Meet our graduates: Charlotte Delima
BA (Hons) in Acting, 2023
I can’t really express what it felt like to get accepted into RADA. It meant I could quite literally change my entire life and start again.
I finally felt like my life was on track when I got into RADA and I had a direction that I knew was right for me. I had never before given myself the permission to genuinely pursue a career that meets my passions, fearing the financial implications of freelance work. However, having studied at RADA, I can confidently say that it was the right choice for me and my life.
I used to work in marketing and always felt it wasn’t the life I was meant to lead. I worked in it because, for me, it was a means to an end and although I absolutely learned a great deal both professionally and personally, it did not fulfil me.
I wanted to apply to RADA because I knew that it would give me the best possible training and acting experience before going into the industry. I knew that if I trained at RADA, I would come out able to tackle a variety of jobs and be unafraid to try the challenges put before me in professional circumstances. Ultimately, it would give me the best chance at being the best performer I can be.
Despite working two jobs to save up for RADA, I was unable to fully fund my tuition as well as provide for myself. Having previously taken out a student loan, I didn’t qualify for government support and my parents were unable to help me. Without financial aid, I either would have had to intermit or drop out but when I received a RADA Scholarship, I was able to keep going with my year group and experience the training without the fear I might have to leave. It allowed me to commit to the training without worrying about whether I could feed myself or afford the fees.
The student support has also been huge for me. From a mental health perspective, the academy provided me with a huge amount of support to look after myself through such a big life change. I honestly don’t know if other schools give the level of support that I received but the whole staff have been nothing but caring and supportive when I have had extremely challenging periods, tailoring the training to my needs.
