The Best Drama Schools in the UK 2026
Some of the best-known drama schools in the UK include RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, ArtsEd, Mountview and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
However, this guide is not intended to rank the schools from first to eighteenth.
Different drama schools have different approaches to training, and the best school for you will depend on the type of actor you want to become, the course you are applying for, where you want to train and the environment in which you are most likely to develop.
The Federation of Drama Schools is one useful resource for researching conservatoire training, but the Federation itself advises prospective students to consider which school and training approach best suits their individual ambitions rather than looking for a definitive "best" institution.
First published 23rd September 2022
Last updated 7th August 2026
Best drama schools in the UK at a glance
Compare 18 leading UK drama schools and conservatoires for professional actor training.
| Drama school | Location | Best known for | Good option for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArtsEd | London | ActingMusical theatre | Actors and musical theatre performers |
| Bristol Old Vic Theatre School | Bristol | ActingConservatoire | Intensive professional actor training |
| Drama Studio London | London | Acting | Specialist vocational actor training |
| East 15 | Essex | ActingContemporary | Actors wanting varied specialist pathways |
| Guildford School of Acting | Guildford | ActingMusical theatre | Acting and musical theatre |
| Guildhall | London | ActingConservatoire | Highly selective actor training |
| Italia Conti | Woking | ActingMusical theatre | Versatile multidisciplinary performers |
| LAMDA | London | ActingConservatoire | Elite stage and screen training |
| LIPA | Liverpool | ActingScreen | Contemporary and screen-focused actors |
| Manchester School of Theatre | Manchester | ActingScreen | Stage, television and film |
| Mountview | London | ActingMusical theatre | Acting and musical theatre |
| Oxford School of Drama | Oxfordshire | ActingSmall cohorts | Specialist conservatoire training |
| RADA | London | ActingConservatoire | Highly selective actor training |
| Rose Bruford College | London | ActingSpecialist performance | Acting, screen and devised performance |
| Royal Birmingham Conservatoire | Birmingham | ActingConservatoire | Professional training outside London |
| Royal Central School of Speech and Drama | London | ActingTheatre-making | Actors wanting different training pathways |
| Royal Conservatoire of Scotland | Glasgow | ActingConservatoire | Stage, screen and audio |
| Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama | Cardiff | ActingConservatoire | Theatre and screen training |
List of the Top 18 Drama Schools in the UK 2026
ArtsEd
Location: London
Best known for: Acting and musical theatre
Training includes: Acting, screen, voice, movement and musical theatre
Notable alumni: Lashana Lynch, Omari Douglas and Yungblud
ArtsEd is one of London's best-known performing arts schools and has a particularly strong reputation for professional acting and musical theatre training.
Its full-time acting programme combines intensive practical training with performance and screen work, while the school's musical theatre training has long been associated with graduates moving into professional West End and touring productions.
For actors looking for a busy London training environment with strong links to the professional theatre industry, ArtsEd is an attractive option. Its current BA Acting remains a three-year full-time programme, with training designed around preparing students for professional work.
Who might ArtsEd suit? Actors who want rigorous vocational training in London and performers considering both acting and musical theatre routes.
Bristol Old Vic
Location: Bristol
Best known for: Professional actor training
Training includes: Acting, voice, movement, stage, screen and audio
Notable alumni: Olivia Colman, Daniel Day-Lewis and Naomie Harris
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School has one of the strongest reputations in British actor training.
Opened by Laurence Olivier in 1946, the school has trained generations of actors and maintains significant links with the professional theatre, television and film industries.
Bristol also offers an alternative to studying in London while remaining home to an important theatre and screen community.
JAM has its own connection with the school. Previous Luke Westlake Scholarship winners Sol Taibi and Tamzin Khan trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
There is an important consideration for applicants in 2026. The school paused new applications to its three-year BA Professional Acting programme and introduced new acting foundation routes while considering the future structure of its professional actor training. Existing BA cohorts continue to train at the school, so prospective students should check the latest admissions position before applying.
Who might Bristol Old Vic suit? Actors looking for intensive conservatoire training and a strong theatre tradition outside London.
Drama Studio
Location: West London
Best known for: Specialist professional actor training
Training includes: Acting, voice, movement, screen and audio
Notable alumni: Emily Watson and Forest Whitaker
Drama Studio London has specialised in professional actor training for more than 50 years.
Unlike larger performing arts institutions, the school's focus remains strongly centred on developing actors. Its current training includes a three-year BA in Professional Acting alongside foundation and postgraduate routes.
Students work across acting technique, voice, movement, screen acting, audio and stagecraft, with the later stages of training increasingly focused on professional preparation and industry-facing work.
Its location in Ealing also offers access to London while providing a smaller specialist training environment than some of the capital's larger institutions.
Who might Drama Studio London suit? Actors looking for focused vocational training in a specialist acting school rather than a larger multidisciplinary conservatoire.
Alumni include: Forest Whitaker and Emily Watson.
East 15 Acting School
Location: Loughton and Colchester, Essex
Best known for: Acting, contemporary performance and specialist performance courses
Training includes: Stage, screen, audio, devised work, physical theatre and specialist acting pathways
Notable alumni: Alison Steadman and Blake Harrison
Part of the University of Essex, East 15 has developed a reputation for offering one of the broadest ranges of actor-training pathways in the UK.
Alongside its core BA Acting programme, East 15 has offered specialist training in areas including contemporary theatre, international acting, physical performance and stage combat.
Its principal BA Acting course remains an intensive three-year conservatoire-style degree preparing actors to work across stage, screen, audio and digital media.
This variety makes East 15 particularly interesting for applicants whose interests extend beyond traditional text-based actor training.
Who might East 15 suit? Actors looking for a wide choice of training styles or those interested in contemporary, physical, devised and international performance.
Guildford School of Acting
Location: Guildford, Surrey
Best known for: Acting and musical theatre
Training includes: Acting, musical theatre, voice, movement and performance
Notable alumni: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and T'Nia Miller
Guildford School of Acting - usually known as GSA - is part of the University of Surrey and is one of the UK's best-known conservatoire-style performing arts schools.
GSA has an especially prominent reputation in musical theatre, but its actor training is also highly regarded. Its BA Acting remains a full-time professional training programme within the University of Surrey.
Being part of a university gives students access to a larger campus environment while retaining specialist training through GSA.
For applicants looking at both acting and musical theatre, GSA should be one of the major institutions to research.
Who might GSA suit? Performers who want high-level conservatoire training within a university environment, particularly those comparing acting and musical theatre courses.
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Location: Barbican, London
Best known for: Acting and classical/contemporary performance
Training includes: Acting, voice, movement, screen and professional preparation
Notable alumni: Daniel Craig, Damian Lewis and Ewan McGregor
Guildhall is one of the most prestigious drama schools in the UK.
Located at the Barbican in the City of London, its BA Acting programme has a formidable reputation and attracts applications from across the world.
The three-year course places significant emphasis on developing the individual actor while providing extensive technical training and performance experience. Guildhall's current programme describes its approach as helping each student build their own individual artistic practice.
Competition for places is extremely high, but for actors looking for intensive training at one of Britain's most established conservatoires, Guildhall remains one of the obvious schools to consider.
Our 2025 Luke Westlake Scholarship winner, Monica Khela, trained at Guildhall.Based in the artistic hub of Barbican, Central London, Guildhall’s reputation has grown considerably in recent years and is now one of the most sought after drama schools in the UK for actors in training. Their BA acting course is notoriously difficult to get into, but offers some of the best training in the country.
Who might Guildhall suit? Actors looking for highly selective, intensive conservatoire training with strong links to the professional industry.
Italia Conti
Location: Woking, Surrey
Best known for: Acting, musical theatre and dance
Training includes: Acting, voice, movement, singing and screen
Notable alumni: Noel Coward, Naomi Campbell and Layton Williams
Italia Conti is one of Britain's oldest and best-known performing arts training institutions.
Now based at its purpose-built campus in Woking, the school offers specialist routes across acting, musical theatre and dance.
Its three-year BA Acting combines vocal and physical training with different approaches to character, text and contemporary professional performance. The Woking campus is also home to the school's musical theatre and wider performing arts training.
That makes Italia Conti particularly interesting for performers who want to train in an environment where different performing arts disciplines exist alongside one another.
Who might Italia Conti suit? Versatile performers considering acting, musical theatre or multidisciplinary training outside central London.
LAMDA
Location: West London
Best known for: Professional actor training
Training includes: Acting, voice, movement, screen, audio and classical/contemporary performance
Notable alumni: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Brian Cox
LAMDA - the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art - is one of the most internationally recognised drama schools in the world.
Its reputation for actor training makes it one of the most competitive institutions to enter in the UK.
LAMDA's three-year BA Professional Acting course combines acting technique with voice, movement, singing, screen, television and audio work, alongside professional performance opportunities.
The school attracts applicants internationally and has produced a huge number of successful actors working across theatre, television and film.
For applicants aiming for intensive conservatoire training with a major international reputation, LAMDA will usually be near the top of the research list.
LIPA
Location: Liverpool
Best known for: Contemporary acting and performing arts
Training includes: Acting, stage, screen, digital performance and new work
Notable alumni: Liz White and Jamie Lloyd
LIPA is one of the major performing arts institutions outside London.
Based in Liverpool, the school offers an increasingly broad selection of acting programmes, including its core BA Acting and specialist training in screen and digital performance.
The BA Acting currently takes around 20 students each year and develops performers across contemporary and classical theatre, film, television, radio and digital media. Students also develop original work and professional material as they progress through training.
Liverpool's theatre, television and cultural scene also gives students the opportunity to train in a major creative city without the cost and intensity of London.
Who might LIPA suit? Actors interested in contemporary training, screen work, new performance forms and studying in a major regional city.
Manchester School of Theatre
Location: Manchester
Best known for: Professional acting
Training includes: Theatre, film, television, radio and contemporary screen performance
Notable alumni: Julie Walters, Steve Coogan and Zawe Ashton
Manchester School of Theatre forms part of Manchester Metropolitan University and has been training professional actors for decades.
Its three-year BA Acting is vocational in approach and prepares performers for theatre, radio, television and film, with newer areas of training also extending into motion capture and animation.
The location is another major advantage.
Manchester has developed into one of the most important television, theatre and media centres in the UK, giving students access to a significant creative industry without studying in London.
Who might Manchester School of Theatre suit? Actors looking for vocational training in a major UK theatre and screen production hub outside the capital.
Mountview
Location: Peckham, London
Best known for: Acting and musical theatre
Training includes: Acting, screen, voice, movement and performance
Notable alumni: Giles Terera, Eddie Marsan and Louisa Harland
Mountview has long been regarded as one of the UK's leading performing arts schools.
Based at a major purpose-built centre in Peckham, South London, the school is particularly well known for acting and musical theatre training.
Its three-year BA Acting is designed to prepare performers for careers across theatre, television, film and recorded media. Students receive practical actor training before moving into public productions, professional preparation and screen work.
Mountview's combination of acting, musical theatre, directing, production and creative courses also creates a particularly busy multidisciplinary training environment.
Who might Mountview suit? Actors looking for intensive London training and performers comparing leading acting and musical theatre schools.
Oxford School of Drama
Location: Oxfordshire
Best known for: Specialist actor training
Training includes: Acting, voice, movement, classical and contemporary performance
Notable alumni: Claire Foy and Nicola Coughlan
The Oxford School of Drama offers a very different training environment from the major London schools.
Based in the Oxfordshire countryside, it is a specialist conservatoire focused heavily on actor training and deliberately maintains relatively small training cohorts.
Its principal three-year acting programme provides intensive practical training across vocal, physical and imaginative technique, alongside opportunities to work with professional directors, writers and industry practitioners.
One important distinction is that the three-year course is not currently a university degree. Applicants should therefore research the school's specific funding arrangements rather than assuming the standard undergraduate student finance model applies.
Oxford also offers foundation and postgraduate training.
Who might Oxford School of Drama suit? Actors looking for specialist, small-cohort conservatoire training away from a large university or city campus.
RADA
Location: London
Best known for: Professional acting
Training includes: Classical and contemporary acting, screen, television, radio and digital performance
Notable alumni: Ralph Fiennes, Jessie Buckley, Kenneth Branagh and Gemma Arterton
RADA - the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art - is probably the most famous drama school in the UK.
Its name has been associated with elite British actor training for more than a century, and competition for places on its acting programme is exceptionally high.
RADA's current three-year BA Acting combines studio training, performance, screen work and professional development, with students preparing to work across theatre, film, television, radio and digital media. The degree is validated by King's College London.
Its location in central London also places students close to much of the professional theatre industry.
