How To Apply

Application Requirements

Please read the following notes carefully before submitting your application.

  1. The minimum educational requirement for admission is an undergraduate degree or equivalent experience.
  2. Classes are conducted in English. The ability to speak, read, write, and comprehend English is mandatory. TOEFL scores are required for applicants who are not native English language speakers.
  3. Applications for admission are accepted in accordance with our non-discrimination policy.
  4. Non-U.S. citizen applicants who have been accepted and who will require a student visashould contact the school immediately so that administrators can begin processing the foreign student status requirements.
  5. A non-refundable $25 application fee is required from all applicants. Checks should be made out to “George Eastman House.”
  6. Students with medical conditions or disabilities that may limit participation in classes, seminars, and workshops should supply the school with a medical certificate in advance. Activities in a film archive include lifting heavy materials (film cans), working in below-average temperatures (collection storage vaults), and limited exposure to chemical agents (e.g., the by-products and fumes resulting from decomposing nitrate and acetate film). While the school ensures that all precautions are taken to prevent harmful consequences from such activities, the Museum is not responsible for any injury resulting from careless handling of film or film-related material.

Admissions Procedures

The application includes the following material:

  1. Due to the structure of the course, part-term registrations are not permitted. Class enrollment is limited to ensure maximum exposure to the preservation activities and optimize the efficiency of the learning process. NOTE DIFFERENT APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR THE ONE YEAR CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AND THE TWO YEAR M.A. PROGRAM OF GRADUATE STUDY. Certificate Program—applicants must submit completed applications no later than February 15 of the year in which September admission is sought. Selznick Graduate Program in Film & Media Preservation (the two year M.A. program) applicants must submit completed applications no later than February 1 of the year in which September admission is sought. NOTE: All M.A. applicants must provide two copies of all application materials. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The following material must be included:
    • a cover letter of application and intent that specifies goals and ambitions in the preservation field, written and signed by the applicant;
    • a curriculum vitae or résumé;
    • a completed application form;
    • three letters of recommendation two personal and one professional.
      • Personal references—Letters from two individuals whom the applicant has known as a friend, employer, or teacher for two or more years.
      • Professional reference—One letter from someone who has observed the applicant’s interest in film archiving and skills related to preservation work.
    • Applicants for the Master’s degree program must provide a ten to twenty page writing sample demonstrating their ability to write a substantial analysis of film, literature, or critical theory.
    • All Master’s degree applicants must complete the online application for the graduate Masters Program at The Department of English at the University of Rochester’s website.
  2. Applications will not be processed until all materials have been received.
  3. Late applications will not be accepted.
  4. The applicant will receive written notification of the Selznick School Admissions Committee’s decision by April 15.
  5. Upon acceptance, the applicant will be requested to sign an enrollment agreement and deposit a registration fee. (Note: the registration fee is non-refundable.) Registration and tuition fees for the year are provided in the school’s Student Guide, available upon request.

IMPORTANT: Upon receipt of the signed enrollment agreement and the registration fee, a place will be held for the student. The school will not guarantee a place without receipt of the signed agreement and registration fee.

Withdrawal Policy — If a student discontinues his or her attendance during the first week of class, he or she must surrender the $500 deposit. If a student withdraws during the second week, he or she must surrender his or her deposit and pay an additional $500. Students leaving the third week will surrender their deposit and $750. If a student discontinues attendance after the third week of school, the entire year’s tuition remains payable, even though the student may have chosen to pay by the four-term installment plan. Credits, refunds, and withdrawals are not permitted beyond the terms described above.

Financial Aid — No institutional scholarships are currently available for students. Before registering, students must demonstrate that they have the financial means necessary to complete the course.