Apply your passion and complete your training at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – we offer drama school level training to mould you into a versatile actor and help you launch your career.
Open to International Students
This course is now full for 2024/25. If you'd like to apply for 2025/26, applications are open now.
If you'd still like to apply for September 2024, take a look at some of our other available courses.
[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Ruskin Hall is beautiful. It's set in Bournville in Birmingham, and it's a Quaker village, and it's so scenic. [00:00:10][9.9] [00:00:10] Speaker 2: So what's nice about studying Ruskin, is that it sort of ties in with the structure of the course. So the structure of the course is that for year one, the first year is very much about having a laboratory. It's very much about bringing you into a safe space where you can start to feel comfortable and confident to make mistakes. And so you also want a space which is focussed and concentrated, and you can just go from class to class to subject to subject just in between being able to have a common room space, to have some breakout spaces and chat and recharge and go to your next class. [00:00:48][37.6] [00:00:49] Speaker 3: It's a really nice it's a really nice building. And like the windows, we see a lot of trees. [00:00:54][4.7] [00:00:55] Speaker 3: And there's a real sense of community here as well. [00:00:58][2.8] [00:00:58] Speaker 1: We're all just a family and it feels great coming in every morning knowing that everyone I'm going to be interacting with is a friend. [00:01:06][7.3] [00:01:06] Speaker 2: It is quite a quiet, playful, exploratory time. And so for that, all you need is a safe place to explore yourself and the work and get to know your colleagues. [00:01:20][13.4] [00:01:21] Speaker 3: It's a really nice environment. I look forward to coming in every day. [00:01:21][0.0] [75.8]
Apply your passion and complete your training at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – we offer drama school level training to mould you into a versatile actor and help you launch your career. Our BA (Hons) Acting is designed to develop you practically, personally and professionally and prepare you for this challenging industry. We have carefully designed a contemporary course that will train you for a creative career in front of a stage, screen or radio audience. You will receive specialist training in voice, movement and singing, graduating with the skill and aptitude to take on the exciting and dynamic world of the dramatic arts. According to the Guardian League Table 2024, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's acting and performance provision is the 2nd in the UK (drama and dance category). This course equips you with the skills you need to become a professional actor; continually stretching and challenging you to reach new levels of personal achievement and self-discovery. As a vocational actor training course, full commitment and attendance would be expected.
This course is open to International students.
Complete your training in a supportive environment alongside your dedicated peers. With a proactive attitude you will achieve the high-standard of skill and adaptability that is required of professional actors in the industry today Your classes will mainly be studio-based sessions, focusing on the practical application of acting, voice, movement and singing. For some modules you will have timetabled rehearsal time, where you will work in groups to produce material. During the final year of your training you will get the opportunity to make a showreel, perform showcases to industry professionals, and be cast in professional productions staged in external theatres. In the first two years you will apply and develop your skills, getting regular opportunities to perform to your peer group and to invited audiences.
Graduates of this course have gone on to craft successful and inspiring careers across the entire spectrum of the industry, including actors such as Rob Mallard – best known for his role in Coronation Street for which he won the award for Best Newcomer at the 2017 British Soap Awards, and Helen George, who played Trixie Franklin in Call the Midwife. Airing in early 2017, new Channel 4 comedy from the producers of Father Ted Derry Girls stars 2011 graduate Nicola Coughlan. Our graduates can also be found on stage in musicals, for example Dominic Hartley Harris has appeared in the West End in Bat out of Hell and Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, and Lewis Howard played the Heart of Joey in War Horse. Our graduates are flexible and entrepreneurial, and in some cases have gone on to start their own companies – Theatre 63 , a theatre company founded by our graduates, was nominated for the National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) 2017 Edinburgh Award. We also produce successful writers and directors – playwright Charlene James has won a number of awards, including for her well-received play Cuttin It, and Gemma Colclough directed The Hunting of the Snark at the Vaudeville Theatre in the West End.
Who knows! We aim to transform you into a confident performer and practitioner with a diverse skills base who recognises your own talent and creative ability. This course encourages you to create a well-informed working process that is supported by practice, theory and reflection. You will learn to create opportunities for yourself through a forward-thinking attitude, and engage with the course both intellectually and creatively. You will engage immediately with full-time training and a high level of contact hours. The course is demanding and energetic, allowing you to explore your full potential in an inspiring yet challenging environment; applying your passion to become the best that you can be. We're ranked 2 nd in the UK for Drama and Dance Guardian League Table 2024
You never know where the training will take you, but every pathway is unique and wonderful. I loved my time at RBC; it’s not only a cracking training, it’s a unique family of likeminded individuals that supports and uplifts each student to achieve their best in an industry we all love! Seb Yates Cridland
Matthew Underhill Despite an ongoing battle with Crohn’s disease, Matthew secured his spot at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire after just two auditions. He now feels ready to face the future as a trained actor. Read in full
School of Acting graduate Jonathan Houlston will be starring in the stage adaptation of Farm Boy, Michael Morpurgo’s sequel to War Horse.
Our students have gone on to jobs such as:
Our Applied Theatre course seeks to prepare the next generation of passionate and skilled theatre-makers that are going to change the world. Our focus is on creating new performances and projects with a purpose.
Join us on campus where you'll be able to explore our facilities and accommodation in person, and chat to staff and students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Booking isn't open yet for our next event, register your interest and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.
Next Open Day: 5 December 2024
All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.
64 UCAS tariff points
Applicants will also need to complete an audition for this course; see audition arrangements below.
GCSE and other level 2 requirementsThis course does not require evidence of GCSE qualifications. Please see A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements below.
A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirementsA Level / AS Level
A Level: 64 UCAS tariff points / CC (or equivalent) AS Level: Must be in a different subject to A Levels A maximum of three subjects will be consideredPearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate)
Access to HE Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications
64 UCAS tariff points
NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications
64 UCAS tariff points
WJEC Level 3 qualifications
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers)
Minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher
64 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
64 UCAS tariff points. Considered with three A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
Foundation Studies (Art and Design, and Art, Design and Media)
EU / International students
Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band.
If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information on pre-sessional English courses.
Audition arrangementsApplicants will be required to successfully pass an initial and recall audition. For full details and advice about auditions and interviews, please visit the Acting Auditions and Interviews section of the Conservatoire website.
Mature studentsApplications from mature students (21+) with alternative qualifications and/or considerable work experience will be considered on their merits.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
You could apply for a foundation course or a course at our International College. These routes have lower entry requirements and act as the bridge to a full degree. To find out more, please select your status:
