Drama school auditions 2026 entry- Acting/MT

[Mcmumager]

Annual thread for those with dc about to embark on the rollercoaster of audition season. This is my second time round as my ds did it a couple of years ago. These threads are always really supportive and full of great advice as it’s often hard to explain to others how tough and competitive this process is. Good luck everyone!!

My DD is thinking of Italia Conti for Acting and they seem to have 2 different streams- just the degree or degree plus AVT Cert (Advanced Vocational Training). The enhanced stream seems to offer a lot more opportunities, and also demands more student time. It costs an extra £3k per year, which isn’t covered by the Student Loan.
Does anyone know anything about it? Is it worth the extra money? What proportion of students do it? Would students not doing it feel like the ‘poor relations’? We can’t go to the forthcoming Open Day, so am hoping someone here might know….thanks in advance.

The format at Italia Conti for 26 has changed. You no longer apply via UCAS and there is the additional fee. Other schools such as Emil Dale have a similar approach re the additional costs. I went to an MT open day and it really seems like you wouldn’t really do the basic course without the fee as you really need some of those to progress fully. I think there are different payment methods and potential scholarships but sadly I think to get the most from the course you would need the extras.

Thanks. They do still offer the basic degree course though and that seems a bit off if it isn’t possible to progress fully on that alone. It would be more honest to scrap the degree and just offer one, enhanced course.

I guess as it’s not started yet we won’t fully know how it works till the first intake. Maybe as Emil Dale is similar someone who has knowledge of that could perhaps say how the split with basic/extra degree works as a comparison.

My DD is at Emil Dale. The 3k top up pays for weekly private singing lessons, ensemble singing and specialised masterclasses, for example last years third years had a workshop with Cameron Mackintosh’s team. In my opinion it is absolutely worth the money - EDA go above and beyond in every aspect of the training.

This is great to hear can I ask from the audition stage did your yp get kept for an interview ? I’m wondering if many get offered a place if not kept for interview or I wonder if the majority who get to interview stage get offered a place.

Hi, yes she was kept for an interview. Of the people we know of, those who were kept for interview either got offered foundation or degree. Not sure though if they offer to people who they don’t keep back, again of those we know, if they weren’t kept back they weren’t offered but not sure if that’s a ‘rule’ as such.

A friend's DD got kept for interview at EDA a couple of years ago for degree, but was given a waiting list place. She stayed on it for a few months and then chose to take up an offer elsewhere so I don't know if it would ever have turned into a place. I suspect no interview means no offer.

Thank you that’s what I thought would be the case. How is everyone doing have many of you had auditions already? Our first is in February

My son has RSC on 4th Dec, Mountview on 8th Dec and GSA on 10th Jan. anyone else on those dates?

We know of all outcomes from an interview at EDA: degree offer, degree reserve, foundation offer, foundation reserve, and no offer at all. Also know of those not interviewed being offered an in-person recall later in the year. So anything is possible!

An exciting December for you, we will be applying to GSA in January for the self tape part of the audition. Well done on getting an in person audition I have heard it is extremely hard to even get that far.

Oooh this is interesting yes anything really is possible

My daughter has TBA on 30th Nov, Arts1 on 7th Dec and MPAA on 15th Dec. She hasn’t booked any of her other auditions as wants to see how these go first. She is currently at Arts1 for 6th form and would absolutely love to stay, so keeping everything crossed for that. At least she should know one way or another by Christmas.

Good luck to everyone!

@DramaSchoolInsiderwould you happen to know anything about this new development for the IC Acting programme?

I don’t know much about it, but by the looks of things it’s a way for Italia Conti to charge a top up fee to meet the costs of training.

This is the sort of thing I’m a bit divided on. The whole sector is on its knees funding wise, as the degree fee doesn’t cover the cost of training, and it is incredibly difficult to cover the costs of the course unless you charge a top up fee, have specialist institution funding from the government (https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/finance-and-funding/funding-for-specialist-providers/) or cross subsidy from a bigger university like GSA.

So I totally understand why they need to do it. But I think it would be very difficult to run a course like this and it not be divisive and create a two tier system amounts the cohort. Not sure it would be the environment I’d want for my child.

On the other hand if they were set on going there I’d probably put all morals aside and try and pay for the extra certificate!

What are your thoughts on foundation courses? Are some better than others? Do they help with future auditions for degree offers ? Any past parents have any words of advice?
I know bird, emil dale, arts ed & laine have a good reputation for foundation but do you think they really help?

Thank you, that’s helpful and echoes my own feelings. I hate the thought of there being two streams and some students having to look on whilst their peers from wealthier families get more opportunities. And because 2026 will be the first year, there’s no way of knowing in advance how many students will be in each stream…. Oh well, I will tell my daughter to apply anyway and we’ll cross the bridge if/when we get to it.

Three self tapes sent off - and no response for 3 weeks now. Is that normal?!

From what I’ve heard it depends on the school some are a couple of weeks and some can be up to 6 weeks

Yes! We are 10 Jan GSA actor muso. Went for Mountview regionals so not till Feb in bham.

Good luck!! That’s the course my son really wants so keeping everything crossed.

Has anyone heard back from the following colleges after submitting a self tape for acting BA, and if so, what was the response time?
RADA
LAMDA
Royal Welsh
Guildhall

I have one in second year at EDA if anyone wants information re accommodation etc

Yes please @71deedeeEDA is my daughter’s dream school! She attends associates once a month so is really familiar with the building but I’m a bit worried about the housing as I know there’s none on campus. Does yours stay in Letchworth or further afield? My daughter is hoping to get a job transfer too if she gets in, so it could include late nights. I don’t want her to be catching trains etc late but I also don’t want to pay a premium to stay local which will make the job pointless! Any advice on housing welcome for if she’s lucky enough to get a place.