University of California, Los Angeles · Department of Film, Television and Digital Media, School of Theater, Film and Television

Film, Television and Digital Media MFA, Animation specialization (Animation Workshop)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts - Film, Television & Digital Media (specialization in Animation)Funding not verified

Overview

Three-year, full-time MFA specialization in animation (the UCLA Animation Workshop), with a first-year traditional film, a second-year computer animation film and a third-year thesis film.

Official program name: Film, Television and Digital Media MFA, Animation specialization (Animation Workshop)
Awarded degree: Master of Fine Arts - Film, Television & Digital Media (specialization in Animation)Master's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Qualification classification: Academic degreeThe Department awards a Master of Fine Arts that is obtained with a specialization in Animation.Titled as a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in its own national system.
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Degree-awarding body: The institution itself unless stated otherwise on its official page.
Country: United States
Teaching language: Not verified
School: University of California, Los Angeles — Department of Film, Television and Digital Media, School of Theater, Film and Television
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Delivery: Format not verified
Required attendance: Not verified
Study intensity: Full-time
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Duration: typically 9 quarters (3 years), up to 12 quarters
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Credits and credit system: Not verified
Start: Fall
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Specializations

Specialization	Classification	Evidence
General Animation	Official pathwayPathway: Animation (MFA)An officially named concentration, pathway or major inside the degree.	Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
2D Animation	Broader degree with animationA broader degree in which animation is a central, verified component of the official title or curriculum.	Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
3D Animation	Broader degree with animationA broader degree in which animation is a central, verified component of the official title or curriculum.	Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Why this degree is listed

Officially named Animation MFA specialization (UCLA Animation Workshop) inside the Film, Television and Digital Media MFA; applicants apply directly as MFA, Film and Television, Animation.

Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

We list verified animation degrees only — no certificates, short courses or generic degrees with a few animation modules. Eligibility rules

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Official concentrations and pathways

Animation
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Graduation film, thesis or capstone

Graduation filmThird-year thesis film produced with a Thesis Committee.

Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Published areas of study

First year: traditional hand-crafted animated film.
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Faculty list: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Software, equipment and costs

Software and equipment are shown only as the school publishes them: required, taught, provided or bought by the student. Tuition does not include hardware, software or materials unless the school says so, and online students do not automatically share campus facilities.

Software

Software	Status	As published
Maya	Provided in labs / fees	Digital Animation Lab stations provide Adobe Suite, Maya, TV Paint, Toon Boom and more.Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Dragonframe	Provided in labs / fees	Stop Motion Lab workstations have a license to Dragonframe.Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Equipment, computers and facility access

Facilities: Digital Animation Lab with 17 stations (Mac Studio computers and Wacom Cintiqs) for MFA research and production.
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Published equipment and software costs

Equipment and software costs: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

We never estimate a total cost when key expenses are unpublished. Compare equipment and software

Admissions

Each submission item is shown exactly as the school states it. Anything not listed is not verified — never “not required”.

Portfolio and submission materials

Material	Status	Instructions as published
Portfolio	Required	Portfolio submission with a portfolio breakdown; each piece as its own file.Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Set creative task	Required	Original storyboard of a complete story, a 1-5 minute concept.Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Drawing samples	Optional	Suggested portfolio content includes life drawing: quick sketches and long poses.Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Other requirements

Prior qualification: RequiredFour-year degree from an accredited college or university with a B average or above; an equivalent of a 4-year US bachelor's degree by entrance.
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Grades / GPA: RequiredAt least a 3.0 GPA.
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Statement of purpose: RequiredStatement of purpose and personal statement.
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation.
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Entrance exam / aptitude test: Not requiredGRE not required, but can be helpful in deciding final applicant acceptance.
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredUnofficial copies uploaded, official copies mailed.
Source: tft.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT: RequiredApplicants from foreign countries; no minimum score stated on the checked page.
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness. Build an application checklist

Deadlines

Dates are shown with the year and intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
February 1, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: animation.filmtv.ucla.edu · verified October 14, 2026
Upcoming

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its original currency, applicant category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-year and whole-program figures — and different currencies — are not comparable with each other. Equipment and software costs are listed separately above.

Tuition: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Funding

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Funding not verified

Funding policy: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 14, 2026.

animation.filmtv.ucla.edu/?page_id=42 — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
animation.filmtv.ucla.edu/program/applying/ — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
animation.filmtv.ucla.edu/program/curriculum/ — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
animation.filmtv.ucla.edu/program/facilities/ — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026
tft.ucla.edu/programs/animation-mfa/apply-to-animation-mfa/ — Official program page, verified October 14, 2026

Something out of date? Suggest an update · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Similar programs

Same degree level and specialization. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

San José State University

Master of Design (MDes) in Animation

MDesMaster of Design

San Jose, CA

Format not verified

General Animation (dedicated degree)

2 years

English

Funding not verified

USD 1,109 per credit · All students · 2027-28

February 1, 2027 · Fall 2027

View program

University of Southern California

Animation + Digital Arts MFA

MFAMaster of Fine Arts

Los Angeles, CA

Format not verified

General Animation (dedicated degree)

Duration not verified

Not verified

Funding not verified

USD 2,700 per credit · All students — School of Cinematic Arts tuition per unit · 2026-2027

No upcoming verified deadline

View program

California Institute of the Arts

MFA Experimental Animation

MFAMaster of Fine Arts - Experimental Animation

Valencia, CA

On campus · Full-time

General Animation (dedicated degree)

three-year residency

English

Funding not verified

USD 62,954 per academic year · All students — Full-time undergraduate (BFA) and graduate (MFA) programs · 2026-27

December 1, 2026 · not labelled on page (deadlines dated December 2026 / January 2027)

View programSelected in: Top Animation Schools in USA: Degrees & Programs

AnimationSchools.Net is independent and not affiliated with University of California, Los Angeles. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.