How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Acting and Contemporary Theatre

UCAS code: W441

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 3 years

Location: East15 (Loughton) Campus

Based in: East 15 Acting School

East 15's BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre develops your performance abilities and creativity, preparing you to graduate as a versatile actor and join an alumni network of leading international practitioners.

“The creation of a course that focuses on the actor as a creative force is quite simply revolutionary. …both ahead of its time and rooted in the most important theatrical developments of recent years …” — Alexander Zeldin, Associate Director of the National Theatre.

Dedicated to training multi-talented actors, this course is renowned for its pioneering methodology and award-winning original productions. It is a hub of innovation, which combines the development of your talents with experimentation in European physical theatre, creative writing, expressionism and music. You will explore roles such as actor/writer, actor/musician, and actor/choreographer.

The training on this course is inspired by leading companies such as Complicité, Schaubühe and Gecko, encouraging you to realise the full scope of your artistic potential. In the first year, you will explore character development practice, taking inspiration from Stanislavski, Comedia Dell’Arte and Gaulier. In second year, you will experiment with forms such as physical expression, Clown, Shakespeare, film, devising and writing. In the third year, you will showcase original work in various London venues.

“..A formidable track record of training some of the best collaborative makers in UK theatre.” - David Byrne, Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre.

BA Acting & Contemporary Theatre is led by a faculty with a wealth of industry experience, at our picturesque Loughton campus. You can find out more about the innovative theatrical work on this course at the Debut Festival website.

Why we're great.

Dynamic and intensive contemporary actor training.
Showcase and opportunities to present original work at leading professional venues.
An alumni community of award-winning international practitioners.

Our expert staff

Our training is by professionals and for professionals, preparing our graduates to work successfully across the globe.

Our international, outstanding teaching faculty is made up of professionals from all areas of live and recorded performance.

Learn more about our staff here.

Specialist facilities

Our Loughton Campus is perfectly located, providing access to both the rich, cultural diversity of London and an attractive and peaceful setting in which to study.

We are just a five-minute walk from London Underground station, Debden, where you can travel in only thirty minutes to Central London, West End theatres and mainline train stations including the Eurostar.

We have three sites at our Loughton Campus – Hatfields, Roding House and Unit Four. Hatfields is a beautiful Georgian dower house, set in five acres of lawns with orchards, flowerbeds and a small lake, providing an idyllic atmosphere for study, relaxation and performance.

Just a short walk from Hatfields is Roding House, a £1.3 million facility containing 10 rehearsal rooms, a green room/café, and our costume department.

Next to Roding House, Unit Four is a £1.5 million facility which is home to the Stage & Production Management department. The Unit contains a large workshop, paint shop, prop shop, prop storage facilities and teaching spaces.

Our on-site Corbett Theatre is named in honour of Harry H Corbett, a key member of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop and early benefactor of East 15. It is used extensively for student productions and is a practical training hub for our BA Stage and Production Management students.

The building is a medieval tithe barn that was dismantled and transported to Hatfields in the 1960s. These unusual origins create a unique performance space with a special atmosphere. Renovated to include full technical facilities, tiered seating for 130 people and fitted dressing rooms, the theatre provides an excellent resource for public productions, while the adjacent Bar and Café provides a social meeting point for students and staff.

Your future

Alumni of the BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre course are participating in the industry not only as actors in theatre, film and TV, but also by staging their own work to audiences worldwide. Recent graduates have gone on to work with major companies such as the National Theatre, Cirque Du Soleil, the Royal Court, the RSC, the Globe and the BBC, as well as for Netflix, Warner Bros, Gecko, Complicite, Frantic Assembly, and Improbable.

Celebrated alumni include Beatrice Grannò (White Lotus), Ami Okumura Jones (My Neighbour Totoro), Jeremias Amoore (No Way Up), Anna Leong Brophy (Shadow & Bone) and Avital Lvova (Daliland)

A highlight of the graduate year is the acclaimed ‘Debut Festival', a unique platform dedicated to staging new work written, directed, produced and performed by students. Many plays have transferred to professional production in Britain and abroad, winning awards such as the Edinburgh Comedy Award, The Stage Best Ensemble, Scotsman Fringe First, Best New Musical and BFI Best Short Film. Transfer venues include the Soho Theatre, Bush Theatre and Manchester Royal Exchange, as well as tours to USA, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland and New Zealand.