RADA's reputation alone should never be the only reason to apply, but it remains one of the defining institutions in professional actor training. Our 2024 scholarship winner attended RADA, Darcy Dixon.
Who might RADA suit? Actors looking for highly competitive, intensive professional training with a strong classical and contemporary foundation.
Rose Bruford College
Location: Sidcup, London
Best known for: Acting and specialist performance training
Training includes: Acting, screen, devised performance and actor-musicianship
Notable alumni: Gary Oldman and Rosalie Craig
Rose Bruford has one of the broadest approaches to performance training among the schools in this guide.
Based at Lamorbey Park in Sidcup, the college offers traditional acting alongside specialist routes in areas including actor-musicianship, screen and devised performance.
Its breadth can make Rose Bruford particularly attractive to actors whose interests extend beyond a conventional acting course. Current undergraduate provision includes Acting, Actor Musicianship and Acting for Screen and Devised Performance, alongside foundation and postgraduate training.
The college has also built an international reputation over many decades of actor and theatre training.
Who might Rose Bruford suit? Actors interested in a broader or more specialist approach to contemporary performance training.
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Location: Birmingham
Best known for: Acting and conservatoire training
Training includes: Acting, theatre, screen, voice and movement
Notable alumni: Catherine Tyldesley and Danielle Pinnock
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire incorporates the institution previously known as Birmingham School of Acting.
Its BA Acting provides three years of full-time professional training designed to develop versatile actors and prepare graduates for the industry.
Birmingham itself is a significant advantage.
The city has a major theatre scene, including Birmingham Rep, alongside a growing screen and creative sector. Students can therefore experience conservatoire-style training in one of Britain's largest cities without needing to relocate to London.
The conservatoire also trains musicians, performers and other creative disciplines, giving it a broader artistic environment than a standalone acting school.
Who might Royal Birmingham Conservatoire suit? Actors wanting vocational conservatoire training in a large regional city with a strong cultural sector.
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Location: London
Best known for: Acting, theatre-making and specialist performance training
Training includes: Classical and contemporary acting, devised theatre, screen and musical theatre
Notable alumni: Judi Dench, Andrew Garfield and Riz Ahmed
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - usually shortened simply to Central - is one of the world's most established institutions for theatre and performance training.
Part of the University of London, Central offers a particularly large range of performance, theatre-making and technical courses.
Its BA Acting is notable for offering different training pathways rather than forcing every acting student through exactly the same route. Current undergraduate options include classical and contemporary work alongside devised and other specialist approaches.
That breadth makes Central one of the most interesting schools for actors who want to compare different philosophies of professional training.
Who might Central suit? Actors who want intensive professional training but also value a broad theatre-making environment and different acting specialisms.
17. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Location: Glasgow
Best known for: Acting and multidisciplinary conservatoire training
Training includes: Stage, screen, audio, voice and movement
Notable alumni: Ncuti Gatwa, Richard Madden and Billy Boyd
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is one of the UK's leading performing arts institutions.
Based in Glasgow, RCS trains students across drama, music, dance, production and film, creating a genuinely multidisciplinary conservatoire environment.
Its three-year BA Acting offers intensive practical preparation for professional work across theatre, screen, audio and emerging digital platforms. Final-year training also includes professional preparation and opportunities to perform for industry audiences.
For actors considering training outside England, RCS should be high on the list. Glasgow also has one of Britain's strongest theatre, television and independent arts scenes.
Who might RCS suit? Actors looking for high-level conservatoire training in a multidisciplinary environment outside London.
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Location: Cardiff
Best known for: Professional acting and conservatoire training
Training includes: Theatre, screen, digital media, voice and movement
Notable alumni: Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ruth Jones and Anthony Boyle
The Luke Westlake Scholarship Winners: Ayomide Adegun (2020) and Melodie Karczewski (2021)
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is the national conservatoire of Wales and has established a strong reputation for professional actor training.
Its intensive BA Acting combines practical and performance-based training with work designed to prepare actors for theatre, film, television and digital media.
Students train in Cardiff, a city with significant links to theatre and television production, while working alongside other performers, designers, musicians and stage-management students at the conservatoire.
Royal Welsh has produced a growing number of prominent actors working across British theatre and screen, adding to a graduate history that already includes some major names.
Who might Royal Welsh suit? Actors seeking conservatoire training outside London with strong links to both theatre and screen.
