Best Film Schools in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Cinematography. A graph of 102K citations received by 32.1K academic papers made by 348 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. New York University

United States | New York State

For Cinematography

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

2. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Cinematography

#1 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

3. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Cinematography

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

4. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Cinematography

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

5. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#2 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

6. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Cinematography

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

8. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#3 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1829

9. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Brazil | Rio de Janeiro

For Cinematography

#2 in Latin America

#2 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 67,329
Founded: 1920

10. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#4 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

11. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Cinematography

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

12. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Cinematography

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

13. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Cinematography

#1 in Asia

#1 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

14. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#5 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

15. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Cinematography

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

16. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Cinematography

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

17. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Cinematography

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $20,389
Enrollment: 26,420

18. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Cinematography

#2 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

19. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#6 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

20. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#7 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

21. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Cinematography

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $39,775

22. RMIT University

Australia | Melbourne

For Cinematography

#3 in Australia

Founded: 1887

23. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Cinematography

#10 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

24. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#8 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

25. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#9 in Europe

#8 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1948

26. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#10 in Europe

#9 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

27. State University of Campinas

Brazil | Campinas

For Cinematography

#3 in Latin America

#3 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1966

28. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Cinematography

#11 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

29. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Cinematography

#12 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

30. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Cinematography

#13 in North America

#1 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

31. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#11 in Europe

#10 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

32. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Cinematography

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

33. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Cinematography

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

34. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#12 in Europe

#11 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

35. Federal University of Minas Gerais

Brazil | Belo Horizonte

For Cinematography

#4 in Latin America

#4 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1927

36. Griffith University

Australia | Brisbane

For Cinematography

#4 in Australia

Founded: 1971

37. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#13 in Europe

#12 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

38. Macquarie University

Australia | Sydney

For Cinematography

#5 in Australia

Enrollment: 38,747
Founded: 1964

39. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil | Porto Alegre

For Cinematography

#5 in Latin America

#5 in Brazil

Founded: 1934

40. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Cinematography

#14 in Europe

#1 in Italy

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

41. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#15 in Europe

#13 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1904

42. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#16 in Europe

#14 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

43. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Cinematography

#2 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

44. Flinders University

Australia | Adelaide

For Cinematography

#6 in Australia

Founded: 1966

45. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Cinematography

#7 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

46. Queensland University of Technology

Australia | Brisbane

For Cinematography

#8 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1989

47. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#17 in Europe

#15 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

48. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Cinematography

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

49. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#18 in Europe

#16 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1451

50. Stanford University

United States | California

For Cinematography

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

51. University of Wollongong

Australia | Wollongong

For Cinematography

#9 in Australia

Enrollment: 31,313
Founded: 1975

52. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Cinematography

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

53. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Cinematography

#19 in North America

#2 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

54. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Cinematography

#20 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

55. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Cinematography

#3 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

56. Royal Holloway, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#19 in Europe

#17 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1849

57. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Cinematography

#21 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

58. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Cinematography

#20 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

59. Birkbeck, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#21 in Europe

#18 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1823

60. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Cinematography

#10 in Oceania

#10 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

61. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Cinematography

#22 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

62. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Cinematography

#22 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

63. Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil | Porto Alegre

For Cinematography

#6 in Latin America

#6 in Brazil

Founded: 1948

64. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Cinematography

#11 in Oceania

#11 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

65. Fluminense Federal University

Brazil | Niteroi

For Cinematography

#7 in Latin America

#7 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1960

66. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Cinematography

#23 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

67. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#23 in Europe

#19 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

68. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#24 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

69. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Cinematography

#25 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

70. New Sorbonne University - Paris III

France | Ile-de-France

For Cinematography

#24 in Europe

#1 in France

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 15,232
Founded: 1971

71. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#25 in Europe

#20 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

72. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#26 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

73. Manchester Metropolitan University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#26 in Europe

#21 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1992

74. University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#27 in Europe

#22 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

75. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Greece | Thessaloniki

For Cinematography

#28 in Europe

#1 in Greece

Enrollment: 92,090
Founded: 1925

76. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Cinematography

#27 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $12,381
Enrollment: 80,065

77. Victoria University of Wellington

New Zealand | Wellington

For Cinematography

#12 in Oceania

#1 in New Zealand

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 21,833
Founded: 1897

78. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Cinematography

#28 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

79. University of Stirling

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#29 in Europe

#23 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1967

80. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Cinematography

#30 in Europe

Founded: 2003

81. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#31 in Europe

#24 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

82. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Cinematography

#29 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

83. University of Kent

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#32 in Europe

#25 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1965

84. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#30 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

85. Hong Kong Baptist University

China | Hong Kong

For Cinematography

#4 in Asia

#2 in China

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1956

86. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Cinematography

#31 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

87. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Cinematography

#33 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

88. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Cinematography

#32 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

89. Temple University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#33 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $11,575
Enrollment: 33,196

90. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#34 in Europe

#26 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

91. University of Roehampton

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#35 in Europe

#27 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

92. Lund University

For Cinematography

#36 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

93. University of Western Australia

Australia | Crawley

For Cinematography

#13 in Oceania

#12 in Australia

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1911

94. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Cinematography

#34 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 80%

95. University of Buenos Aires

Argentina | Buenos Aires

For Cinematography

#8 in Latin America

#1 in Argentina

Enrollment: 262,932
Founded: 1821

96. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Cinematography

#35 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 73%

97. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#37 in Europe

#28 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

98. De Montfort University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#38 in Europe

#29 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1992

99. York University

Canada | Ontario

For Cinematography

#36 in North America

#4 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 53,000
Founded: 1959

100. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Cinematography

#37 in North America

#5 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908