Become Approved
& Endorsed

There are thousands of creative media schools in the world. We want to help make your school stand out from the crowd. To help, we award the very best schools with Rookies Certified Schools accolade. The accolade is a quality mark which identifies the schools that are best suited to prepare artists for a career in the Creative Industries.

We believe it's important for artists to know the school they're applying for will give them the skills they actually need to succeed in industry. There are too many schools not delivering on this objective and it's our goal to help artists boost their employability by making sure they attend a certified school.

"International visibility from our page on the school directory is a great help for a small college like ours. The page is an excellent way to let the world know about the programs we offer!"

Testimonial by Maxine Schacker | Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design

Only the very best are approved

Independently assessed & reviewed

The Rookies work with an independent panel to assess creative media and entertainment schools. The in-depth review process makes sure only the best schools are accepted and the accolade remains exclusive. Below are some of the factors that are reviewed to help make an informed decision.

Graduate Acceptance Rates

Acceptance rates are a very strong indicator of how well a school prepares their students for industry. This is why our certification reviews these stats very closely to make sure rates are of the highest level.

Facilities and Resources

Often schools lack facilities that truly allow students to grow and learn. Schools are asked to provide detailed information and photographs to show their facilities and resources are at an adequate level.

Software and Curriculum

Learning the right software and skills is one of the most important aspects for any student. Our panel makes sure that accredited schools not only have well planned curriculums, but also teach relevant and up-to-date software.

Staff Development & Training

All schools love to showcase their amazing staff that have worked on the latest blockbuster movie or AAA game. We need schools to show they have development and training plans in place to keep their staff ahead of the game.

Alumni Feedback & Success Stories

Our accreditation requires testimonials from recent alumni to make sure they are truly happy and impressed with the education provided by the school. Success stories from recent graduates are equally important.

Relationship with Industry

The relationship between schools and industry is a critical part of any good education. Our accreditation relies on making sure each school has a strong relationship with a range of local production studios and industry professionals.

Studios that Hire Graduates

In addition to having a strong relationship with industry, we closely review where recent graduates are being hired. This provides a great indication of how industry ready students are and if strong relationships are in place to help students with interviewing and job applications.

Quality of Student Work (all years)

Our panel reviews the work of all students, not just graduates. It's important for us to see the progression of skills all the way to an industry level. It's not always about showing the best work, the journey is equally important and a factor that truly highlights a schools worth.

"Keep up the great work. Your website has become the cornerstone for the industry to gauge new recruits and it helps grow the creative media industry to new heights across the globe."

Testimonial by Neil Gallagher | University of Hertfordshire

Time and energy where it needs to be

Exclusive Features & Benefits

Rookies Certified Schools are invite only. To receive an invitation to receive this special accolade your school must have performed well in the Rookie Awards, or have been invited by one of our independent panel advisors. If you have not received an invitation but would like to be considered please contact us.

Exclusivity is always nice

Everyone likes to feel a bit special, even schools. This is our way of rewarding the very best schools in the world and making sure they are promoted and showcased the way they deserve.

Official Badges & Certificates

When you look at school websites, one of the first thing you will see are badges, accolades and recent achievements. We encourage all certified schools to showcase their official badges and certificates on their website and social media channels.

Increase your Organic Search

Organics search is one of the most important things for any business. It's something very important to our team and we perform very strongly with keyword searches for people Google searching for creative media schools. By being a Certified Rookies School, you will benefit from our experience and Google rankings.

Premium page on Discover platform

Our Discover platform is an incredible resource for all aspiring artists looking to learn new skills, get inspired, explore careers and learn about schools. Your school will have access to Premium page features such as extended gallery, video, testimonials, success stories, staff bios, course information, facilities overview and more.

Advanced targeting to prospective students

Built into The Rookies is an advanced marketing application that allows our team to target specific users based on their skills level, interests and demographics. This allows us to make sure artists that are looking for an education can be presented with relevant and informative information about your school.

Access to Editorial Publishing

Maintaining a strong presence online is an important part of any school. Sharing your story, success stories and achievements with readers is a great way to build your reputation and stay relevant. As a Rookies Certified School you will have access to work with our Editor to publish content to our Education feed.

School search widget (coming soon)

Showcasing artwork is a great way to bring attention to how amazingly talent your students are. Searching for schools on our main site allows people to not only see what your students are learning, but how they approach their work and where they are getting employed.

Fully managed & maintained

We understand you don't need to be building and maintaining another online profile about your school. This is why we have moved to a 100% fully managed system. Let our team handle everything for you with your own dedicated team member who will prioritise any requests and changes.

Only the very best creative media schools are eligible to apply as a Rookies Certified School®.

UTS Animal Logic Academy

A professionally-equipped studio space engineered to the highest industry standards.

Flinders University / CDW Studios

We ensure that students receive an intensive industry relevant education.

3dsense Media School

3dsense Media School is a pioneering digital arts school in Asia.

Think Tank Training Centre

World-class VFX training and mentorship by industry professionals

Move above the competition

How to Apply

Applying to become a Rookies Certified School is quick and easy. We've made it as streamlined as possible and can help at any point.

Pay Application Fee

The application fee is a one-off payment that only needs to be completed once. Our fees are based on a pricing model which calculates the direct cost incurred by us and is designed to minimise the cost to you.

Submit Application Form

Once your application fee has been paid, you are eligible to start the application process. Please complete the following application form. Our team will be in touch to discuss your application and arrange video conference calls where necessary.

Download Application Form

Select a Package

The subscription fees are based on the creation, promotion and management of a dedicated marketing page hosted at The Rookies website. This is a recurring fee that can be paid monthly or annually.

30 Day money back guarantee. No questions asked.

$60

Monthly

Keep things simple by paying a small monthly fee.

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$576

Yearly

Make an annual commitment and SAVE $144.

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Become Approved& Endorsed