In its short history, this course has shaped a number of exciting new practitioners including film and TV actors Beatrice Grannò, Adam Colbourn, Antonia Desplat, Melissa Johns, Lily Newmark, and Adam El-Hagar, writers Charlotte Josephine and Somalia Seaton, directors Bryony Shanahan and Jaz Woodcock-Stewart, Jesse Briton, as well as major theatre companies such as Fat Rascal and Police Cops.

“This course nurtures creativity and playfulness in its actors whilst instilling in them a practical and extensive understanding of theatre craft and its artistry. It allowed me to develop both as an actor and an artist. By the time I graduated I had already signed to a leading agent and established a production company with two of my peers. We went on to win national awards at the Edinburgh Festival, leading to an international tour.”

Nathan Parkinson of PoliceCops

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

Applicants will need to submit a video audition and, if successful, complete a recall audition/workshop. Applicants should also have, or expect to have:

A-levels: EE, or 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels.
BTEC: PP, or 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels.
Combined qualifications on the UCAS tariff: 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A levels or equivalent. Tariff point offers may be made if you are taking a qualification, or mixture of qualifications, from the list on our undergraduate application information page.
T-levels: Pass with E in core .
IB: two Higher Level certificates with 33
IB Career-related Programme: We consider combinations of IB Diploma Programme courses with BTECs or other qualifications.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at ugquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If you do not require a student visa to study in the UK then we will assess your English language proficiency/ability at your interview or audition.

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

English language shelf-life

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

Pre-sessional English courses

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Pending English language qualifications

You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk.

Additional Notes

If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College

Structure

Course structure

We offer dynamic and unique courses for actors, directors, producers, technical theatre specialists and students of theatre practice. Training at East 15 draws upon 50 years of tradition combined with a keen sense of the world of stage and screen today.

Our carefully selected modules will give you the chance to explore and develop your specialist training.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Introduction to Acting Theory, Methods and Practice, and Development From Self to Character

(15 CREDITS)

This core first year acting module provides an initial training in acting theory, method and practice based on the uniqueness of the individual and the ability to change, adapt, extend, perceive, accept and reject. Students move through self-study to look outside themselves, approaching firstly improvised situations and then scripted text in imaginative and collaborative ways. By the end of the course you will know how to start work on a play and will have begun collaborative text work. You are able to begin to create a character from a text and to start the process of creating the world of the play.

View Introduction to Acting Theory, Methods and Practice, and Development From Self to Character on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Verbatim Theatre and Contemporary Scene Study

(15 CREDITS)

For this core first year acting module students work in small groups to study scenes from a contemporary play, learning how to divide a scene into units of action, how to discover objectives for a character and use the text to discover information – about the play, its themes and characters. You workshop scenes in your groups, practising your learning from the early part of the course. By the end of this block of work you will be able to find a character’s through line and recreate work achieved during the rehearsal process.

View Verbatim Theatre and Contemporary Scene Study on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Actor and Text

(15 CREDITS)

This core first year acting module provides opportunities for students to apply the introductory learning of Introduction to Acting Theory, Method and Practice to more demanding textual and acting challenges. You continue to advance your actor training through a focussed approach to the theatre of a particular period. Work on this course will be informed by your learning on Contextual Studies. The work of this module progresses into second year when it informs and supports the acting/voice project in Acting Techniques and Styles.

View Actor and Text on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Comedia Dell' Arte and Improvised Theatre

(15 CREDITS)

This first year BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre module is a unique and defining element of the East 15 Acting and Contemporary Theatre training. It provides students with opportunities to work and experiment in an environment that demands spontaneity and immediate response to events. It also provides an in-depth familiarity with improvised theatre both in its historical context and its contemporary practices. Students will develop the performance mental, intellectual and physical skills necessary to engage their audiences. You will learn how to work in a way that considers the total outcome and look of a theatrical piece of work. The module will prepare you for the work carried out in Year Two

View Comedia Dell' Arte and Improvised Theatre on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Voice I

(15 CREDITS)

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules. The work begins in Term One with an introduction to the anatomy of voice production. You will begin the work of acquiring good vocal habits through the use of basic vocal exercises. Techniques for direct communication with voice will be introduced. In Term Two you will develop the structures used by voice. You will work on improving articulation and explore accents and the voices of others. The work of the final term is on the vocal demands of acting, on developing clarity and power. By the end of the module you will have the ability to assess critically your own vocal capabilities and will have in place vocal exercises and a regime for future use.

