Financial Aid

Scholarships
At this time, the AFI Conservatory offers a limited number of scholarships to second year Fellows based upon both financial need and achievement in the chosen discipline. Selection is by committee and applications are distributed to all Fellows completing the first year program who are continuing to their second year. Selection is determined by the AFI Conservatory Financial Aid and Award Committee.

Private scholarships are also available for graduate study. You must research these opportunities on your own -- there are several free, online scholarship search engines to assist you in this process. Listed below are some of the search engines and/or scholarship opportunities for graduate study:

Search Engines:

Scholarship Notices:

Access to Education Scholarship
(www.usafunds.org/planning/access_to_education_scholarship/index.html)

  • Provided by USA Funds.
  • Provides $1,500 to students with an annual family income of less than $35,000. Up to 50% of awards will be targeted to applicants who are members of an ethnic-minority group or who have a physical disability.
  • Deadline is February 15.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Scholarship
(www.usafunds.org/borrowers/_access_to_education_scholarship.html)

  • Provided by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
  • Provides $5,000 to Latino students with a history of performing public service-oriented activities in their communities and who continue to contribute in the future.
  • Deadline is April 16.

The John L. Dales Scholarship Fund
(www.sagfoundation.org)

  • Provided by the SAG Foundation for SAG members or their children.
  • Deadline March 14.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship
(http://www.hsf.net/)

  • Provided by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF).
  • $1,000 to $5,000 awards are given to applicants of Hispanic heritage who have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or at least the equivalent).
  • Deadline is March 15.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship/ McNamara Creative Arts Project
(http://www.hsf.net/)

  • Provided by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF).
  • $5,000 to $20,000 awards are given to applicants of Hispanic heritage who have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or at least the equivalent).
  • Deadline TBA.

IHS Film & Fiction Scholarship
(www.theihs.org/film&fiction)

  • Provided by the Institute for Humane Studies
  • Provides up to $10,000 to MFA candidates who support the study of filmmaking or creative writing.
  • Deadline is January 15.

Korean American Scholarship Foundation Scholarship
(http://www.kasf.org/)

  • Provided by the Korean American Scholarship Foundation.
  • Provides funding to Korean American students in higher education.
  • Deadline is May 31.

National Council of Jewish Women, Los Angeles Scholarship Program
(http://ncjwla.org/services.php?gid=279&this_gid=252%20-%2029k)

  • Provides several different scholarship opportunities for women and students who have children.
  • You need not be Jewish to apply.
  • Pay special attention to: Sophie Greenstadt Scholarship for Mid-Life Women, The Nosseck Family Scholarship for Childcare, The Sol Goldberg Childcare Subsidy, Susan Schulman Begley Memorial Scholarship, The Ellis Scholarship for Childcare, and the Samuel Schulman Memorial Scholarship.
  • Applications accepted February 1 through May 1 for June awards.
  • Applications accepted August 1 through November 1 for December awards.

The Don & Gee Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting
(http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/index.html)

  • Provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
  • Up to five $30,000 fellowships are awarded each year.
  • Deadline is May 1.

James D. Phelan Award in Film and Video
(www.sff.org/programs/awards-programs/art-awards)

  • Provided by the San Francisco Foundation and Film Arts Foundation.
  • $5,000 to $10,000 awards are given to California-born media artists.
  • Next application period begins in January.

The Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship
(http://www.emmys.tv/foundation/rogersscholar.php)

  • Provided by The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation.
  • Three Scholarships in the amount of 10,000 each will be awarded to qualified applicants.
  • Deadline is February 15.

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
(www.pdsoros.org)

  • Provides $20,000 maintenance and half tuition (up to $16,000 per year) for thirty selected recipients a year for up to two years of graduate study.
  • Candidates must be either holders of alien registration cards (aka 'green cards'), naturalized citizens, or children of two naturalized citizen parents.
  • Candidates must be in their final year of undergraduate study, have a bachelor's degree already or be in their first year of graduate study.
  • Candidates must not be older than thirty years of age as deadline date.
  • Applications available on-line and may be submitted via Online Application System or downloaded and mailed.
  • Deadline is November 1.

Worldstudio Foundation Scholarship
(www.worldstudio.org/scholarships/eligibility)

  • Provided by Worldstudio Foundation.
  • Directing or Cinematography, financial aid applicants only.
  • Minority status is a significant factor, but not a requirement while financial need is a requirement.
  • Applicants who have yet to enroll must submit proof of acceptance from school of choice.
  • Deadline is April 11.