The ground-breaking three year partnership between the BBC and the NFTS (National Film and Television School) announced in October 2020 includes a newly developed scholarship scheme enabling up to 20 diverse students to benefit from the high quality of teaching at the NFTS and to strengthen the off screen diversity pipeline. The first cohort of BBC funded scholars began their studies at the NFTS in January 2021.
The BBC sponsors 10 NFTS courses – six MAs and four diplomas. Applications are currently open again for the following:
- Production Management for Film and TV Diploma – Last Few Places
- Script Development Diploma – Last Few Places
- Writing and Producing Comedy Diploma – Deadline 9th September 2021
- Directing and Producing Science and Natural History MA – Deadline 8th July 2021
- Directing and Producing Television Entertainment MA – Deadline 8th July 2021
Applicants should visit the NFTS website (using the link above for the course to which they wish to apply) to complete their application. As part of their application process they should specify that they wish to be considered as a BBC scholar. The aim is that there will be at least one fully-funded bursary per course although support will flex according to the range of applications and financial need. Successful BBC Scholars will also gain a commissioning or production mentor at the BBC providing career guidance, work experience placements and linking to a range of other opportunities within the broadcaster.
Find further details about BBC Scholarships on the NFTS website
Please note that the BBC also supports scholarships for the following courses. Applications for these are currently closed but future application windows are provided where available:
- Assistant Directing and Floor Managing Diploma CLOSED
- Directing Fiction MA CLOSED (Open again in January 2022 for January 2023 intake)
- Producing MA CLOSED (Open again in January 2022 for January 2023 intake)
- Directing Documentary MA CLOSED (Open again in January 2022 for January 2023 intake)
- Screenwriting MA CLOSED (Open again in January 2022 for January 2023 intake)
Deadlines: various until January 2022
Source: BBC Writersroom