York University Film Production (BFA) admission requirements: ENG4U, mid-70s, portfolio and interview

For Ontario students, York's Film Production page lists the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, ENG4U, and five more 4U or 4M courses. That is the whole course list. There is no required math, science or art course.

That gives you room to pick courses you enjoy and do well in. A media arts, visual arts, drama or writing course won't count for more on paper, but it can feed your portfolio. Students from other provinces will find their own list on the same page. For example, Alberta students need ELA 30-1 or English 30 and four more academic 30 or 31 courses.

Use our course planner to check that your Grade 12 plan has six 4U or 4M courses.

York's program page says applicants with averages in the mid-70s or higher may be considered for admission. It also says you need a final average of 75% to keep your offer. York adds that the average is set each year by program, some programs have limited enrolment, and admission is not guaranteed.

York does not publish the average of students it admitted to Film Production. It also doesn't publish how many applicants get in. Treat the mid-70s as the starting point, not a target. Your portfolio and interview carry real weight, so a strong creative file matters as much as a few extra percent.

Work out where you stand with our Top 6 average calculator.

AMPD says acceptance is based on all three parts of the supplementary evaluation, the portfolio, statement and interview, in addition to your grades. You can only start the supplement after you apply to York. AMPD says your York reference ID arrives by email about 5 to 10 business days after you apply. The supplement portal uses that ID as your password.

The questionnaire asks for a one-paragraph proposal for a short documentary or fiction film you'd like to make that needs no budget. It also asks about your favourite film or director, and one recent creative project you were centrally involved in and what it taught you.

The portfolio is a video of 5 minutes or less that you directed. You can instead submit work where you were the videographer, writer or editor, but you must say which crew role you held. Photos, visual art or documentation of an artistic project you created or developed are also accepted. You can send one piece or a compilation. AMPD asks you to avoid demo reels cut to music.

Based on the questionnaire and portfolio, shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview on campus or on Zoom. AMPD says interview days are generally in February and March and strongly encourages the on-campus option.

York's deadline page lists January 15, 2027 for Ontario high school students applying for Fall 2027. Out-of-province and international students have until March 24, 2027. The online part of the Film Production supplement is due February 5, 2027 for guaranteed consideration.

York's deadline page still files this program under its older name, "Cinema & Media Arts, Production", in the supplement table. The date there matches the program page: February 5, 2027. York says it keeps reviewing files after that date until the program is full, but only files in by the deadline are guaranteed consideration.

See every Ontario date on our Ontario university deadlines page.

AMPD says you start with core film production and screenwriting courses, then specialize in areas such as directing, cinematography, editing, sound design, production management and production design. Years 1 and 2 cover Introduction to Filmmaking, camera work and sound recording, screenwriting basics, production planning and cinema history.

AMPD lists class sizes of about 25 students in first year and 10 to 15 in upper years. It says about 175 undergraduate student works are produced in the department each year, and every production student is required to make films. Some work happens at the York U Motion Media Studio at Cinespace Studios.

Film Production is not a co-op program. York's program page lists practicum and project-based learning as its applied learning options. It links to York's general co-op page, but it doesn't list a co-op stream for this degree.

AMPD says upper-level students may join a summer internship program, and that field trips, internships and guest lectures connect you to the industry. Annual showcases such as Finish Line and CineSiege put student films in front of audiences.

York does not publish a separate tuition figure for Film Production. Its tuition page gives approximate annual tuition for fall/winter 2026-2027 of $6,200 for most programs (arts and sciences) for domestic students and $40,000 for international students. These figures assume 30 credits a year. York lists Design separately at $9,200, but that is the BDes, not film.

York says supplementary fees usually run $40 to $50 per credit, and that domestic tuition rose 2% over 2025/2026. Check the exact charges on York's Course and Program Fees page before you budget. Residence, food, books and equipment are extra.

York's automatic entrance scholarship goes to high school applicants with an admission average of 80% or higher. York lists $3,500 at 95% and up, $2,000 at 90% to 94.9%, $1,500 at 85% to 89.9% and $1,000 at 80% to 84.9%. It is renewable if you keep an 8.0 grade point average over at least 24 credits.

Because Film Production considers averages from the mid-70s, not every admitted student will reach the 80% line. York also runs application-based awards. Some close as early as February 15, and the rest close April 1. Our scholarship finder lists more options.

If you love film but don't want to build a portfolio, look at York's Film Studies and Creative Media Industries BA (OUAC code YEB). It has the same ENG4U plus five 4U or 4M courses and the same mid-70s guidance, but York's Ontario listing shows no supplementary evaluation. You need a 70% final average to keep that offer. It focuses on film history, criticism and the media industry, with placements at groups such as TIFF and the National Film Board of Canada.

If writing is your strength, Screenwriting and Creative Producing (BFA, code YEF) asks for up to three original writing samples of 4 to 6 pages each, a questionnaire, and, for selected applicants, a live 2-hour writing exercise on Zoom.

The grade bar here is moderate, but the supplement is real work and it is due three weeks after the OUAC deadline. The best support you can give is time and gear access in the fall, not edits. AMPD asks for work your child directed or held a named role on.

Budget for York's arts and sciences tuition range as a starting point, and ask about equipment and course fees. Read our York University guide for campus and residence context.