Top 50 Creative Media & Entertainment Schools and Colleges in the World 2020
2020 Update! The official rankings have been calculated based on the performance of students work submitted to an independent industry panel.
The 2020 Top 50 Creative Media & Entertainment Schools and Colleges in the World rankings is something we take very seriously and no external influences or payments are entered into at any point. Our rankings focus on the quality of students portfolios that are submitted to our judging panel which best reflect the recruitment interview process.
We feel that traditional school rankings that include peer and employer reviews, faculty to student ratio, citations and other data are not adequate when ranking the best creative schools. For a complete breakdown of how we rank the best schools for 2018 please read how we rank the best schools and how we analyse the data in the sections located at the bottom of this page.
What is a Creative Media & Entertainment School?
These are also know as Art Schools and are designed to help aspiring artists learn the skills needed to work in creative industries such as: visual effects, animation, games, architectural visualisation, immersive media, motion design and more.
These schools are very different to non-creative schools and they need to be ranked accordingly. Students at creative schools don't all take the same exam to graduate. It's a whole different ball-game and students' abilities can't purely be based on a technical exam. For a creative student, their digital portfolio that showcases their skills is the most important factor at play for a recruiter.
The Rookie Awards are the most important student award and ranking globally as it has a credibility that others just don’t have. It doesn’t let advertising budgets create higher school rankings, it uses industry to assess and judge student work and discounts for any school flooding the awards with entries. Having the ‘employability of the Artist’ as a judging criteria is key, for in the creative fields you can be free of constraint and let the ideas flow but getting and building a career requires an additional ability to be practical and having ideas that can be executed and maintained.
Darryn Melrose, former Chief Executive of Media Design School
Top 50 Creative Media & Entertainment Schools and Colleges in 2020
The official rankings for 2020 have been calculated based on the performance of students work submitted to our industry panel. Full details can be found further down the page about how we calculate and rank schools.
Rank | School | Location | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gnomon | United States | 129.06 | Learn More |
2 | The One Academy of Communication Design | Malaysia | 123.35 | Learn More |
3 | Think Tank Training Centre | Canada | 120.70 | Learn More |
4 | Ringling College of Art and Design | United States | 110.19 | Learn More |
5 | Savannah College of Art and Design | United States | 106.42 | Learn More |
6 | School of Visual Arts | United States | 102.59 | Learn More |
7 | SCHOOL-ING | Spain | 92.52 | Learn More |
8 | 3D College | Denmark | 85.75 | Learn More |
9 | Syn Studio | Canada | 81.64 | Learn More |
10 | 3dsense Media School | Singapore | 74.20 | Learn More |
11 | Lost Boys | School of Visual Effects | Canada | 72.39 | Learn More |
12 | New3dge | France | 69.95 | Learn More |
13 | University of Hertfordshire | United Kingdom | 69.55 | Learn More |
14 | Academy of Art University | United States | 69.11 | Learn More |
15 | Flinders University / CDW Studios | Australia | 69.01 | Learn More |
16 | Vancouver Film School | Canada | 68.30 | Learn More |
17 | The Animation Workshop/ VIA University College | Denmark | 66.71 | Learn More |
18 | Howest University of Applied Sciences - Digital Arts and Entertainment | Belgium | 66.65 | Learn More |
19 | FX ANIMATION Barcelona 3D & Film School | Spain | 65.94 | Learn More |
20 | ArtFX School | France | 64.84 | Learn More |
21 | ISART DIGITAL | France, Canada | 64.71 | Learn More |
22 | Netherlands Film Academy | Netherlands | 63.86 | Learn More |
23 | SF Film School | Korea | 61.71 | Learn More |
24 | Bellecour Ecole | France | 59.59 | Learn More |
25 | CICE, The Professional School in New Technologies | Spain | 59.48 | Learn More |
26 | Yrgo | School of Architectural Visualization | Sweden | 59.32 | Learn More |
27 | Bournemouth University | United Kingdom | 58.70 | Learn More |
28 | ESMA | France | 58.31 | Learn More |
29 | Kristiania University College | Norway | 58.29 | Learn More |
30 | Vertex School | Online | 58.00 | Learn More |
31 | PIXL VISN | Media Arts Academy | Germany | 56.43 | Learn More |
32 | Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design | Canada | 56.42 | Learn More |
33 | Institut Artline | Online | 56.28 | Learn More |
34 | Escape Studios | United Kingdom | 56.24 | Learn More |
35 | Futuregames | Sweden | 55.46 | Learn More |
36 | Brassart | France | 55.32 | Learn More |
37 | Animum Creativity Advanced School | Spain | 53.44 | Learn More |
38 | Staffordshire University | United Kingdom | 53.02 | Learn More |
39 | Nanyang Polytechnic - School of Interactive & Digital Media | Singapore | 50.32 | Learn More |
40 | Breda University - IGAD - (BUAS) | Netherlands | 49.56 | Learn More |
41 | Media Design School | Australia, New Zealand | 49.16 | Learn More |
42 | CG Spectrum | Online | 49.09 | Learn More |
43 | Full Sail University | United States | 48.90 | Learn More |
44 | University of South Wales | United Kingdom | 48.78 | Learn More |
45 | Solent University | United Kingdom | 48.68 | Learn More |
46 | Falmouth University | United Kingdom | 47.32 | Learn More |
47 | SAE Creative Media Institute | Multiple Locations | 46.63 | Learn More |
48 | MAGES Institute of Excellence | Singapore | 45.92 | Learn More |
49 | Norwich University of the Arts | United Kingdom | 44.57 | Learn More |
50 | University of South Australia | Australia | 43.28 | Learn More |

