Choosing which UK drama school to go to can be a big decision. It can cost a lot of money, it’s where you’re going to spend three years of your life, and is going to be the basis for your future art and career. No pressure, right? Despite it being such an important choice, it can be really difficult to figure out which UK drama school is right for us.

Often, when we head to UK drama school websites, we are hit with all the same buzzwords such as “industry connections” or “in-depth training”, a long list of buzzwords and often a very similar course structure to many other institutions. This can all make it difficult to know what makes each school different and what might be right for us. So, I’ve put together this handy guide to help you make sure you’re making the right decision. There’s no point accepting a place somewhere and ending up with something that you didn’t want!

Please keep in mind 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 found on UK drama school websites or in course guides. Some offer more specific information than others, and the information in this guide reflects that.

Things To Keep In Mind For Every Drama School

There are certain things that you will need to keep in mind when looking into any drama school. Make sure to keep these in mind or do your own research on them so you can make a fully informed decision.

The Syllabus.

The course content for most drama schools is very similar, as they all intend to give you a firm foundation in a broad range of acting techniques. You will receive acting classes, movement classes, voice classes and often singing classes too. You will also receive training in film and Shakespeare, as well as professional preparation for the industry. These are to be expected at every school, however, the methodologies that are used and the additional modules may be different at each school.

The Staff

The staff are the most important part of any drama school as they will be the people that train you in your craft. The quality and style of training can depend very heavily on the staff. It also often changes, which means that training at each drama school will also change somewhat too. Every drama school will have a list of their faculty on their website. Check out the staff and see what their background and specialisation is. Give their names a quick internet search so you can see their work outside of the school.

Student Experience

You can find out what a school’s like in theory all you want, but the actual experience of studying there is what’s going to make the most difference. Try to get in contact with previous graduates from the past couple of years. Ask them about their experience. Maybe ask what their favourite and least favourite things about the school were. Remember, everyone’s different, and someone else’s experience may not end up being yours. However, this is a good way to get more of an insight into what it’s like to actually attend the school.

The Feel Of The School

Many people say they knew the school they chose was the right one only when they actually went there. Often, they say they just felt at home. Sometimes, our instinct and subconscious pick up on things that we can’t otherwise express. When we actually go to a school we may discover that the atmosphere and attitude of the staff and students resonates with us in a way we didn’t expect. Keep an open mind and see how it feels to actually visit. You may be surprised!

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Drama schools are notoriously difficult to get into, with many people auditioning for years on end before they even get a single offer. While this list is designed to help you figure out the kind of training you want, you need to get the offer before you can go. It’s always best to apply to as many schools as you can to give yourself the best chance. You can always turn the offer down later if it doesn’t suit you or you get into more than one.

Now, you know what can help you make your final decision, lets break down some of the specifics of each school.

RADA

Location: Bloomsbury, West London. Perfect if you want to be in the thick of it all.

• While RADA covers many practitioners, there seems to be an emphasis on Meisner study, with this intensifying in the second year.
• You will receive dance and singing lessons alongside your movement and voice lessons.
• There is an inclusion of Alexander Technique and stage combat, as well as mask and chorus work.
• They also invite in a lot of guest speakers on topics such as activism, politics, and the arts in order for you to improve your understanding of the context of your work.
• They also organise industry workshops, and auditions and have a buddy system with previous alumni to help you get connected.

Link to RADA Website

LAMDA

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

• There is a lot of emphasis on the ensemble and collaboration at this school, and it is proclaimed to be at the heart of all the training.
• Improvisation will be included in the course.
• Movement classes will utilise Laban and Chekhov techniques.
• You will work with industry writers and directors to develop new work for the stage. This shows an emphasis on keeping up with the contemporary industry.
• Lots of evenings organised in order to meet casting directors and agents in the third year.
• You will be able to work towards your stage combat qualification as part of the course.
• 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 too. Also a great choice 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 first.
• Your second year will include performances for schools or family in the second year and culminate in a larger public performance. This is as well as 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 centre.

• This is another school that has a big focus on ensemble 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 wishes to consider every individual actor’s aptitude for self-expression.
• They give their actors a wide range of knowledge on a broad range of various techniques and then 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 a nationally. The location for much TV filming, and the National Theatre of Wales.

• Whilst there is no emphasis on a particular methodology here, this school states that students will use Post-Stanislavski methodologies to investigate their own behaviour as well as texts.
• There is a significant inclusion of film work here, with recorded mediate being studied from 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 quiet 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 behaviour.
• 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.

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. Wants 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, in order for students to understand the context of the work.
• With the inclusion of training for green screen and voiceover, this school makes sure to prepare 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 recognised training.

• Recorded media is included throughout the course, being included in every year of study.
• You will study both plenty of classical work suck 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 to 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.

• 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 neighbourhood, not too far out of the city centre.

• 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 recognised 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 specialise 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. Whilst 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.

How hard is it to get into drama school UK?

Getting into drama school in the UK is very hard. The schools here attract applicants from all over the world and take on small numbers of students. Many students apply for years on end before they get a place!

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.

Is RADA or Lamda better?

That depends you what you want from a school. They are both very good 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.

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

As you can see, there are so many options in the UK for drama school and it can feel a little overwhelming. I really hope this list has helped you to figure out some of the places that might be your style and give you something to think about.

There are lots of practitioners listed in this guide, many 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 about. 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.

I wish you all the best of luck with you applications, and I hope you enjoy the future of your acting journey!