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Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London
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The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, (Central), is a dynamic London-based drama school that, since 2005, has been a member college of the University of London.
Established nearly 120 years ago, the school has a long and rich history of training in performance, practice and theatre production and has successfully progressed more than a hundred thousand students into careers within the creative and performing arts.
Central has a student population numbering around 1,100, of which nearly 700 are undergraduates. The school offers a carefully curated programme of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses spanning three-degree areas: Performance (including Acting and Musical Theatre), Practice (Including Theatre Practice and Writing), and Production (Including Stage Management, Lighting and Sound, Props, Costume and set design).
Central’s north London campus is located at Swiss Cottage, a well-connected area of the city in the borough of Hampstead. The school is a member of Conservatoires UK and through its innovative curriculum and superb standard of teaching, aims to inspire its students to reach their academic and professional goals, while delivering a top-tier student experience.
Students at Central are required to apply themselves both mentally and physically. Its training is rigorous and requires a high level of engagement and punctuality. Students develop their craft in collaboration with an expert team of academic tutors, practitioners, and professionals, with an extensive network of visiting professionals giving regular guest lectures and masterclasses.
Bridging the gap between industry and higher education, Central is a superb choice for those wishing to build a successful career in drama and the performing arts.
Teaching staff at Central are a highly qualified and widely experienced faculty of experts, who bring a wealth of industry experience to the table alongside an enthusiasm for their subject and an active interest in the success of their students. Staff work hard to establish an equal partnership between students and academics, resulting in an inclusive and supportive environment focused on collaboration and personal growth.
Undergraduate courses are both academically intensive and industry-focused, offering excellent preparation for professional work. Three key degree areas of perfomance, practice and production each contain a range of specialist courses through which students can explore many different facets of the creative and performing arts.
Performance Courses
Practice Courses
Production Courses
Interested? Order a prospectus to find out more about the uni and the courses on offer.
GET PROSPECTUSProspective students for undergraduate programmes at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama make their applications through the UCAS system.
With a strong academic reputation and a relatively small student population, placement on some of the courses at Central is competitive, in particular students wishing to study Acting.
Courses require either an audition, interview or submission of work. To get on to the highly competitive acting courses applicants have to complete three auditions which involves self-tape submission following by two further online or in-person auditions.
Since courses are delivered in English, applicants must demonstrate a high level of English language ability. Applicants for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate that they can meet the minimum level of proficiency before the start of their course.
A level of C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages is required, and overseas applicants must also ensure that they are able to be granted the necessary visa for UK study.
UCAS TARIFF CALCULATORSend a message directly to the uni to learn more about their entry requirements.
ASK A QUESTIONStudents at Central have several accommodation options available to them. The school has been allocated rooms in the University of London’s Intercollegiate Halls in Nutford House and The Garden Halls. These centrally located halls are a convenient 25-minute journey by underground rail to the school campus.
There are also some private halls of residence options, located all around London though partnerships with iQ Student Accommodation. Many students choose to live in privately rented properties, sharing housing with classmates or other students. Central's Student Advice Service offers year-round accommodation support by providing guidance and advice.
Central’s Swiss Cottage campus is a comprehensive learning environment, offering a wide range of different teaching and training spaces alongside areas for recreation and socialising. There are excellent food and drink options on site, as well as other amenities such as student services and IT support. The library has a wide range of specialist drama and theatre practice resources to support and inspire creativity. Campus tours are run regularly throughout the year and are an extremely popular way for prospective applicants to view the campus and find out more about student life.
Find out more about the accommodations and facilities in person at the uni.
BOOK OPEN DAYWhat's it like to study at this institution? Current students and alumni share their opinion...
VIEW 2 REVIEWS WRITE A REVIEWH H Reviewed 01 Dec 23 Performance Design BA (Hons) The building is quite poorly designed for creativity. The layout is confusing but you do eventually get used to it. The main issue is that- because most courses don't have a permanent space, there are too few rehearsal rooms, departments that often collaborate are separated across floors- you feel... READ FULL REVIEW
SR Student Reviewer Reviewed 10 Apr 21 Acting for Screen, MA I absolutely love training at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. There is no place like it. Every student is warm and welcoming as soon as you walk up those famous steps. You will not regret joining the community we have at RCSSD. Once you've completed your studies you will be at the... READ FULL REVIEW
Students are at the heart of everything that Central does, and the school recognises the need for a comprehensive platform of support services to ensure that all students have the resources and guidance needed to achieve their academic goals, while also developing themselves personally. Students are supported from day one until graduation, and beyond. Most services can be accessed both on-campus and online. Independent research shows that students are satisfied with their experience.
