Acting Summer Foundation Course: 10 Weeks

‘What an extraordinary, life-changing experience it was! Studying at BOVTS is like being embraced into a family of caring, talented teachers and actors who are passionate about the craft and working together. The culture at BOVTS is encouraging, respectful, welcoming and empowering; the environment and buildings are beautiful and I found Bristol to be one of the most wonderful cities in which to spend the summer! Our teachers were deeply committed to seeing us grow personally and professionally during the course, tailoring their programs to meet individual needs within the group. Some teachers even offered private tuition and advice online once I was back in Australia!
I made rich and rewarding friendships that will last a lifetime and was very sad to leave!’

Read Lindy’s story here.

‘Although I’d never applied to BOVTS, I’d auditioned for drama school several times, but kept missing out on a place. I was feeling stuck – even out of touch with acting, because the audition process can feel relentless.

I felt like I needed something to reignite my love for acting. Although I had missed the deadline to apply for the BA programme, I came across the BOVTS summer foundation course and decided to audition. I knew the vibe was right up my street as soon as I walked into the School!’

Read Phoebe’s story here.

Times: There will be classes scheduled Monday – Friday throughout the course. Your days are scheduled from 09:00-17:00.

Except: Monday 26 August 2024 (Summer Bank Holiday). The School will be closed due to summer bank holiday.

Please note that this course is not accredited and does not carry UCAS points. You will be awarded a certificate of completion from BOVTS once you have finished the course.

The course takes place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. The school is a recognised centre of excellence in drama training. The building itself is situated in the beautiful village of Clifton, near Clifton Suspension Bridge and overlooking Clifton Downs.

Bristol is easy to reach by train from all cities in the UK and by road, being serviced by both the M4 and M5 motorways. It also has an international airport.

The course follows the same pattern as the current 2 and 3 year vocational courses.

The classes include: Acting, Movement, Voice, Singing, Improvisation, Stage Combat, Dialects, Scene Study, Audition Techniques, Performance Projects & Masterclasses.

The practitioners teaching on this course are a mixture of current core staff and freelance industry professionals working within Theatre, Film and TV.

Applicants must be aged 18 or over by the time of the course start date

English Comprehension

If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate English language proficiency through a relevant qualification, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which can also be used to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements. For the Summer Foundation Course, an overall score of 7.0 is normally required, with a minimum of 7.0 in reading, 6.0 in writing, 7.0 in listening and 7.0 in speaking.

Entry requirement for the 10 week foundation course is an online interview and a 2 minute speech. The speech can be from any published play/script of your choosing. It must not be from a Film/TV series and must be in the English language. Please try and choose a character with a similar age to yourself.

We would strongly advise you start thinking about your accommodation as soon as you apply to this course. The school does not have its own halls of residence. Areas popular with our students are Hotwells, Cotham, Stoke Bishop, Redland and Montpelier. These are within walking distance to the School. A list of suitable accommodation can be provided once your application is complete.

We are looking for dedicated, self-driven individuals who wish to grow and develop as actors. We expect you to be open to learning new skills, techniques and advancing your performance capabilities.

Your application should demonstrate an understanding of your personal strengths and weaknesses and support requirements.

Extensive previous experience isn’t mandatory to access the course, but desirable candidates will show a strong commitment to learning through the conservatoire training style and format. When at the school you will be working with a range of teachers and industry professionals, so it’s essential that you can work respectfully with others. You will have a responsibility to conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times to further your training. This is expected from all students at the school.

We will treat you with respect, care and courtesy. We will wholeheartedly endeavour to instruct you in the skills, techniques and experiences that will help you further your career.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School has the feel of a ‘small family business’. The people who work and learn here feel that they are part of a community rather than an institution. We try very hard to create an environment that is safe, exciting, creative, professional and productive.

The course fees are £5700 are payable in advance. 

Please note that we require either the full fee of £5700 or a non-refundable deposit of £500 to secure your place within 20 working days of you receiving this offer, with the balance due 4 weeks before the start of your chosen course.

Student loans are not available for this course, but BOVTS is pleased to announce that bursary support is available for this course in the form of a range of partial fee waivers, dependent on individual circumstances. For further information regarding eligibility criteria and how to apply, please download the Bursary Policy.

Please apply online via the “Apply Now” button above.

If you have any queries regarding entry requirements please contact Michael Tew at [email protected]  

Please note that in the unlikely event of an insufficient number of student enrolments for this course, BOVTS may choose to suspend or withdraw the course. If this happens, BOVTS will provide as much notice to participants as possible, and will reimburse student fees, but does not bear any responsibility for reimbursing any travel or accommodation costs.