2025 VFS-UPB Scholarship

 

Latin America

 

Train for the creative industries in 1 year in Vancouver, Canada with a VFS scholarship!

 

Vancouver Film School (VFS) and Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) have created a scholarship fund to empower aspiring Latin American creatives in their academic journeys. Full and partial-tuition scholarships are available for select VFS programs, with start dates in 2026.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

  • One full-tuition (100%) scholarship and two partial (50%) scholarships for each of the following VFS programs:
    • 3D Animation & Visual Effects
    • Game Design 
    • Programming for Games, Web & Mobile
    • Digital Design 
 

Applications open: September 12, 2025
Application deadline: November 9, 2025
Winners announced: November 20, 2025

*A minimum of 30 applications per program are required for each full (100%) scholarship.
*All VFS-UPB scholarships must be applied towards VFS tuition and have no redeemable cash value.

 
 

Who is Eligible to Apply?

The scholarship is open to the following UPB students and alumni across all cities/campuses:​
*To learn more about this scholarship, attend our Online Info Session, October 8 at 5:30 p.m. COT. Register here.​

 

School of Design and Architecture:
UPB students who are currently in their 5th semester (or further) in the following undergraduate programs:

  • Graphic Design
  • Industrial Design

School of Engineering:
UPB students who are currently in their 5th semester (or further) in the following undergraduate programs:

  • Digital Entertainment Design Engineering
  • Systems and Computer Engineering

School of Social Sciences:
UPB students who are currently in their 8th and 9th semester in the following undergraduate programs:

  • Social Communication and Journalism
  • Advertising

General UPB Alumni:
UPB graduates who have received their undergraduate or graduate diploma titles within the past 5 years in any of the following programs: Social Communication and Journalism, Advertising, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Digital Entertainment Design Engineering, & Systems and Computer Engineering.

 

About Vancouver Film School

Recognized as a Leading Film School in N. America by MovieMaker and Variety, the #1 Global Animation School by Animation Career Review, and the #1 Game Design School in Canada by Princeton Review Journal, VFS offers 14 programs that span Film, Animation, Game, and Creative Design.

VFS alumni work on the industry’s top projects (securing 2500+ IMDb credits in 2024 alone!), most recently Superman, Minecraft, and Fantastic Four: First Steps, and for top studios like Netflix, Sony, Hulu, and 20th Century Fox. 

At the 2025 Oscars, 107 alumni were credited on nominated/winning films, while 250 alumni were credited at the Golden Globes. 398 alumni were credited on nominated/winning series at the 2024 Emmys – with 2 Makeup Design alumni winning for their work on Shōgun.  

Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Founded in 1936, the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana offers 77 undergraduate, 24 masters, and seven doctorate programs to a nationwide student population of 30,000 students. The university features the first video game design program in Colombia, and also specializes in law, communications, fashion design, and medicine.

Scholarship Information

You must complete/submit the following to apply:

  1. The VFS-UPB scholarship application form at the bottom of this page. 
  2. A clear copy of government-issued photo ID that includes your legal name and date of birth.
  3. Two letters of recommendation (in English) that include the contact information for your references. References should include comments on your creative ability, work ethic, ability to take criticism, ability to work in a team environment, and previous accomplishments.
  4. A resume or CV detailing your work history and education (in English).
  5. UPB transcripts (in UPB’s native language) for all completed courses.
  6. A link to a video (in English) and with a maximum length of 60 seconds. The video must be posted on YouTube or Vimeo and be accessible via direct link.
    1. Begin by stating your name.
    2. Give a brief statement explaining why you want to apply to the 2025 VFS-UPB Scholarship and how receiving the scholarship would benefit your career.
    3. Briefly summarize your strongest creative project; in the case of team projects, please specify your role.
       
  7. If English is not your native language, you must submit proof of your English proficiency, which can include any of the following (credentials must be valid at the time of submission). More information on VFS language requirements is available at https://vfs.edu/international-admissions:
    1. Duolingo English test score of 120 or higher
    2. TOEFL PBT score of 550
    3. TOEIC score of 785
    4. IELTS (Academic) Band 6.5
    5. LPI Level 5
    6. B2 First (formerly Cambridge English: First (FCE)) – Grade A
    7. VEC (Vancouver English Centre) Articulation Agreement Level 12
    8. IB English score of 5 or higher
    9. Transcripts from an English-speaking high school or an accredited English-speaking post-secondary institution

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Scholarship winners must pay the $150 CAD application fee if they accept the scholarship.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These requirements are mandatory, without exception. All documents (except transcript) must be in English and total files cannot exceed 10MB.

 

  • The deadline to apply is November 9, 2025 at 10 p.m. COT. Winners will be announced on November 20, 2025. Late submissions or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
  • Full scholarships must be redeemed for any of the following start dates only:
    • 3D Animation & Visual Effects: March 2 or May 4, 2026
    • Game Design: May 4, 2026
    • Programming for Games, Web & Mobile: September 1, 2026
    • Digital Design: May 4, 2026
  • Partial scholarships must be redeemed for any of the following start dates only:
    • 3D Animation & Visual Effects: March 2, May 4, or June 29, 2026
    • Game Design: May 4 or September 1, 2026
    • Programming for Games, Web & Mobile: September 1, 2026
    • Digital Design: May 4 or September 1, 2026
  • Applicants who have already been accepted into a VFS program can still apply for this scholarship; however, this scholarship must be used singularly and cannot be used in combination with any other bursary or scholarship already received. Previous applicants must resubmit their application with a completed scholarship application form.
  • Any materials submitted with the application will not be returned.
  • Scholarships will be awarded based on the applicant’s talent, creativity, discipline, and focus, as well as the selection criteria outlined for this scholarship. Applicants must meet all admissions requirements.
  • The selected winners will need to send their portfolio required by VFS for the program they have selected. You can learn more about the portfolio requirements for each VFS program at www.vfs.edu
  • If selected, the student must cover their flight, accommodation, meals and international insurance (assess approximate cost of living in Canada). Given the intensive nature of VFS's programs, it is unrealistic for you to plan to work while studying your year at VFS.
  • Employees and contractors of scholarship providers, media partners, and members of the scholarship selection committee and their spouses or immediate family members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
  • If the winner cannot commit to attending VFS for any reason within two weeks of being notified that he or she has been selected to receive a scholarship, another scholarship winner will be chosen.
  • The judging committee will consist of faculty and representatives from VFS, as well as Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana professors.
  • VFS reserves the right to cancel each full scholarship if there are not a minimum of 30 applicants per program.
  • The committee’s decisions are final. 

Thank you for applying. The amount of time and effort demonstrated in submitting this application tells us how dedicated you are. We wish you the best of luck in pursuing the 2025 VFS-UPB Scholarship!

If you have any questions regarding this scholarship, please contact your International VFS Office in Colombia or contact:

Laura Guarumo, International Admissions Advisor – Vancouver Film School
WhatsApp: +57 316 752 5210
Email: [email protected]

Oficina de Relaciones Internacionales UPB
Tel: (+57) 604 354 4546
Email: [email protected]