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frequently asked questions
general
Tuition to earn a one-year certification in Digital Animation and Visual Effects is $26,000. This does not include fees, both required and optional. Tuition for the two-year Associate Degree program Digital Marketing and Design is $26,000, not including fees.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Active military, veterans, and military families may be able to use their GI Bill® at DMI. Payment plans are also available and can be customized to fit your needs.
For all further questions about financial aid or tuition, please contact DMI.
Yes! Merit based, financial need scholarships are available to qualified applicants. Please contact us for more information on how to apply.
Yes! DMI accepts the GI Bill®. For more information on education benefits for veterans and military service-members, please visit this link.
DMI is located at 2031 Kings Highway in Shreveport, LA and offers all classes online
No. DMI would be happy to recommend housing in the area, though the school does not provide housing.
Graduates of the Digital Animation and Visual Effects program and the Game Development program are awarded a certificate. Graduates also leave DMI with a professional demo reel and are offered job placement assistance services.
Graduates of the Digital Marketing and Design program are awarded with an Associate Degree in Occupational Studies. Graduates also leave DMI with a professional portfolio and are offered job placement assistance services.
All graduates can access the DMI Flex Lab for one year after their date of graduation.
It is recommended that you do not attend another school while at DMI. The programs are structured to be intensive so our students can complete any of our programs in 1 or 2 years.
DMI is capable of accommodating most students with disabilities. We ask that you disclose your disability on our application, and, if possible, please submit a current college level IEP (Individual Learning Plan for the learning disabled) or other documentation during the enrollment process.
The Student Handbook for 2025 can be downloaded here.
The staff and administration at DMI are focused on improving the quality of the education and experience of our students. We value our students’ input and work to resolve any complaints. Students are encouraged to comment on all aspects of the experience, including: instruction, curriculum, facility, administration, and campus life.
DMI’s Procedure for Responding to Student Complaints
Step One:
The person in charge of the area at issue should be the first one informed. So, if there were a problem with the classroom or equipment therein, the instructor would be the first person a student should speak to. Issues or complaints cannot be addressed during instructional periods. Students wishing to address an issue must schedule time outside of the instructional time to discuss it with the instructor.
Step Two:
Should the issue remain unresolved; the student will be asked to fill out an official complaint form (the Administrative Assistant will provide form upon request) that will be referred to a director of DMI. Should the student or group of students feel more comfortable using a representative from the class as the voice, that will be acceptable.
The Director and administration will respond to your official written complaint in writing and meet with impacted parties in person to work to resolve it.
If the student has unsuccessfully attempted to resolve the matter with the school, they may proceed to step three.
Step Three:
If the student has not resolved the issue using steps one and two, they are encouraged to seek the advice of the Louisiana Board of Regents. Student complaints relative to actions of school officials shall be addressed to the Louisiana Board of Regents, 1201 N. Third St., Suite 6-200. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 (225) 342-4253
Complaints may also be addressed to the Council on Occupational Education, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 300, Suite 325, Atlanta, GA 30350. Toll-Free 800-917-2081 www.council.org.
Should a student wish to withdraw after acceptance and registration, the following conditions will apply:
Three-Business-Day Cancellation: I understand that if for any reason I am unable to enter, all monies paid, including the non-refundable deposit and program fees will be refunded if requested within three business days after signing an enrollment agreement and making an initial payment.
Cancellation after the three-business day cancellation period but before commencement of classes: Not more than $100 of the tuition and fees collected in advance of entrance shall be retained by the institution. Refunds for a student who does not begin classes shall be made within 30 days of the start of the quarter, term, or semester.
I understand that the withdrawal after commencement of classes refund policy shall be:
- During the first week of classes, the institution shall refund at least 90% of tuition, less the registration fee, thereafter;
- During the next three weeks of classes, the institution shall refund at least 75% of tuition, less the registration fee, thereafter;
- During the first 25% of the course, the institution shall refund at least 55% of tuition, less the registration fee, thereafter;
- During the second 25% of the course, the institution shall refund at least 30% of tuition, less the registration fee, thereafter;
- During the third and fourth 25% of the course, the institution shall retain 100% of the stated course price. Percentages of the course completion are to be computed on the basis of clock hours. For programs longer than one year (12 calendar months) in length, 100% of the stated program price attributable to the period beyond the first year will be refunded when the student withdraws during the prior period.
If you are currently in default status for previous federal student loans, then you will not be eligible for any additional federal loans until your default status is resolved. There are 3 ways you can get out of loan default:
- Consolidate your loan-This is typically the best option of getting out of default quickly, as you are able to enter into an income-driven repayment plan. Also, for student loan borrowers with older loans, consolidation can make you eligible for newer repayment plans that may be more favorable.
- Rehabilitate your loan- Make nine out of 10 on-time payments using the same formula as Income-Based Repayment, which would cap your monthly payment to 15 percent of your income or less. For many borrowers, this is the most practical option for getting out of default.
