Required Application Documents

Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts into their Admissions Portal for initial review. If admitted to UNCSA, official transcripts must be sent to UNCSA directly from each attended institution so that UNCSA can confirm the final grades at each school. Note: International Applicants must provide a certified credential evaluation (see below) of their transcript(s) in order to satisfy the transcript requirement. An international applicant who fails to provide a certified credential evaluation in time for a deadline will be considered to have an incomplete application and to have missed the deadline.

Transcripts should be submitted to the UNCSA Office of Admissions electronically whenever possible. If an institution does not have the capability to send a transcript electronically, the official transcript can be mailed to the Office of Admissions.

Official Transcripts should be sealed, signed or notarized for all secondary school academic records, and should include a list of courses in which the applicant is enrolled at the time of application. Any transcript uploaded by the student through the Admissions Portal is considered unofficial.

Home Schooled Applicants
Home schooled applicants should provide documentation that the home school is recognized by the state of residency (if applicable), a transcript with course titles and course descriptions for each year of home schooling, and any tests or assessments used to show that the applicant has completed the equivalent of the UNC System minimum course requirements. If the applicant has attended a traditional high school, an official transcript from that school should also be submitted.

Transfer Students
College transfer students that have earned a high school diploma at the time of application will need to submit their official high school transcript, including final grades and graduation date, in addition to their college transcript. Unofficial college transcripts will be accepted for initial review of your application. If you have already earned a Bachelor’s degree, then a high school transcript does not need to be submitted.

Dual Enrollment Students
Students who have completed dual enrollment coursework should only need to submit their high school transcript at the time of application. If the dual enrollment courses are not included on the high school transcript, students should also submit a college transcript. Official transcripts from high school and college, with final grades and graduation dates, will be required should a student be accepted to UNCSA.

International Applicants
Transcripts MUST be translated to English with both a credential evaluation and a GPA equivalent from a certifying agency. Transcripts from each school attended must be sent to the certifying agency for evaluation and certification. Approved agencies can be found at www.naces.org or www.aice-eval.org.

A certified credential evaluation is required in order to be reviewed for admission.

Official test scores should be submitted electronically to UNCSA.

ACT or SAT Scores
Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 are required to submit ACT or SAT test scores with the following minimum score requirements:

• ACT: 22 (writing portion optional)
• SAT: 1060 composite score in Critical Reading & Math

Submitting either ACT or SAT test scores with the minimum score requirements is optional for applicants with a GPA above 3.0.

ACT or SAT Scores
Applicants should submit ACT or SAT scores with the following minimum requirements:

• ACT: Minimum score of 22
• SAT: Minimum score of 1060

Transfer Students
ACT and SAT scores are waived for college transfer students who are age 21 or older and/or have earned 24 or more academic credit hours at the time of application.

International Applicants
International applicants should submit official ACT, SAT, TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores. Minimum score requirements for international students are:

• TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition: 79
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• Duolingo English Test: 100
• ACT: English Language Arts (ELA) section: 21
• SAT: Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (ERW) section: 540

Advanced Standing for Undergraduate Students through Placement Tests
UNCSA accepts Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB), and Cambridge International Certificate college credits. Our Division of Liberal Arts grants advanced standing credit. Learn more.

 

UNCSA requires applicants to submit contact information for two references. UNCSA will send the references a recommendation form and the ability to upload a recommendation letter. UNCSA requires contact information for the following:

• One letter from an arts instructor
• One letter from an academic instructor

If not currently enrolled in school, a letter may come from an employer, mentor, instructor, director, etc

Undergraduate applicants should print, complete and upload a copy of the Application Agreement Statement if under the age of 18 at the time they apply.

An artistic statement should be a thoughtful reflection on how the cinema specifically, and art more broadly, has inspired you. Submit a two-page artistic statement expressing your interests, goals and other information providing insight into your work. Include any additional remarks that will allow the committee to learn as much as possible about you, your work and your aspirations.

• Include full name on the document
• This document may be used if recommended for scholarship consideration.

Need help? See "How to Write an Artistic Statement and read examples by admitted students.

Submit a response to each of the following five (5) prompts. Note: Each response should be a brief paragraph comprised of no more than eight (8) sentences.

• Name three (3) films from any genre or era; briefly describe each film and what affect it had upon you.
• Name the last three (3) books you’ve read for pleasure or out of curiosity, and describe the emotion each book sparked in you.
• Name three (3) pieces of non-film art (sculpture, painting, music, literature, or any other types of artwork) that have moved you and explain why.
• Share how you intend to make work that will create an impact on others.
• Discuss your goals as a filmmaker: is your creative work a vehicle of personal expression, social commentary, and/or commerce?

Upload a  two-page document:  

• The first page should list educational objectives, work experiences, and extra-curricular activities and/or community service;  
• The second page should consist of an essay describing how you have integrated your extra-curricular activities and/or community service into our world artistically as well as personally. 

• Personal Story Video
  • Record yourself telling a personal story, no longer than two (2) minutes in length, about something that happened to you. The 2-minute constraint is designed to encourage concise, clear storytelling. The uploaded video presentation should be recorded simply, not rehearsed or read. There should not be any staging, editing, or special effects. Allow yourself to be the focus of the piece. Please label this video “Personal Story Video”.
• Original work
  • Review what is required and recommended to include in a portfolio.

In addition to the documents listed above, international applicants should be prepared to submit the following documents to an Admissions Counselor only if notification of being accepted to UNCSA has been received:

• A copy of a current passport
• If currently holding an F-1 Visa, submit a copy of this visa and Form I-20
• Complete a Certificate of Financial Responsibility (to be provided by UNCSA)