree or non-degree course of study. As there are no areas of specialization or individual tracks of study within any workshop or program offered by NYFA, all students must follow a progressive course of study beginning at the New York Film Academy. The New York Film

Academy makes no representation whatsoever that credits awarded by the New York Film Academy Universal Studios, California will be accepted or applied toward the completion of any degree or certificate by any other postsecondary institution except as explicitly stated on this website. The acceptance of transfer credits is always governed by the receiving school.

Admission Policy for Workshops and Programs for College Credit

Applicants must have a high school diploma or acceptable equivalent (no minimum GPA required), speak English, and express a serious desire to explore the art and craft of moving pictures and/or acting in an intense, hands-on, artistic workshop. It is required that an Admissions Committee member arranges a phone interview with students interested in applying for the One-Year Programs. This interview is the basis for determining whether or not the student is qualified for an advanced workshop. All students must possess the drive and commitment necessary to complete a rigorous, total immersion filmmaking or acting program. They must be able to communicate well and work collaboratively with others in an artistic environment.

In addition to the current application booklet, students must submit the following:

Admission Requirements

Students may be declined admission if the workshop they are applying for does not have space available for the date selected for attendance, or if they have not earned a high school diploma or acceptable equivalent. Students who do not speak English will also be declined admission to the workshops, given that all of instruction in the Academy is conducted in English. Students who are unable to meet the financial obligations of the workshop one month prior to the start date will also be declined admission.

Credit Transfer Policy

The New York Film Academy makes no representation whatsoever that credits awarded by the New York Film Academy Universal Studios, California will be accepted or applied toward the completion of any degree or certificate by any other postsecondary institution except as explicitly stated on this website. The acceptance of transfer credits is always governed by the receiving school.

In New York Film Academy One-Week Workshops, no student absences are permitted. Should a student miss a class in a One-Week Workshop he/she cannot continue to study with that current class. The student however, may return for a future program. In Short-Term Hands-On 4, 6, 8, 12 Week Workshops, and One-Year Program students are allowed 3 excused absences per month. After a student has missed a fourth class during a single month in a degree or non-degree program and has not contacted the attendance office with a valid excuse, the student will be contacted with a date and time for a Disciplinary Review Hearing. At the hearing, the appropriate course of action will be determined for that student given his/her explanation for

their absences and the Academy’s records of the student’s overall attendance and participation. A disciplinary hearing can result in suspension from the workshop or program. If a student is suspended from a workshop or program, he/she cannot continue to study with that current class. The student may return for a future program. However, a Disciplinary Review Hearing in a future workshop or program would result in expulsion. Students who are expelled from a workshop or program, or choose to not continue after a suspension, will receive refunds only in accordance with the policy outlined by the State of California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education and the State of New York Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision.

At the New York Film Academy, one semester credit consists of 48 hours of instruction or, as is customary in studio-based visual and performing arts postsecondary institutions,

three Seminar/Lecture, Studio/Lab, or Studio/ Practicum hours of instruction per week for a period of sixteen weeks. Instructional class hours are 60 minutes.

Instructors will evaluate their students at the midpoint and at the end of each term. Prior to engaging in all creative assignments, students must present an aesthetic plan to their instructors for approval. Approval will be determined through a qualitative comparison by the instructor of the Production Plan of each individual student to the standard level of aptitude held by the Academy for each course of study. Grade level will be determined by the instructor after the project is complete and will be based upon the level of success each student achieves with regard to the completion of his or her aesthetic plan.

The performance of all students in each course of study in all New York Film Academy degree and certificate workshops and programs is evaluated in a grading system consisting of three tiers: (E) Excellent, (S) Satisfactory, and (U) Unsatisfactory. Students must pass all courses with a “Satisfactory” grade or better in order to continue their study and obtain a certificate of completion or a degree.

Grading Policy

Classroom performance in seminars and lectures will be determined by a combination of attendance, class participation, and successful completion of all class exercises.

Instructors critique each film, video project, performance, or screenplay and assign a numerical score between 1 and 4 based upon an in depth evaluation of five areas of concentration.

In Filmmaking and Digital Filmmaking workshops and programs students will be graded according to their performance in: Story, Aesthetic, Direction of Performance, Adherence to Budget and Schedule, and Overall Impact. 

Students in Acting workshops and programs will be graded according to their performance in: Character Choices, Strength of Performance, Ability to Take Direction, Emotional Vulnerability, and Technique.

Students in Producing workshops and programs will be graded according to their performance in: Adherence to Budget, Adherence to Schedule, Story Development, Production Value, and Overall Impact.

Students in Screenwriting workshops and programs will be graded according to their performance in: Story and Character Development, Stylistic and Tonal Consistency, Dialogue, Screenplay Execution, and Overall Impact.

Students in Digital Editing workshops and programs will be graded according to their performance in: Approach to Spatial and Temporal Continuity, Editing of Performance, Pacing and Rhythm, Sound and Music Editing, and Overall Impact.

Students who receive a cumulative score of 18 or higher will be assigned the grade (E).
Students who receive a score between 14 and 17 will be assigned the grade (S).
Students who receive a score of 13 or lower will be assigned the grade (U).

Academic Probation

Students who receive an “Unsatisfactory” grade in one course will be placed on academic probation. In order to remain in a particular workshop or program, students who have been placed on Academic Probation must earn a grade of “Satisfactory” or better in all subsequent courses. They must also complete additional coursework assigned by the instructor who gave the “Unsatisfactory” grade in order to improve the grade to “Satisfactory” and earn credit for the course. The extent of the additional coursework will depend upon the level of deficiency of each student as determined by the instructor.  Students remain on Academic Probation until graduation. Any student who receives an “Unsatisfactory” grade for two or more courses prior to being placed on Academic Probation will be expelled from the program. Students who receive an “Unsatisfactory” grade on one course and are placed on Academic Probation will be expelled in the event that they receive an “Unsatisfactory” in a second course. Students who are expelled for reasons of academic deficiency may take advantage of the New York Film Academy student tuition refund policy.

Appeals Process

Students may appeal their expulsion before the Grievance and Appeals Committee. All students have the right to due process, and may appeal their expulsion before the administration. Students who wish to have their appeal heard must follow the Appeals Process. While the Grievance and Appeals Committee will hear appeals filed by expelled students, it will uphold or overturn the decision to expel the student at its sole discretion.