Overview
The Screenwriting HE Certificate at Catalyst is an intensive, practice-led course for filmmakers and writers ready to move upstream to the writer’s seat and make real progress in one year. You will learn by doing through weekly Writer’s Room sessions, table reads and targeted rewrites with active industry tutors.
Across two semesters you will build a compact portfolio: 3 to 5 short film concepts with selected scenes, an original short-series concept with beats, one drafted episode and a concise pitch deck. You will strengthen story design, escalating conflict, character webs, scene writing and dialogue, and practise pitching with clarity and confidence.
You will study inside a working film school. As part of the School of Film & Visual Media you can liaise with directors, producers, editors and actors on campus, road-test pages in rehearsal and grow a network that extends beyond your year group.
At Catalyst you join a collaborative culture where feedback is actionable and assessment is 100 percent coursework, no exams. You finish with a body of real work, a repeatable writing workflow and the confidence to present to readers, collaborators and commissioners.
You can take the Screenwriting HE Certificate as a stand-alone qualification, or on successful completion apply to enter Year 2 of the Screenwriting BA (Hons).
Key skills you'll gain
By the end of the year, you will be able to:
- Understand how stories work and use structure with intention
You’ll learn how short-form and serial narratives are built. You’ll be able to work with familiar structural models and use them as tools to support your ideas. - Create engaging characters and meaningful relationships
You’ll develop believable protagonists, understand how to balance a character’s ‘need versus want’ and design character webs that generate tension, momentum and emotional depth. - Write purposeful scenes and dialogue that carry the story forward
You’ll practise scene construction, information flow and writing dialogue. Each scene you write will be scrutinised for having a clear function in your stories.
“Being able to put my ideas into action and actually possibly make a movie out of them… is just amazing”
– Dimitra Ntogka, Catalyst student
The future of storytelling
This course looks outward. As boundaries blur and productions cross borders, we train screenwriters who can work across cultures and sectors, carry ideas from spark to screen with discipline and speak the shared language of the room. You will study alongside classmates from around the world and learn from tutors who write and direct professionally, gaining practical habits that match industry pace.
“You can go wherever you want, in any world, at any time. You can expand – there’s no limits to it and that’s the beauty of scriptwriting.”
– Naseef Ganadry, Catalyst student
Course structure
Semester 1
The course starts with the fundamentals as you collaborate closely with other budding screenwriters from all over the world. You’ll learn by doing, tackling a large amount of writing exercises and short stories that will kick off your “writer’s portfolio”.
During Semester 1, you’ll gain a professional and creative toolkit that will enable you to:
- Get started on scripts for a variety of traditional linear formats, including short films, series, music videos and documentaries.
- Build characters, dialogue, scenes and learn how that fits within a film and series structure.
- Learn how to communicate your story ideas in a compelling pitch document.
Semester 2
During Semester 2, you’ll gain a professional and creative toolkit that will enable you to:
- Utilise Post-Structuralist methods – a new framework for writing that counters more Anglo-American approaches.
- Learn about serial writing, then immerse yourself in the Writer's Room and put your understanding into practice. Together with your classmates, you'll create an original series idea while learning the different roles in a Writer's Room.
- Write for comedy and drama
Onwards
Take your expertise straight into the industry, from writer’s assistant and staff writer pathways to development labs, short film commissions, podcasts and script consulting.
Alternatively, you can apply to enter Year 2 of the Screenwriting BA (Hons) to continue deepening your craft.
Is the Screenwriting Certificate for me?
This course is for you if:
- You’re fascinated by stories and how they move people.
- You enjoy crafting worlds, voices and moments that feel real and alive.
- You are a filmmakers who already has experience in directing and creative producing but want to write your own scripts, too.
- You're a novelist, journalist or content creators interested in expanding your knowledge toward scriptwriting.
- You're an artist working in theatre or in the fine arts are looking to take your practise to the page.
- You want to build a portfolio to enter the industry: you have experience on sets or adjacent roles and now need strong, readable pages to open doors.
- You're ready to switch career and want a concentrated year to pivot into screenwriting with tangible outcomes and credited team practice.