View Voice I on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE

Movement I

(15 CREDITS)

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules. The work begins in Term One with an introduction to basic anatomy. You begin the work of developing suppleness and stamina. Techniques for the release of emotion in movement will be introduced. In Term Two you develop balance, co-ordinations and rhythm, linking movement and dance with acting. You learn a range of styles and carriage. The work of the final term covers preparation for physical demands and the extension of physical and dance vocabulary.

View Movement I on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: CORE

Music and Singing I

(15 CREDITS)

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules.

View Music and Singing I on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 08: CORE

Contextual Studies I

(15 CREDITS)

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules.

View Contextual Studies I on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Expressionism in Visual Theatre, Physical Theatre and in Text

(15 CREDITS)

This module examines a range of contemporary theatre styles. Students will continue to develop their performance skills through the practice of acting, devising, writing, movement and voice. Students will be given opportunities to experiment specifically with expressionism in text and visual art. The concept of ‘actor-led work’ is introduced as a central objective for year 2. During the first part of the module students will be taken through exercises focusing on the starting point for both actor and for the space in which they work. They will be taken through exercises to develop implosive action, ensemble collaboration and the importance of playful response. Later on, exercises will expand to playing and manipulating existing text.

View Expressionism in Visual Theatre, Physical Theatre and in Text on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Film

(15 CREDITS)

This module focuses on acting for camera. It also looks at writing, story development, and creating film, and explores the creative opportunities film offers as a form. You will be asked to propose ideas for short films. These can be adaptations of scripts you have written originally for theatre as well as original ideas written specifically for this project. Proposals will be selected and taken through a process of development into script writing. It will culminate in a filming project in which you will have the opportunity to experience various roles in filming such as acting in films, writing, directing or crewing.

View Film on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Voice II

(15 CREDITS)

In this module you will develop and apply the rigorous foundation work of first year and apply it to the more demanding dramatic texts being worked on in the second year Acting course. You will connect movement, voice and acting. You will begin exploring accents and dialects in more detail with a view to both acquiring accents and developing the skills and tools with which to work on accents throughout your career as an actor. You will begin to examine the vocal demands of different performance spaces, including outdoor performances, and develop your ability to give life to complex texts. The vocal demands of a range of performance styles, for example, Commedia dell’Arte, will be explored and students will be given opportunities to apply their vocal techniques to devised and text work of increasing complexity. The course is designed to prepare students for independence, to ensure that they enter their third year with voices of professional standard and the vocal training necessary to maintain them.

View Voice II on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Movement II

(15 CREDITS)

The module consists of two units: Movement and Dance. The second year of Movement training is about deepening movement vocabulary and physical potential. You will learn to expand your range of physical choices in a variety of theatrical styles. Psycho-physical movement training becomes more specific and precise and this work continues alongside spontaneous body exploration. Alignment work is re-emphasised and applied to both acting challenges and movement improvisations. The movement unit of this module is intended to develop appropriate levels of physical, emotional and imaginative agility and stamina in students. It is designed to encourage students to develop good movement practices, empowering them to look after their bodies and to sustain body alignment. By the end of the module students will have developed a working technique for physical characterisation. The Dance unit is an investigation into dance historically and socially. You will look at the physical relationship between the economic and sociological climate of the day.

View Movement II on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Music and Singing II

(15 CREDITS)

Sourcing material from a variety of genres, student’s will explore the dramatic and musical capabilities of the voice in both solo and ensemble settings . You will progress to the interpretation of more varied, complex and demanding material and performance situations, and you will work on expanding your singing range and vocal agility. By the end of the module you will have a substantial knowledge of vocal technique which you can apply to support the singing and safeguard the voice. You will have at your disposal a varied repertoire of songs of different tempi and styles that fall within your acting and singing range in preparation for your work in final year. You will also learn how to effectively use the resources and skills of the people around you to create original arrangements and compositions for the voice. Students are encouraged to continue to develop personal warm-up exercise routines.

