Principal partner, sponsors & partners

Sole principal partner of the ifs Internationale Filmschule Koeln is the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.

The ifs is mainly financed by a grant from the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia, by the Film- und Medienstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, subsidies from the film and television industry and by participation fees.

The ifs offers its study programs in cooperation with the Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln). This cooperation allows the ifs to offer study programs at academic level and expands the TH's portfolio with media-oriented study programs. According to the cooperation agreement, the ifs, as a private educational institution, is responsible for the conception and implementation of any accredited study programs in the field of film and media education, while the TH Cologne awards the academic degrees and ensures the equivalence of the study programs.
 
For ifs students, the cooperation with TH Köln offers many advantages. As regular students of the TH they have access to the services of the university of applied sciences. These include various counseling services, such as general student counseling, studying with children, and studying with disabilities. In addition, they receive a semester ticket, can participate in university sports, and apply for the student union dormitory places.