- Pay off your loan-You could choose to pay the full amount of what you owe on your loan to get out of default. The U.S. Department of Education will accept payment in the form of checks, money orders or credit or debit cards.
Policy on the transfer of students and credits The Digital Media Institute is a private institution and reserves the right to be selective in its choice of students for enrollment. Because of our unique curriculum and model, DMI will not likely take academic credits from other institutions; however, we will evaluate all previous education and training. DMI will allow advanced placement for students who have completed an official certification from a software vendor in a computer graphics package that is used in the program for which they are applying.
Veteran’s Credit for Previous Education Students must report all previous education and training to DMI. DMI will evaluate and grant credit, if appropriate, with the training time shortened, the tuition reduced proportionately, and the Veteran’s Administration and student notified.
Transfer of credits within DMI Once a student has begun a program, they are expected to stay with that program for its entirety. In the event that a student wishes to transfer from one program to another, they must do so prior to the end of the first week of classes. In the event there is not an available section, the student may join the next available class. After one week, the student must wait to enter until the next session of transfer target program is available. DMI does not permit transfers of credits between programs internally.
Enrolling in consecutive programs If a student decides to take both programs consecutively, they are exempt from taking the online assessment for the second program, but no credits or other exemptions will be allowed.
Transfer of credits from DMI to other institutions DMI makes no representation whatsoever concerning the transferability of any credits earned at the school to another institution. Do to the unique nature of the programs at DMI it is unlikely that any credits earned at DMI will be transferable to or accepted by another post-secondary institution. Decisions concerning the acceptance of credits earned in any program taken at DMI are made at the discretion of the receiving institution. The student must contact the registrar of the receiving institution to determine what credits earned at DMI, if any, that institution will accept.
DMI requires that to enroll in the school, students must be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school diploma or GED. They must take an entrance exam and be interviewed by school administrators. The following are exemptions to some of the requirements in the standard admissions policy listed above:
- If a student is under the age of 18 but has a high school diploma or GED, they can be admitted to the program.
- If a student is a graduate of a high school program that offers a software vendor official certification in a computer graphics package that is used in the program they are applying to then they are exempt from taking the online assessment test. Current examples are: Adobe, Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects. Autodesk Maya or the Unity Game Engine, or a certification in the programming language we use, C#.
requirements
Prospective students must first fill out an online application and submit an application fee, a letter of intent, and an official high school transcript.
Once your application is received, we will send you a link to our online assessment. After the score is evaluated, the prospective student will be asked to attend an interview with DMI administrators. The prospective student will then receive an admissions decision.
Students at DMI come from a variety of educational backgrounds. Some attend the Institute immediately after graduating high school, while others may have already earned a college degree or worked in the industry.
Regardless of their prior education or age, DMI students share the goal of embarking on new career paths or enhancing their current career skills.
Courses
DMI students graduate with extensive training in industry-standard programs and applications.
The Digital Media Institute offers three programs. Starting with our two certificate programs, Digital Animation and Visual Effects.
The Digital Animation and Visual Effects program encompasses 11 months of in-class instruction and lab time, and students must complete two terms to earn their certificate. Students receive a well-rounded education in animation and visual effects for film, television, and gaming. The class sizes are small, and students are able to have an immersive and interactive classroom experience with their other classmates, the instructor, and a teaching assistant. During the program, students often work in teams to complete a demo reel, a 2D final project, and a 3D final project.
DMI also offers one Associate Degree program: Digital Marketing and Design. This degree program is 2 years of in-class instruction with a summer break. Students learn the fundamentals of modern digital marketing and a mastery of the Adobe Creative Cloud. The class sizes are small, and students are able to have an immersive and interactive classroom experience with their other classmates, the instructor, and a teaching assistant. Upon graduation, students create a professional portfolio highlighting their design skills.
Career Fields
What kinds of jobs are available to me after I graduate?
Skills obtained at DMI can apply to a variety of fields. Some students at DMI are searching for a new career, like working in a studio. Others are looking to enhance their skills to be more versatile in their current roles. Some may even want to start their own businesses doing pre and post production work.
A few career possibilities:
Digital Animation and Visual Effects
- 3D Modeler
- 3D Texture Artist
- Interactive Content Designer
- CG Generalist
- Animator
- Motion Graphic Designer
- Compositor
- Rotoscope Artist
- Scene Layout Artist
- 2D Compositing Artist
Digital Marketing and Design
- Graphic Designer
- Digital Designer
- Advertising and
- Promotions Manager
- Brand Designer
- Product Designer
- User Experience Designer
- App Designer
- Website Designer
Supplies
What books/resources do I need?
All required supplies are issued at the beginning of the program.
Depending on the program, students may need:
- Textbooks
- Drawing supplies
- A Wacom tablet
- A portable hard drive
- A USB flash drive
- A high performance laptop
Students who already possess a high performance laptop or PC are not required to purchase another computer from DMI. Students are able to keep all supplies after graduation.