Film coating unit has a substrate holder for holding a wafer, a coating solution discharge nozzle, and anti-drying boards opposed to a surface of the wafer. The coating solution is applied to the surface of the wafer in a direction from a front end toward a rear end of the wafer while relatively moving the substrate holder with respect to the coating solution discharge nozzle. During that time, the anti-drying boards are disposed at height of maximum 2 mm from the surface of the wafer so as to form dense atmosphere of a solvent between the surface of the wafer and the anti-drying board. Thereby the coating solution on or over the surface of the wafer is restrained from being dried and a coating film is formed with even thickness on or over the surface of the wafer.