Choosing a digital SLR camera?

A 35 mm digital or film single-lens reflex camera with an in-lens light meter and manual control of aperture, shutter speed and focus is required. (No point-and-shoot cameras)
Students are required to purchase film.

i need a camera for a school (10th gr) digital photography course,
i definitely want a digital SLR camera (very impatient, and waiting for film to be developed is something that makes me wanna tear my hair out haha).
so i heard Nikon D3100 or the Canon 500D are great for beginners,
what are your opinions? I just want a digital SLR camera that meets the requirements of my school, and takes very sharp pictures. What lenses would i have to get? Or should i get?

Look at the Nikon D3000 camera. Their entry level camera. The Nikon D5000 is even better if you got the money and will really get into this. Either camera comes with a 18-55 lens in the kit which is great for your school. You will basically have everything you will need.

Also Canon makes good cameras and look at their website for their entry level camera. If you are getting one, choose either Nikon or Canon. If this is just for school then you can look on ebay and buy a used one and if this is something you really, really enjoy then you can spend the money and get a new one down the road.

The D3100 is the best beginner DSLR camera on the market right now. If you can afford it, yes, it would be the best camera, and it will last you at least three years or so- My D40 has lasted me 3 years and I love it.

as for lenses, it matters what you want to shoot. The D3100 comes with an 18-55mm lens which you will learn that it is probably the main lens every photographer uses that is not specialized in one area. 18-55 is wide angle and you will get landscapes, and can even get good portraits.

The next lens or lenses you should look at are the f1.4 50mm fixed lens, or the 55-200mm VR zoom lens.

stick with the kit lens, it should work fine.

The mere mention of film requires you to use a film SLR. Clarify this with your teacher. There's film SLR and there's dSLR. They are different.

Then there are "digital" film SLRs. They use film and can't connect to the computer and do not use memory cards. The digital only means there's an LCD for displaying current settings. It was high-tech during its time.