Auditions and interviews

If your application is successful, you will be invited to an audition, an interview or both, depending on the course you've applied for. For the majority of our Acting courses, auditioning is a two-stage process - Initial and Recall. Find out more about what the auditions will involve for each course and how you can prepare.

Acting courses

Here you will find guidance for the courses listed below to help you prepare and make the most of your audition.

BA (Hons) Acting

Audition guidance

Foundation in Acting

Audition guidance

MA Acting

Audition guidance

MFA Acting

Audition guidance

International students

If you live outside the UK you can undertake an initial audition via video link through YouTube video for either the BA (Hons) Acting or MA Acting courses. All videos must be YouTube videos.

You should present your audition in English to camera and perform them as you would in a live audition.

For guidance on what to perform in your audition video, please select the relevant course from the above list.

Offering you a place at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Following an audition, one of the following outcomes is possible:

You are offered an unconditional place

This means that you have a place on the course for which you applied. This offer is only for the year in which you apply.
You are offered a conditional place

This means that you will have a place on the course for which you applied if you attain the required academic qualifications. This offer is only for the year in which you apply.
You are offered a reserve place on the course

This is the most common outcome. It indicates that you have reached an acceptable standard, but because applications and auditions/interviews happen throughout the year we cannot allocate all places on a course until the auditions/interviews have been completed.

Our auditions come to an end in June, and the reserve pool will normally stay ‘live’ until 31 August. Applicants in the sector finalise their choices through UCAS by their reply by date so it is not uncommon for further places to become available at that time. If we are unable to offer you a firm place by this date you may wish to start the audition process again for the following year’s intake when the UCAS Conservatoire application process opens again in July.
You are not offered a place on the course

You cannot re-apply for a place on the same course in the same academic year.

More information

Acting audition and interview FAQs

Audition tips and how to perform a monologue

How to apply

Fees and fee waivers

Fees must be paid prior to audition (where fees are applicable) and cover the entire audition process. For BA Acting and MA Acting there is a one-off UCAS Conservatoires application fee of £28.50 payable to UCAS on submission of application form. In addition, a non-refundable audition fee of £46 is payable to the Conservatoire; this is collected through the UCAS system.

For Applied Theatre and Stage Management, which are applied for through the mainstream UCAS system, there is a one-off application fee payable to UCAS on submission of an application form. For both a single course choice and for two to five choices, the cost will be £28.95. There is no additional audition fee payable to the Conservatoire for these courses.

In certain circumstances we may consider waiving audition fees. Please see our page about fee waivers. You should make your fee waiver request prior to making your audition payment with UCAS.

Course audition/recording fee

BA (Hons) Acting - £46
BA (Hons) Stage Management - N/A
BA (Hons) Applied Theatre - N/A
MA Acting - £46
MFA Acting - N/A

More information on audition fees

Applicants with disabilities

Like all of Birmingham City University, RBC is committed to equal opportunities.

It is important that you tell us about any disability you may have. Once we are made aware of any disability we can try to support your individual needs.

If you feel additional support is required at your audition/interview, please email admissions at acting.admissions@bcu.ac.uk and also contact:

the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team at wellbeing@bcu.ac.uk who support those with mental health conditions
the Disability Support Team at disability@bcu.ac.uk who support applicants and students with disabilities, medical conditions and specific learning difficulties e.g. dyslexia, ADHD etc.

Please also note; If you wish us to take dyslexia or dyspraxia into account at your recall audition, you must bring with you a copy of your assessment/report confirming the condition.

Appealing against an unsuccessful audition

If you wish to appeal against a decision you should contact the admissions team within 14 days of notification to receive a copy of the Appeals Policy.

An appeals panel, led by a senior member of staff who was not involved in your audition, will investigate thoroughly any grounds for appeal and will notify you of the outcome.