Transfer Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are there two separate applications to be considered for the College of Motion Picture Arts?
A: No. All of your required documents for both the Florida State University application and the College’s Supplemental Application are now submitted in the same place. After submitting the FSU application, you will see two separate Checklists on your Status Page: Application Checklist and Motion Picture Arts Checklist. Complete both checklists for consideration to both Florida State University and the two majors with the College of Motion Picture Arts. You must select either Motion Picture Arts – Production or Animation and Digital Arts major to apply for our College.
Please note that all required materials for both checklists are due by January 15, 2024.
Q: Do I need to wait to be admitted to the University before I can upload my creative documents to the College of Motion Picture Arts?
A: No! Please do not wait. All of the required materials for FSU and the Film School need to be submitted and received by January 15, 2024 for consideration. Once you select one of our majors, the separate checklist will populate to your FSU application. After completing and submitting the Film Supplemental Application under the Motion Picture Arts Checklist, you can begin uploading the creative documents. Please give the system time to reflect any changes to your application.
Q: I have selected Motion Picture Arts – Production or Animation and Digital Arts as my major, but I’m not seeing the Motion Picture Arts Checklist within my application.
A: Please allow some time for your Status Page to update. This Checklist can take a few hours to appear if you’ve applied using FSU’s institutional application. If you are applying via Coalition or the Common Application, allow one to two business days before the Checklist will appear.
Q: I have completed the Film Supplemental Application under the Motion Picture Arts Checklist, but I don’t see any options to upload my creative documents
A: Please allow some time for your application to update. This often takes a few minutes to a few hours, but once the Film Supplemental Application shows as “Received,” the additional documents should populate to your Motion Picture Arts Checklist (Film Resume, Film Personal Statement, Film Writing Sample, and Film Creative Portfolio). You can begin uploading these documents to your application.
Q: I would like to apply as a transfer student, but do I have too many credit hours to apply?
A: All applications will be considered but applicants with high credit hours should be aware of the State of Florida’s Excess Credit Hour Surcharge. The two College of Motion Picture Arts majors are both 91 credit hour, 3 year majors. If you have questions about your specific situation, email admissions@film.fsu.edu.
Q: How can I increase my chances of getting admitted?
A: First and foremost, make sure that you are academically eligible to transfer in with your GPA and by completing all general education and university requirements.
Seek out opportunities to get involved in film or storytelling in some way including internships, extracurriculars, volunteer experience, etc. If you are local to Tallahassee and want to volunteer on our film sets you can do that by clicking here.
Q: What are my chances of being admitted as a transfer student?
A: The College of Motion Picture Arts majors are limited access. We admit around 10 transfer applicants per year with around a 7-12% acceptance rate. As we are a selective program, it is important to have a parallel plan. The Academic Program Guide provides a detailed program description of all the majors offered at FSU. If you are not admitted into our major and still intend to come to FSU, you can change your major on your application for reconsideration in a different major.
Q: I don’t have any film experience. Can I still apply to the College of Motion Picture Arts?
A: Film experience is not required for any of our applicants. We are looking for applicants who are passionate about film and storytelling regardless of previous experience. Feel free to submit something other than a film if you’ve never made a film before. We accept all types of creative submissions including photography, drawing, animation, storyboarding, sculpture, set design, short stories, poems, graphic arts, or any combination thereof. Submit what showcases you as a storyteller.
Q: Do I have to submit a film for the Creative Portfolio requirement?
A: No. Feel free to submit something other than a film if you’ve never made a film before. We accept all types of creative submissions including photography, drawing, animation, storyboarding, sculpture, set design, short stories, poems, graphic arts, or any combination thereof. Submit what showcases you as a storyteller.
Q: What file format should I be submitting my required documents in for the College of Motion Picture Arts supplemental application?
A: The application will accept Word or PDF documents for the Resume, Statement, and Writing Sample. The Creative Portfolio should uploaded directly to the Check Status Page.
Q: How and what can I submit for the Creative Portfolio?
A: You can submit any of the following or a combination for your Creative Portfolio:
- Film, video, animation, documentary, or experimental work of up to ten minutes total running time. Submissions can consist of a demo reel, short film, or clips from a longer film. Please be clear about your specific contribution to each project.
- Photographs, drawings, paintings, sculpture, graphic art, costume, or set design that illustrates your creative vision and style. Limited to 15 pieces total.
- A sequence of 10-15 images that explores your visual storytelling. These images can be drawings or photographs in the form of a storyboard.
- Creative writing sample composed of a narrative short story, poem, script, or play. Writing samples should be in standard 12pt. font, single-spaced, and not exceed 3 pages.
Creative submissions should be uploaded in the form of a single URL to a personal website or a trusted third-party site. A third-party site is a website that is not owned by you. An example of this is Vimeo, Youtube, Flickr, Facebook, Deviant Art, etc.
Q: Are there any individual courses that I am required to take before applying to transfer to the College of Motion Picture Arts?
A: There are no specific courses required for admissions, however, all general education requirements and any university requirements that can’t be met within the major must be met by the start of the program.
If there is room in your schedule, classes that help you develop creatively or strengthen your unique voice are recommended.
Q: What are the requirements for the application?
A: All students interested in the film program are required to submit a full application for admission to FSU, including any documents required by the University, as well as the College of Motion Picture Arts supplemental materials (resume, personal statement, writing sample, portfolio, and two letters of recommendation).
Current FSU students need only submit the supplemental materials for consideration.
Q: Can I use copyrighted material in the video I submit for my Creative Portfolio?
A: It’s best practice to use material that is not copyrighted or that you own the copyright to. One reason for this is that we do not want your portfolio to be removed from a third-party site due to copyright issues. If you do use copyrighted material and are not worried about the media being removed, it’s best practice to insert information that the music or other materials are not yours.
Q: I worked on a film with someone else. Can I submit this film as part of my Creative Portfolio?
A: Yes. Film is a collaborative enterprise in many ways, so it is very common to have multiple people work on a project. We do ask that you be clear about your specific contribution to each project submitted. Please indicate your role on the film in accompanying text or within the clip itself, and only submit a film in which you had a major creative role in.
Q: Who should I ask to write a letter of recommendation for me?
A: Your recommender can include a teacher, professor, guidance counselor, mentor, employer, or someone you’ve worked with on a creative project. The recommender should be able to speak to your ability to succeed in our program and your passion for storytelling. We do ask that no close family members write a letter of recommendation for you.
Q: I am an international applicant. Do I need to take an English proficiency examination?
A: In addition to all application requirements and required documentation, all applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). We will accept IELTS scores as well, but the College prefers the TOEFL examination scores. The University requires an internet-based TOEFL score of 80 or an IELTS score 6.5. Florida State University’s institutional code is 5219. An English proficiency examination may be waived if the applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction.