1 Year Foundation Course in Acting

Course Content – Foundation Course in Acting at READ College

Our personal approach and constant innovation is what makes READ the UK’s leading centre for Foundation Courses in the Performing Arts. We are constantly striving to make the Performing Arts accessible and open to all and so bursary funding is available through our unique Access to The Arts programme (see Fees and Funding below). We welcome applications from prospective students of all backgrounds and walks of life, with diversity and inclusion being core to our work as a registered charity.

Class sizes are small, and we take a strictly limited number students on our Foundation Course in Acting to make sure that we are able to work with each student individually and support them through their training. During an average week at READ College, Acting Foundation students will take part in the following classes:

• Acting – Improvisation, British Theatre, Brecht, Stanislavsky, American Drama, Classical Theatre, Restoration, Audition Repertoire
• Vocal – Speech & Verse, Vocal Technique, Ensemble Singing, Private Singing
• Physical – Physical Theatre, Stage Combat, Body Conditioning, Dance (alternating between Contemporary, Ballet and Tap)
• Additional Weekly Classes – Audition Preparation, Contextual Studies, Performance Class
• Student Welfare - Support can be accessed through our dedicated Student Welfare Officer, including counselling and osteopathy

Alongside these weekly classes, we have regular guest workshops and masterclasses with most of the major degree-level Drama Schools and Colleges, some of whom even come and run auditions here at READ to hand pick our students for their courses!

Our students on the Foundation Course in Acting graduate with the fully accredited RSL Level 4 Diploma for Creative Industries Practitioners, gaining 80 credits at Foundation Degree level.

Please note: Since Brexit prevented us from being able to accept international students in January 2021, we are no longer able to accept applications from international students (residency outside the UK or ROI).

Here at READ College, we believe very strongly that a career in the Performing Arts should be open to anyone who has the dedication and determination to make it, regardless of financial circumstances. That is why we are a registered charity with no owner, director or shareholders making money from your training – our Board of Trustees are all volunteers. You can find out about our charitable work by clicking HERE.

The full cost of our Foundation Course in Acting for 2023 entry is currently under review. Fees can be paid monthly or in three installments, without any additional administration or interest costs.

Our Access to The Arts scheme can support up to 60% of tuition fees at READ College for UK students.

Bursaries from Access to The Arts are means-tested and are provided on a sliding scale, based on household income, savings levels and also any extenuating circumstances that have led to a student being unable to access Performing Arts training. Once a student has been offered a place at audition, they will be sent a bursary application form to fill in and complete before having to enrol.

For students who may not be eligible for support from Access to The Arts, or those who have been awarded a bursary but cannot afford the balance of the fees, we provide a full support and advice service to help you find additional grants and sponsorship wherever possible. If you would like advice on funding your course, please contact us.

Please note that at the present time, there is no government funding or student loan that will cover Foundation Training, which is why we set up Access to The Arts.

We are extremely proud of the expert teaching faculty at READ College on our Acting Foundation Course. All of our staff are experienced industry professionals with many years of vocational teaching experience alongside impressive performing careers.

You can find out who teaches on our Acting Foundation Course at READ College by visiting our Teaching Faculty page and see why we’re the leading Performing Arts Foundation College in the UK!

Students on our Acting Foundation Course have several performance opportunities during their year with us. These include:

• Improv Night, with students working as a professional improv troupe to help raise funds for our Student Hardship Fund
• Platform Performance, a devised comedy show created by the students in just 3 weeks from scratch with a sold-out venue waiting for them!
• Showcase, which takes the form of an existing play directed by a professional guest Director working in the theatre industry, and with representatives of major UK Drama Schools invited to see our students at work

Here are some answers to the most frequently asked question by prospective students. Feel free to get in touch if you need to ask anything else!

• How old do I have to be? The average age of students on our Foundation Course in Acting is 18-24, but there is no official limit. For students who are 16/17 or have not completed AS-levels or A-level/equivalent we recommend our 2 Year Vocational Sixth Form in Acting which gives you the chance to gain experience and qualifications equal to 3 A-Levels.
• What qualifications do I need? There is no academic requirement for training at READ on our Foundation Course in Acting, although it is worth thinking about the possible degree-level courses that you may go on to afterwards most of which will require you to have the UCAS points from 3 A-levels or equivalent. Admission to READ is by audition, and so it is what you present on the day that counts! You can find out more about our audition process here.
• Do I need drama exams or A-levels to audition? No. They are a useful way of us gauging your experience prior to audition but once again, it is all about what you present at audition!
• When are your auditions? We audition every month from January to May. Just fill in our online application form and we will get in touch to arrange an audition date with you.