Do you need professional advice on where to study?
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Top entries submitted by students from these schools and colleges
Follow these links below to view some of the incredible entries that our judging panel were tasked with reviewing. These entries showcase the quality of work created by students which helped rank their schools.
Detailed information about the 2020 Top 50 Schools and Colleges in the World
The following schools are the Top 50 educational facilities for 2020 and offer great courses and curriculum that produces students that are ready for the challenges faced by professional artists working in creative industries. Follow the links below to find out more about these schools, their facilities, team, success stories, student artwork and more.

1. Gnomon
For over twenty years, Gnomon has educated many of the world’s best digital artists. Called “the MIT of visual effects” by Fast Company magazine, Gnomon offers a variety of educational options to help students reach their goals in the entertainment industry, with both degree and vocational certificate programs, specialized courses for high school students and over 100 individual courses for professional enrichment. Visual effects artists launched Gnomon with the support of the entertainment industry to help meet the demand for well-trained creative talent in the growing field of digital entertainment. Our graduates are professionals working on the latest blockbuster films and games, and have positions at film and video game studios around the world.

2. The One Academy of Communication Design
For over 25 years of creative education excellence, The One Academy has been renowned as one of the best art and design colleges in Asia with over 2,500 existing students in two of our main campuses. We are committed to our role as a world-class education provider by nurturing creative pioneers who can brace and surpass international standards.To achieve this, we provide comprehensive courses, for instance, Film Visual Effects and Digital Animation with Game Development, in collaboration with industry masters such as Andrew Gordon, Pixar animation director, Eduardo Pena, concept artist of The Hobbit trilogies, and also Ubisoft, to name a few.

3. Think Tank Training Centre
Founded in 2005 in Vancouver BC, Think Tank Training Centre specializes in the latest software, techniques and technologies used by 3D artists working in the film, television and video game industries. In 2018 we ranked #1 in Canada (#4 worldwide) for Game Development, and #2 in Canada (#3 worldwide) for Visual Effects, and have consistently placed in the top four in previous years. Think Tank's campus is an inspirational place of learning, delivering a one-of-a-kind mentorship program which gives our students the edge as they transition into fully-fledged working professionals.

4. Ringling College of Art and Design
Since 1931, Ringling College of Art and Design has cultivated the creative spirit in students from around the globe. The private, not-for-profit, fully-accredited college offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in thirteen disciplines and the Bachelor of Arts in two. The College’s rigorous curriculum employs the studio model of teaching and immediately engages students through a comprehensive, program that is both specific to the major of study and focused on the liberal arts. The Ringling College teaching model ultimately shapes students into highly employable and globally aware artists and designers. www.ringling.edu

5. Savannah College of Art and Design
The Savannah College of Art and Design exists to prepare talented students for professional careers, emphasizing learning through individual attention in a positively oriented university environment.SCAD visionThe Savannah College of Art and Design, an institution with distinctive yet complementary locations, will be recognized as the leader in defining art and design education. By employing innovation in all areas, SCAD will provide a superior education through talented and dedicated faculty and staff, leading-edge technology, advanced learning resources and comprehensive support services.SCAD valuesBeing a student-centered institution.

6. School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for nearly seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprised of more than 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and nearly 37,000 alumni in 75 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world.

