RADA FOUNDATION CLASS

Our two-term Foundation Course in Acting (non-award bearing) provides a rigorous training in the
foundations of acting that will give you an insight into life at a conservatoire drama school.
This course carries no higher education credits. Please note that there is no student finance available for
this course.

The course
The Foundation Course is particularly relevant if you are considering whether actor training at degree
level will suit you, but is also invaluable if you are considering a career that demands communication
and presentation skills at the highest level.
During the course you will have the opportunity to explore careers in theatre and related industries, and
will be introduced to practitioners who can discuss the range of career options available. The course is
taught by RADA tutors and directors.
The curriculum offers skills classes in:
 acting technique (focusing on Stanislavski and Meisner)
 movement (including group Alexander technique, animal studies and character work)
 dance (covering a wide range of periods)
 voice
 singing (group and solo)
 text analysis
Specialist classes in:
 acting for screen
 introduction to playwriting
 introduction to filmmaking
 clowning
Rehearsal projects:
 contemporary playwrights
 Realist movement
 Shakespeare

The Foundation Course in Acting consists of two terms of 12 teaching weeks each year beginning in
September and finishing in March.
The programme is intensive and can involve evening and Saturday work.
Induction 12-13 September
Monday 16 September – Saturday 7 December SEM 1
Monday 6 January – Saturday 28 March SEM 2
Although this is a non-accredited course, you will receive ongoing verbal assessments throughout the course, so
that you can track your progression through the training. However, there is no formal assessment.
Many students on the Foundation Course in Acting go on to full-time BA-level training at RADA and other
drama schools and conservatoires. Some decide to pursue further study at a university, or go straight into work in
the industry, be it performing, writing or directing.

The audition process

The audition is a two-stage process. The preliminary audition is the same as that for the BA (Hons) in
Acting, followed by a separate workshop audition day at a later date.
Preliminary audition
Preliminary auditions run continually between November and April. Auditions are between 9am-6pm
Monday to Friday, with occasional Saturdays and evenings. You will be seen at preliminary auditions
by two members of the audition panel.
Workshop audition
The second round of auditions is a workshop day specifically for entry to the Foundation Course in
Acting.
The workshop audition includes a practical element and an interview, and is facilitated by the course
director along with two Foundation Course teachers/directors.
The morning session involves the whole group in a workshop that is broken up into three parts:
1. movement
2. group dynamic work
3. text analysis
Each part is led by one of the three facilitators. This part of the day culminates in you showing your
contemporary monologue to the group, whilst the course director runs some of the interviews.
In the afternoon the group is split in half. Each half is led by one of the two tutors/directors, who work
with you on your chosen classical monologue. During the afternoon session the course director runs the
remaining interviews.
The afternoon session culminates in a classical monologue showing and a brief Q&A. At this point you
will be given more detailed information about the course, and the opportunity to ask any questions you
might have.
Tuition fees
The fee for the RADA Foundation Course in Acting 2019-20 will be £13,350.

Costs not included in the fees

The things not covered include practice clothes and footwear, play texts and stationery. We take a
repayable deposit from students for locker keys, access passes and against any unpaid library fees. This
totals around £100. Any student likely to have difficulty paying a deposit can notify us before arriving
at RADA.
For international students, there are also financial requirements associated with the allocation of a Tier
4 visa. Download our visa guidance notes for more information.

If I get a place on the Foundation Course in Acting, do I automatically get a place on the BA (Hons) in Acting
the following year?
No. Students on the Foundation Course in Acting might choose to apply for the BA (Hons) in Acting
course, and if so will need to follow the same admissions process. However, they do skip the
preliminary audition and go straight to the second stage of the BA (Hons) audition process.