Best Film Schools in the World

Updated: July 18, 2023

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 1.8B citations received by 83.2M academic papers made by 356 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: 13%
Average SAT: 1510
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $50,991

2. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Cinematography

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,021

3. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

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. 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

6. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $14,578

7. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1829

8. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Cinematography

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

9. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Cinematography

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 56%
Average Aid: $17,592
Enrollment: 46,116

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Cinematography

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $16,326
Enrollment: 50,278

11. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

12. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#4 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

13. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Cinematography

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 64%

14. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Cinematography

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $17,628
Enrollment: 40,050

15. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Cinematography

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 71%

16. Federal University of Minas Gerais

Brazil | Belo Horizonte

For Cinematography

#3 in Latin America

#3 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1927

17. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Cinematography

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $12,411

18. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Cinematography

#5 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 31,123
Founded: 1632

19. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Cinematography

#10 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,727

20. State University of Campinas

Brazil | Campinas

For Cinematography

#4 in Latin America

#4 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1966

21. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil | Porto Alegre

For Cinematography

#5 in Latin America

#5 in Brazil

Founded: 1934

22. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#6 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

23. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Cinematography

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

24. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Cinematography

#11 in North America

#1 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Enrollment: 59,659
Founded: 1908

25. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#7 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

26. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Cinematography

#8 in Europe

#1 in Italy

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

27. Griffith University

Australia | Brisbane

For Cinematography

#3 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1971

28. RMIT University

Australia | Melbourne

For Cinematography

#4 in Australia

Founded: 1887

29. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#9 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

30. Flinders University

Australia | Adelaide

For Cinematography

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Founded: 1966

31. University of Wollongong

Australia | Wollongong

For Cinematography

#6 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 31,313
Founded: 1975

32. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#10 in Europe

#8 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

33. Macquarie University

Australia | Sydney

For Cinematography

#7 in Australia

Enrollment: 38,747
Founded: 1964

34. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Cinematography

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $18,107
Enrollment: 26,124

35. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Cinematography

#1 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

36. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Cinematography

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 85%

37. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#11 in Europe

#9 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

38. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Cinematography

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

39. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Cinematography

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $16,868
Enrollment: 36,505

40. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#12 in Europe

#10 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

41. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Cinematography

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $21,406
Enrollment: 45,036

42. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#13 in Europe

#11 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

43. Queensland University of Technology

Australia | Brisbane

For Cinematography

#8 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1989

44. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Cinematography

#14 in Europe

#12 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1451

45. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#15 in Europe

#13 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1904

46. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Cinematography

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 72%

47. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Cinematography

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $15,895
Enrollment: 52,434

48. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Cinematography

#9 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

49. Stanford University

United States | California

For Cinematography

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $14,402

50. Fluminense Federal University

Brazil | Niteroi

For Cinematography

#6 in Latin America

#6 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1960

51. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#16 in Europe

#14 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

52. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Cinematography

#10 in Oceania

#10 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

53. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#17 in Europe

#15 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

54. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#18 in Europe

#16 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

55. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Cinematography

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1445
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,125

56. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#19 in Europe

#17 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1964

57. Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil | Porto Alegre

For Cinematography

#7 in Latin America

#7 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1948

58. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Cinematography

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $18,083
Enrollment: 41,885

59. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Cinematography

#20 in Europe

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

60. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Cinematography

#21 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1636

61. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Cinematography

#11 in Oceania

#11 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

62. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Cinematography

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 83%

63. Royal Holloway, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#22 in Europe

#18 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1849

64. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#23 in Europe

#19 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Founded: 1963

65. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Cinematography

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1513
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $27,297

66. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Cinematography

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,605

67. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#24 in Europe

#20 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

68. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Cinematography

#2 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

69. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Cinematography

#25 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Enrollment: 95,055
Founded: 1827

70. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Cinematography

#26 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $12,201
Enrollment: 77,881

71. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Cinematography

#27 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 40,036
Founded: 1821

72. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#25 in Europe

#21 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1989

73. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#28 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 78%

74. University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#26 in Europe

#22 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

75. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Cinematography

#27 in Europe

Founded: 2003

76. Birkbeck, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#28 in Europe

#23 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Founded: 1823

77. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Cinematography

#29 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,908

78. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Cinematography

#30 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 95%

79. University of Buenos Aires

Argentina | Buenos Aires

For Cinematography

#8 in Latin America

#1 in Argentina

Enrollment: 262,932
Founded: 1821

80. SOAS, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#29 in Europe

#24 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1916

81. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Cinematography

#31 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $13,910

82. Hong Kong Baptist University

China | Hong Kong

For Cinematography

#3 in Asia

#1 in China

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1956

83. Complutense University of Madrid

For Cinematography

#30 in Europe

#1 in Spain

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

84. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Cinematography

#32 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 72%

85. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Cinematography

#33 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 74%

86. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#34 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $8,719
Enrollment: 40,363

87. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#35 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $37,450

88. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Cinematography

#4 in Asia

#2 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1963

89. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#31 in Europe

#25 in the United Kingdom

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

90. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Greece | Thessaloniki

For Cinematography

#32 in Europe

#1 in Greece

Enrollment: 92,090
Founded: 1925

91. Temple University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Cinematography

#36 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $11,292
Enrollment: 35,626

92. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Cinematography

#37 in North America

#4 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1908

93. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#33 in Europe

#26 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

94. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Cinematography

#38 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Net Price: $30,958
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,562

95. Liverpool John Moores University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#34 in Europe

#27 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1992

96. University of Kent

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#35 in Europe

#28 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1965

97. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Cinematography

#39 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $25,852

98. De Montfort University

United Kingdom | England

For Cinematography

#36 in Europe

#29 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1992

99. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Cinematography

#37 in Europe

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

100. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Cinematography

#40 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 60%