Courses offered
- BA Acting
- BA Acting (International)
- BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre
- BA Stage and Production Management
- BA Acting and Physical Theatre
- BA Acting and Stage Combat
- BA Acting and Community Theatre
- BA World Performance
- BA Creative Producing (TV and Film)
- CERT HE Theatre Arts (1-year)
- MA Acting
- MA/MFA Acting (International)
- MA/MFA Theatre Directing
- MA/MFA Acting for Digital Media
- MA Advanced Professional Theatre Practice
- PhD Drama and Performance
Course content overview
With over 60 years of history and experience training innovative, imaginative, and daring actors, performers, directors, producers, and technicians; East 15 Acting School remains one of the UK's foremost conservatoires for developing your skills ahead of a career in theatre, TV, film or digital media. With one of the widest ranges of courses available for vocational training at UG and PG level, East 15 allows you the opportunity to specialise your skills in your particular areas of interest, whilst establishing the knowledge, abilities, tenacity, and networks that are crucial to a sustainable career in the performing arts industries.
East 15's training emphasises a balance between personal discovery, intuition, and technical skills. The aim is to give students the basic awareness and confidence that will allow them to continue to learn and perfect their craft in the years to come. The key tenets of our acting training are:
Movement
The main focus of the movement programme at East 15 is to encourage confident, focussed, flexible, imaginative, physically expressive and truthful actors.
Voice
The voice teachers at East 15 aim to equip you with the skills required to release your full vocal potential beyond the limits of ‘habit’ voice.
Singing
Actors must have a good feel for music, even if their strengths lie elsewhere. At East 15 you will learn to understand the rudiments of music and be able to approach a song with confidence and feeling.
Music
Students with the ability to play musical instruments can develop those talents and there are numerous possibilities to play in ensembles for private and public performances at East 15. Although instrumental playing is not part of the assessment, actors who develop such skills certainly enhance their employability.
Media
You are introduced to the techniques and disciplines of working with recorded, digital and online media.
Preparation for the industry
Guest lectures and workshops, given by industry specialists, help prepare you for the complexity of working in theatre, film, TV and related areas.
East 15 also offers a range of specialised non-acting courses at UG level, including in-depth technical theatre training and production skills across TV and film. Our technical courses fully integrate into the acting courses, meaning that the whole of East 15 operates on a spirit of collaboration and teamwork, ensuring that everybody is learning by doing from day one and ensuring every student has the chance to develop their own identity, pathway, and future whilst here with us.
East 15 is spread over two campuses as part of the University of Essex; Loughton Campus near London, and Southend-on-Sea. Our courses are split between these two campuses, although our 1-year CERT HE course is based on both – the perfect course for those looking to get up to speed in their training before auditioning or joining drama school for a longer degree programme.
East 15 are ranked No.1 for Drama in 2022 (Guardian University Guide) and have a top 10 overall student satisfaction score from the 2022 National Student Survey. Its alumni have gone to be world renowned and award winning, featuring in major films, across streaming services and TV shows, on the world's biggest stages, and creating their own work and companies.
Fees, bursaries, and other finance information
£9250 (UK UG)
£16850 (EU and International UG)
Accommodation options
Loughton Campus: no on-site student accommodation, students are helped to find housemates and local trusted landlords by our support team ahead of starting their programme.
Southend Campus: on-site student accommodation available for all years, guaranteed for first years.
Entry requirements (qualifications)
- UG courses: CDD at A-level (or equivalent) + successful audition/interview
- BA World Performance: BCC at A-level (or equivalent) + successful audition
- BA Creative Producing: BCC at A-level + successful interview
- HE: At least one Grade e A-level (or equivalent) + successful audition
Application method (UCAS/direct; audition fee; deadlines)
UCAS or direct application form followed by East 15 Acting School application form.
£15 Round 1 Audition fee (for video auditions)
Audition process and preparation
Round 1 will be a video audition, submitted at the time of application. We will provide you details and instructions on how to make the most of this audition stage, including how to film your speeches.
Round 2 will be on-campus, with our staff and team and your other applicants.
Candidates for all acting courses must prepare two contrasting speeches from the following categories (1 speech from each):
- A play by Shakespeare or another Elizabethan/Jacobean playwright, lasting no more than one and a half minutes.
- A contemporary (post 1990) play lasting no more than one and a half minutes.
Some of our courses also have additional audition requirements (including additional speeches and/or physical and devised work). Before selecting your pieces for audition, read the whole play and be ready to talk about the characters and the action. Other courses/non-performing courses will require an interview.
Email east15@essex.ac.uk or visit east15.ac.uk