Progression & Careers
Students use the year as a focused skills sprint to pivot roles, strengthen a portfolio or move into freelancing. Next steps can include: seeking out paid work by convincing producers through your industry-ready pitch decks, developing your short‑series further with collaborators on campus, submitting short scripts to labs and festivals, assisting in rooms, pursuing writer’s assistant roles, producing and directing your own scripts
On completion you will hold an HE Certificate in Screenwriting. You are also eligible to enter Year 2 of the Screenwriting BA and continue your learning journey at Catalyst.
What you’ll make
- A portfolio of at least 3-5 short film concepts with loglines, tone statements and selected scripted scenes
- An original short‑series concept developed in a Writer’s Room, with a bible
- One drafted episode for the short series, with tracked passes and a revision plan
- A refined pitch document and concise deck that communicate story, tone, audience and format
- A collection of polished scenes across different tones and genres
- A process dossier - notes received, actions taken, version histories and reflections - demonstrating professional practice
Creative futures, real-world skills
Success means different things for different creatives – whether it’s completing a powerful project, building an audience or making a living from your art. Alongside your main studies, you’ll have access to extra opportunities for growth, such as our Self-Development & Creative Leadership course – designed to help you build clarity, confidence and creative momentum.
You’ll explore how to take action, lead projects, communicate your vision and overcome personal blocks. And beyond that, you’ll find wellbeing resources and personalised support to help you stay grounded and thrive – in your practice and beyond.
Ways to connect
Whether in person or online, we can't wait to meet you!
Tutors
Our tutors are industry-acclaimed experts in their field, with a passion for passing on their knowledge to others.
Admissions
Entry requirements
All applicants will be asked to provide: personal and educational information, documentation of their education experience, a portfolio, and a personal introduction (which can be submitted as a written statement of motivation or a video/audio clip). Visit our How To Apply page for more detail.
MINIMUM ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Standard entry: graduation from high school at a level which would normally permit entry to university in the country where it was gained. This would be A-Levels in the UK and the Abitur in Germany, for example.
- Non-standard entry: We recognise that not all education happens in the classroom and it may be possible to admit you through a non-standard access route. If you do not possess the required formal qualification, but have acquired relevant professional or life experience, please contact our Admissions team.
- Language: The language of instruction in all our courses is English and applicants must demonstrate a level equal to IELTS 6 (equivalent to B2 in Germany and other EU countries). You can either submit a language certificate or can take our free 90 min online test.
For more information, please contact our Admissions team and we’d be happy to discuss your opportunities to come study with us.
Course dates and application deadlines
Course start: Mid-September 2026
Applications open: Mid-October 2025
Application deadlines
Visa-required applicants
Applicants from countries requiring a visa before entering Germany:
- Priority deadline: 28 February 2026 (includes early enrolment bonus and visa support)
- General deadline: 30 April 2026 (subject to visa processing time)
EU/visa-exempt or post-arrival applicants:
Applicants from EU/EEA, Switzerland, or countries allowing visa-free entry (e.g. USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea):
- Priority deadline: 31 March 2026 (includes early enrolment bonus & guaranteed spot)
- General deadline: 5 June 2026
- Late applications: Until 28 August 2026 (subject to availability)
Priority deadlines & early enrolment bonus
Apply by the priority deadline to secure your place and receive a €1,000 discount on your total tuition.
Early enrolment gives you early access to our visa support service and allows us to plan group sizes and resources in advance.
What does “visa” or “visa-exempt” mean?
- Visa-required: If you require a visa before entering Germany (e.g. citizens of India, Brazil, Mexico, China, Turkey), you must apply at a German embassy before arrival. Our Visa Support Service (included in the enrolment fee) supports you with paperwork, appointments and timelines. Visa processing can take 3–6 months, so early application is essential.
- Post-arrival visa: If you're from a country that allows visa-free entry (e.g. USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea), you can enter Germany without a visa and apply for your student residence permit after arrival.
- Visa-exempt (EU/EEA/Switzerland): If you're a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you don't need a visa or residence permit to study in Germany.
You can check your visa requirements here.
