US/Canadian Schools for International students,

#1

Like any other 3D artist, from the beginning i wanted to try it how far i can go if i am learning everything by myself. But it’s is impossible to study from Books or tutorials, i am talking for me. I have seen other artists who are self tough and they are working in the industry now.

But for me it’s very hard, i am learning more easily, when instructor will tell what to do, what’s the problem and how to fix it.

So i discover a 3D school for Animation and Visual effects, so i decide to attend.It’s 3 months course, which i am not expecting to be able to model character, which i have very very good imagination. So after the school, it’s all depends of me.

What are the advantaged and disadvantaged for international students to move to US/Canada and attend to the 3D school there. I know how expensive are they, but with my parents we can find a solution for that, well i hope so.

And i know also that, these school are only care to take our money.

#2

Hey Bojan,

There is always more a challenge to get where you want to be if you are international. CGI has to be your passionate and dedication. You need to know if this is for you. Many students at VFS, the school I went to, didn’t have a clue about the hard work it takes to make it in the business. It’s competitive and crazy. but as long as you love it, you are safe for making risky decisions. Second, I would severly recommend not going to a ultra expensive 3D school. So many international students I know wouldn’t have when to an expensive school like VFS, Vanarts, etc. but they were there for a diploma that would help them in their quest to work here. This school lie to you and tell you that they will help you get a visa and everything. Don’t believe them. The biggest disadvantage to being an international student is that it’s even harder for you to get a job…you have to be better than the people you are competing with in Canada/US. You have to work really, really hard on top of paying soo much money.

If you really want to go to school, I have a cheaper, better alternative for you. DIGITAL-TUTORS! It teaches you EVERYTHING from modeling, animation, lighting, rendering, texturing, etc. It’s only 400 dollars a year for a subscription. I got many international students on this site, and their quality of work improved sooo much, and they thanked me so many times.

Mod Edit: Link to external site removed. Please don’t provide links to torrent sites. Admission of using pirated products leads to a ban here on cgtalk. You have been warned.

I understand your situation with trying to get educated and getting a diploma. I bet you want to work in Canada/US as well. Going to a private school like VFS, for example, is like 68 000 thousand dollars for one year including the living costs vs going to public college here which is 8 000 for immigrants per year + 8 000 living costs. They usually are 2 year programs at them. So 32 000 vs 68 000. Cheap way to get a diploma and get landed immigrant benefits. Public colleges suck too and don’t teach you everything you need to get a job. Private schools do the same. I would recommend you practice from online tutorials first to build up your skills. I had trouble learning on my own at first but the more you apply yourself, the better you get.

Online Ways to Learn:
http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/index.php
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/
http://www.animationmentor.com/ (online school for animating…19 000 for 18 months …learn from your computer, talk to instructors)

Public College Courses in Canada:
http://www.nscc.ca/learning_programs/programs/PlanDescr.aspx?prg=DIAN&pln=DIGIANIM
http://www.nscc.ca/learning_programs/programs/PlanDescr.aspx?prg=IMOG&pln=INMOGRAPHS
http://www.nbcc.ca/en/home/programs_and_courses/programsearch/programdetails.aspx/Details/pf/3422/pg/1/ps/15/orgs/8/mgs/#tabProgramFeatures

Hope this helps somewhat. If you have nay more questions, I’d be happy to answer any of them.

Cheers.

#3

Thank toy really for the advice. I do know DT, Gnomon, EAT3D. But, I hate sitting on the PC and watching a tutorials all day and night. I want to be in classroom, with other students and such. I know for VFS it’s way to expensive for me. But i heard very good thing about Think tank school. I read a lot of positive reviews from students who went there. I don’t know if they are truthfully But seems to be.

Can i ask you, how many years did you spent to learn alone from tutorials?

And i am not going just for a diploma, i want to learn something, which is this i always want to be, 3D modeler and texture artist.Other thing is that, i will make new friends, see different cultures etc and etc.

#4

Hey!

I am trying to be a 3D modeler and texture artist too^^ I can relate to you to on wanting to go to school to learn and not keep your face glued to a computer screen at home. I meet really nice people from around the world when I went to school in Vancouver. Made a few really good friends and it make my experience at school worth whiled in that area. I want to be really honest with you too cause right now I am unemployed, have student loan payments, and my life is short of stuck in limbo.

I am working on my demo reel row. I scrapped what I was doing before now i am doing another idea that can git a better pipeline. I am doing very well with everything but I couldn’t have done everything with out the guidance I received from DT. My work and understanding of the 3D got so much better. I’ve been using 3D tutorials for over 2 years. I used them at school to and it was my lifeline.

I heard good things about think tank too. They let you stay at the school as long as you like to get your demo reel done they give you a tablet too to keep. They also teach you Maya, Softimage, Zbrush and Mudbox and a few other really useful software. 35 000 vs 53 000 for VFS is a major money saver. The tablet and the guarantee you get to stay at the school as long as you like until you get a job gives it a better name. A few international students went there and liked it better. Still what they teach you at Think Tank can be taught on DT/ Gnomon Workshop at 1/ 88th the cost too. Is cost a major factor for you? Are you planning on trying to stay in Canada to work if you come? If I know that, i can give you better feedback. I know what you are going through on trying to pick the right choice. It’s hard.

#5

Yea, i am planing to stay in Canada,if i get a job opportunity after i finish school and demo reel. As i read from the reviews, they will help you to get in contact with the industries there. But i am not sure it’s that true. Second, if i stay in Canada, my dream will come true, i always wanted to live there, and finally i will learn better English.

Didn’t school helped you out to get knowledge and job?

#6

Hey,

School taught me some things but it wasn’t worth all the money I spent and so many of my friends that went there had a hard time with my school. I really hated my school in the end. Complete waste of money.
VFS, my school, didn’t help any of the international students get hired. There were some very talented international students that got a job all on their own and their work was good enough for them to get hired here.But! That’s rare. International students have a very hard time getting hired most of the time. That’s why you should be very careful coming over her to come to school. I wouldn’t have gone to school at all after going to school twice. Some stundets paid so much money and had no job offerings after school. Some companies will hire immigrants with no diploma and help them get a work visa only if their work is good enough. And that’s very very rare and you have to be super good. School can only go sooo far in the long run.

#7

SO VFS has a good advertising for the school, but in real they sucks right? What about Think Tank,
have you heard about international students who got hired after they finish the school? What I’ve read from the reviews, they got the first job , after one week when they graduate.

#8

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