Qualification
PG Diploma / Master of Arts (MA)
Course Length
PG Dip: 30 weeks
MA: 40 weeks
Course Fee
2025 Entry:
UK students:
PG Dip: £13,000
MA: £15,000
International students:
PG Dip: £15,500
MA: £17,500
Course Overview
Our MA/PG diploma course in Professional Acting is an intensive, vocational training that launches you into your career with the fundamental skills needed to underpin your technique as you move into the profession.
The training is practical with specialist workshops and rehearsals, working in ensembles. We will introduce you to a variety of methods and practices to give you a broad range of experience to build from as you progress through the training.
Most students progress to the full MA delivery. Whether you apply for the MA or PG diploma can be discussed in the audition process. We can find the course most suitable for you and the actor you want to be.
Course Structure
PG DIP & MA
| TERM | MODULE TITLE AND CREDIT WEIGHTING |
| TERM 1 SEP-DEC |
CORE PRACTICE AND APPROACHES 40 CREDITS |
| TERM 1/2 JAN-APR |
EXPLORATIONS IN STYLE AND FORM 40 CREDITS |
| TERM 2/3 APRIL-JUL |
PROFESSIONAL APPLICATION 40 CREDITS |
MA
| TERM 3 JUL-SEP |
RESEARCH PROJECT 60 CREDITS |
Skills training includes:
- Voice
- Movement
- Screen Acting
- Audio Work
- Character Study
- Stagecraft
- Approaches to Text
Our MA/PG students bring a diverse and inspiring wealth of lived experience from their previous training and practice which they build on through their training. They graduate with the confidence in a foundation of core skills to draw from in any professional setting.
To get a sense of what it’s like to study with us, you can read an interview with three of our 2024 MA/PG students here.
Performances and Showcase
There are two public productions for the PG diploma and three for the MA course. This reflects the level of the qualification. In addition, students create professional standard film and audio work to use as a showreel.
MA/PG students also perform a live showcase to an industry audience alongside the BA Hons and MFA cohorts. This serves as an invaluable introduction to agents, casting directors and other key industry work-givers in the professional while enabling you to network with peers.
Associations and Validation
This course is validated and awarded by the University of West London which prides itself as the Career University. Drama Studio London is also accredited by the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT), a governing body which accredits excellent professional training in the leading drama schools. It is an integral member of the Federation of Drama Schools (FDS), an organisation dedicated to good practice in conservatoire training.
Key information
| Start Date: 8 September 2025 | End Date: 28 June 2025 (MA students will have a final independent assignment due early September) |
| Hours Per Week: 30 | Daily Schedule: 9.45 am – 5.15 pm from Monday to Friday. Not including class preparation or warm up |
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Deposit: UK students: £1000 payable upon acceptance of a place (included as part of the total fees). International students: Please refer to UWL’s tuition fee guidance |
Entry requirements
Please note the 1 year PGDip/MA is a not a route onto the MFA. There is no direct entry to year two of the MFA. Entrance to the second year is dependent on completion of the first year and the awarding of appropriate credits.
| Standard Entry | Non Standard Entry |
| Undergraduate degree (any subject) | Skills and experience drawn from employment or workplace experience |
| No upper age limit but applicants should be over 21 | |
| Demonstrable capacity, understanding and creative imagination as an actor, evidenced through adjudication of audition process. | |
| Demonstrable interest in and experience of performance which can have been acquired professionally or via youth/amateur/student theatre | |
| Substantial capacity to operate as an independent, self motivated and organised learner, which can be evidenced via previous undergraduate study or via employment in other sectors | |
| Commitment to train as a professional with rigour, focus and discipline, and a commitment to take personal and collaborative responsibility for learning according to the course requirements | |
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Applicants should have good conversational English and be able to read, understand and perform a variety of texts in English. If English is not your first language you will be required to provide a valid SELT (Secure English Language Test) at level CEFR (Common European Framework) B2 or above or at IELTS level 6.5 or above. |
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Fees
| PG DIP | MA | |
| UK Students | £13,000 | £15,000 |
| International Students | £15,500 | £17,500 |
These fees relate to sterling transactions only. For non-sterling payments please add the equivalent of £20GBP to cover bank charges and administration costs.
All course fees are subject to adjustment in line with government guidelines.
The costs of most texts and sheet music are included in the fees. Please see the DSL EQUIPMENT LIST 2024 for information about other compulsory purchases such as character shoes and headshots. These additional fees will not exceed approximately £500. You will be sent a reading list before the start of the course.
Deposits
All full-time international students will be required to pay a deposit or an up-front payment of their tuition fees (dependent upon their country of origin) to secure their place on the course and be issued a Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS). The amount of the deposit/payment will be detailed in the offer letter.
£2000 of this payment is a non-refundable deposit.
The deposit is refundable only in the following circumstances:
if the University does not issue a CAS; or
Where a student is issued with a visa refusal by the UKVI unless the refusal by UKVI is for reasons of fraud or misrepresentation.
Where the deposit and up-front payment is refunded to the student, DSL will retain £1000 as an administration fee.
Where a student is unable to apply for a visa or decides not to study in the year of application for any reason, DSL will return the up-front payment minus the £2000 deposit. DSL will retain the deposit which the student may use to re-apply within two years.
Where a student commences their course of study but decides to withdraw, DSL will retain a £2000 deposit.
Admissions
Admission to Drama Studio London is via audition, following receipt of an application via UCAS and our direct application form.
There are two rounds:
Round 1 is a digital audition and we ask that you send some recorded material
Round 2 is in person and consists of workshops, monologue work and an interview
Read the full guide to our audition process HERE, including advice on preparation and how to send self-tapes.
Attention is paid to ensure assessors are representative and include diverse perspectives. First round audition material is reviewed by two separate staff members. If a candidate is recalled, the in person audition/interview stage will include 2 different faculty members. Where there is a query in respect of making an effective judgement of previous study/learning or written capacity, alternative specific tasks may be set in order to accommodate further adjudication of each candidate. There is no standardised process, requirements for this are considered on a case by case basis. There is no alternative to a practical audition and interview.
We do not charge for auditions as part of our ongoing policy of breaking down barriers to conservatoire training by widening participation for all.
Please be advised your recall audition can only be rearranged once unless exceptional circumstances apply.
If exceptional circumstances do not apply, you will still be eligible for recall entry in the following academic year.
Funding
If you are under 60 and normally live in England, you may be eligible for a Postgraduate Loan of up to £11,222 towards the cost of your course and living expenses. For more information go to our Funding page