Learn to write, shoot, edit and screen short films under real-world constraints. Collaborate in small production teams and rotate through key filmmaking roles – director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, production designer, editor and sound designer. Engage with creative briefs that mirror industry challenges, and gain first-hand experience working with peers from acting, visual effects and sound programmes. By exploring each discipline, you’ll discover your own creative identity and learn how collaboration shapes filmmaking.

Learning outcomes

By the end of Year 1, you will be able to:

• Understand and apply the principles of each filmmaking role and department
• Operate professional equipment and software to create short films
• Collaborate effectively within production teams
• Develop awareness of your personal creative voice and how it shapes your work
• Explore your passions and interests through practical film projects

After an intense first year of hands-on filmmaking, your second year invites a deeper exploration into your creative identity and what defines meaningful cinema. You’ll refine your storytelling voice, investigate film’s cultural and historical dimensions and focus on precision and intention in every production. Through experimentation and critical dialogue, you’ll learn to create with purpose – culminating in “The Perfect Minute”, a project that challenges you to produce 60 seconds of cinematic excellence.

Learning outcomes

• Develop advanced storytelling and screenwriting techniques
• Hone a personal creative vision and directorial approach
• Understand the historical and cultural contexts shaping cinema
• Engage in critical reflection and articulate your ideas through discourse
• Strengthen project management and collaborative production skills

In your final year, you’ll bring together everything you’ve learned to create your most ambitious project yet. This is your time to take full creative control, dedicating yourself to a film or media project that reflects your unique vision and professional goals. Whether it’s a short film, a narrative music video, a documentary close to your heart or a feature-length production, you’ll direct the entire process from concept to release.

Throughout the year, you’ll refine your craft in focused creative bursts, strengthening specific skills and gaining the confidence to lead projects from start to finish. You’ll also learn to evaluate your own artistic growth, recognising your strengths and identifying areas for further development. Supported by one-on-one mentorship, professional equipment and Catalyst’s creative network, you’ll prepare to release your work to the world through film festivals, screenings or industry channels.

Learning outcomes

By the end of Year 3, you will be able to:

• Evolve your approach to your chosen career path with clarity and confidence
• Craft a professional proposal that meets industry standards
• Take the creative lead in writing, directing and producing your own projects
• Learn to distribute and promote your work within real-world contexts
• Provide a creative service in a professional setting or complete a written thesis

All applicants will be asked to provide: personal and educational information, documentation of their education experience, a portfolio and a personal introduction in the form of a short video. 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 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 €3,000 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.

Payment options*

• Per semester: €6,028
• Annual payment: €11,693 per year (3% discount)
• Flexible plans: Monthly and extended payment options available
• Upfront discount: Save 8% on total tuition when paying in full
• 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 BAföG and other national funding schemes you can check here.
• €6,000 scholarships available – applied across all three years (€2,000/year)
• With scholarships and extended payment plans, tuition can be reduced to as low as €733/month, spread across four years (including one year post-graduation)

Early enrolment bonus - apply early to save €3,000 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.

As an officially accredited higher education institute based in Berlin, Catalyst offers access to a range of national funding opportunities for eligible students, including BAföG and other public financial aid schemes available across Germany and the EU.

In addition to public funding, Catalyst offers a variety of scholarships designed to support diversity, equity, and access in the creative arts. These include:

• General and school-specific scholarships across all Bachelor's and Master's programmes
• Up to €6,000 in tuition support for Bachelor’s students (spread over three years)
• Relocation support scholarships for international students moving to Berlin

To learn more about these opportunities and how to apply, visit our full Funding Your Studies guide.

1. Global stories & cultural perspectives scholarship

For filmmakers from diasporic, non-Western or otherwise underrepresented cultural backgrounds who use film to tell stories not typically seen in mainstream media.

Who it’s for

Applicants whose lived experiences, heritage or cultural identity shape their filmmaking – 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
• A commitment to telling stories from, with or about these communities
• Experience or interest in disrupting conventional film narratives through cultural perspective

2. Equity in film & visual media

For filmmakers 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 creative path in the screen industries.

Who it’s for

Applicants who identify with one or more underrepresented communities in film and media, including: Queer and LGBTQIA+ individuals; FLINTA*; BIPOC; mature or career-switching creatives; anyone whose lived experience involves 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 filmmakers using narrative, hybrid or documentary approaches to investigate themes of displacement, climate, borders or social inequality, particularly through long-form, community-based or issue-driven projects.

Who it’s for

Film artists committed to socially engaged creative practice, 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 film

4. Narrative reinvention scholarship (career switchers)

For applicants moving from another academic or professional field into film production, bringing new perspectives, transferable skills and life experience to creative storytelling.

Who it’s for

Those with prior study or work experience in another industry who are now seeking a creative path in the screen arts.

Eligibility criteria

• Prior degree or substantial career experience outside the film industry
• Demonstrated interest in storytelling through film
• A reflective approach to shifting careers and building creative authorship, plus motivation to challenge dominant perspectives through lived experience

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.