This Application consists of Five (5) Parts. Please read carefully. Deadline date: Tuesday, December 1, 2026. Upon successful and timely receipt of this application and all requested documents, eligible applicants will receive confirmation of Phase One of the formal assessment process. Incomplete applications will not be considered for further review.
Phase One, on-line testing is administered by an independent assessment organization and consists of written exercises designed to evaluate problem-solving skills, interpersonal orientation and temperament.
Testing date is on Saturday, February 6, 2027. Testing will take place online only. Several criteria are used to determine who continues on to Phase Two: on-line testing score, application responses, including relevant work, life experience, and recommendations. Applicants requesting testing accommodations must submit official documentation of disability with application. Please call the program office at 212-397-0930 for further details.
Phase Two consists of an individual in-depth video interview conducted by the assessment organization. Interviews will be scheduled during the month of March 2027. Final candidates will then be invited to participate in Phase Three.
Phase Three, scheduled for May 2027, will be an in-person interview with the Training Program’s Board of Trustees who will make the final selection. The Program is scheduled to begin in June 2027.
Successful completion of the Program will qualify graduates for admittance as 2nd Assistant Directors to the Directors Guild of America.
The 2027 application will go live on this website on September 1, 2026.
All required materials must be submitted with your application for it to be considered complete. Only complete applications will be considered. No exceptions. You must be 21 years of age by the time the Program begins (June 2027) to be eligible.