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Course dates
Mon 14 Jul 2025 – Fri 19 Sep 2025
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Course fee
ÂŁ5,700
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Age requirement
18+
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Application process
Short interview and speech
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Applications Open
1st September 2024
Course overview
Applications close: Monday 31st March 2025
The Acting Summer Foundation Course at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS) is a ten-week intensive experience of life at a leading conservatoire drama school. On this full-time course, you will be immersed in a programme which mirrors the curriculum of current BA and MFA students and will have the opportunity to work with BOVTS staff members alongside practitioners who are active within the theatre, film and TV industry.
You will be taught through a mixture of practical performance projects and masterclasses. You will have a range of classes in acting, movement, voice, dialect, singing, improvisation, stage combat and scene study techniques. Whether you are looking to pursue acting work professionally, hone your skills for your own personal development, or explore whether degree-level training could be for you, the course offers you the opportunity to learn your craft at a renowned drama school. BOVTS offers a fun and nurturing environment in which to pursue your creative ambitions, based in one of the UK’s most exciting student cities.
What to expect
Course structure
The Acting Summer Foundation Course runs from Monday 14 July to Friday 19th September 2025. There will be classes scheduled on Monday – Friday throughout the duration of the course, typically running between 09:00—17:00. The exception to this is Monday 25 August; the School will be closed due to the summer bank holiday.
To give you an idea of the structure of the course, an overview of the timetable is available to download (PDF, 33 Kb). Please note that this year’s timetable may differ as our courses regularly undergo review, but you can see how different skills are typically taught throughout the course’s duration.
What our students say...
“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!” Lindy, former participant.
“My time at BOVTS was eye-opening. I found the atmosphere to be very welcoming and the tutors were always willing to answer my questions, which was invaluable as I tried to figure out my next steps. The stage combat classes were especially helpful as they opened up the whole world of stage combat for me. After finishing the Foundation Course, I went on to take a few courses in stage combat and horse riding. I’m planning to pursue more training to fulfil my goal of working in special action and live theatre.” Margot, former participant
“I knew that my career could be enhanced by some drama school training, so I looked into short courses and was thrilled to discover that BOVTS offered an Acting Summer Foundation Course. Taking ten weeks off would be much more practical than taking a year out of my career. To cut a long story short, training at BOVTS is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. To be taught by teachers  working in the industry is invaluable. I know that every tool they have given me is effective, reliable and current.” Bastian, former participant
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Accreditation
Please note that this course is not accredited and does not carry UCAS points or transferrable credit points. You will be awarded a certificate of completion from BOVTS once you have finished the course.
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Location
The course takes place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BS8 2XF). The School is a recognised centre of excellence in drama training and is situated in the Clifton district of the city, overlooking Clifton Downs. Bristol is easy to reach by train from all cities in the UK and by road, being accessible from the M4 and M5 motorways. It also has an international airport.
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Entry requirements
Applicants must be 18 or over by the time of the course start date. Entry is via an online interview with a two-minute speech. The speech can be from any published play/script of your choosing. It must not be from a film or TV series and must be in English. Please try to choose a character with a similar age to yourself.
When making your application, you will be asked to provide a short statement outlining your motivations for applying to the course and detailing your level of experience.
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). For the Acting 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.
For any enquiries regarding making your application, please contact [email protected].Â
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Accommodation
We strongly advise you to start thinking about your accommodation as soon as you apply to this course. The School does not have its own halls of residence. In addition to Clifton, areas popular with students include Cotham, Redland, Montpelier, Hotwells and Stoke Bishop. These are within walking distance of the School. Further advice on accommodation is available once you have accepted a place on the course.
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Is this course for me?
We are looking for dedicated, self-motivated individuals who with 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 any support requirements.
Whilst extensive previous experience isn’t required for this course, you should have an interest and commitment to learning through the conservatoire style of teaching. When at the School, you will be working with a range of different teachers and industry professionals, so it’s essential that you can work respectfully with others.
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Fees and bursaries
The course fees are ÂŁ5,700 which are payable in advance. Please note that we require the full fee of ÂŁ5,700 or a non-refundable deposit of ÂŁ500 to secure your place within 20 working days of you receiving an offer. The balance is due 4 weeks before the start of the 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 partial fee waivers, dependent on individual circumstances. For further information regarding eligibility criteria and how to apply, please download the Foundation Course Bursary Policy (131, Kb).
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is able to award one full and two half bursaries to support people from underrepresented backgrounds to participate in its Foundation Course. For more information and to apply please complete the online application form. Please note that the deadline for bursary support is Monday 31st March 2025.
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Further information
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 travel or accommodation costs.
Please note that whilst BOVTS believes the foundation course is excellent preparation for auditioning for drama school, there is no automatic entry into Year 1 of the BA course nor any guarantee of success at preliminary or recall audition.
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UWE Accommodation Offering
Students training on a BOVTS summer course between 6 July and 27 August 2024 are eligible to book discounted accommodation between those dates at UWE Bristol’s Purdown View. Prices range between ÂŁ150 – ÂŁ179 per week. Please email [email protected], for the attention of Louise Edwards, for further information.
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