7. SCHOOL-ING
School-ing was born out of a love for 3D and VFX, a vocation for teaching and the desire to help revolutionize the way of teaching and learning. School-ing is a specialized school that seeks to give a twist to traditional training, to bring the reality of the professional market closer to the classroom and offer tools so that students can develop their artistic and creative potential.

8. 3D College
3D College, a part of Viden Djurs, is one of Denmark’s largest technical colleges in the field of media production. Since 2004, we have established ourselves as the leading vocational education (VET) and training institution for 3D graphic students in Denmark. Over the years, we have built up close relations to Danish businesses that focus on graphical development in games, VFX/motion design and architectural visualizations. Before starting in a traineeship, our students have worked with advanced modelling, animation and graphics. We train them in the most used 3D programs within the fields of film, games and architecture. Our students live on our campus, where there are a wide array of workshops and courses they can make use of in their spare time; plenty of opportunities for sp

9. Syn Studio
At Syn Studio, we specialize in teaching concept art and illustration for the entertainment industry. We believe that strong fundamentals in figurative drawing, painting and sculpture are the foundations of high-level digital artistry. This belief is shared by all of our teachers, friends and advisers which include top art directors, producers, lead and senior artists in Montreal, Los Angeles and San Francisco’s games, film and animation industries.

10. 3dsense Media School
3dsense Media School is a pioneering digital arts school in Asia, preparing students for careers in the media and entertainment industry for over 13 years. Dedicated to providing a real-world education, 3dsense aims to mold the next generation of elite digital artists and designers for the global industry. Some of the properties their alumni have worked on include Interstellar, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Avengers, The Hunger Games series, Assassin’s Creed, Game of Thrones and many more. 3dsense was recently ranked Top 10 in the world by The Rookies 2020 across all their courses. Besides education, the school also plays a major role in fostering a vibrant arts and design industry through its events and masterclasses.

11. Lost Boys | School of Visual Effects
Complete your training in Effects, Lighting, or Compositing.The award-winning Lost Boys Studios operates this extraordinary school of visual effects. With its roots as an internationally renowned VFX boutique with 20+ years of excellence. Lost Boys has both pioneered and mastered craft-centric specialized Diploma & Certificate Programs for feature film VFX production delivered from within a studio environment. Focused & specialized training sets a solid foundation for growth, puts you in demand, and maximizes your career potential. Alumni enjoy a combined placement rate of 99% at jobs found within their field of study. Lost Boys is your best chance at a career in VFX.

12. New3dge
New3dge, located in Paris, is a private school of higher education specialized in the fields of Game Art, 3D Animation&VFX and Concept Art. We have tailored our student program and our teaching methods alongside some of the major players in these fields. We recruit our educators from our network of respected professionals around the globe. At New3gde, we give our students the opportunity to learn skills and work with cutting edge technology in an ever-evolving environment, guaranteeing their integration in the video game, 3D animation/VFX field and Concept Art. Our current placement rate is 92% More infos at : www.new3dge.com

13. University of Hertfordshire
The School of Creative Arts is the oldest part of the University of Hertfordshire, and its roots date back to 1890 with the formation of St Albans School of Art that later merged with the University in the 20th century. The School prides itself on its devotion to teaching creativity and the skills required to enable students to reach the goals they want from a degree and future career. It combines a wealth of physical resources that cover all aspects of creative arts production from animation, games and film, to fashion, print making, ceramics and architectural design to name a few.
A large base of talented staff with working experience of the industries they teach in allows students to gain knowledge from those who have already worked in the areas they wish to enter after graduation. The School maintains close links with many companies in the creative industries, allowing students to be part of live projects, company visits, guest lectures on specialist cutting edge topics and to get to meet the people and companies who inspired them to begin their journey into art in the first place.

14. Academy of Art University
Since 1929, Academy of Art University has helped prepare aspiring artists and designers for professional careers by offering 135+ accredited degree options in more than 40 areas of study. Choose from animation and visual effects, game design and development, illustration, fine art, communications, filmmaking, and more. We are first and foremost a professional school—a purpose-based art and design school where students develop their talents and acquire the specific skills sought by the creative marketplace. Our hands-on curriculum is taught by some of the finest minds working in today’s creative and innovative industries—professional artists and designers who bring their industry expertise to the classroom. Academy students graduate with a solid creative foundation, business savvy, and an entrepreneurial spirit that tends to stick with them for life.
15. Flinders University / CDW Studios
In partnership Flinders University and CDW Studios have created a very unique study environment where you are being taught by an instructor who currently works as a professional in that industry. Our instructors are world class, and have experience freelancing and working for some of the world’s top entertainment providers and creators, such as Blizzard Entertainment, Rising Sun Pictures, Disney, Warner Brothers and Lego just to name a few. By employing industry professionals CDW Studios and Flinders University ensure that students receive an intensive industry relevant education along with the critical thinking, analysis and structure that a Flinders University degree provides.

