On Course: Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
With foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and short courses available, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School has produced some of the UK's finest theatre, TV and film professionals of the last century, as the school tells D&T.
Craig Fuller
Courses offered
Undergraduate and foundation degrees:
- BA (Hons) Professional Acting
- BA (Hons) Production Arts*
- FdA and BA (Hons) top-up Costume for Theatre, Film and TV.
*Our Production Arts courses provide broad-based training in the core production disciplines needed to work professionally for stage or screen, including stage management, lighting, electrics, sound, scenic crafts and construction, and film and TV production.
Postgraduate degrees:
- MA Screen Acting
- MA Performance Design
- MA Drama Directing
- MA Drama Writing
- MFA Professional Voice Studies
- MFA Professional Acting (for international students).
Short courses:
A range of short courses in acting, creative and technical disciplines including a ten-week summer foundation course in acting.
Course content overview
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS) has led the way in training theatre, TV and film professionals for 75 years. Our courses are recognised nationally and internationally as a benchmark of quality in acting, creative and technical arts. By choosing BOVTS, you are joining a school with a world-renowned reputation, based in one of the UK's most lively and creative student cities.
All our courses are practical and career-focused. The majority of teaching takes place in small groups, workshops or in individual tutorials. Learning is immersive and you will have a full and busy timetable throughout each term. As a student at BOVTS, you will have excellent opportunities to perform in, design, write, direct, stage manage or work on shows that take place for the paying-public across Bristol and the West Country.
We regard all our students as professionals in training; your first day in the school is the first day of your career. Our graduates leave the school confident in their creative and technical skills, but also with tenacity to succeed in building a sustainable, varied and fulfilling career in the arts.
The school's degrees are validated and awarded by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).
Fees, bursaries, and other finance information
For fee purposes, the school classifies students either as UK or international. Your residency classification determines the amount you pay in tuition fees, which also vary according to whether the course is an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.
UK and Irish students are eligible for tuition fee loans and support administered by the government. In addition, each year the school offiers a range of student support in the form of bursaries and scholarships. If you are called to interview or audition, course staff will explain more about the funding options available to you.
Accommodation options
While the school does not own halls of residence, Bristol is a student city and there is an abundance of high-quality accommodation within walking of distance of the school. Many of our students choose to rent with fellow BOVTS students. Our admissions office provide guidance to new students about finding accommodation in the private rented sector – for example advice on fair rents, landlord relations, and council tax exemption.
Entry requirements (qualifications)
We typically make unconditional offiers based on your performance at audition or interview. For undergraduate courses, applicants are normally expected to meet UWE Bristol's minimum entry requirements. For postgraduate courses, applicants would normally be expected to have an honours degree in a related subject area. We will also consider evidence of personal, professional and educational experience which show an ability to meet the demands of the course.
Application method (UCAS/direct; audition fee; deadlines)
From 2023 entry, all applications are made directly to the school. Please see our website to apply and for any deadlines that you should be aware of. We charge an audition fee for the BA Professional Acting course, which is currently £25, but an audition fee waiver scheme is available – please see our website for eligibility criteria.
Audition process/preparation required
For BA Acting, auditions are a two-stage process with online preliminary auditions followed by recall days at the school. You will be required to present two contrasting monologues, each two minutes long – see our website for further advice. For technical and creative courses, we initially review your application ahead of interviews, exploring your motivation for the course, any relevant experience, and discussing your portfolio, where relevant.
Details of course selection procedures are available on our course finder at oldvic.ac.uk/course-finder
outreach@cssd.ac.uk
Information is correct at the time of publishing. Audition requirements are subject to change, please refer to the Central website for the latest details.