Student Advice Service
Often the first port of call for non-academic student enquiries, assistance is offered with:
Disability Service
Provides advice, support, and guidance to help disabled students thrive on their learning journey including applications for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).
Central offers a free counselling service which provides students with the opportunity to talk confidentially with a practitioner about any issues that are of cause for concern.
Care Experienced Students
Central is committed to increasing the number of care experienced students accessing higher education, and provides a range of support available for UK home students from England including specialised pastoral, accommodation, and financial services.
Find out more about the student support offered on the university’s website.
VISIT WEBSITECentral is a research-driven school, whose curriculum and academic approach is informed by the wider contexts of the work conducted by its staff and students. There is a large amount of vocational teaching undertaken, and many of the school’s teaching staff are engaged in ongoing research and professional practices of their own, alongside their mentorship of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
This involves collaboration with numerous industry partners in the arts and heritage sectors, which helps to foster a critical dialogue that supports the relevance of Central’s theatre and performance research.
Central is dedicated to pursuing socially relevant research, and a big part of its academic focus is to promote equality, diversity and inclusion across its entire course and research schedule.
In 2022, Central was awarded an Arts and Humanities Research Council Impact Acceleration Account to extend the impact of its research. This award enabled the school to establish a Centre for Research Impact in the Performing Arts, which offers new and exciting opportunities to extend the reach of its positive impact.
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Students’ Union is a student-run organisation which represents the voice of its membership, and provides access to a range of services and resources. This includes campaigning for student issues, organising a timetable of student-oriented events and activities, and the co-ordination of many groups and societies which can typically be joined for free.
The students’ union organises a range of clubs and societies, and students are encouraged to get involved in activities and events in order to meet new people from outside their course of study, while developing new and current interests. Each year members can decide which activities and societies they would like to run with the support of students’ union officers.
Central’s London location offers a mixture of benefits, from access to one of the most dynamic cosmopolitan capitals in the world, to a network of truly world-leading educational establishments through the University of London. London offers an incredible blend of cultures and creatives scenes in which students can freely immerse during their studies.
See the campus and city for yourself in person by booking an open day place.
BOOK OPEN DAYGaining a qualification from Central is a highly valued accomplishment that opens many doors into creative professional work in London and overseas. Central graduates go on to achieve great things in the fields of acting, performance, stagecraft, direction, and research, and with a history stretching all the way back to 1906, there are thousands upon thousands of Central alumni working professionally in the creative and performing arts sectors across all generations and locations around the world. This rich community of graduates remain supported by the school, which has a commitment to staying connected with its alumni long after course completion.
The school offers many benefits and services that can help alumni get the most out of being a member of this expanded community, including:
Central is committed to fair access to education, and offers a range of opportunities to ensure that all students have the additional resources that will allow them to complete their studies in confidence.
There is a selection of scholarships, bursaries and awards available which include the Central Bursary for new UK home year 1 undergraduates. This award is designed to support Year 1 UK-based undergraduate students with a household income under £35,000. This award is valued at £1,250 per year, is available to all BA, MA, or MFA students, does not require application, but is automatically means-tested at the point of course entry.
There are more than 20 other scholarships and bursaries available, and prospective students are encouraged to look online for full details.
Undergraduate tuition is set at £9,250 for home students, most of whom are eligible for a student loan to cover their course fees. Most UK students will also be able to take out a maintenance loan to assist with living costs.
Overseas students are subject to a different fee structure, and applicants are encouraged to check online for full details.
Send a message directly to the uni to learn more about their scholarships and bursaries.
ASK A QUESTION
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London
As well as a wide range of courses, studying at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London offers you loads of opportunities to boost your CV thanks to the careers department. You might even have the chance to do a work placement or sandwich year during your degree.
As well as providing you with opportunities to develop academically and professionally, you'll have a wide range of clubs and societies to join. You'll be able to pick up a new hobby and make loads of new friends by joining some of the clubs and societies on offer at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.
The world is your oyster! Of course, the exact options open to you will depend on which subject you choose to study. Employers often look to hire graduates, so you can be sure that your degree will give you a wider range of employment opportunities.
No matter what degree you choose, however, you'll have option of going on to further study. If you want to keep studying, your undergraduate degree will enable you to go on to a master's degree or even a PhD.
If you opt to live in uni halls, you'll benefit from free WiFi and all-inclusive rent. Rent for uni halls also includes security and maintenance, so you can be sure you'll be well-looked after. There are several accessible rooms available, which are adapted for disabled students.
Halls also have communal areas such as kitchen facilities where you can meet your flatmates over a cup of tea. You'll also have access to dining facilities where you can share a meal with other students in your accommodation.
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