I’m not sure what is better Apprenticeships or University (Film)

Apprenticeships in film are very rare and difficult to get into. There’s more apprenticeships in TV but again they’re competitive.

If you want to get into film through a degree then you need to study a screenskills accredited course (of the universities you listed only AUB is accredited) and ideally at a CILECT member university (AUB, UCA farnham, Falmouth, Leeds Beckett, Westminster and a few others). These courses are often highly competitive and difficult to get a place on.

The screenskills and bafta websites are a good place to start. Try to attend events with them and speak to people directly about career routes.

Hi,
I’m set on going into film but I’m not sure on whether to do an apprenticeship or study at university. I’m currently in year 12 and studying art, English lit and film studies. The problem is I’m not sure what would be better and more beneficial for me to do. I’ve looked at a lot of universities and films schools. Some of the ones I like the look of are Bournemouth or AUB(which are closer to home not sure about quality in degree), Brighton film school, Exeter, Southampton, Sussex, Kent. The only problem being that I’m not set on going to uni so I’m finding it hard to really refine my decisions on where to go and what is best. By no means is my above list definite.

I guess I just really want to hear from students studying film and receive some advice. To be honest, I don’t have the knowledge from family at home since I’ll be the first one in my entire family to go to uni, if I do decide that’s what I want to do.

I am really passionate about studying film especially the more practical side (not that I’m any good) even though I’m perfectly capable with the more theoretical. I also have a passion for photography and narrative acquired through my other subjects, Art and English Literature. I’m not opposed to doing apprenticeships, I just can’t find anything specifically film related that entices me, I’m also finding it hard to search for any. Again apprenticeships are an option for me since I don’t come from a very well off family in any sense. I think that’s also another thing that puts me off going to uni, especially since I’d prefer to move away from home and doing so will cost more.

Basically I want help, advice, tips, uni suggestions, apprenticeship suggestions etc etc...

Sorry if my explanation sounds confusing, I’ll be happy to answer questions. I’ll probably be asking a lot of questions to those of you that reply anyway. Thanks for your time

Hi there,
I'm a student rep for the University of Kent and I'm in my third year at Kent at the moment Although I don't study film, my housemate and a lot of my close friends do and they have really enjoyed it! Some of them have stuck to the more theoretical side of film while others have got more into screenwriting and production, so there is a lot of choice which makes it easier to find what you like the most!
If you are interested in speaking to a University of Kent film student you can use the Unibuddy system on the University of Kent website, you can ask these student buddies anything from how they find the course, what they're hoping to do, how they found work experience and their timetables at uni.
Here is the link; https://www.kent.ac.uk/unibuddy/

One of the benefits of going to university is the support you can get for careers advice and job applications, entirely free! As you are struggling to find an internship/apprenticeship in film then doing an undergraduate degree could help you open more doors in terms of your qualifications but also gives you access to careers support and guidance. I've used the careers department at Kent a lot and they often send out emails of new internships and graduate jobs, can help with careers advice (like how to get into the industry) and will even check over job applications for you to make sure you have the best possible chance. Also considering the film industry is fairly competitive the careers department could be an invaluable resource to you at University.

Also in terms of financially supporting yourself at University, it can be quite a daunting prospect but there are lots of systems in place to help you get started. Firstly, you will receive a maintenance loan from Student Finance England which can help you to pay for your accommodation and food. The amount that you get from Student Finance will vary depending on your family's income. Additionally, the University of Kent offer a low income financial support package which gives students (subject to entry requirements being met) £4,500 (approx) that does not have to be repaid, spread out over the 3 years of study, to help students from lower income background to support themselves through their time at university.
Also, if you achieve a minimum of AAA at A-level then you could qualify for Kent's 'Scholarship for Academic Excellence' which is again a sum of money (typically £2,000 per year of study) that does not have to be repaid to the University and can really help students to support themselves!
There is also the option of getting a part time job alongside studying which a lot of students do! The University often looks to employ students in the cafes, bars and shops across campus, or even within departments as student reps. Canterbury is also a really good place to find a job as there are loads of restaurants, shops, cafes and bars that recruit students every year!

I hope that this answers all of your questions and queries! Apologies that it's a bit long, but if you have any other questions about university or life at the University of Kent then please feel free to ask

Thank you so much! I was considering Kent among many other universities. I would never have noticed how much support there is on the website if you hadn’t have told me, especially the ‘unibuddy’ system.