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About the VFS Pathway

The Vancouver Film School (VFS) pathway gives you the opportunity to enrich your critical study of cinema with practical training in film production, writing, or acting at Canada’s leading school for filmmaking.

In only four years, you'll complete an honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Laurier and a diploma from VFS.

You'll attend Laurier in Years 1 and 2, then VFS in Year 3 (starting in early May, late June, or late August), and then Laurier in Year 4.

Film Studies students may attend one of three VFS programs:

  • Film Production
  • Writing for Film, Television and Games
  • Acting for Film and Television

VFS’s 12-month program counts as 5.0 credits toward the 20.0 required credits for your honours BA in Film Studies from Laurier.

The Difference

Laurier's VFS pathway does not award a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, but rather both a BA degree (from Laurier) and a diploma (from VFS). Equipped with a BA, you are positioned to pursue further education after graduation, including law school, graduate school or teacher’s college. For admission to Laurier, no portfolio is required, no prerequisites are required, and the intake of students is not restricted.

Applying to VFS

You'll declare your intent to apply for the VFS pathway at the end of Year 1. You must be in good standing in your program, and you must have completed a minimum of 10.0 credits, with 4.0 credits being from your Film Studies major, before you start a VFS program.

To enrol in courses at VFS, eligible students will be issued a Letter of Permission automatically from the Registrar's Office.

Effective March 2021, VFS has waived the portfolio requirements for students in the VFS-Laurier Pathway program. For more information, visit vfs.edu/admissions.

Tuition and Scholarships

Please note: All tuition rates are in Canadian dollars. 

VFS Tuition and Scholarship Rates

Student Status

VFS Program

Tuition (2023)1

Top Excellence in Media Scholarship2

Second Excellence in Media Scholarship

Tuition Discount

Domestic

Production

$36,950

$15,000

$10,000

$7,000

Domestic

Writing

$20,950

$10,000

$7,000

$5,000

Domestic

Acting

$22,950

$10,000

$7,000

$5,000

International

Production

$54,000

$27,000

$18,000

$15,000

International

Writing

$29,000

$14,500

$10,000

$7,000

International

Acting

$30,750

$15,500

$10,000

$7,000

1 Tuition rates are subject to change. Please visit VFS.edu to confirm tuition fees. The above figures do not include a mandatory application fee of $150. The scholarship and tuition discount may not be combined.

2 A total of twenty Excellence in Media Scholarships are allocated to pathway students.

Scholarships and Tuition Discounts

Tuition discounts ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 are available to all pathway students. Program majors with the highest GPAs (in their major and overall) at the beginning of fall term of Year 2 will be invited to participate in a pitch competition to determine the allocation of twenty Excellence in Media scholarships (ten scholarships to domestic Canadians and ten scholarships to international students). 

As part of the competition, students present their idea for a major film project (or other project approved by the selection committee) to the selection committee. Scholarship allocation is as follows:

  • Two top and two second level for a Film Studies student for the Film Production program (one for domestic and one for international at each level). 
  • Two top and two second level for a Film Studies student for the Writing program (one for domestic and one for international at each level). 
  • Two top and two second level for a Film Studies student for the Acting program (one for domestic and one for international at each level). 
  • Two top and two second level for an English student for the Writing program (one for domestic and one for international at each level).

Combined English and Film Studies students compete in either the English or Film Studies category based on their GPA in both majors.

Cost Comparison (for Domestic Students)

Prior to the creation of the pathway, Laurier students seeking a career in film production required five years of study: four years at Laurier and one year at Sheridan or another college to complete a diploma in production or a related field.

The figures below reflect domestic school tuition and living costs for students living “like a student” (i.e. on a restricted but reasonable budget). In addition to the cost savings of the pathway, students also gain income from an additional year of employment. Note that VFS offers a fee-based service for helping students find housing in Vancouver.

Cost Comparison to Non-Pathway Programs

Institution

Average Annual Tuition, Fees, Books

Average Annual Living Cost Estimate

Total Annual Estimate

Honours Bachelor of Arts + Production Diploma

Total Estimate

Laurier

$8,6551

$12,4462

$21,101

N/A

N/A

Sheridan

$17,1693

$15,6004

$32,769

Laurier + Sheridan (5 Years)

$117,173

VFS Production5

$32,825

$20,0006

$52,825

Laurier + VFS Production (4 Years)

$116,128

VFS Writing

$18,825

$20,000

$38,825

Laurier + VFS Writing (4 Years)

$102,128

VFS Acting

$18,575

$20,000

$38,575

Laurier + VFS Acting (4 Years)

$101,878

1 Tuition and Finances, Laurier.

2 Assumes first year of on-campus residence and subsequent years of off-campus residence. See "The cost for students who move away form home," Maclean's.