View Music and Singing II on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE

Contextual Studies II

(15 CREDITS)

This module aims to encourage students to develop the ability to present, discuss and defend ideas in seminar and written contexts, consider how theatres reflect their own era, and gain an understanding of the relevance of commedia and other theatres to contemporary practice.

View Contextual Studies II on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: CORE

Physical Comedy

(15 CREDITS)

This module constitutes a range of influences that have evolved from European physical theatre including emphasis on Lecoq and Gaulier research of the theatrical clown in the 1960s and 1970s. Students will continue to develop performance skills through the practice of acting, improvisation, devising, writing, movement, voice and singing. Student will have the opportunity to experiment with the theatrical clown, non-traditional text structure, mask and puppetry. The concept of ‘actor-led work’ is developed further.

View Physical Comedy on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 08: CORE

Site Specific Classics

(15 CREDITS)

Students will learn to investigate heightened text in unconventional adaptations or in challenging performance spaces. Students will explore the text and experiment with the creative opportunities and demands of a range of potential performance venues. Students will be encouraged to put their performance and creative skills into practice under a variety of different styles and approaches. Students are assessed on their contribution and participation during the rehearsal process and performance of projects. The focus is less on processes and preparation and more on students’ creative achievement in performance

View Site Specific Classics on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

New Plays

(30 CREDITS)

This module builds on the creative writing work students have undertaken in their second year. New plays will be selected by the module tutors and the Head of Course from students’ own self-authored work, to be performed in a production for an audience, as a festival of new work. Through the process of creating and staging the New Plays you will be given opportunities to take on a range of roles and responsibilities, which could include writer, actor and/or director, experiencing and learning the versatility that characterises the professional contemporary theatre arena. You will put into practice the taught acting skills you have developed during Years One and Two and test the boundaries of your own creativity by applying your skills to the interpretation of untried texts. The process of mounting the productions will provide students with experience of collaboration between actors, writers and directors. It could also be used as a platform for staging work that might transfer to professional staging, post training. By the end of the module you will have participated fully in creating and mounting a piece of original, text-led work.

View New Plays on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Actor-Led Final Projects

(30 CREDITS)

This final year BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre module prepares you for your final graduation projects. Working in groups you, your fellow students and the Head of Course will decide the form you want your final projects to take. All projects are supervised however you are expected to take control of your own original work. Students will choose concepts and ideas, write, devise, produce, direct, manage and market their own work to a professional standard, putting all their learning and skills into the realisation of fully-owned projects, with a view to taking them into professional staging. In this module technical skills work is fully integrated with the work of preparing the projects for performance By the end of the module you will have produced a piece of professional standard original work. Several groups of former students have gone on to show the work they created in this module at professional theatre venues, for example at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Vaults Festival, and the Lillian Baylis Studio in London, as well as in venues across Europe.

View Actor-Led Final Projects on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Issue-Led Theatre

(15 CREDITS)

In this module you will research and create a project attempting to explore a contemporary issue. You will learn to use theatre to contemplate and express ideas and emotional engagement with the chosen issue and further develop the skills of communicating with your audience. The final output can occur in a variety of forms (such as scripted or devised, existing work or new writing). The performance project will lead to a production at the school theatre for public audience. You will learn to engage as part of a larger company that will include designer and technicians. This module has been designed to enable students to integrate their subject knowledge with an understanding of sustainable development, acquiring the skills and competencies essential for addressing the urgent sustainability challenges of the 21st century.

View Issue-Led Theatre on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Professional Preparation and Auditioning Technique

(15 CREDITS)

In this module you will be presented with a programme of workshops and master classes led by directors, actors and casting professionals as well as the Head of Course. You will learn a variety of audition methods and styles such as the traditional two-minute monologue, screen test, reading to camera, workshops and ensemble selection processes.

View Professional Preparation and Auditioning Technique on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Voice, Movement, Music and Singing

(15 CREDITS)

By the final year of the course you are considered to be a performer and an actor. The work of skills classes in Terms One and Two of the final year in this core module focuses on your professional development. Classes involve the preparation of your shows, audition pieces, preparation for the final Showcase performance and weekly classes to deal with any on-going problems and issues arising. You continue to develop and practice warm-ups and preparation for rehearsal and performance. The final year work allows you to establish patterns and pathways for creative well-being to follow throughout your working life.