16. Vancouver Film School
Vancouver Film School is Canada's premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution and one of the most distinguished in the world. The 13 production-oriented programs at VFS span one year or less and cover all aspects of visual media. Students are guided by industry veterans as they create the professional-quality reels and portfolios that get them noticed on the global stage. Recent VFS graduates have gone on to work on some of the hottest properties in entertainment, from film to animation to video games.

17. The Animation Workshop/ VIA University College
The Animation Workshop/VIA University College (TAW) enjoys a strong and wide reputation due to the top educations we provide for the international film industry, yet we are much more than a school. The Animation Workshop is located in Viborg, Denmark. It is a part of VIA University College’s School of Business, Technology and Creative Industries and has expertise in the areas of education, culture, communication, and business development. To this effect, it benefits from a strong international network of artists, professionals, companies, funding institutions, and partner schools.

18. Howest University of Applied Sciences - Digital Arts and Entertainment
Digital Arts & Entertainment (DAE) is a state-of-the-art, yet accessible, English-taught Bachelor’s degree. Fully accredited, 3 years, amounting to 180 ECTS credits. DAE is taught at Howest, a modern and unconventional university of applied sciences, situated in a small but beautiful historic city in Flanders, Belgium, in the heart of Western Europe. At DAE you can choose between 4 study majors: Game Development, Game Graphics Production, Independent Game Production or 3D Production & VFX. It is an industry-approved and award-winning curriculum, with alumni in leading companies and studios all over the world, such as Blizzard, Bungie, Ubisoft, DICE, Rocksteady, Guerrilla Games, Larian, Unity, Studio Gobo, Sumo Digital, ILM, MPC, DNeg and many more.
We offer an open, inclusive and international community where you will work on real-life, team-based and industry-assessed projects and assignments. We focus on a practically-oriented education where you receive training by qualified experts. This, together with international guest lectures by key industry speakers and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, makes for an ideal environment to become an expert in the industry.
Our campus is located at the heart of Western Europe, based in the small, comprehensive, safe and beautiful historic city of Kortrijk, at the banks of the river Leie, where over 1000 years of history meet with modern architecture and design. Here we offer our high-quality degree for a comparatively very low tuition fee. Graduating from our industry-approved and award-winning curriculum, many of our alumni work in leading companies and studios all over the world. This is strengthened by our unique technical artists profile. No matter what major you choose, you will have a good grasp of what your colleagues are up to, which makes cooperation easier.

19. FX ANIMATION Barcelona 3D & Film School
With more than 13 years of experience and internationally recognized as one of the 100 best animation and film schools in the world, we are a top school with its own high-performance degree, with a single headquarters in Barcelona and with two large areas of training: 3D / Animation and Cinema.

20. ArtFX School
ArtFX is a private digital arts college, training its students in CGI, VFX, 3D Animation and Video Games. Located in Montpellier (France), the school was created by professionals of the film, video games and visual effects industries.As the only school in Europe specializing in compositing CGI into live-action footage, ArtFX is a reference for CGI and CG animation training. At ArtFx you will develop professional level skills and build a solid network of contacts thanks to our close partnerships with professional artists. Thanks to these connections our graduates also have a 99% placement rate in major post-production studios within France and around the world.As a private establishment of higher education technical training, ArtFx is a member and co-founder of the Network of French Film An

21. ISART Digital
ISART Digital is an international school of higher education in video games and 3D-VFX animation. The school is based in Paris & Montreal and has a partnership with the Tokyo University of Technology. The school is ranked number 1 in Europe and Quebec (Canada) by LinkedIn, on professional integration in the Game and Interactive Media Design market.
This leading position is the result of a studio-oriented policy: - Professional experience is at the heart of the studies, in an alternating structure of a week at school and a week in the workplace, throughout the year.

22. Netherlands Film Academy
The academy is the only recognised institute in the Netherlands that offers training to prepare for the work in the various crew disciplines. Specialisation is possible in fiction directing, documentary directing, screenwriting, editing, producing, sounddesign, cinematography, production design, and interactive multimedia/visual effects.

23. SF Film School
SF Film School was founded in 2001with a track record of sending graduates across the globe to work at VFX companies with which they have close industry ties. SF Film School aspires to become the best school for CG and VFX in Korea, and worldwide, aiming to send their students into the world market. SFFS is the first VFX school in Korea to have alumni work at leading studios Lucas Film, MPC and Fromsoftware.
24. Bellecour Ecole
Bellecour Ecole is a specialized art school in the fields of applied arts / design: graphics - multimedia - space - Product - Fashion and Creative Industries: 3d animation - FX - gaming - concept art. Bellecour Ecole provides training to +3 and +5 (Artistic Director, 3D director, ).

25. CICE, The Professional School in New Technologies
CICE, the only Official Training Center in Spain for more than 20 multinational companies, is already a community of more than 70,000 students coming from more than 30 different countries. The School provides the Official Training and all the homologations of the leading companies thanks to the collaboration of certified teaching professionals recruited from the most prestigious Spanish production companies.Our permanent challenge is and has always been along these 37 years, to train our students so they turn into excellent professionals with an extraordinary projection in the job market and able to support the increasingly demanding demand of qualified professionals the current industry is asking for.But what really makes the School to stand out is our ability promoting among our students

26. Yrgo | School of Architectural Visualization
Yrgo is a higher vocational college situated in Gothenburg Sweden.Our programs main focus is architectural visualization where our students spend two years studying both practical applications, theory and doing internships at companies all around the world. Our first year focused on learning 3d visualization with programs like 3ds Max, Sketchup, V-ray, Corona, Revit and Autocad. We also place a high value on teaching what makes good images, so photography and Photoshop is a given.On top of this we have courses in analogue workflows and terminology held by architects to better help our students communicate in future projects. After the first year they are sent out to companies to start their internship and this is where we feel the real learning begins.

27. Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University is a public university in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, with its main campus situated in neighbouring Poole. The university was founded in 1992 as one of the new universities, however the origins of its predecessor date back to the early 1900s.The university was a finalist for two prizes in British higher education – the 2009 Times Higher Education (THE) Awards for "University of the Year" and "Research Project of the Year".Traditionally known for its focus on professional courses, in the 2000s Bournemouth University invested in research to underpin its curriculum and maximise its contribution to the regional and national economies. The university currently has over 16,000 students, including over 1,500 international students.

28. ESMA
ESMA CG School is a hiher education institution located in Montpellier, Toulouse, Nante, Lyon and Montreal, with more than 25 years of experience.Recognized for the quality and richness of its artistic teachings, the school offers two courses related to CG Animation and FX: a Prépa Entertainment and a Professional Cycle CG Animation & FX.Our ambition: to offer a teaching in adequacy with the professional environment in order to prepare our students for the various artistic professions and to facilitate their insertion and their success in the world of work.

29. Kristiania University College
The Visual Effects (VFX) Bachelor program at Westerdals, Kristiania University College, is Norway’s biggest VFX education. Focus is on compositing, VFX supervision and general VFX engineering built on a solid foundation of drawing, photography and colour. Run by some of Norway’s most senior and experienced VFX artists and supervisors, the program has a firm emphasis on being industry centric utilising tools, processes and methodology that students will encounter when they enter the industry as professional VFX artists. Students from the program has contributed to productions such as Game of Thrones, Watchmen, Star Trek Discovery, Lost in Space and Star Wars: The Mandalorian.

30. Vertex School
The Vertex School is building in-depth online training programs to help people get jobs in cutting edge creative technical fields such as Games and Real Time Technology using our combination of skill mapping, accountability, mentoring and just plain old hard work and butt kicking. We're a higher quality, more affordable and more up to date alternative to associates and bachelor degree programs which can be outdated by the time you finish them. Our competition exists in traditional and online education. Most of these solutions provide one size fits all training whether it’s government approved curriculum or pre-recorded online classes. Our solution combines live training, the chance to get instant feedback and assigned success coaches.

31. PIXL VISN | media arts academy
PIXL VISN was founded in 2010 by industry professionals Andrei Stirbu and Robb Innes. We offer an accelerated 15-month 3D Animation and Visual Effects training program in a modern facility equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, located in the heart of Cologne, Germany. Instructors at PIXL VISN are a part of the industry: They work in relevant positions at major studios around the world helping to create major Hollywood feature films, hit television series and blockbuster video games. Our graduates have worked on productions like “Avengers: Endgame”, “Game of Thrones” and “Disney’s Dumbo”. In the official “World School Rankings® 2019” at “The Rookies”, PIXL VISN ranked 3rd in the ranking of the best Animation schools in the world and 10th in the ranking of the world's best Visual Effects schools.

32. Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design
Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design was founded by artists and animators in the late 1990s. A career college that understands the power of popular culture and hopes, by training the next generation of artists, to contribute to a better world. We offer three Diploma Programs: Classical & Computer Animation & Production, Illustration & Storytelling for Sequential Arts(Comic books & Graphic Novels), and Concept Art for Animation & Video Games(Digital Illustration). From the beginning our mandate has been to provide the best education possible while remaining affordable and accessible. We believe in a well organized, developmental curriculum that gives students the skills at each level to approach new challenges.

33. Institut Artline
Institut Artline is an innovative online school that allows you to follow a professional degree course in digital creation, accompanied by recognized experts working in the largest studios and agencies of different sectors of digital creation. Live and professionalize your passion, thanks to our online diploma courses Preparatory, Bachelors and Masters preparing for the professions of creation.

34. Escape Studios
At Escape Studios, we offer undergraduate, postgraduate and short courses in Visual Effects (VFX), Game Art, Animation and Motion Graphics. We work with an impressive list of industry partners to design and deliver our courses, from MPC, DNEG, Framestore and The Mill, through to Jellyfish Pictures, Milk and BlueBolt, to name just a few! Do you have raw talent and big aspirations? If you're willing to put in the time, passion and hard work necessary, we can promise you a highly vocational, industry-focused training experience, giving you the skills you need to graduate job-ready.
Study in the heart of London's creative scene in our state-of-the-art facilities using professional tools and techniques for a real-life studio experience. Our tutors are experts and have all worked in successful studios. Packed with everything from The Dark Knight to Harry Potter, Thor: Ragnarok and multiple PlayStation titles, their CVs don't get much cooler! Through our industry partners, you'll get to meet, receive feedback and learn from some of the most creative and influential names in the industry as we invite guest speakers and tutors to the studios from the likes of Framestore, Creative Assembly or DNEG.
Our short courses are strongly vocational, designed to give you professional studio experience and train you to the latest standards. After most of our full-time programmes, you'll get a full package of career development support for 12 months after your course.

35. Futuregames
Futuregames is a successful private game development school in Stockholm, Sweden. We are centrally located in the trendy and unique Södermalm district with our school at medborgarplatsen – the heart of Swedish games development cluster. Futuregames programs are 2-3 year Swedish higher vocational education mostly funded by the Swedish government. There are today 4 different programs within Futuregames: game design, 3D-graphics, 2D-graphics and game programming. The school offer 120 yearly seats within these 4 programs and all students mostly work in multiple parallel projects together with leading game studios until ending their education with a 30 week long internship.

36. BRASSART
Our 6 sectors promote this creativity. From graphic design to audiovisual, from 3D animation to video games, from graphic arts to illustration and comics, students, after a preparatory year, will be able to make a choice of life. Making your passion a profession is possible!

37. Animum Creativity Advanced School
Whether you are passionate about film, videogames, advertising or architecture, our high quality face-to-face and online training focuses on the most important thing: to have the best reel or portfolio in the industry. Our methodology and our academic framework make this possible. The best advice we can give you: thoroughly analyze the work of the students.

38. Staffordshire University
We are the Connected University. We’re connected to the needs of our students, to business and to society. Our city campus in Stoke-on-Trent is the University’s nerve centre. We deliver world class healthcare education at our specialist Centres of Excellence in Stafford and Shrewsbury. And a global network of more than 20,000 people study our degrees internationally. Our industry connections and emphasis on experience make our graduates among the most employable in the UK. A leading university for digital technologies, we are always building on our proud computing heritage and strong reputation for computer games courses. Our gold award in the 2019 Teaching Excellence Framework recognises excellent standards of learning and teaching, while 78 per cent of our research is world leading or of international importance (Research Excellence Framework 2014). Our interdisciplinary network of research centres drive the publication of hundreds of papers each year.

39. Nanyang Polytechnic - School of Interactive & Digital Media
Established as an institution of higher learning in 1992, Nanyang Polytechnic’s (NYP) seven academic schools offer quality education and training through more than 40 full-time diploma courses. NYP also has a full suite of continuing education (CET) options for lifelong learning, ranging from specialist and advanced diplomas, to SkillsFuture modules and courses. Through its strong network of industry connections, NYP empowers learners for work and life through relevant curricula and deep capabilities. NYP strives to be the innovative polytechnic, creating a nexus of future-ready learners, ready to take on new challenges and contribute to growth and sustainability. Nanyang Polytechnic is a recipient of Singapore’s top organisational and business excellence awards: the Singapore Quality Award, the Innovation Excellence Award and the People Excellence Award.