Which drama school is right for you?
The biggest mistake when researching drama schools is assuming that the school with the most famous name will automatically be the best choice for you.
Instead, look closely at the training itself.
If you are primarily interested in straight acting, schools such as RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Central, Oxford and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland may feature prominently in your research.
If you also have a strong interest in musical theatre, investigate ArtsEd, Mountview, Guildford School of Acting and Italia Conti.
Actors interested in devising, physical performance or developing their own work may find specialist options at East 15, Rose Bruford or Central particularly appealing.
Location matters too.
London gives you immediate proximity to a huge concentration of theatres, casting professionals and acting agencies, but training in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Bristol or Oxfordshire can offer a completely different student experience.
Most importantly, research the actual course rather than applying because of a school's reputation alone.
Drama school or university - what's the difference?
Drama schools and university drama departments can both provide excellent training, but they often have different priorities.
Professional drama-school courses usually place greater emphasis on intensive vocational training. A typical week may contain significant contact time across acting, voice, movement, rehearsal and performance.
A university drama or theatre degree may place greater emphasis on academic study, theatre history, critical theory, writing, directing or broader performance studies.
Neither route is automatically better.
If your primary goal is to train professionally as an actor, an intensive conservatoire or drama-school programme may be more appropriate. If you want a broader academic understanding of theatre and performance, a university course may be a better fit.
You can also read our guide to the best universities to study drama and theatre in the UK.
What should you look for when choosing a drama school?
Before applying, consider:
The style and intensity of the acting training
How much voice and movement training is included
Opportunities to work on screen and audio
Class and cohort sizes
Public performance opportunities
Graduate showcases and industry exposure
Whether graduates are eligible for professional platforms such as Spotlight
Tuition fees and available funding
Accommodation and living costs
The school's location
The wellbeing and pastoral support available
Whether the culture of the school feels right for you
Open days can be extremely useful.
If you reach a recall or final-round audition, remember that you are also auditioning the school. Pay attention to how staff communicate with applicants, how current students speak about their experience and whether you can imagine spending several intensive years training there.
Do you need to attend drama school to become an actor?
No.
There is no requirement to attend drama school before becoming a professional actor, and many successful performers have entered the industry through different routes.
However, high-quality professional training can provide structure, technique, performance experience and access to an acting community at an important stage in your development.
Drama school can also introduce graduating actors to agents, casting directors and other industry professionals.
The value of training is therefore about considerably more than having the name of a prestigious school on your CV.
Frequently asked questions about UK drama schools
What is the best drama school in the UK?
There is no definitive best drama school for every actor. RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Central and other leading conservatoires have major international reputations, but the right school depends on the individual actor, course and training environment.
What are the hardest drama schools to get into?
Leading institutions including RADA, LAMDA and Guildhall receive large numbers of applications for relatively small acting cohorts, making entry highly competitive. Applicants should expect several stages of auditions or recalls at many professional drama schools.
Is RADA the best drama school in the UK?
RADA is one of the UK's most prestigious and internationally recognised drama schools, but that does not make it automatically the best choice for every actor. Training style, course structure and environment should all influence your decision.
What does RADA stand for?
RADA stands for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
What does LAMDA stand for?
LAMDA stands for the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art.
What are the best drama schools in London?
Some of London's best-known drama schools include RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, ArtsEd and Mountview.
Read our full guide to the best drama schools in London.
What are the best drama schools for musical theatre?
ArtsEd, Mountview, Guildford School of Acting and Italia Conti are among the UK's best-known institutions for musical theatre training. Applicants should compare individual course content because the balance between acting, singing and dance varies considerably between schools.
How many drama schools should I apply to?
There is no ideal number. Because professional actor-training courses can be extremely competitive, many applicants apply to several schools rather than relying on a single audition.
However, application and audition costs can add up quickly, so research each institution carefully before applying.
Can you get student finance for drama school?
It depends on the institution and the specific course. Many degree programmes are eligible for standard student finance, while some independent conservatoire courses use different funding systems. Always check the school's current fees and funding information before applying.
Is drama school worth it?
For the right actor and the right course, drama school can provide intensive technical training, performance experience and valuable preparation for working professionally.
It does not guarantee an acting career, and applicants should consider the financial commitment carefully. The most important question is whether the training will genuinely help you develop into the actor and creative professional you want to become.