View Voice, Movement, Music and Singing on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE

Contextual Studies III

(15 CREDITS)

The module concentrates on contemporary theatre. You are encouraged to reflect on your course experiences and training and to prepare yourself for further professional and cultural challenges after graduation. You use the research and writing skills you have learned in years one and two to consider new ideas in greater depth and to develop the ability to express arguments through a process supported by relevant research and source materials. This process culminates in the third term when you present your Personal Development Journal. You are encouraged to widen your reading to research and discuss new ideas. You are guided towards theatre issues and practices in which you have a personal interest and encouraged to pursue them in depth. The module explores contemporary theatre theories and practices as well as post-modern performance and performance art. You use research to develop your understanding of contemporary theatre and are given opportunities to present your ideas in a coherent manner, using documentary evidence to support your views and standard academic conventions of presentation, for example referencing, quotations and bibliography.

View Contextual Studies III on our Module Directory

Teaching

Year 1

Your first year focuses on introductory acting, voice, articulation, singing and movement. You explore your own individual creativity and responsiveness to other actors. During the first year you will:

Develop skills in observation and self-assessment
Work alongside peers on the parallel BA Acting courses, following the traditional East 15 training and focus on the development of methodical characterisation work
Realise your neutral starting point as part of rehearsal process and preparation
Create individual character studies
Learn to re-create through reflection, research and improvisation
Understand how to act and react to emotional upheaval through a wide variety of texts

Year 2

Your second year focuses on familiarisation with form and style, allowing you to explore and experiment with a range of areas, including:

Physical expressionism, contemporary and classical text, Commedia Dell'Arte, the theatrical clown, script writing, devising, music and parody
Exploration of form and style
Scriptwriting

You will also explore the relationship between film and theatre as well as theatre as a tool for social change. In addition, you will construct original works including an expressionist piece, physical comedy show and short film.

The year ends with a site-specific production of a classical text.

Year 3

Your final year focuses primarily on staging new work. Led by visiting practitioners from the industry, students develop ideas and produce a range of different projects including new plays, burlesque and short films.

You will also receive guidance to prepare you for your post-training career with professional development classes in forming companies as well as casting exercises.

You also have opportunities to stage work in public, including a showcase event for an invited audience of influential agents, casting directors, film, voiceover, TV and theatre directors. East 15 continually liaises with industry professionals to ensure the format for the event accords with the changing landscape of the industry.

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250 per year

Additional costs for materials and field trips of up to approximately £650 per academic year. Equipment lists are reviewed annually.

International fee

£21,525 per year

Additional costs for materials and field trips of up to approximately £650 per academic year. Equipment lists are reviewed annually.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

You can apply to our full-time undergraduate courses through either the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) or the University of Essex Direct Application Form.

If you choose to apply through UCAS, you can find step-by-step guidance on how to fill your UCAS undergraduate application. UK students (as well as some EU and international students) who are still in school or college may apply through their institution. Your school will help you complete and submit your UCAS application. The option to apply through UCAS is also available to independent UK and international applicants.

The UCAS code for the University of Essex is ESSEX E70. The individual campus codes for our Loughton and Southend Campuses are ‘L' and ‘S' respectively.

In addition your UCAS or University of Essex application, you must also submit an East 15 Application Form.

For full details on how to apply, please visit the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page on the East 15 website.

Apply now

Auditioning

Applicants to this course must submit a Round 1 video audition as part of your East 15 Application Form. If successful at this stage, you'll be invited to a Round 2 audition, which may take place on our campus, online, or at a regional or international audition.

Please note that we charge a £15 audition fee for Round 1 auditions. Fee waivers are available for eligible applicants. You can find out how to pay the audition fee or check your eligibility for a waiver on the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page.

Our staff regularly travel to conduct auditions worldwide. So if you're not based in the UK, it's likely that we may hold auditions near you. These will be one-on-one auditions. You can find the locations and dates of these auditions on our International Auditions page.

Offers for this course are made only after successful auditions.

For details of what to prepare for our auditions, please visit our Preparing for Auditions page.

You’ll be in intensive training at one of the most prestigious and internationally respected conservatoires in the country, gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in the performing arts. You'll arrive at a campus with state-of-the-art study and performance facilities, nestled in the stunning grounds of a country house.

But fear not! It’s not all work and no play at East 15 Acting School in Loughton and you're just a short step away from the bright lights and big city of central London.

Find out more

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.