Choosing a Drama School

A list of UK Drama Schools offering a BA in Acting, and things to consider before you apply.

You have always dreamed of being an actor, and you are now at the point in your life that you feel ready to take that leap and go to Drama School to train. But there are so many schools to choose from! Where do you even begin?

The most reputable Drama Schools are the ones that offer a Bachelor’s Degree in Acting. These schools have an affiliation with a university, and therefore allow students to pay their tuition fees through student loans. While receiving a university degree, you also benefit from the practical, vocational actor training designed to equip you for a career as an actor.

They also have higher reputations in the industry, meaning their final year showcases, where agents and casting directors come to watch graduating students’ performances, are better attended.

The Top 4

• RADA

• LAMDA

• Guildhall School of Music And Drama

• The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

These four drama schools are the most respected and well-known, both nationally and internationally. They provide some of the best training in the country, and have extensive lists of successful and accomplished alumni.

They are also located within London zones 1 & 2, making them very accessible and a short tube ride away from the plethora of theatres on and off the West End.  You could finish your classes at 6pm and still be at the National Theatre in plenty of time to catch at 7:30pm show.

Other Notable London Schools

• Mountview - (Peckham, Southeast London)

  • Mountview is well known for its Musical Theatre training, but since moving to its new home in Peckham, and with Stephen Jameson as principal from 2013-2021, the acting training has become much stronger.

• ArtsEd - (Chiswick, West London)

  • ArtsEd is also well known for its Musical Theatre training, but seems to have a reputable Acting training as well

• Rose Bruford - (Sidcup, Southeast London)

• Drama Studio - (Ealing, West London)

Schools Outside of London

Maybe living and training in London isn’t your thing, and you would prefer to go somewhere else in the country. London is a very expensive city, and cramming into a tube carriage during the morning rush hour is not for the faint of heart!

There are fantastic schools up and down the country, in cities that also have thriving theatre scenes. And most of them arrange for a final-year showcase in London so you still get a chance to be seen by all the important agents and casting directors who are predominantly based in London.

• Italia Conti - (Woking)

• East 15 - (Essex)

• Guildford School of Acting - (Guildford)

• LIPA - (Liverpool)

• Manchester School of Theatre - (Manchester)

• Royal Birmingham Conservatoire - (Birmingham)

• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - (Glasgow)

• Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama - (Cardiff)

• Bristol Old Vic Theatre School* - (Bristol)

  • *It was announced in January 2025 that Bristol will no longer provide Undergraduate courses. They only provide post grad courses now, such as an MFA in Professional Acting

Do Your Research!

Not all Drama School training is the same. Visit their websites and read about their courses. Is there a greater emphasis on classical texts? In what year is acting for camera introduced? How many public productions do students perform in their final year? Think about what kind of actor you want to be, and see if the course will help lead you to where you want to be.

Have a look at their alumni, and not just the famous ones. Most Drama Schools publish a list of their recent graduates from the past several years. Look them up and see what kind of work they are doing now, and which agencies they are represented by.

When I was applying to Drama Schools, I saw a touring production of Nicholas Nickleby in Toronto. It was an incredible production with a strong ensemble element; just the type of play I would have loved to have been in. Upon looking at the cast list, the majority of the actors had trained at LAMDA. So of all the Drama Schools I auditioned for that year, I knew that LAMDA had to be one of them.

In your Drama School interviews and auditions, you will most likely be asked, “Why do you want to train here?” Make sure you know the answer!