*

What does it take to be nominated for an Oscar? Hard work, talent, luck—all backed up by a good education. You have to supply the first three yourself, but PlaybillEDU™ can help you find the fourth.

Here is a rundown on where the selected nominees for the 2014 Academy Awards pursued their college studies. Visit PlaybillEDU.com to learn how you can follow in their footsteps. Individual school listings on the site are linked below.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night): Conservatoire à Rayonnement Départemental d’Orléans
Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything): University of Oxford
Julianne Moore (Still Alice): Boston University
Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl): University of Oxford
Reese Witherspoon (Wild): Stanford University*

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Steve Carell (Foxcatcher): Denison University
Bradley Cooper (American Sniper): Georgetown University & The New School
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game): University of Manchester & London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Michael Keaton (Birdman): Kent State University*
Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything): University of Cambridge

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette (Boyhood): NA
Laura Dern (Wild): NA
Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game): Esher College*
Emma Stone (Birdman): NA
Meryl Streep (Into the Woods): Vassar College & Yale School of Drama Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Robert Duvall (The Judge): Principia College
Ethan Hawke (Boyhood): Carnegie Mellon University*
Edward Norton (Birdman): Yale University
Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher): Stella Adler Conservatory
J.K. Simmons (Whiplash): University of Montana

Best Directing
Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman): Universidad Iberoamericana
Richard Linklater (Boyhood): Austin Community College
Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher): New York University* 

Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel): University of Texas-Austin
Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game): School of Visual Arts

Best Original Song
“Everything Is Awesome” (The Lego Movie) 
by Shawn Patterson: Grove School of Music

“Glory” (Selma)
 by John Stephens: University of Pennsylvania and Lonnie Lynn: Florida A&M University*
“Grateful” (Beyond the Lights)
 by Diane Warren: California State University Northridge*

“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” (Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me) by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond: NA
“Lost Stars” (Begin Again) by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois NA

Best Costume Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel (Milena Canonero): NA 

Inherent Vice (Mark Bridges): SUNY Stony Brook & New York University
Into the Woods (Colleen Atwood): New York University
Maleficent (Anna B. Sheppard) Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts & (Jane Clive): NA
Jacqueline Durran 
(Mr. Turner): University of Sussex & the Royal College of Art

*Nominee did not graduate from college