40. Breda University - IGAD - (BUAS)
1 to 1 coaching by industry veterans of AAA industry . Latest technology from Sony, Nintendo & Microsoft . Features all relevant game development skills for a practical multidisciplinary education . Partnering with leading game companies around the world . International classroom, completely English-taught, 25% of students and 80% of staff is international . A tradition of winning game awards over the past year (Unity Awards, GGJ, Sumo Digital, Brains Eden, Microsoft, Dutch Game Awards) . Top rated in Dutch higher education . The best and motivated talents are selected to start (180 students per year) . Officially accredited degree by the Ministry of Education, students enter the program in one of three study paths: Visual Art, Programming or Design & Production

41. Media Design School
Media Design School is New Zealand’s most awarded tertiary institute for digital and creative technology qualifications. In 2017, we were ranked amongst the top ten schools in the world to provide VFX/Animation qualifications by the The Rookies.Our teaching style has been created to simulate the real world industry as closely as possible. From their very first day at Media Design School, our students study in a studio-like environment using industry aligned software and technology. They are encouraged to challenge conventions and push boundaries in new and emerging digital technologies through project-based learning and live briefs.

42. CG Spectrum
CG Spectrum was founded on the principle that students learn best through personalized, hands-on education taught by industry professionals who specialize in the discipline they are teaching. By giving students access to the most talented artists in the industry as their mentors, this helps ensure that CG Spectrum students are the best connected, best trained and best prepared for life beyond school in their respective fields.
Our mentors meet students from around the world online for small classes or 1-on-1 specialised industry diploma courses. This personalised education gives our students an advantage, by allowing them to network with artists of major studios, regardless of their geographic location.
In addition to the unique 1-on-1 approach to training, CG Spectrum mentors spend a majority of their time working within the student files to show them how they would approach their work as a professional. This allows students to quickly adopt professional workflow and reach a higher standard at a faster rate.

43. Full Sail University
Throughout the entertainment industry, Full Sail graduates have made their names working on award-winning films and albums, acclaimed video games and design projects, live productions, and more. Full Sail University offers Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's degrees both on-campus and online.Accredited by ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges).

44. University of South Wales
USW Cardiff is one of the largest providers of Creative Industries Education in the UK, with a curriculum covering Illustration, Animation, Graphic Communication, Film and Media Production, to Drama, Performance, Music and Dance. Partnerships with major employers have led to 95% of our graduates entering employment within 6 months of graduation. Our graduates work for major studios including Disney Pixar, Rockstar Studios, Sony Pictures Animation, EA Games, DreamWorks and broadcasters including BBC, HBO along with many independent companies.
USW Cardiff prides itself on its vibrant city-centre location with several animation and games employers within easy reach. The Faculty offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across the areas of - Animation and Games, Film & VFX, Music and Sound, Journalism & Media, & Performance, Design Communication, Fashion & Photography – all ideally placed within the same landmark building to foster a ‘culture of collaboration’ between them. All courses are united by a course structure that supports the development of ‘creativity’, ‘skills’ and ‘professionalism’, and is underpinned by a shared ethos that focuses upon twenty-first graduate skills.

45. Solent University
With a population of around 11,000 staff and students, Solent University offers over 200 qualifications ranging from HND to PhD, in subjects as diverse as maritime education and training, fashion and design, media and television, music, health, sport and leisure, business, IT and technology. Every year we are joined by around 10,000 additional students on short professional courses. Rated five stars for teaching and inclusiveness in the QS World Rankings, and winner of the Times Higher Education ‘Most Improved Student Experience’ Award 2015, the University was also awarded the 2013 Quality Assurance Agency kitemark for quality and standards of teaching and learning, and voted one of the UK’s most creative universities in Which? University’s 2013 and 2014 student polls.

46. Falmouth University
For more than 100 years, Falmouth University has been a hub of creative thinking and design innovation. Today, our portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses represents the breadth of the Creative Industries, from art, design and fashion, to gaming, music and film.

