Choosing which UK drama school to attend is a significant decision for aspiring actors. It’s not just about the substantial financial investment or the three years of your life you’ll dedicate; it’s about laying the foundation for your future artistic career and professional training.

No pressure, right?

Despite its importance, figuring out which of the top drama schools in the UK is right for you can be a daunting task.

When browsing UK drama school websites, you’re often bombarded with similar buzzwords like “industry connections” or “in-depth training,” along with course structures that seem nearly identical across institutions.

This can make it challenging to discern what sets each school apart and which might be the best fit for you. To help you navigate this crucial decision, I’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to the best drama schools in the UK.

After all, there’s no point in accepting a place somewhere only to find it’s not what you expected!

Please note that this information is based on BA (Hons) Acting or Three Year Diploma courses only and may not apply to other acting courses at the same schools. All information was sourced from UK drama school websites or course guides. Some offer more specific information than others, and this guide reflects that.

Things To Keep In Mind For Every Drama School

When researching acting schools UK, there are certain factors you should consider for each institution.

Keep these in mind or conduct your own research to make a fully informed decision about the best drama universities for your needs.

The Syllabus

The curriculum structure for most UK drama schools is quite similar, as they all aim to provide a solid foundation in a wide range of acting techniques.

You can expect acting classes, movement classes, voice classes, and often singing classes. Training in film and Shakespeare, as well as professional preparation for the industry, are also standard.

While these elements are common across schools, the methodologies used and additional modules may vary.

The Staff

The faculty is arguably the most crucial aspect of any drama school, as they will be responsible for your artistic growth and professional training.

The quality and style of instruction can depend heavily on the staff, and it often changes, meaning that training at each drama school will evolve as well.

Every drama school website lists their faculty members. Take the time to research the staff’s background and specializations, and do a quick internet search to see their work outside of the school.

Student Experience

While you can research a school’s theoretical approach extensively, the actual experience of studying there is what truly matters.

Try to connect with recent graduates from the past couple of years. Ask about their experiences, including their favorite and least favorite aspects of the school.

Remember that everyone’s experience is different, and someone else’s journey may not mirror yours.

However, this is an excellent way to gain insight into what it’s like to attend the school.

The Feel of the School

Many aspiring actors say they only knew they had chosen the right school when they actually visited. Often, they report feeling instantly at home.

Sometimes, our instincts and subconscious pick up on things we can’t easily articulate.

When you visit a school, you may discover that the atmosphere and attitude of the staff and students resonate with you in unexpected ways.

Keep an open mind and pay attention to how you feel during your visit. You might be surprised!

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

UK drama schools are notoriously competitive, with many aspiring actors auditioning for years before receiving a single offer.

While this guide is designed to help you identify the kind of training you want, you need to secure an offer before you can attend. It’s always best to apply to as many schools as possible to maximize your chances.

You can always decline an offer later if it doesn’t suit you or if you’re accepted to multiple schools.

Now that you know what factors can help you make your final decision, let’s break down some of the specifics of each school.

RADA

Location: Bloomsbury, West London. Perfect if you want to be in the heart of the action.

• While RADA covers many practitioners, there seems to be an emphasis on Meisner study, intensifying in the second year.
• You will receive dance and singing lessons alongside your movement and voice lessons.
• The curriculum includes Alexander Technique and stage combat, as well as mask and chorus work.
• They also invite many guest speakers on topics such as activism, politics, and the arts to improve your understanding of the context of your work.
• RADA organizes industry workshops and auditions, and has a buddy system with alumni to help you build industry links.

Link to RADA Website

LAMDA

Location: Hammersmith, South-West London. Another school in the center of the city.

• There is a strong emphasis on ensemble work and collaboration at LAMDA, which is proclaimed to be at the heart of all the training.
• Improvisation is included in the course.
• Movement classes utilize Laban and Chekhov techniques.
• You will work with industry writers and directors to develop new work for the stage, demonstrating a focus on keeping up with the contemporary industry.
• Many evenings are organized for meeting casting directors and agents in the third year.
• You will be able to work towards your stage combat qualification as part of the course.
• LAMDA is the perfect school for anyone who loves to collaborate and work as a group.

Link to LAMDA Website

Bristol Old Vic

Location: Clifton, Bristol. A great choice for anyone already based in the West Country who wants to make connections in their local area, as well as more national connections. Also ideal for those who don’t want to head straight into the big pond of London.

• There is an early focus on public performances here, starting in the second year rather than just being included in the third.
• Your second year will include performances for schools or family and culminate in a larger public performance. This is in addition to your third-year shows and showcases.
• Alongside standard movement training, the syllabus also includes stage combat, clowning and period movement, as well as ongoing Alexander Technique.
• There is an emphasis on more exaggerated or theatrical forms of performance here, such as clown, children’s theatre and epic theatre.

Link to Bristol Old Vic Website

Guildhall

Location: Barbican, London. In the heart of London, next to the Barbican Centre – a multi-arts learning center.

• This is another school that has a big focus on ensemble work and connection with others.
• There is a large emphasis on awareness of the world we live in and our place in it. There is an entire module called Reflexive Practice that addresses this very topic.
• It encourages true connection to characters, considering our personal experiences, as well as curiosity.
• A broad range of practitioners and methodologies are covered. These include Uta Hagen, Mamet, Chekhov, Lecoq, Laban, Viewpoints, and Declan Donellan.
• There are also performance craft and writing classes, allowing students to learn how to create their own work.

Link to Guildhall Website

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Location: Camden, North London. Another very central location for those who want to be in London.

• This school aims to consider every individual actor’s aptitude for self-expression.
• They provide actors with a wide range of knowledge on various techniques and encourage this to be combined with the actor’s own personal experiences.
• Movement practitioners studied on this course include Grotowski, Lecoq, Laban, as well as the use of yoga.
• Voice practitioners studied include Cicely Berry, Patsy Rodenberg and Paul Newman.
• Acting practitioners studied on the course include Stanislavski, Chekhov, Uta Hagen and Meisner.

Link to Central Website

Royal Welsh College of Music And Drama

Location: Cardiff, Wales. Perfect for Welsh actors who want to form links to the industry here as well as nationally. The location for much TV filming, and the National Theatre of Wales.

• While there is no emphasis on a particular methodology here, this school states that students will use Post-Stanislavski methodologies to investigate their own behavior as well as texts.
• There is a significant inclusion of film work here, with recorded media being studied from the first year.
• There is an annual new writing festival that students take part in, meaning you are consistently involved in performing new and contemporary work.
• There are classes on writing and relationship to text, meaning many graduates have gone on to create their own work. In fact, you will generate your own work every year at this school.
• Many genres are studied, from realism, naturalism, period drama and epic theatre, giving students a broad range of skills to choose from.
• This school has very small class sizes, with only 22 students being accepted every year.

Link to Royal Welsh College Website

Oxford School of Drama

Location: Wooton, Oxfordshire. It is located on a quiet farm out of the city, perfect for those who want to study in a peaceful location. You can still enjoy the lifestyle of Oxford, and be only an hour or so’s journey away from London.

• Here, you will spend time exploring yourself and your identity as well as the dynamics of human behavior.
• You won’t have to wait long to perform, with the first year ending in a full-scale production.
• Your second year will include study of full productions, both classical and modern.
• Practitioners studied here include Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, Michael Chekhov, Linklater, Laban and Lecoq.
• Acting for screen will include mock shoots and the opportunity to devise and create a film, great for those who may want to look into making their own films in future.
• You will engage in ensemble work, mask and clown, making it a strong school for imagination and movement work.

For those interested in acting classes Oxford, the Oxford School of Drama offers a unique experience with its rural setting and comprehensive training program.

Link to Oxford School of Drama Website

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Location: Birmingham, West Midlands. Perfect for anyone based here who wants to make local links, or those who want to make their mark in a city outside of London first.

• There is a focus on flexibility and openness to new ideas.
• Stanislavski-based training. Aims to create thinking actors, so may have more of an emphasis on inside-out work rather than outside-in work.
• There is an emphasis on studying theatre history, to help students understand the context of the work.
• With the inclusion of training for green screen and voiceover, this school prepares its students for the modern industry and its practicalities.
• There is a street production team linked to the course, allowing students to get on-set experience with big companies before graduation.
• An entrepreneurial attitude is encouraged, with many students having gone on to be writers and directors themselves.

Link to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Website

Drama Studio London

Location: Ealing, West London. Far enough out of the city to feel more peaceful, but close enough for those who want to base themselves in the capital.

• Doesn’t focus on one methodology, but prefers to nurture the talent of each individual.
• Has an ongoing relationship with the Met Film School, allowing students to make links with emerging filmmakers.
• Focus on preparing to work in the industry and gaining employment. This is shown through modules such as pantomime – one of the theatre industry’s highest employers – and teaching students devising, writing and production skills.
• Final year includes a contemporary writing showcase, large final production and a community tour.
• Prepares students for the current industry with classes on green screen, self-taping, short films, gaming and audio recording.

Link to Drama Studio London Website

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Location: Glasgow, Scotland. This is the perfect place for Scottish actors to make links with the rich local industry, as well as get globally recognized training.

• Recorded media is included throughout the course, being included in every year of study.
• You will study both plenty of classical work such as Shakespeare as well as work on new writing.
• There is an entire unit on collaboration and devised work, perfect for those who want to make their own work.
• The movement study is a little different from other schools, with a focus on Lecoq movement while also including acrobatics and dance.
• Specifically uses Nadine George voice work, which is based on Cicely Berry‘s work.
• Other practitioners studied in the course include Chekhov, Hagen, Donellan, Mamet, Stanislavski, and Grotowski.

Link to Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Website

LIPA

Location: Liverpool, North England. Perfect for Northern-based actors, located in a creative city with the benefit of the BBC in Manchester also nearby.

• Focus on the individual as an artist, not just an actor.
• Offers a very well-rounded approach, covering a broad range of techniques, genres and styles.
• You will examine multiple practitioners, with the end goal of developing a naturalistic Stanislavski-based technique.
• Will take part in lots of contextual work, always considering the world the work is set and produced in.
• Alongside your third-year shows and showcase, you will have the opportunity to perform in an invited audience performance in the first year, and perform to peers in the second year.
• Encourages an individual approach and the ability to think for yourself.

Link to LIPA Website

Arts Ed

Location: Chiswick, West London. A more quiet and leafy suburb of London that still has excellent links to the city centre.

• Location: Chiswick, West London. A more quiet and leafy suburb of London that still has excellent links to the city center.
• This school has a high emphasis on film and recorded media alongside its theatre syllabus.
• Some of the practitioners it focuses on are Michael Chekhov, Uta Hagen, Freddie Hendricks, Suzuki, Mike Alfreds, and Stanislavski.
• There is also an emphasis on improvisation and the movement methods of Lecoq, Viewpoints and Mike Leigh.
• You will also take units on Meisner, Shakespeare and Physical Theatre as part of your course.
• This school has a more modern and performing arts style approach to its training.
• You will work on plays with visiting directors in the second year, as well as having film screenings alongside your third-year performances.

Link to Arts Ed Website

East 15

Location: Southend-on-sea, Essex. A vibrant seaside town, not too far from London.

• Has a particular focus on the works of Stanislavski, Meisner and Laban.
• Some of the studies you will undertake include contemporary scene study, modern classics and classic naturalism.
• Your first year will focus on improv, understanding context and contemporary work, alongside your movement and voice training.
• Second year you will work on exploring different acting styles, as well as working on psychological realism and Shakespeare.
• The school was opened to be more inclusive within a closed-off industry, so takes in higher numbers and is seen to have a more progressive attitude.
• It is set apart from other schools by its Living History unit. This is a days or weeks-long improvisation in which every day on campus is spent in an immersive improvisation.

Link to East 15 Website

Mountview

Location: Peckham, South London. A trendy neighborhood, not too far out of the city center.

• This school covers a large range of techniques and offers very broad training.
• Some of its units include Alexander technique, improv, stage combat, British and American text, world writers, and singing.
• Mountview is often first recognized as a musical theatre school, and they do also have a Musical Theatre unit on the acting course. This makes it the perfect course for those who want to specialize in acting whilst still incorporating a little musical theatre training from a top school.
• Your final year will include a film screening as well as two public performances.
• This school is known for having a very connective and supportive alumni network.

Link to Mountview Website

Rose Bruford

Location: Sidcup, London. On the very border of London and Kent, making for a quieter and more suburban study environment with a quick journey into the city.

• As a school with a strong musical training history, this course is for actors who also have musical skills. While not as integrated as their Actor-Musicianship course, it does require students to have some musical ability.
• The practitioner focus here is mainly on Stanislavski and Meisner.
• The training intends to release emotional blocks and inhibitions, and allow you to respond authentically.
• Units include Shakespearean text, theatre-making, clowning, and ensemble work.
• You will also study 19th century text, theatre for young audiences and poetic text, classical text, radical text and new writing
• Much of the work focuses on potential future work and preparation for the industry.

Link to Rose Bruford Website

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the hardest drama school to get into UK?

The hardest drama schools to get into in the UK are the ones with the smallest intake numbers and the highest number of applicants.

These include RADA, LAMDA, Bristol Old Vic, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Guildhall, and Central.

These top drama schools in the UK are known for their rigorous application process and competitive admissions.

How hard is it to get into drama school UK?

Getting into drama school in the UK is very challenging. The schools here attract applicants from all over the world and take on small numbers of students.

Many aspiring actors apply for years on end before they get a place! The application process often involves multiple rounds of auditions and interviews.

Do you need A levels to get into drama school?

Your drama school application tends to depend on your audition. Some schools do have UCAS requirements, but these tend to be quite low, so do check on the website what the requirements are.

However, most UK drama schools focus more on talent and potential rather than academic qualifications.

Is RADA or LAMDA better?

That depends on what you want from a school. They are both excellent schools, but their syllabuses and focuses are slightly different.

The best way to know is to check out the differences on their websites, and to visit the schools themselves.

Both RADA and LAMDA are considered among the top drama schools in London and offer exceptional training programs.

Still Unsure? Keep Researching!

By learning more about the drama schools in the UK, you will start to get a sense of what each one is like.

Lucy Stewart-Adams has made an amazing video so that you can learn even more about which UK drama school might be right for you.

Summing up How To Choose The Right UK Drama School For Actors

As you can see, there are numerous options for drama schools in the UK, and it can feel a little overwhelming. I hope this guide has helped you identify some of the places that might suit your style and given you food for thought.

There are many practitioners listed in this guide, some of which you may not be familiar with.

My best advice is to do an internet search and find out about the ones you don’t know. This will go a long way in helping you make your decision.

Most actor training is based on Stanislavski, so if you’re not familiar with him then you can go and check out my guide – HERE.

Remember, the application process for these top drama schools in the UK can be challenging, but with proper preparation and determination, you can succeed.

Each school offers unique opportunities for artistic growth, professional training, and career preparation.

Whether you’re interested in classical theatre, contemporary performance, or a mix of both, there’s a UK drama school that can help you achieve your goals.

I wish you all the best of luck with your applications, and I hope you enjoy the future of your acting journey! The world of UK drama schools is exciting and full of potential. With the right choice, you’ll be well on your way to a successful career in acting.