What is the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama?
The Conservatoire for Dance and Drama is a Higher Education Institution composed of eight of the UK’s top vocational schools offering training in dance, drama and circus arts. Find out more in our short film on the Conservatoire: A Step Up - Life at the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama.
Find out more about our affiliate schools.
What can I study at the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama?
The Conservatoire offers vocational training courses in dance, drama and circus arts at a higher education level. This includes professional training in stage management, directing, production management, property making, theatre design, scenic art design, and costume production. Visit our course search section to find out what each school offers. See the websites of the individual schools for further course details.
How do I apply to the Conservatoire and when do auditions take place?
Owing to the distinct and specialist nature of our vocational training and the need for an audition process, you must apply directly to the school where you wish to study. It is not possible to apply to any of the Conservatoire’s schools through the UCAS system. Admission to the Conservatoire’s courses is by audition and/or interview. It is not unusual for there to be a round of auditions, followed by call-back auditions and interviews for the successful applicant. Application closing dates and auditioning dates vary so please check with the relevant school for the latest information.
For further information, please see the applications and auditions sections of our website.
What are the fees?
For 2010-11, UK/EU fees for all undergraduate courses at any Conservatoire school are £3,290 for new students. Fees for overseas undergraduate students and postgraduates vary from institution to institution: the relevant school will be able to give you more information about its particular fees
For more information, please visit the course fees section of our website.
As affiliate schools are independent, will I be a student of a school or of the Conservatoire?
If you apply and are offered a place at one of the Conservatoire schools, when you enrol you will be registered jointly with the school and as a student of the Conservatoire.
Do students from the Conservatoire schools ever work together?
The Conservatoire is keen to find ways for students to benefit from the different training offered across its schools. To date this has included residencies and joint workshops with artists such as Merce Cunningham, Siobhan Davies, Shobana Jeyasingh and Oh T’ae Sok. Please visit the Joint projects section of the website for further information.
Will my degree be awarded by the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama?
At present, the Conservatoire does not have degree awarding powers. The Conservatoire schools’ courses are validated by different universities:
Conservatoire school |
Validating university |
|---|---|
| Bristol Old Vic Theatre School | University of the West of England |
| Central School of Ballet | University of Kent |
| The Circus Space | University of Kent |
| London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts | University of Kent |
| London Contemporary Dance School | University of Kent |
| Northern School of Contemporary Dance | University of Kent |
| Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance | University of Kent |
| Royal Academy of Dramatic Art | King’s College London, University of London |