47. SAE Creative Media Institute
Creative Media Institute is the world’s leading education provider in creative media industries with over 50 campuses globally. SAE offers degree, diploma and certificate courses across the six disciplines of: Animation, Audio, Design, Film, Games as well as Interactive Technologies.For over 30 years, SAE Institute has maintained a strong commitment to providing high-quality practical education in creative media technologies, producing graduates with industry skills to fill integral professional roles within the sector. Each course at SAE focuses on teaching high-end technical production techniques specific to its niche, developing broader industry perspectives, and creative, analytical, communication and project management skills.
As an SAE student you will have access to our industry-leading campuses, utilise the latest equipment and software, and benefit from our extensive industry network. We’re passionate about our students’ potential and encourage them to chase their dreams. We promise that your SAE experience – wherever you are enrolled in the world – will offer a progressive learning experience to meet your creative and professional aspirations, help you stand out from the crowd, and give you a ticket to the global stage.

48. MAGES Institute of Excellence
MAGES Institute of Excellence is a private institution that provides high quality tertiary level education for tomorrow's game designers, animators and creative computing experts. A rapidly developing sector in Singapore and all over the world, the Media, Animation and Gaming industries are evolving by the hour. We offer students live industry projects, lecturers with years of experience, a low student to teacher ratio and a campus located in the heart of Orchard Road. Pave the way to lasting success in arenas of the future, with MAGES Institute of Excellence.

49. Norwich University of the Arts
Norwich University of the Arts is a dynamic, modern and creative community providing arts, design, architecture and media education from a unique campus at the heart of the city. Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) has established itself in arts, design and media education for over 170 years. But while our history can be traced back to 1845, our outlook is forward-thinking. From a city centre campus that boasts cutting-edge facilities, to an approach to teaching which saw us awarded Gold under the Teaching Excellence Framework and ranked 10th in the UK for teaching quality by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018, our reputation for excellence is well-earned. NUA has thrived as an established University, developing a national reputation as an innovative and creative academic community, with a firm commitment to offering vocational, practice based courses that afford students space to develop their skills and pursue their passion.

50. University of South Australia
UniSA is Australia’s university of enterprise and is a globally-focused, locally-engaged institution established on the dual principles of equity and excellence. With more than 32,000 students, the university is South Australia’s largest and was ranked 25th in the QS World University Rankings for institutions under 50 years old in 2015. UniSA offers degree programs across a wide range of subjects including business, law, education, arts and social sciences, health sciences, information technology, engineering and the environment. A total of 88 per cent of UniSA graduates surveyed in 2014 were satisfied with the quality of their program. We believe a university's reputation is determined largely by the quality of its graduates, and are proud that more than 90 per cent of our graduates now in full-time work are employed in professional occupations within four months of completing their degrees.
How we calculate the school rankings
Data is based on the quality and performance of student work that is submitted to our judging panel for the Rookie Awards.
We feel that traditional school rankings – that include peer and employer reviews, faculty-to-student ratio, citations and other data – are not adequate when ranking the best creative schools. This might work in industries with more traditional career paths, however, when it comes to technical and creative roles, such as Visual Effects, Feature Animation and Games, it’s a lot more complicated.
The Judging Process
Each entrant is reviewed by members of the official Judging Panel which includes over 120 highly influential and respected industry veterans. The Judges were asked to score entries based on criteria including — creative skills, technical skills, presentation, variety of skills, complexity, raw talent, and employment potential.
School Calculations
Based on the results of student submissions we received this year we have released the following in-depth breakdowns about the best schools.
Each school is awarded a final score based on the performance of each student representing their academic facility.
When analysing the average scores of each student per school there are three possible data formulas available to use: mean, median and mode.
The Rookies uses median. The median is the middle point of a number set, in which half the numbers are above the median and half are below. A median is intrinsically understandable. It is the middle number when the values are put in order.
- Schools with < 10 student entries are excluded from ranking.
- Incomplete student entries are removed from calculations. No penalties.
- Each student receives a performance score. Max 100 points.
- Median students score calculated per school. Max 100 points.
- Each category finalist receives 2.5 bonus points toward School Score.
- Each category runner up receives 5 bonus points toward School Score.
- Each category winner receives 10 bonus points toward School Score.
Is your school missing?
For Students: Please put us in touch with the right person at your school.
For Faculty: Our team is here to help showcase your school to the world. Talk to us today about how to get your school certified, to promote your sucess stories and to make sure you rank highly next year!
Do you need professional advice on where to study?
The Rookies has partnered with Mozaik Play - a student placement organization - that can assist you with: Choosing the right digital media colleges and course, full application process support, Visa application assistance and also financial payment advice.
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