3 Tuition for 2019/20 in Sheridan’s Advanced Television and Film program is $14,669, and students are expected to spend $2,500-$5,000 on supplies.

4 Housing, Sheridan College.

5 All VFS tuition figures include the application fee of $150 and the tuition discount granted to pathway students.

6 Estimate is based on www.numbeo.com and Cost of Living, University of British Columbia.

Articulations: Film-Related Diplomas from Vancouver Film School 

Graduates from a one-year diploma program in Acting for Film and Televison, Film Production or Writing for Film, Television, and Games from the Vancouver Film School, can apply to Film Studies within the Faculty of Arts on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. To be considered for admission to the Faculty of Arts, graduates must have an overall average of 75% in their program.

Transfer students admitted into our Film Studies program based on these requirements will be granted 5.0 credits towards their Laurier degree. Students taking a typical full-time course load (5.0 credits per academic year) will take approximately three years to complete their four-year honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

Throughout your Film Studies degree, you will take courses in topics such as film history, film theory, gender in film and film melodrama. Once you have accepted your offer, please consult Academic Advising and our Course Registration Guide to determine the specific courses you'll need to take during your time at Laurier.

"I remember going to a VFS Q&A in first-year where a Film Studies student who had just completed 12 months at VFS was speaking and answering questions. He finished the session with words I remember to this day: “VFS will give you the knowledge and resources you need to step into the film industry right after graduation.” Those words maintained my excitement for VFS during my first two years at Laurier and ensured me that I had made the right decision. If you want to be on film sets making movies, then applying to attend Vancouver Film School is the right decision for you too. Not only will you be working with industry-standard equipment, from Arri Alexa cameras to an endless amount of C-stands, but you will also find the people, friends and collaborators, that you will want to enter and navigate the industry with. You will not be alone, and you will be in the right place. It will go by fast so enjoy every second. And make them count."

- Palmer Wells, VFS Film Production (2022), Laurier Honors BA in Film Studies (2023)

Awarding of Transfer Credits

Below comprises of a list of transfer credits you will receive in your offer letter if you are admitted into this specific pathway:

Articulation: Writing for Film, Television and Games Diploma from Vancouver Film School (English and Film Studies)

Graduates from a one-year diploma program in Writing for Film, Television and Games from the Vancouver Film School, can apply to Combined Honours BA English and Film Studies within the Faculty of Arts on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. To be considered for admission to the Faculty of Arts, graduates must have an overall average of 75% in their program.

Transfer students admitted into our English and Film Studies combination program based on these requirements will be granted 5.0 credits towards their Laurier degree. Students taking a typical full-time course load (5.0 credits per academic year) will take approximately three years to complete their four-year honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

Throughout your combined BA in English and Film Studies, you will take courses in topics such as history of the english language, diversity in the middle ages, postmodern narratives, film history and film theory. Once you have accepted your offer, please consult Academic Advising and our Course Registration Guide to determine the specific courses you'll need to take during your time at Laurier.

Awarding of Transfer Credits

Below comprises of a list of transfer credits you will receive in your offer letter if you are admitted into this specific pathway:

Academic Partnership: Select Graduate Certificates from Vancouver Film School

In only four years, students in the Vancouver Film School academic partnership pathway complete an Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Laurier and a graduate certificate from Vancouver Film School.

SELECT APPROVED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE OPTIONS

You can choose to complete one of the following programs at Vancouver Film School to count towards this Academic Partnership. 

  • Writing for Film, Television, and Game
  • Acting for Film and Television
  • Film Production 

You'll attend Laurier in Years 1 and 2, then Vancouver Film School in Year 3, and then Laurier in Year 4. Vancouver Film School’s 1-year program counts as 5.0 transfer credits toward the 20.0 credits required for the BA in Human Rights. 

Please note: the timelime in which you attend Laurier may look different than what is listed above. Connect with your academic advisor to learn more about your optiminal registration schedule if you participate in this academic partnership. 

APPLYING TO VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL

To be eligible for admission to Laurier, you must have earned a minimum of 60% in a 4U English course (or equivalent). At the end of Year 1, you will declare your intent to apply for the Vancouver Film School academic partnership pathway and work with your academic advisor to meet the requirements outlined in the academic calendar. You must be in good standing in your program, and you must have completed the minimum credits.  

To enrol in courses at Vancouver Film School, you must obtain a Letter of Permission by submitting the online request form. 

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