Consider the value that a graduate education will bring to your future career goals, and how investing in your education will help you achieve them. Did you know that 80% of AFI Conservatory alumni are currently working in the film community?

The cost of attendance for AFI can be found here. The Cost of Attendance is an estimate of your total costs per academic year including tuition, fees, and an estimated budget for living expenses. An individual’s costs may vary depending upon individual choices, circumstances and living arrangements. It is very important for prospective candidates to create a sound financial aid plan when they apply to AFI and to prepare for their educational expenses for the duration of their program.

FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID

To qualify for federal financial aid (student loans) domestic Fellows must:

• Be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (permanent residents)
• Possess a valid social security number
• Be registered with the Selective Service, if applicable
• Not be in default on a federal loan or owe an overpayment on a Federal Pell Grant

Domestic Fellows at the AFI Conservatory may be able to meet their full cost of attendance with federal financial aid. The AFI Conservatory participates in the Federal Direct Loan program. Federal loans are not need-based and are available to domestic Fellows regardless of income. The two types of loans available are as follows:

1. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
2. Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan* (credit approval required; program ending in 2026) *Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan will be phased out beginning July 1, 2026 and is only open to existing borrowers.

More information about these loans, amounts, loan fees, interest rates, and repayment options can be found here.

If you wish to apply for federal financial aid, please follow the steps outlined below:

STEP ONE:

If you have never borrowed federal student loans, you must first obtain your FSA ID at fafsa.gov. Your FSA ID will never change and you will need it to apply for federal aid each year and track your federal student loans in the future.

STEP TWO:

Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. Make sure you include the AFI Conservatory as one of the schools designated to receive your application. The FAFSA application will be available starting in December of the year prior to enrollment and we recommend that you apply by March 1 before the upcoming fall term.

STEP THREE

Read your email! The Financial Aid Office will send you email notifications regarding your financial aid application. Beginning in March each year, the Financial Aid Office will email your financial aid award notification for the upcoming academic year.

STEP FOUR

First-time federal student loan borrowers at the AFI Conservatory must also complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Loan Entrance Counseling before the Financial Aid Office can process your federal loans.  The MPN and Loan Counseling can be completed at www.studentaid.gov. This step only needs to be completed once before the start of your first term at the Conservatory.

AFI SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarship Applications for Academic Year 2026-2027 will be invite-only for candidates who have advanced to the interview round of the application process. An invitation to complete a Scholarship Application will be emailed directly to you as early as January 8, 2026. Both domestic and international applicants may apply. Notification of scholarship awards will be sent out after an admissions decision has been rendered. Late applications will not be considered.

Scholarships are awarded to first year Fellows and are renewable in the second year provided you maintain satisfactory academic progress.

For additional information, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 323.856.7699 or FinancialAid@AFI.edu.

Studying in the United States can be challenging and it’s important to understand the cost of attendance and the time commitment associated with pursuing a graduate degree in the United States. The AFI Conservatory enrolls international Fellows in all six disciplines from more than 29 countries and they comprise more than 40% of the Conservatory’s student body.

International Fellows may be eligible for the following types of financial aid at AFI:

• AFI Scholarships – Scholarship Applications for Academic Year 2026-2027 will be invite-only for candidates who have advanced to the interview round of the application process. An invitation to complete a Scholarship Application will be emailed directly to you as early as January 8, 2026. Both domestic and international applicants may apply. Notification of scholarship awards will be sent out after an admissions decision has been rendered. Late applications will not be considered.

Scholarships are awarded to first year Fellows and are renewable in the second year provided you maintain satisfactory academic progress.

International Fellows may be eligible for private loans and outside scholarships. Information about these other types of aid is located on the Types of Financial Aid page here.

For additional information, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 323.856.7699 or FinancialAid@AFI.edu.

Here are some important resources for you to learn more about financial aid.

• Access and complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Obtain a FSA ID at FAFSA on the Web.
• Complete required loan entrance counseling, federal Master Promissory Notes, Federal Graduate PLUS Loan application and find out detailed federal student loan information at Studentloans.gov.
• View your federal student loan borrowing history and federal grant payments at National Student Loan Data System.
• Read about student loan repayment at https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law, introducing significant changes to federal student aid programs. Beginning July 1, 2026, these changes will impact how students pay for higher education. Complete guidance on these updates is not available yet, but will be shared as soon as available from the U.S. Department of Education.

These changes greatly impact current and future graduate students. It’s important, now more than ever, to understand graduate school funding as many prospective Fellows will have to rely on private financing to help cover remaining tuition and out-of-pocket costs. Early planning will help avoid surprises. Information about other types of aid like private loans and outside scholarship funding is located on the Types of Financial Aid page here.

Key changes to the Graduate and Professional Student federal aid eligibility include:

1. New graduate or professional borrowers who first borrow federal graduate-level loans on or after July 1, 2026, will be considered new borrowers. These borrowers are subject to newly established loan limits and rules that apply to enrollment periods on or after that date.
2. Current borrowers include those who borrowed federal graduate-level loans for a term that began before July 1, 2026, and remain enrolled in the same graduate program at the same institution. Current borrowers may continue to borrow under the current loan rules for a limited period based on their “expected time to credential.” This would generally be the shorter of up to three academic years and the remaining length of your program at the time of eligibility is determined.
3. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans have a limit of up to $20,500 per year and a $100,000 lifetime borrowing limit (excluding undergraduate loans).
4. Federal Graduate PLUS Loans will be phased out beginning July 1, 2026. After this date, Graduate PLUS Loans will not be available for new borrowers.
5. Under OBBBA, loan eligibility is adjusted based on enrollment level. If a Fellow drops below full-time enrollment, available loan amount may be prorated even if eligibility was for a full amount in past years. This may affect summer term eligibility and those who may be enrolled in a third and final fall semester.