At our South Beach campus, NYFA gives motivated students the opportunity to complete a BFA program in film or acting for film — in three years. This accelerated schedule is made possible by an elongated academic year, enabling students to take three semesters’ worth of classes in one calendar year. Students have a rare opportunity to save on a year’s worth of expenses and graduate to pursue their goals a year ahead, or can also choose to finish NYFA’s BFA programs in the standard four-year framework with summer breaks. In either case, the BFA programs at NYFA South Beach in Miami give students an unparalleled opportunity to thoroughly explore the fundamental and advanced aspects of film or acting for film, while also obtaining a critical foundation in the sciences and humanities.
NYFA’s intensive, hands-on BFA programs are rooted in a project-based curriculum, designed to thoroughly prepare students for
the realities of their chosen craft. BFA students spend roughly two-thirds of their time at NYFA studying and practicing
their craft, with the other third dedicated to providing them with a solid foundation in the liberal arts and sciences.
Students not only study in the Academy’s excellent facilities and get to work with cutting-edge and industry-standard
equipment, but they also get to film, shoot, and act throughout Miami, Florida, discovering new parts of the city to capture.
Our prestigious faculty of professionals remain active in the fields of film and acting and boast extensive
experience, offering students inestimable insight and relevant training. NYFA South Beach BFA students also have the option to
enroll in a one-year conservatory program at NYFA and then apply to have their credits accepted for advanced standing in a BFA
program.
Required Application Materials
Undergraduate (BFA) applicants must submit the following materials for admission:
- Completed Undergraduate (BFA) Program Application
- Application Fee
- High School Transcript
- SAT or ACT Scores (for Domestic students only)
- Narrative Statement
- Letters of Recommendation
- Creative Portfolio
- Proof of English Proficiency
The following sections provide detailed information regarding each required application material.
APPLICATION
Students must submit a completed undergraduate program application. Applications are available online at:
https://www.nyfa.edu/applications/bfa1.php.
APPLICATION FEE
Students must submit a non-refundable $65 application fee, payable online as part of the online application.
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT
All students pursuing an undergraduate degree from the New York Film Academy must submit an official, final high school
transcript in order to complete their application.
Hard copies of official transcripts must be mailed to New York Film Academy directly from the high school in a sealed envelope.
Students wishing to submit transcripts digitally can do so by contacting their NYFA admissions representative for instructions.
Digital transcripts may be submitted using a digital submission service (such as Parchment) or your high school’s own digital
delivery service.
Home-schooled students must submit an official, original transcript accredited by their home state.
GED earners must submit an official, original state-issued high school equivalency certificate.
The New York Film Academy generally does not consider prior experiential learning as a substitute for the transcript requirements
described above.
Students completing high school in a foreign country, where a language other than English is the official language, and who are
able to produce an original transcript, must have it translated into English by an education evaluation service that offers
translation services.
SAT OR ACT SCORES
NYFA South Beach does not have defined, required minimum SAT or ACT scores. Above all, our BFA programs are intensive, demanding,
and particular degree programs where standardized scores are not always the best method for determining a student’s eligibility.
However, when considered against additional factors, test scores can help give the admissions committee a useful indication of the
applicant’s areas of strength.
NARRATIVE STATEMENT
The narrative statement should be a mature and self-reflective essay (max. 3 typed pages) detailing the applicant’s reasons for
pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in their chosen discipline. The essay should take into account the individual’s history,
formative creative experiences, contemporary influences and inspirations, and personal artistic dreams.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Those applying to a BFA program at the Academy in Miami need to provide at least two letters of recommendation that testify to an
applicant’s ability to undertake coursework in the chosen are of study. Letters need to be sealed, stamped, and sent directly to
the admissions office from the individual author of the letter.
CREATIVE PORTFOLIO
In addition to their narrative statement and letter of recommendation, students are also required to submit a creative portfolio
as part of their application for a BFA program. However, NYFA South Beach does not assume that students will have prior experience
in their chosen craft and thus encourages applicants to demonstrate a variety of creative interests and therefore requires applicants
to provide one or two samples of original work that best illustrate their ability and talent as creative individuals.
PROOF OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
Non-U.S. residents or international applicants, for whom English is not the first or native language, are required to submit proof of
English proficiency, in the form of:
-
An official transcript verifying completion of secondary education in which English is the primary language
of communication.
-
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 520 or higher (190 for computer-based test or 68 for
internet-based test); IELTS 5.5 or the equivalent.
-
A report from a valid English Language School verifying completion of course level equivalent to a 550
Paper-based TOEFL Score.
Students completing high school in a foreign country, where a language other than English is the official language, and who are
able to produce a copy of their transcript and/or diploma need to have it translated into English by either an education evaluation
service, which offers translation services, or by an individual who is college-educated and fluent in both English and the language
of the transcript and/or diploma. The individual providing the translation must sign a notarized affidavit that: 1) attests to their
not being an employee or otherwise affiliated with the licensed private career school that the student seeks to attend; 2) provides
the name, address, email and phone numbers of the translator and the student; 3) the translator is knowledgeable of the English
language and the language of the student’s transcript and/or diploma language was learned and where their college degree was obtained;
and 4) affirms that the translation is a true and complete translation of the original.
INTERVIEW
As part of the admissions process, BFA applicants may be required to have an interview by phone or in person with a New York Film
Academy representative. The purpose of the interview is to identify the applicant’s goals and prior experience. The ideal applicant
has a passion for storytelling, creative expression, and artistic collaboration. The interview is also an opportunity to review the
curriculum of the program with the applicant and to ensure that s/he fully understands the level of commitment required to successfully
complete the degree.
TUITION DEPOSIT
Once admitted to NYFA, students must pay a required deposit to secure their place in the AFA program. The deposit for all long-term
programs (one year or longer) is $500, which is applied toward the first term's tuition payment. Most of the deposit is refundable,
except a $100 administrative processing fee.