Tuition fees - from €5,528 per semester
Payment options*
- Per semester: €5,528
- Annual payment: €10,723 per year (3% discount)
- Flexible plans: Monthly payment option available
- For detailed payment plans please download the course guide
*Enrolment fee: €895 per study year (non-refundable, due before each academic year begins). Visa support is included as part of the enrolment fee.
Scholarships & financial support
- Eligible for national funding schemes, you can check here.
- €2,000 scholarships available
Early enrolment bonus - apply early to save €1,000 off your total tuition
Early enrolment secures your place, helps us plan group sizes and facilities, and gives you more time to prepare for your move to Berlin. You’ll benefit from a €1,000 tuition reduction each year.
- Visa-required students: Apply by 28 February 2026
- EU & visa-exempt students: Apply by 31 March 2026
Note: early enrolment bonuses cannot be combined with scholarships.
Multiple-course bonus:
If you decide to enrol in both a 4-week Summer Short Course and a degree course with us in within two years, you will receive a discount of 500€ on the total tuition.
Funding opportunities
As an officially accredited higher education institute based in Berlin, Catalyst offers access to a range of national funding opportunities for eligible students, such as BAföG.
Visit our funding guide to explore the most common options available to our students, both in Germany and across Europe.
Open days, Q&As and taster workshops
Get a feel for Catalyst and our courses at a range of both online and in-person events. Join us at a Virtual Open Day or an Open Day at our campus in Berlin, chat to our programme leads at Meet The Tutor, or try a taster workshop.
Funding opportunities
As an officially accredited higher education institute based in Berlin, Catalyst offers access to a range of national funding opportunities for eligible students.
In addition to public funding, Catalyst offers a variety of €2,000 scholarships designed to support diversity, equity, and access in the creative arts for HE Certificate Screenwriting students
To learn more about these opportunities and how to apply, visit our full Funding Your Studies guide.
€2,000 Scholarships
1. Global stories & cultural perspectives scholarship
For screenwriters from diasporic, non-Western or otherwise underrepresented cultural backgrounds who write stories not typically seen in mainstream media.
Who it’s for
Applicants whose lived experiences, heritage or cultural identity shape their writing – including those from the Global Majority (BIPOC), migration backgrounds or marginalised communities.
Eligibility criteria
- Self-identification with a community or cultural background underrepresented in film and media
- A commitment to telling stories from, with or about these communities
- Experience or interest in disrupting conventional screen narratives through cultural perspective
2. Equity in film & visual media
For writers exploring identity, community and systems of power, particularly from perspectives often left out of the mainstream. It supports those navigating structural barriers as they build a path in screenwriting.
Who it’s for
Applicants who identify with one or more underrepresented communities, including Queer and LGBTQIA+ individuals, FLINTA*, BIPOC, mature or career-switching creatives, and those navigating intersectional barriers related to race, gender, class, disability or migration.
Eligibility criteria
- Self-identification with a structurally excluded or marginalised group
- A creative focus on identity, representation, community or social issues
- Demonstrated engagement with storytelling, media-making or activism from a personal or political perspective
3. Social justice & documentary storytelling scholarship
For writers using documentary, hybrid or narrative forms to investigate displacement, climate, borders or social inequality, particularly through long-form or community-based approaches.
Who it’s for
Screenwriters committed to socially engaged storytelling, including those with lived experience of migration, rural marginalisation or working-class contexts.
Eligibility criteria
- Projects or themes focused on displacement, justice, ecology or identity
- Demonstrated interest in documentary, hybrid or activist storytelling
- A personal or political motivation to explore urgent global or local issues through writing
4. Narrative reinvention scholarship (career switchers)
For applicants moving from another field into screenwriting, bringing new perspectives, transferable skills and life experience to story development.
Who it’s for
Those with prior study or work experience in another industry now seeking a creative path in the screen arts.
Eligibility criteria
- Prior degree or substantial career experience outside the screen industries
- Demonstrated interest in storytelling for film or media
- A reflective approach to shifting careers and building creative authorship, plus motivation to challenge dominant perspectives through lived experience
Behind the scenes
Stories from our creative community
