At Think Tank, we don’t just train artists, we invest in them. This means putting serious time, energy, and resources into building the best possible creative education: world-class mentors, cutting-edge tools, a studio-style environment, and a personalized, portfolio-first approach that sets our students apart.



To keep our training at the top, we’ve made major investments during 2025 that will directly elevate your learning and outcomes in 2026 while keeping our core promise intact: to deliver the highest-quality, industry-relevant education through industry-led mentorship and real-world training.

These changes have been carefully planned, and are designed to help you create, grow, and succeed. To support these initiatives, tuition for all programs will be going up on January 1, 2026. Read on to understand what’s driving these changes, and how they benefit you. 


The Programs: Shaped by the Industry, for the Industry

Since 2005, what we teach at Think Tank has always been grounded in the pipelines and workflows found in current VFX, Animation, and Game Art studios. By paying attention to what’s happening in the real world, bringing in industry professionals as your instructors and mentors, and providing artists with relevant tools, our programs have for over 20 years produced some of the most talented (and hireable) artists in Film & Games. 



Reflecting the success of our Students, Alumni, and the industry-driven training behind them, Think Tank was ranked the #1 School in Visual Effects Worldwide, the #1 School in Game Design & Development Worldwide, as well as the #1 School in 3D Animation in Canada in by the prestigious Rookie Awards in 2024.
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For 2026, we’ve enhanced our programs to provide the most comprehensive and career-focused training for 3D’s emerging artists. In collaboration with the industry’s top talent- the very artists, supervisors, and leads behind titles like Avatar, Spider-Man, God of War, and The Last of Us- we’re integrating the latest creative techniques, production workflows, and up-to-the-minute tools. Evolving our programs is a deliberate and continuous investment that we know results in your training stays aligned with the studios you aim to join.

PORTL: A Smarter Platform, Built for Artists

Your creative journey deserves a platform that understands what it takes to break into the industry. That’s why we’re launching PORTL, our newly upgraded, in-house learning platform built specifically for training, connecting and elevating 3D artists.

PORTL is more than just a place to view lessons or upload assignments. It’s a smart, AI-enriched system designed to help you stay focused, get feedback when it counts, and track your progress toward a job-ready portfolio. Built by artists for artists, it reflects the real-world flow of creative production, and it’s available whether you’re in an Online, Campus, or Hybrid program.
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The Campus: Where Legacy Meets Innovation

In 2025, we expanded our North Vancouver campus with a new production lab: a modern, collaborative space designed to mirror real studio environments. With high-end workstations, breakout spaces, and open creative zones, it supports the kind of feedback-rich, hands-on work that defines professional pipelines.

This expansion doesn’t replace what made the Think Tank Campus iconic, it complements it. Our original labs and communal areas, known for its character, history, and vintage sci-fi charm, remains a vibrant, multi-purpose hub. Together, these spaces offer the best of both worlds: one grounded in industry expectations, the other in the creative energy Think Tank was built on.
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Keeping Pace: The Tools of the Trade

Training for this industry means using the same tools the pros do. From rendering hardware to software suites like Maya, Houdini, Unreal Engine, and Substance 3D Designer, our curriculum continues to remain current. With high-end hardware for all Campus students- including dual-monitor workstations, pen tablets and external hard drives- and all software licences provided in all Think Tank programs, the Tools of the Trade continue to be a critical investment in how we deliver our brand of 3D education.

As the software landscape shifts- with consolidations, new tools, and changing pipelines- we’ve made it a priority to provide students with access to the latest technologies. As a student at Think Tank, you can always count on being trained in the most relevant and industry-applicable tools. Your skills will reflect this. Your portfolio will reflect this. And when you step into a professional environment for the first time, you’ll be right at home.


What This Means for You

• better tools • sharper training • deeper mentorship • industry-ready results

The 2026 tuition increase reflects these enhancements and Think Tank’s continued dedication to provide you with the best tools and training possible to succeed. Even with this change, Think Tank continues to offer comprehensive, industry-focused training at below-average cost when compared to similar programs. Our outcomes speak for themselves: accelerated paths to studio roles, standout portfolios, and an alumni network working across the world’s top creative companies.

We understand that tuition changes are a big consideration. We also recognize that we are part of a global community, with artist coming from a variety of backgrounds and economic circumstances. As such, we offer personalized support in the form of payment plans and assistance with financial aid for Canadian applicants.

As always, we’re here to answer your questions and support your decision-making process.

If you’re thinking about joining Think Tank, now’s the best time to apply and lock in the current tuition before the 2026 rates take effect.

The future is coming fast—so let’s get ready for it together.