How do I become a Certified School?

Speak to our team about applying to become a Certified School
Written by Andrew McDonald
Updated 1 year ago

There are thousands of creative media schools in the world. We want to help make your school stand out from the crowd. To help, we award the very best schools with our Rookies Certified School accolade. The accolade is a quality mark which identifies the schools that are best suited to prepare artists for a career in the Creative Industries.

We believe it's important for artists to know the school they're applying for will give them the skills they actually need to succeed in industry. There are too many schools not delivering on this objective and it's our goal to help artists boost their employability by making sure they attend a certified school.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

View our Certified Schools here

The key factors we consider when reviewing Schools

Independently assessed & reviewed

The Rookies work with an independent panel to assess creative media and entertainment schools. The in-depth review process makes sure only the best schools are accepted and the accolade remains exclusive. Below are some of the factors that are reviewed to help make an informed decision.

Graduate Acceptance Rates

Acceptance rates are a very strong indicator of how well a school prepares their students for industry. This is why our certification reviews these stats very closely to make sure rates are of the highest level.

Facilities and Resources

Often schools lack facilities that truly allow students to grow and learn. Schools are asked to provide detailed information and photographs to show their facilities and resources are at an adequate level.

Software and Curriculum

Learning the right software and skills is one of the most important aspects for any student. Our panel makes sure that accredited schools not only have well planned curriculums, but also teach relevant and up-to-date software.

Staff Development & Training

All schools love to showcase their amazing staff that have worked on the latest blockbuster movie or AAA game. We need schools to show they have development and training plans in place to keep their staff ahead of the game.

Alumni Feedback & Success Stories

Our accreditation requires testimonials from recent alumni to make sure they are truly happy and impressed with the education provided by the school. Success stories from recent graduates are equally important.

Relationship with Industry

The relationship between schools and industry is a critical part of any good education. Our accreditation relies on making sure each school has a strong relationship with a range of local production studios and industry professionals.

Studios that Hire Graduates

In addition to having a strong relationship with industry, we closely review where recent graduates are being hired. This provides a great indication of how industry ready students are and if strong relationships are in place to help students with interviewing and job applications.

Quality of Student Work (all years)

Our panel reviews the work of all students, not just graduates. It's important for us to see the progression of skills all the way to an industry level. It's not always about showing the best work, the journey is equally important and a factor that truly highlights a schools worth.

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