Foundation Course in Acting (non-HE)
We enable future creatives to develop skills, explore new techniques and grow in confidence through acting.
Through a combination of practical classes and rehearsal projects, this playful and rewarding course will give you an insight into actor training at higher education level.
We support you to nurture your passion for the arts and explore your creative potential, whether that lies in acting, directing, writing or the wider creative industries.
Our training will give you a robust grounding in the core disciplines of actor training, and you will learn about developing your individual practice, collaboration and exploring new ideas.
Working in a supportive and equitable environment, you will become reflective and socially engaged, with the confidence and skills to approach higher education and career paths in the creative industries.
This course is not accredited and is therefore non-award bearing. There is no student finance available for this course.
At RADA, we aim to nurture your potential through rigorous, immersive training that encourages your personal development.
Through skills classes in acting techniques focusing on Stanislavski and Meisner, voice, movement, singing, and text analysis, you’ll undertake a practical and reflective training that promotes creative collaboration.
Classes include:
- acting technique
- movement
- voice
- singing (group and solo)
- text analysis and scene study
- improvisation
- acting for screen
- introduction to playwriting
- introduction to filmmaking
You will embed and refine your skills through a series of rehearsal projects focusing on contemporary drama, the Realist movement and Shakespeare’s plays, culminating in a sharing at the end of the course.
During the course you will have the opportunity to explore careers in theatre and related industries, and will be introduced to practitioners who can discuss the range of career options available. This course will develop your skills as an actor and give a sense of actor training at degree level, enabling you to find your voice and feel prepared for a wide range of careers.
Timetable
The Foundation Course in Acting consists of two terms of 12 teaching weeks. The programme is intensive and can involve evening and Saturday work.
Library
An important resource with a large collection of rare and out-of-print plays in the English language. This is access to the following digital resources: Drama Online, Cambridge Journals, Theatre in Video, Digital Theatre Plus and RADA Accents Archive.
Wellbeing and counselling
We have a drop-in and appointment-based service for advice, a chat or a more formal assessment. Counselling support is available throughout the training and with any personal problems. There are also talks on sexual health, nutrition, drugs and alcohol.
Healthcare, injury prevention and response
We have a relationship with a GP practice, access to specialist medical support and osteopathy.
Disability support
We ensure Learning Agreements are in place, as well as access to dyslexia, dyspraxia and other learning support needs, and access to specific support for participants with other impairments.
We encourage applications from people of any age, gender, disability, ethnicity, marital status, nationality, sexual orientation, parental status, socio economic status, religion or belief. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity, to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practice, and eliminating unfair discrimination. We audition everyone who applies.
Entry requirements
Applicants must:
- be 18 years of age on the first day of the induction week in the year that you start your programme of study
- have complete fluency in spoken and written English
English is not my first language. How is fluency in English assessed?
Applicants should have excellent conversational English and be able to understand a variety of texts. As with all applicants, during the audition the panel will consider how you deliver your speeches and also how you are able to interact and converse with them
If English is not your first language, you may need to provide proof of your English language ability. For more information see our English Language Requirements guide or contact admissions@rada.ac.uk.
How to apply
Complete the online application form at the top of this page. If you need some more information, you can read our guide to the application form.
Once you have submitted your application form, you will have two weeks to upload your self-tape video. You can find out more about self-tape auditions at RADA, setting up, and recording below. You may only apply once per academic year.
There is an application fee for the Foundation Course in Acting of £39. This covers the cost of processing and progressing each individual application. If you are applying for both the Foundation Course in Acting and the BA (Hone) Acting you only need to pay once. Application fees are not refundable.
Auditions
The audition process follows the same principles as for the BA (Hons) in Acting, but with a three-stage process.
You may indicate that you wish to apply for the Foundation Course in Acting alone, or for both BA (Hons) in Acting and Foundation in Acting at the same time.
Prospective participants for both courses are seen at the first and second rounds through our self-tape audition process. If the panel believes that the Foundation Course is a better option for you, we will invite you to a workshop day which will take place in-person at RADA.
The three audition stages
- Preliminary Audition
- Recall Audition
- Group Workshop
Preliminary Audition
Your self-tape video is your preliminary audition. You are required to submit one classical and one contemporary speech (alongside an introduction). In the first stage, your self-tape will be seen by two members of the audition panel.
Second Round
Successful applicants will be required to submit a second self-tape comprising of a different classical speech, plus a song (verse and chorus only). This will be seen by a recall panel consisting of three panel members.
Group workshop
The group workshop is designed to give you a sense of the training that you would experience were you to be offered a place on the course. This is the final stage and you will need to be ready to perform and workshop the 3 speeches you submitted on your self-tapes. The workshop involves movement, group dynamic work, text analysis and an interview with the course director.
Our intention is that the day is relaxed and enjoyable so that, regardless of the outcome, you will have had an enriching experience.
Your self-tape
At the preliminary stage, we ask you to submit a self-tape video, consisting of two audition speeches (one classical, one contemporary) . Each speech should last up to two minutes. We would also like you to give a brief introduction (name and postcode) and explain why you have chosen your pieces (one minute).
Speech A - Classical
The classical piece should be from Shakespeare or an Elizabethan/Jacobean playwright (Jonson, Marlowe, Webster, etc.). It should be originally written in English - so do not choose a piece from a Greek tragedy or a Molière comedy, for example. You can perform a monologue in your native language (mother tongue) if you prefer, but it must be accompanied by the same piece performed in English.
Speech B - Contemporary
The contemporary piece should provide a clear contrast to the classical pieces and be written after 1960.
For advice on setting up and filming, read our self-tape guide.
Admissions procedure
If applying for the Foundation Course in Acting:
- Applicants submit an audition tape as part of the initial audition.
- If successful, you will be asked to submit a second tape as your recall audition.
- If successful, second-round applicants are invited to a third-round workshop held in-person at RADA. .
- Successful applicants to the Foundation Course in Acting are selected from the workshop. We will contact you to let you know the outcome of your application.
- Find more details about what to expect from each stage of the process in our admissions procedure guide.
Information for disabled applicants
We welcome applications from disabled applicants and encourage them to disclose relevant information regarding any disability when completing their application form, to enable us to provide additional support during the admissions process.
There is no government funding (Disabled Students’ Allowance) available for this programme but we will discuss any specific learning needs with the individual, prior to their joining. We can assist with the arrangement of specialist support (for example study skills support for participants with dyslexia or dyspraxia) but this must be privately funded by the participant.
If you are a disabled candidate and would like further advice or guidance, please contact the admissions team directly on admissions@rada.ac.uk.
Please note that this course does not meet the requirements for a Standard Visitor Visa or a Student Visa. Please contact admissions@rada.ac.uk for more information.
Admissions policy, appeals and complaints
If you would like to know more about RADA’s Admissions Policy for our courses, please download and read our Admissions Policy.
For information about RADA’s Admissions, Appeals and Complaints for higher education courses, please download and read our Admissions Appeals and Complaints document. Please note that this process covers RADA’s Foundation Course in Acting and Higher Education courses only.
This is a non-accredited course which does not attract government funding. All participants offered places on the Foundation Course are required to fund both the annual fee and all living costs privately.
Find out more about living in London while studying.
Application fee
There is an application fee of £39 for the Foundation Course. The application fee covers the cost of processing and progressing each individual application. Application fees are not refundable.
Candidates must be at least 18 by the start of course to apply for the Foundation Course in Acting.
Application is by audition only; no academic qualifications are required.
The application procedure is the same, using the application form on our website. You can apply for the Foundation Course in Acting at the same time as the BA (Hons) in Acting.
Yes, please just select the relevant option on the application form.
RADA accepts 28 participants on the Foundation Course in Acting each year.
Complete the online application form at the top of this page. You will receive an automated confirmation email when the form has been submitted.
Following this our Admissions Team will contact you as soon as possible and give a two-week deadline for submitting your self-tape to RADA. Please do ensure that you feel prepared to record your video, prior to submitting your application.
If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks, please contact admissions@rada.ac.uk so we can confirm whether we have received your application or update you with your audition details.
Please note the admissions office can get incredibly busy at peak times while we process applications and schedule interviews and auditions.
The application fee is collected in order for us to be able to process and progress your application, and is not refundable under any circumstances.
If you are ill on the day, please email foundation@rada.ac.uk in advance of your audition.
Where possible, we will try to provide an alternative date, but this may not be possible as it is dependent on where we are in the auditions process.
We are unable to provide audition feedback at all stages of the process due to the large number of applicants.
No. You should apply for a place in the year before the September you wish to begin your training.
No. Participants on the Foundation Course in Acting may choose to apply for the BA (Hons) in Acting programme, and if so will need to follow the same admissions process. However, they do skip the preliminary audition and go straight to the second stage of the BA (Hons) audition process.
